Serena Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, recently revealed that he once aspired to become a professional waiter.

The Reddit co-founder credited his mother’s practical advice for steering him away from pursuing that career path.

Despite his success as an entrepreneur and venture capitalist today, Ohanian initially imagined a future in the service industry. Speaking on the ‘On Purpose with Jay Shetty’ podcast, the 41-year-old recalled working at Pizza Hut during high school, where his boss encouraged him to consider a career as a server in New York.

“I told my boss at Pizza Hut I wanted to be a professional waiter in high school because I was really good at serving.

My boss, Tony, said, ‘You know, instead of going to college, you could make a career out of this. You could move to New York and do this full time.’ And I thought, ‘That could work,’” Ohanian said.

Serena Williams’ husband remembered discussing his plan to skip college with his parents. He expected his Armenian father to react negatively but was surprised when his father remained silent about his unconventional idea.

“I told my parents, ‘I think I won’t go to college.’ That’s the last thing you’d ever tell an Armenian dad. But to his credit, my dad didn’t say anything,” Ohanian said.

Instead, the Reddit co-founder shared how his mother’s practical advice helped him rethink.

While expressing faith in his ability to succeed, she suggested creating a budget to determine if life as a server in New York would be sustainable. This approach ultimately changed his perspective.

“My mom was so sweet. She said, ‘Whatever you choose, I know you’ll be great at it.

But why don’t you first create a budget, see what it costs to live in New York, and figure out if it’s something you can manage?’ That advice helped me shift my focus,” he admitted.

Alexis Ohanian later attended the University of Virginia, where he and his roommate conceived the idea for Reddit.

The 41-year-old has since built a fortune, amassing an estimated net worth of $150 million (according to Celebrity Net Worth).

Serena Williams’ husband also reflected on selling Reddit to Conde Nast in 2006 for $10 million, describing how surreal it felt to earn more money than his parents had in their lifetimes.

Ohanian revealed that the financial windfall provided stability and allowed him to ensure his mother, who was battling breast cancer, received the best treatment possible.

He also shared how his mother’s illness taught him the importance of prioritizing his wealth and focusing on what truly mattered at a young age.