Four-time Grand Slam Tennis Champion Naomi Osaka is adding a topspin to her career, serving up big moves from the tennis court and the boardroom. The tennis star launched her own skincare brand KINLÒ in 2021, going on to co-found her own production company, Hana Kuma, and female athletic-centric talent agency, EVOLVE, alongside Stuart Duguid over the past year. Osaka and Duguid join Yahoo Finance's Alexandra Canal to discuss the balance more professional athletes are seeking to lead in their sport while developing and fostering their own businesses. "I've always tried to come from a place... of my culture, like being half-Japanese and being half-Haitian and growing up in America," Osaka says on using her perspective for brand guidance. "Hana Kuma, on that sense, kind of sees things from my lens." While Osaka seeks to capitalize on her own interests, coming from a more "organic place", Duguid comments on the difficulties even high-profile athletes can face in branching out from partnership deals. "If you are going to spend a year, two years, giving yourself to a brand and helping it grow, you want to participate in some of the upside that's not just cash — we've seen a real change in the guard," Duguid says, adding: "The top tier of athletes are really getting presented with great opportunities and really able to grow their brands. But beneath that, it is hard to break through — a lot of these tend to be with start-ups or younger companies, which can be hit or miss obviously by nature of what they are." Osaka also comments on the importance of professional sports prioritizing athletes' mental health. Click here to watch more from Yahoo Finance Invest.

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