Boss of $1 billion WNBA team Valkyries says she rejects work-life balance because she loves the grind: ‘I’m not apologizing for what brings me joy’

Golden State Valkyries President Jess Smith tries to “live in gratitude” and isn’t willing to apologize for loving to work.

The top 3

The Philosophical Shift: From Balance to Integration: Jess Smith rejects the traditional 'work-life balance' framework because she perceives it as an inherently failing model. Instead, she advocates for an integration approach where demanding career commitments and personal life are treated as equally additive sources of joy rather than mutually exclusive trade-offs.
Operationalizing Well-being in a High-Stakes Environment: While rejecting the premise of 'balance,' Smith maintains a focus on employee sustainability by encouraging intentional rest. She prompts managers to remind staff of available recovery windows, such as designated remote-work weeks and off-season downtime, to ensure that high-performance output remains sustainable without formalizing them as rigid, mandatory mandates.