None of that would be possible without pioneers of the game like Lisa Leslie, who joined the league in its infancy in 1997 and helped the women's game reach new heights — literally. The event also marked the launch of Intuit's expanded Small Business Hero Program, spotlighting more small businesses making a difference throughout the year. As part of a lineage of business owners, Leslie understands the vital role small businesses play in their communities. "Small businesses are often family-run, meaning they're people working to support their families or give back to their communities," she says. That wasn't the case for Lisa Leslie.