Angel McCoughtry: From WNBA Star to Game-Changing Entrepreneur

By Jackie Rae

According to JP Morgan, the number of businesses owned by Black women increased by 50% between 2014 and 2019. During that period, Black women accounted for 42% of all new women-owned businesses and now own over 2 million businesses nationwide.

Ask any entrepreneur, and they’ll tell you—starting a business demands long hours, resilience through triumphs and failures, and unwavering commitment, with no guarantee of success.

Those bold enough to embark on this journey have earned the right to be part of the #WeBuiltThis campaign powered by Spectrum. As part of Black History Month, we celebrate the innovators, building space in multiple arenas and proving themselves as powerhouses in everything they do.

This honor is reserved for those with exceptional talent and the unwavering tenacity to prove that Black excellence isn’t just a slogan—it’s a foundational truth. 

For someone to have the work ethic to become the 2009 WNBA Rookie of the Year, set a league record with 42 points in a playoff game, score 38 points in a finals game—the most in history—and win two Olympic gold medals, it’s evident that hard work isn’t just a habit; it’s who you are.

That is exactly who WNBA legend Angel McCoughtry is—a relentless force on and off the court. “Sometimes you have to prove yourself as a woman. Especially being an athlete number one, and then being a businesswoman,” she said. 

McCoughtry has effortlessly mastered her transition from the WNBA to her next chapter. Playing in Athletes Unlimited, holding basketball camps to inspire and train young people, and now a business owner.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Black women took their talents into the entrepreneur space. McCoughtry was one of those remarkable women and created an app called “PS I’m With You.”

“When Covid happened and Kobe passed away, I was like, ‘I gotta get this out,” she said. 

“PS I’m With You” is an app that allows family members to create a digital time capsule with messages and gifts for loved ones to be shared with their family after they pass away. 

The ability to hear the voice of a lost loved one is immeasurable, but for McCoughtry, knowing her app brings comfort to others is deeply personal. “That makes me feel emotional,” she admitted.

While the subject of loss is heavy, her next venture is nothing but sweet. McCoughtry’s Ice Cream is her way of giving back to Atlanta in a fun and delicious way. But her true passion now lies in filmmaking.

“I want to show the human side of sports,” she said. “You can be a great athlete, but how can I be of service to you?”

No matter what she does, leaving the world a better place is always at the forefront for McCoughtry, including giving advice to inspire the next generation of athletes.

“I will always tell young athletes to be better than me,” she said. “Find your passion and let it take you places. As it will. As it did me.”

The post Angel McCoughtry: From WNBA Star to Game-Changing Entrepreneur appeared first on BlackSportsOnline.