For William Banahene, success takes many different forms, but it has no real definition. Sure, he’s one of the best in the country at his craft, serving as the goalkeeper for the Major Arena League Soccer’s Milwaukee Wave. Sure, he also owns two successful companies – a glove business and a youth soccer league – but, for him, it’s all about the intangibles. 

“​​I think success is hard to measure. Many equate success to money and status, but I disagree,” he says. “I personally feel that true success can only really be measured at the end of your life, when you look back and ask yourself if you stayed true to the qualities you aimed to live by, how you treated people, and the impact you made. I think when you define it that way, it pushes you to constantly hold yourself accountable for your actions, whether daily or long term.”

The Rochester, New York native joined the Wave in 2022, and has since taken his on-pitch knowledge into the entrepreneurial space, launching Phoenix Goalkeeping, his glove company, and AFC Rochester, the youth sports club in his hometown. Both have made an impact in their respective spaces, and Banahene uses every milestone each company hits as inspiration. 

“I don’t think I’ve hit the stage of ‘I made it,’ or that I ever will,” he says. “I do sometimes take a step back and just think ‘Wow, I created this from nothing,’ whether it’s having bunch of employees who bought into the vision or watching an event that we created from a thought. Sometimes it feels surreal and motivates me to keep working.” 

As it turns out, being an entrepreneur requires a lot of the same skills as being a professional athlete, skills Banahene learned from his family and has honed since he was young. 

“I believe one of the most important traits an entrepreneur can have is perseverance,” he says. “Things won’t always go your way. There’s setbacks, failures, and rejection. It’s all part of the process. You have to be comfortable with hearing “no” and still moving forward. 

“The ability to keep pushing, adapt to challenges, and stay committed even when the odds are against you is what separates successful entrepreneurs from the rest. It’s not about having a perfect plan. it’s about being resilient, learning quickly, and having the willingness to keep going through adversity.”