Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian sends out powerful message about the Japanese concept of 'Ikigai' & finding his purpose
Serena Williams' husband, Alexis Ohanian, recently highlighted the Japanese concept of ‘Ikigai,’ a philosophy centered around finding one's purpose in life. Ohanian sparked conversations about the meaning behind the term and how it aligns with his professional journey.
Ikigai is deeply rooted in Japanese culture, particularly in Okinawa, a region known for its high concentration of centenarians and exceptional quality of life. Translating roughly to "reason for being" or "reason to wake up in the morning," Ikigai represents the intersection of what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for.
Unlike Western ideals that prioritize financial success and status, Ikigai emphasizes personal fulfillment, happiness, and contributing to the greater good. Ohanian shared his thoughts on Ikigai in a tweet, writing:
"IKIGAI: I wish everyone got to feel this."
Alexis Ohanian’s professional trajectory embodies many of the principles of Ikigai. He helped create one of the most influential social media platforms, Reddit, a space that thrives on community-driven content and discussion.
However, after selling Reddit to Conde Nast in 2006 and later returning as executive chairman, he stepped away from the company in 2020, prioritizing social impact and investments that aligned with his values.
In recent years, Ohanian has also focused on sports investments, particularly in women’s sports such as Angel City FC, and UVA Virginia Cavaliers, and founded an all-women track startup, Athlos.
Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian reveals why he poured millions into women’s sports
Serena Williams' husband, Alexis Ohanian, expressed his support for the University of Virginia's women's basketball team, the Virginia Cavaliers.
In December 2024, Ohanian made a historic $1 million donation—the largest in the program's history—to the Virginia Cavaliers. The 41-year-old took to X to reaffirm his belief in the team and his deep connection to UVA, where he co-founded Reddit.
"Women's sports is just great. Period. Five years ago, I was rage-tweeting about how undervalued the women’s sports industry is. And started investing millions to back that up: @weareangelcity @offseasonfc @athlos," Serena Williams' husband wrote.
"Now, I couldn’t be more thrilled to contribute to its growing momentum by supporting @UVAWomensHoops. I registered http://reddit.com at @UVA in Alderman Library and thanks to a strong IPO, I wanna complete the circle"
In other news, Alexis Ohanian proudly celebrated being recognized among the top 1% of tech entrepreneurs for his AI judgment.