Rethinking Power: The Billie Jean King Power of Women’s Sports Summit
Bringing the BJK Power Principles to life at in Malaga ahead of the BJK Cup
Last fall, in conjunction with the Billie Jean Cup, the largest annual women's international team sports competition, Billie Jean King launched the inaugural Power of Woman's Sports Summit. The summit gathered sports franchise owners, media powerhouses, league commissioners, and championship athletes.
I had the honor of being the closing keynote to speak on the ten power principles developed by BJK Enterprises for equity in sports and translate them into actionable takeaways for the participants.
Sanyin, BJK, Ilana Kloss and Angela Ruggiero at the 2021 US Open on the 50th Anniversary of Billie’s 1st US Open win.
Developing the talk and engaging with the participants provoked a great deal of reflection on power, including the power we have and how we can use it for greater good. It’s one of the most inspiring programs and attending the BJK Cup Finals afterwards highlighted the power of community and being with each other.
The reflections and engaging with fellow speakers and participants reminded me that power isn’t just about what you have—it’s about how you use it. Whether through leadership, storytelling, or resilience, true influence comes from using your platform intentionally to uplift others.
Ellie Simmonds, Amanda Davies, Sanyin Siang, Christiane Amanpour, Sheila Johnson
I sat down with 5 rockstar leaders to discuss how they intentionally use power.
The biggest takeaway? Power isn’t about holding on to what you have—it’s about sharing it, using it to challenge norms, and creating opportunities for others. Whether through words, actions, or resilience, the most meaningful impact comes when we lead with purpose.
Power is a Privilege – So Share It!
In a world where power is a privilege, how are you using your platform? CNN International Sports Anchor Amanda Davies reminds us that power isn’t just something we hold – it’s a privilege to be shared. By using her platform to ask tough, but thoughtful questions, she sparks conversations that matter. Amanda reminds us that you don’t need a global stage to make an impact. So, use your voice intentionally. Speak up. And, inspire change.
What question can you ask today to spark a thoughtful conversation
Disrupt boldly with heart!
Kory Marchisotto, CMO, e.l.f. Cosmetics reminds us of the key to real change. Real change isn’t just about shaking things up. It’s about lifting others up, too.
At e.l.f., the focus is on leading with purpose. Their recently launched Dupe That campaign urges other companies to follow by donating 2% of profits every year; it also proves that impact grows when we inspire others to do the same.
In business, sustainable wins come from playing the long game – with kindness, integrity, and a commitment to making the world better. e.l.f. also uses its power to democratize access for others whether it be in the boardroom or in sports. It was the lead sponsor for BJK Cup and recently, partnered up with the National Women’s Soccer League for a multiyear sponsorship.
So, in Kory’s words, “do you want to make an e.l.f.ing racket?” If so, do it with heart to see the biggest impact.
Thanks go to e.l.f. Cosmetics for their title sponsorship of the Summit.
“We Are What We Can See”
Power isn’t just about strength, but rather it’s about representation and possibility. Paralympic champion Ellie Simmonds (5X Paralympic gold medalist) reminds us that true power lies in showing others what’s possible, no matter the path. Her accomplishments in swimming and beyond, inspire young athletes by proving that success looks different for everyone, but is always achievable.
Representation matters, and by being present, Ellie shapes a future where everyone sees their own potential.
Storytelling isn’t just powerful, it’s persuasive.
Women’s sports aren’t just a cause, they are a great investment. Sarah Spain, top sports podcaster, reveals that she uses her superpower of storytelling to persuade others to see the economic value in investing in women’s sports.
Storytelling is one of the greatest tools for change, and Sarah uses her platform for just that. It’s not just about sharing facts; it’s about connecting, inspiring, and enlightening different perspectives. By sharing stories, Sarah shows why these athletes, teams, and leagues deserve your attention, investment, and support.
Leverage captivating stories and people will pay attention.
Without failure, there is no room for growth.
Sheila Johnson, Co-founder of BET and CEO of Salamander Hotels and Resorts and Vice Chair of Washington Monumental Sports, is a pioneer across industries. She reminds us that risk-taking isn’t just important, but rather it’s a necessity. Without stepping into the unknown, we limit opportunities to learn, grow, and discover what is truly possible.
Failure isn’t the end, it is just a stepping stone. Each setback teaches us a lesson, shaping the path forward.
So, as Sheila reminds us, don’t fear failure, embrace it. Take risks, learn from every challenge, and use those lessons to fuel your next success. Ultimately, that’s how resilience is built, and how real growth happens.
Do we truly recognize the power we hold? How often do we underestimate our influence resulting in missed opportunities to uplift others? Are we unknowingly limiting our impact by failing to share what makes us invaluable?
In my latest Dialogue Review quarterly column, I reflect on lessons from the Power of Women’s Sports Summit, where I discussed leadership and power in a room full of franchise owners, media superstars, Olympians, and league commissioners. Drawing on my friend Ron Carucci’s work, we basked in the surprising truth that one of the biggest abuses of power is simply not using it.
So, why do people who have power fail to use it? Often, our differentiating strengths – the things that make us invaluable – are often among our biggest blind spots. These blind spots may be revealed in failure to recognize our positional influence – the weight carried by both our positive and negative words. We may also fall into a trap to focus on one’s deficiencies and fail to gain awareness of one’s proficiencies, limiting the extent of our impact.
Power is generative. True leadership isn’t about accumulating power; it’s about using power to uplift others. When we empower others, we amplify our impact and avoid abusing our power by not using it. A word of encouragement, a shared insight, or the simple act of giving others a voice, humanizes leadership and unlocks power within others.
So, how can you discover your power today? And, how can you use your power today to unlock power in someone else?
Read the full column here: Rethinking Power
Dialogue Review is published by Duke Corporate Education, the #1 Custom Education provider as ranked by Financial Times. Dialogue Review is a quarterly business journal that is read by 1 million readers worldwide.
It was inspiring to participate in the Duke Undergraduate Business Oriented Women (BOW) Annual Spring Conference.
The organizers, speakers, and partners of the BOW Spring Conference (including my beloved mentee and teammate, Lily Baglio Duke ‘26)
The conference brought together 400+ students and seasoned leaders such as Cassie Young (General Partner at Primary Ventures), Andrea Lisbona (Founder and CEO of Touchland), Sheila Lirio Marcelo (Founder of Care.com and Ohai.ai), and gave the audience key tips for navigating their careers.
Key takeaways include:
Think about attitude, aptitude and also altitude. Are you are the right level that’s a fit with your skillset and growth?
Relationships where value creation is the goal is a source of success -Don’t be afraid to take risks
Give 150% to what you are doing at the moment
BOW is the largest club of undergraduate women on campus. So proud for our Duke University Coach K Center on Leadership and Ethics (COLE) at the Fuqua School of Business to be an academic partner and see these young women crush it and help each subsequent generation. The future is bright!
Great work and thank you for sharing Sanyin