When Winston Churchill mentioned, “Just one hyperlink of the chain of future may be dealt with at a time,” it’s clear he wasn’t speaking about Matt Higgins. Whether or not main profitable firms, investing in startups, or helming legendary NFL franchises, Higgins has confirmed himself a renaissance man with an entrepreneurial spirit. On the Males’s Journal On a regular basis Warrior Podcast, Matt Higgins talks success, regrets, and highlights from his new guide Burn the Boats: Toss Plan B Overboard and Unleash Your Full Potential. Hearken to the episode right here.
Breaking by the noise
Born and raised in Queens, NY, Higgins’ mom taught him the worth of a robust work ethic; a lesson that resonated all through his life. A few years later, whereas attending Queens School, he wrote an award-winning investigative column for the Queens Tribune. Higgins created a buzz in a metropolis the place even probably the most gifted folks discover it troublesome to interrupt by the noise. As a substitute of slowly fading, that buzz intensified till it caught the eye of a number of the metropolis’s most influential folks, together with mayor Rudy Giuliani.
At simply 26 years previous, Higgins made historical past because the youngest press secretary in New York’s lengthy, proud historical past. The place proved difficult, nevertheless it paled compared to Higgins’ aspirations and expertise. Whereas his days had been spent in decrease Manhattan working within the mayor’s workplace, his evenings had been spent learning at Fordham College Faculty of Regulation, the place he was a pupil.
However nothing might have ready him for what occurred subsequent. Immediately, Higgins discovered himself heading a world media response to the worst assault ever perpetrated on U.S. soil. As time glided by, he turned his consideration to serving to a grieving nation heal by main the primary section of rebuilding. Because the chief working officer of the Decrease Manhattan Improvement Company, he helped set up the worldwide design competitors accountable for the development of the September 11th Nationwide Memorial and One World Commerce Heart.
The personal sector
In 2012, Higgins took an opportunity on himself and co-founded RSE Ventures, a New York Metropolis-based enterprise capital agency specializing in sports activities, leisure, and know-how. As a CEO with a expertise for figuring out promising younger firms, Higgins helped the agency amass a multi-billion-dollar funding portfolio that included manufacturers like Vayner Media, Napster, and the Worldwide Champions Cup. RSE Ventures was additionally an early investor in startups round blockchain know-how, equivalent to Qredo, Flowcarbon, and Dapper.
Through the podcast, he touched on one thing profound when discussing motivation. “The enjoyment of dwelling is [experienced] in striving,” mentioned Higgins. “Anyone who reaches the highest of the mountain realizes there’s not a lot to see. We like trying up, not trying down.” Later, he defined that he’s not motivated by cash or competing in opposition to others as a result of the one individual he competes in opposition to is himself.
Along with his entrepreneurial ventures, he made a reputation for himself within the sports activities world. In 2004, the New York Jets recruited Higgins to function the group’s director of media relations. He shortly rose by the ranks, ultimately changing into the group’s government vice chairman of enterprise operations. Throughout his tenure with the Jets, Higgins oversaw the development of a brand new stadium and helped negotiate naming rights with MetLife. After leaving the Jets in 2012, he signed on to function vice chairman of the Miami Dolphins.
Past enterprise
Success within the enterprise world permits Higgins to offer again. In 2019, he joined the ranks of Nobel Prize laureates and former American presidents when he was awarded the celebrated Ellis Island Medal of Honor, a distinction reserved for these with a deep-rooted dedication to serving to marginalized populations. As a board member of Autism Speaks, Higgins has labored to unfold consciousness in regards to the challenges confronted by neurodivergent folks.
Regardless of his spectacular record of accomplishments, Higgins stays humble and grounded. He attributes his success to a willingness to handle concern. “All of us have nervousness when taking dangers…it’s about managing it,” he says. As he continues constructing his legacy as a serial entrepreneur and investor, it’s clear his impression on the world can be felt for years to come back.
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