The hit film, “King Richard,” proved that Venus and Serena Williams owed more than a little bit of their success to their father.
But, as it turns out, they got more than a little bit of help from the rest of their family, as well.
First, the contributions of their mother, Oracene Price, cannot be overstated. In 2008, ESPN journalist Bonnie Ford noted that Price played just as much of a role as “King Richard” in cultivating success in Venus and Serena Williams, even if she preferred to be more in the background than her more extroverted husband.
“Price is a self-made mother of five who was a teacher and a nurse before reinventing herself as a tennis mentor, so it’s not surprising that she would encourage her daughters to lay the foundation for the second act of their lives, even if it sometimes diverts their attention from forehands and backhands,” ESPN reported. “‘Besides,'” she said, looking out from under an impressive cloud of apricot curls, ‘you get bored. I get bored with the same hairdo. I always told them you have to stand for something, you have to have some quality in your own life. That’s what makes some athletes more substantial than others.'”
Venus and Serena Williams’ sisters played an integral part in their careers, as well. Even though each sister had their own career prior to being in “The Business of Venus and Serena,” their strengths and talents only enhanced their sisters’ success, as well. In recent years, their role in the family business of tennis has become more evident, with one sister serving as the executive producer of the hit film starring Will Smith.
Let’s take a look at all the ways the Williams family is keeping the wealth “all in the family” — as well it should be.
Richard Williams
The subject of the “King Richard” film, Richard Williams, who reportedly has a $20 million estimated net worth, was perhaps the most instrumental in making Venus and Serena Williams the successes that they are. In 2000, he told the BBC that he was proud of all he’d done, even if it was “untraditional” in its approach.
“He would haul them off the Los Angeles street courts if he felt they were not studying hard enough and it is because of him that the family has remained so tight-knit – despite the sisters’ professional rivalry,” the outlet reported.
Serena Williams
Serena Williams is the GOAT.
It’s not just about how she plays tennis (although, certainly, that doesn’t hurt).
Rather, it’s about the impact she’s made on the sport, as a whole.
And as AfroTech previously reported, the GOAT has a self-made net worth of $240 million after securing multiple partnerships, investing in tech companies, starting her own venture capital firm, and joining the board of some growing startup companies. And this is to say nothing of her own ventures with everything from fashion to activism, to an impressive number of endorsements and investments in some of the biggest companies in the world.
Venus Williams
Venus Williams has a net worth of $95 million. Like Serena, Venus has a series of investments outside of tennis, which — as AfroTech previously reported — includes a partnership with BetterHelp, her own clothing line called EleVen, and a sunscreen line.
Yetunde Price
Yetunde (who went by “Tunde” in the “King Richard” film) Price owned her own salon and worked as a personal assistant to Venus and Serena Williams. Unfortunately, however, she passed away in 2003. In response, Yetunde’s siblings opened the Yetunde Price Resource Center, in Compton, CA, in late 2016. The center provides resources and programming to those affected by trauma.
Lyndrea Price
A web designer by trade, Lyndrea Price is also a fashion designer who works closely with the EleVen by Venus Williams line of clothing, according to her Instagram page.
As AfroTech previously mentioned, EleVen’s latest efforts involved teaming up with a sunscreen company, Credo, to release a proprietary mineral-based sunscreen collection.
“Historically, it has been difficult for people of color to purchase sunscreen that doesn’t cause ashiness or breakouts. The Credo X EleVen line seeks to solve this dilemma,” AfroTech reported.
Isha Price
By trade and training, Isha Price is an attorney who also recently served as the executive producer for the “King Richard” film.
In an interview with The Washington Post, Isha Price said she took her role as the family attorney — and the executive producer — seriously when the production company approached the family to tell the story. She said that the family was required to sign a pledge of authenticity, which meant that they had to tell Richard Williams’ story authentically and not through a fluffy, softened lens. Isha Price explained that that’s where the true success of the film lies, however.
“Their willingness and desire to get it right, and to understand, was really critically important,” Price said. “That is what I took back to my family and said, ‘This is an opportunity for us to participate and tell a bit of our story our way.’ People are complicated, and they’re nuanced. They don’t always make the right decision, and they don’t always have the answer. And that’s okay.”
