Stephanie McMahon, the chief brand officer of WWE, recently spoke to Cosmopolitan Middle East about her struggles as an executive in a male-dominated world, her struggles with self-esteem, and what she considers to be her biggest challenge in WWE.
Below are some highlights:
Stephanie McMahon on her biggest challenge in WWE:
I grew up in WWE, so my perspective and my struggles are quite different from other women. My biggest challenge was facing Ronda Rousey at Wrestle Mania. She was so amazing that I had to really train to even showcase her. She was the first woman champion in UFC, so she was tough. I had to train three times a day for three months. I had to do all of this on top of being an executive and a mom. It was a lot of pressure on me, but I learned so much about myself and what I was capable of. That opportunity was a privilege which I chose to go for. That was one of my biggest challenges ever.
Stephanie McMahon on her own issues with self-love:
I have struggled with my self-love and it came to my attention a few years ago. A coach told me that I needed to work on loving myself and I said, ‘Of course I love myself. I have no problem with that.’ And then as I started doing the deep work, I realized that loving myself should not be this hard. The first step to me is being proud of myself and my achievements. Instead of always thinking about what more I could do, I give myself credit for how far I have come. One of the things I do daily is working out. If I can get some type of physical exercise every day, that is a form of self-love for me.
Stephanie McMahon on gravitating towards villainous characters:
I have always gravitated towards the villains in any story. I find them to be deeper, more interesting characters. The persona I had created was an outlet for me. I have always drawn from people around me. I tend to be trusting and respectful because of which I’ve been taken advantage of all my life. I’ve had a lot of times when I have been undermined, so I draw from those people and I put that lens on. And it has been so fun to portray that character because ultimately, the bad guy never really wins. So, to be able to give that back to the audience is amazing. I love to be able to give the hero that moment because the bigger the villain, the more powerful is the hero that vanquishes the villain.
