With a record 23 singles Grand Slam titles during her illustrious career, no one would question Serena Williams’ natural talent. Accompanying her perfect combination of power and skill is sheer determination, hard work and discipline. For tech founders, adopting the attitude and mental fortitude of great athletes is a way to overcome the challenges startups face. After years of solid growth, the tech industry faces falling stock prices, tightening VC wallets and widespread layoffs. Big Tech will undoubtedly emerge stronger following the down market. But for innovative startups, the decline in VC spending combined with the greater market conditions put exorbitant amounts of pressure on founders. Many people dismiss athletes as divas playing a kid’s game for millions of dollars, but perhaps this assumption