Most innovative athlete in the industry

Day 17 of the?#LinkedInSports?30 Day-Post Challenge:

Naomi Osaka left IMG, the sports and entertainment conglomerate, to start her talent agency, Evolve, with her longtime agent and business partner, Stuart Duguid . It aims to "break the mold & push boundaries."

Being an introvert isn't stopping Naomi Osaka from being an extremely successful creator and entrepreneur. Naomi has nearly 3M followers on Instagram, over 1M on Twitter, 700,000 on Facebook, and about 400,000 on TikTok.

In May 2021, Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open, citing concerns for her mental health. The move was a dramatic turn in the high-stakes standoff between powerful officials and one of the most magnetic figures in sports.

The Play Academy is an initiative by Naomi Osaka, aiming to level the playing field by increasing girls' participation. First launched in Tokyo in 2020 with 耐克 & Laureus Sports, it also runs programs in LA & Haiti.

Naomi participated in the peaceful protest against police brutality against back people. She signed petitions, donated, and published an essay addressing racial injustice for Esquire magazine.

Aside from tennis Naomi's most treasured passion is fashion. She collaborated with many brands, including Nike, Victoria’s Secret & Co. , COMME des GAR?ONS , Levis’Store , 路易·威登 , Strathberry , Frankies Bikinis & adeam . She was the co-chair/cohost of the 2021 Met Gala.

Naomi ventured into the skincare business by launching her brand, 'Kinlo,' and signed partnerships with Nissin, Nissan, Citizen, Yonex, Wowow, ANA, Shiseido, Soto, TAG Heuer, Workday, Modern Health, and probably a couple more. Honestly, it's quite challenging to keep up to speed. ??

Naomi Osaka was the final torchbearer as part of the Olympic Torch Relay at the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics. In front of one of the wworld'sbiggest TV audiences in history, she lit the Olympic cauldron as a symbol of hope.

Just before lighting the Olympic flame, she had released a three-part mini-series looking at her life and career. In the series, she shares an intimate look inside her life and what it feels like to be one of the best tennis players in the world.

In March 2022, Naomi was featured in the online video game Fortnite. The game highlights her fashion designs, pays tribute to her Haitian heritage, and celebrates her athletic prowess. Players can enhance their gameplay by buying skins and associated in-game accessories.?

In June 2022, Naomi founded her media production company, Hana Kuma. Hana Kuma means "flower ?? bear ??" in Japanese. Osaka said: "There has been an explosion of creators of color finally being equipped with resources and a huge platform."

Last Tuesday, Naomi announced she was launching her first Children's book: The Way Champs Play, illustrated by Kamala Nair . "I hope this book inspires kids to chase their dreams and encourages them to believe they can do anything they put their minds to," Pre-order here!

Naomi is an inspiration. With Stuart Duguid, she has built a team that seamlessly complements and empowers her. She's building the brand she loves. Growing her influence. Raising her net income, and creating the change she wants to see.

I'm a fan.