Purpose, Consistency, and Authenticity: Branding Secrets from the Williams Sisters
In this blog, I’m sharing my personal reflections and takeaways after watching the movie King Richards. After processing those thoughts, I had another realisation, that the story mirrored the brand-building arc I follow, so let me unpack it for you.
I saw how the journey of Venus and Serena mirrored how I build brands, and they just happen to be athletes that became brands – was that just a coincidence?
Think about what Richard did from the beginning.
He created this vision – plan, then built these non-negotiable values – family-first, discipline, excellence, humility, behaviours that the whole family embodied every single day.
And they never wavered from them. Not when people doubted them, not when the tennis establishment pushed back, not when opportunities came that might have pulled them off course. That level of focus, commitment and consistency built the girls into champions – in alignment with Richard’s vision mapped out before their birth.
This is exactly what I see with the strongest brands I work with.
They are clear on who they are, what they believe, how they behave and what is unique about them. The foundation is so strong and they don’t bend themselves into pretzels trying to appeal to everyone. They stay true to who they are, consistent with their vision and values, and the right opportunities are drawn to them.
That is where trust is created and a magnetic pull of attraction occurs – meaning opportunities flow. The brand deals, the sponsorships – they came to Venus and Serena. They didn’t have to chase them, people wanted what they had.
I noticed something else in the movie…
The way Venus and Serena showed up on court wasn’t just about tennis. The beads in their hair, the bold outfits, the way they carried themselves – they were expressing their individuality, their culture, their identity. And they were doing it in a predominantly white sport where that kind of self-expression wasn’t the norm.
That contrast wasn’t a problem to solve – it was their differentiation.
See, personality and identity in branding aren’t just about aesthetics or looking pretty. They signal belonging, pride, and where you stand.
Venus and Serena were saying,
“We belong here, we’re proud of who we are, and we’re not changing to fit your expectations.“
And then I realised – their visual choices weren’t random at all. Every single thing about how they looked was deliberate. The hair, the fashion, their physical presence – all of it reinforced this story of breaking barriers, standing out, bringing their culture to the court.
Visuals don’t just sit on top of a brand like decoration – they express the brand’s entire philosophy.
Instead of trying to mould into what tennis culture “traditionally” looked like, they expanded it. They showed up so authentically as themselves that they didn’t just change the game – they changed who could see themselves in the game.
That’s what powerful brands do.
They don’t adapt to fit into old categories. They redefine what the category can look like by refusing to compromise on who they are.
Their level of excellence and individuality attracted big brand partnerships. Companies weren’t just buying their tennis wins; they wanted to be associated with their vision, their discipline, their cultural impact.
Venus and Serena didn’t have to water down their positioning to get the deals – the deals aligned with them.
So when I stepped back and looked at the whole story, I realised I was watching this perfect brand-building playbook play out: Start with a clear purpose and why, build that belief into every behaviour, differentiate through your authentic values and identity, activate relentlessly through consistent action, then attract and convert through that alignment.
This is exactly the framework I help you embed in your business with The Brand Way (coming soon).
I share this because I think founders massively underestimate how important brand is from the beginning of your business and how the principles show up in every success story – we just don’t always recognise them (I do because it’s my passion).
Have you watched the movie yet? If yes, let me know what you think about my reflections.
Speak soon
Cassandra xox
