"I'm a very challenging person; the harder something seems, the more I want to attempt to do it" - Naomi Osaka on how she keeps herself motivated
Former World No.1 Naomi Osaka is launching her own media company in partnership with NBA legend LeBron James.
The Japanese player and her longtime agent-cum-business partner Stuart Duguid are behind the production banner called Hana Kuma. The name has Japanese origins, with 'hana' meaning flower and 'kuma' meaning bear.
During a recent panel conversation, she revealed why she decided to launch her own media company. She describes herself as someone who likes challenges and wants to do something that has never been done before.
"For me, I've wanted to test new waters. I'm a very challenging person, like the harder something seems, the more I want to attempt to do it," said Osaka.
The four-time Grand Slam champion pointed out that the lack of female athletes in the field pushed her to go all the way and pave the way for others.
"Just seeing that there aren't many female athletes to do such a thing. Say someone's already paved that way then I'm kind of like okay someone's already there," she stated.
"So, I really love challenges like that and also I feel like I have a unique perspective. I was lucky I grew up with two cultures and I just thing being able to tell a story of provide insight into things people haven't really thought before is really interesting," she added.
“There has been an explosion of creators of color finally being equipped with resources and a huge platform" - Naomi Osaka
In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Naomi Osaka revealed that people of color are getting more and more opportunities because they are finally getting the required resources and platform.
“There has been an explosion of creators of color finally being equipped with resources and a huge platform,” she said.
The 25-year-old pointed out that the content the world consumes has become more global. She also revealed that her company will provide a platform for more global stories.
“In the streaming age, content has a more global perspective. You can see this in the popularity of television from Asia, Europe and Latin America that the unique can also be universal. My story is a testament to that as well. I’m so excited for what we are building at Hana Kuma. We will bring stories to life with this goal in mind: to make unique perspectives feel universal and inspire people along the way,” said Naomi Osaka.
In their statement, the company backed the Japanese player's comments and revealed that they will churn out more culturally inclusive content.
"Hana Kuma will produce stories that are culturally specific but universal to all audiences; playful and bold in its approach to tackle important issues of society,” the company states.