Matt Higgins grew up in abject poverty, caring for his sick mother at just 9 years old. At age 16, he dropped out of high school to focus on financial growth, eventually earning his GED and getting into college. While balancing work, life, and caregiving, he lost his mother unexpectedly on the day he began a new job. Despite these challenges, among others, Matt co-founded a private investment firm, RSE Ventures, appeared as a guest investor on Shark Tank, and developed military drones for the U.S. Army. In this episode, Matt joins Ilana to share the many struggles that shaped his refusal to quit and the power of taking bold, fearless steps toward achieving your goals.
Matt Higgins is an entrepreneur, author, guest investor on ABC's Shark Tank, and co-founder of RSE Ventures, a private investment firm. He advocates for entrepreneurship and innovation, often speaking on leadership, investment, and a success mindset.
In this episode, Ilana and Matt will discuss:
(00:00) Introduction
(01:56) Growing Up in Abject Poverty
(06:13) Having to Become an Adult Too Soon
(08:13) Quitting High School to Make Money
(14:01) Earning His GED and Getting Into College
(16:34) Managing a Career and Supporting a Sick Parent
(19:34) Losing His Mother Without a Final Goodbye
(23:11) Turning Every Job Into a Step Toward Your Dream
(25:14) Rebuilding Life After Testicular Cancer
(28:30) The Secret Behind Matt’s Iconic Book Quotes
(35:04) Beating Self-Doubt to Become a Shark on Shark Tank
(41:30) How “Burning the Boats” Drives Fearless Moves
(46:54) Lessons from Failure and the Refusal to Die
(52:16) Developing Military Drones for the U.S. Army
(56:04) Living Without the Fear of Judgment or Death
Matt Higgins is an entrepreneur, author, guest investor on ABC's Shark Tank, and co-founder of RSE Ventures, a private investment firm. With a career spanning sports, media, and technology, he has played a pivotal role in transforming brands such as The Miami Dolphins and Sky Group. Matt is the author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller Burn the Boats. He advocates for entrepreneurship and innovation, often speaking on leadership, investment, and a success mindset.
Connect with Matt:
Matt’s Website: https://rseventures.com/
Matt’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/matt-higgins-rse
Resources Mentioned:
Matt’s Book, Burn the Boats: Toss Plan B Overboard and Unleash Your Full Potential: https://www.amazon.com/Burn-Boats-Overboard-Unleash-Potential/dp/006308886X
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Shark Tank’s Matt Higgins: How I Beat Poverty, Loss, and Cancer to Become a Global Investor | Leap Academy with Ilana Golan podcast - Listen or read transcript on Metacast
