Matt Higgins

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Matthew Thomas Higgins (born c. 1974), known professionally as Matt Higgins, is an American entrepreneur, venture capitalist, author, media executive, and television personality. He is the co-founder and CEO of RSE Ventures, a private investment firm with a multi-billion-dollar portfolio spanning sports and entertainment, media and marketing, food and lifestyle, and technology sectors. Higgins co-founded RSE in 2012 with Stephen M. Ross, the founder of Related Companies and owner of the Miami Dolphins.

Higgins's career has spanned public service, professional sports, and entrepreneurship. At age 26, he became the youngest press secretary in New York City history, serving under Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and managing the global media response to the September 11 attacks. He subsequently served as Chief Operating Officer of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, helping to oversee the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site. In the private sector, Higgins spent 15 years as a senior executive with National Football League teams, serving as Executive Vice President of Business Operations for the New York Jets and Vice Chairman of the Miami Dolphins.

Since 2018, Higgins has appeared as a guest shark on ABC's Shark Tank, becoming the first shark to appear on both the U.S. and Dubai versions of the show. He is an Executive Fellow at Harvard Business School, where he co-teaches a course on direct-to-consumer brands. His first book, Burn the Boats: Toss Plan B Overboard and Unleash Your Full Potential, was published in 2023 and became a Wall Street Journal bestseller.

Higgins's personal story of rising from poverty in Queens to becoming a prominent business leader has made him an inspirational figure in entrepreneurship. Raised by a single mother in challenging circumstances, he dropped out of high school at 16 to work full-time and support his family while attending college at night, eventually earning his law degree from Fordham University School of Law.

Early Life and Education

Childhood in Queens

Matthew Thomas Higgins was born circa 1974 in Flushing, Queens, and grew up in the Bayside neighborhood of Queens, New York City. He is of Irish American descent, with ancestors who immigrated to America from Ireland. His early life was marked by severe poverty and family instability that would profoundly shape his character and drive.

Higgins was raised by his mother, Linda Joy Higgins, a single mother following her divorce from his father. Linda raised four boys in what Higgins has described as a cramped, rent-stabilized apartment on Springfield Boulevard in Queens. The family lived in conditions of extreme poverty, relying on public assistance and what his mother could earn cleaning houses on her hands and knees.

The family's circumstances were compounded by Linda's deteriorating health. She struggled with multiple serious conditions, including severe obesity that eventually exceeded 400 pounds, arthritic knees that could no longer support her weight, and respiratory issues that required her to be connected to an oxygen tank. Higgins has described how his mother became essentially confined to a worn recliner in their home, tethered to oxygen equipment, unable to move freely.

Despite her physical limitations, Linda Higgins was, in her son's words, "fiercely intelligent." Though she had been a high school dropout, she demonstrated remarkable determination by returning to school as a single mother of four, earning her GED, enrolling in Queens College, earning a bachelor's degree, and going on to pursue two master's degrees before her declining health made continuing impossible.

The household also faced other challenges, including an absent father and an abusive grandfather who compounded the family's instability. Higgins has spoken about growing up amid these difficult circumstances, with the family getting by on SPAM, Steak-umms, and government cheese—which Higgins would later describe, with dark humor, as having considered a "gourmet meal" during his childhood.

Working as a Child

From a young age, Higgins understood the necessity of contributing to his family's survival. He took on various jobs as a child, including selling flowers on street corners to bring in extra money. At age 13, he got a job at McDonald's, initially working in the playroom scraping gum from under tables for $3.75 per hour.

Even at this early age, Higgins demonstrated the initiative and drive that would characterize his later career. Within nine months of starting at McDonald's, he had earned a promotion to maintenance management, showing his ability to stand out and advance even in entry-level positions.

Higgins also worked overnight shifts at a 24-hour deli on Woodhaven and Metropolitan avenues, coming home to sleep on what he has described as a "dog-worn mattress on the floor." To mask his family's poverty at school, he wore hand-me-down designer jeans, creating the appearance of middle-class normalcy while living in circumstances far removed from what his clothing suggested.

The Decision to Drop Out

Around age 13, watching his mother's struggles and her efforts to improve herself through education, Higgins experienced what he has called an epiphany. He developed a plan to escape poverty by following an unconventional path: dropping out of high school early, obtaining his GED, enrolling in college, and getting a higher-paying job that would allow him to support his family and himself while continuing his education.

The plan was met with fierce resistance from school officials. Higgins later recalled his science teacher sneering, "See you at McDonald's," before calling him a loser—a prediction intended as an insult that would prove spectacularly wrong. However, his mother's response was different. "Oh, I think it's a clever idea," she told him. "You can pull off anything." Her confidence in her son's unconventional strategy gave him the support he needed to persist despite relentless lobbying from school officials and even run-ins with the truancy police.

After being held back two years in a row, Higgins dropped out of high school at age 16. He immediately took the GED exam and enrolled at Queens College, beginning his college education years ahead of his peers while working multiple jobs to support himself and his family.

Education Journey

What followed was an extraordinary 11-year educational odyssey conducted entirely while working. Higgins took night classes at Queens College while holding down jobs during the day, ultimately earning his bachelor's degree in political science. After completing his undergraduate education, he enrolled in Fordham University School of Law's evening program, earning his Juris Doctor degree in 2002.

The decision to pursue a law degree while working full-time demonstrated Higgins's understanding that education was his pathway out of poverty. His mother had shown him the transformative power of education through her own efforts, and he was determined to take that lesson as far as possible.

His Mother's Death

The trajectory of Higgins's early career led to a moment of cruel timing that has shaped his understanding of success and sacrifice. By age 26, he had risen to become the youngest press secretary in New York City history, an extraordinary achievement for someone who had dropped out of high school a decade earlier.

On the day his first paycheck reflecting his new $100,000 annual salary was scheduled to arrive in two weeks, his mother passed away. She died with just $127 in the bank, never having the chance to see the financial security her son had finally achieved or to benefit from his success. However, Higgins has said that while his mother left little money, she left him something far more valuable: the life lessons and confidence that had made his success possible.

In 2019, Higgins returned to Queens College to deliver the commencement address at his alma mater. During this visit, he established the Linda Higgins Empowerment Scholarship to help support single parents in obtaining college degrees, honoring his late mother's memory and her belief in the power of education.

Early Career

Journalism Beginnings

Higgins began his professional career as a journalist, working as an investigative reporter at the Queens Tribune, a weekly newspaper covering Queens. His work as a reporter earned recognition and awards for his investigative journalism, demonstrating his ability to dig into complex stories and communicate them effectively.

This journalism background would prove invaluable in his subsequent career in public relations and crisis communications. The skills he developed understanding how media works, how to construct narratives, and how to communicate with the press would become essential tools in his role as a political press secretary and beyond.

Press Secretary Under Giuliani

While still attending Fordham Law School at night, Higgins took a position with the administration of New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. At age 26, he was appointed press secretary, making him the youngest person to hold that position in New York City history.

The role of press secretary for New York City is one of the most demanding public relations positions in the country. New York's media market is the largest in the United States, and the city's press secretary must navigate relationships with hundreds of journalists from local, national, and international outlets while managing the mayor's communications strategy and responding to the constant stream of crises that characterize life in America's largest city.

Higgins's appointment reflected his exceptional abilities despite his unconventional background. The young man who had dropped out of high school just a decade earlier was now responsible for communicating on behalf of one of the most prominent mayors in the country.

September 11, 2001

The Attack

On the morning of September 11, 2001, Higgins was driving through the Midtown Tunnel into Manhattan when the first plane struck the World Trade Center. The attack, which would kill nearly 3,000 people and transform American life, immediately thrust Higgins into the center of the most significant crisis in New York City's modern history.

After the second plane struck and it became clear that the city was under terrorist attack, Higgins pulled up to City Hall and attempted to quickly organize a press conference for Mayor Giuliani just a few blocks from the World Trade Center site. The situation was chaotic and dangerous, with emergency responders rushing toward the burning towers while civilians fled in the opposite direction.

It wasn't long before Higgins and two other staff members realized they were in an extremely dangerous position. As they were setting up for the press conference, they made the decision to drop their equipment and head back toward City Hall. "That's when the first tower collapsed," Higgins later recalled. The collapse sent massive clouds of debris through Lower Manhattan, and those who had been near the site just moments earlier found themselves fleeing for their lives.

Managing the Global Media Response

In the hours, days, and weeks that followed September 11, Higgins found himself managing what was arguably the most intense and consequential media response in American history. Within a few hours of the attacks, he was setting up what would become Mayor Giuliani's first formal press conference at a nearby police academy.

The world's attention was focused on New York City, and Higgins was responsible for coordinating the flow of information from the mayor's office to the global press corps. He had to balance the need for transparency with operational security concerns, provide accurate information amid chaos and confusion, and help craft the messages that would define how New York and America responded to the attacks.

A few days after the attacks, Higgins was working with the Secret Service and White House staff to plan President George W. Bush's visit to the World Trade Center site. This visit, during which Bush famously stood on the rubble with a megaphone and spoke to rescue workers, became one of the defining moments of the early response to 9/11.

Giuliani's handling of the 9/11 crisis earned him widespread praise and the informal title of "America's Mayor." The communications strategy that Higgins helped execute was a critical component of that response, helping to reassure a terrified city and nation that leadership was in control.

Lower Manhattan Development Corporation

Rebuilding Ground Zero

Following his role in the immediate response to September 11, Higgins transitioned to focus on the long-term challenge of rebuilding Lower Manhattan. He became one of the first employees—and ultimately the Chief Operating Officer—of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation (LMDC), a public-private entity established in late 2001 with federal funding exceeding $2 billion.

The LMDC was charged with planning the redevelopment of Lower Manhattan following the attacks, a task of enormous complexity and emotional significance. The World Trade Center site was not simply a real estate development project; it was a crime scene, a cemetery, a site of national trauma, and a symbol of American resilience all at once. Any redevelopment had to balance practical considerations of rebuilding a vital part of New York's infrastructure with the need to honor the memory of those who died.

The World Trade Center Memorial Competition

One of Higgins's most significant contributions at the LMDC was helping to organize the World Trade Center Site Memorial Competition in 2003. This became the largest international design competition in history, receiving over 5,000 submissions from architects, designers, and artists around the world.

The competition was a massive logistical undertaking that required establishing criteria for evaluation, managing the review process for thousands of submissions, and navigating the intense public interest and emotional investment in the memorial's design. The stakes were enormous: the memorial would become the primary way that future generations would encounter and understand what happened on September 11.

The competition ultimately selected Michael Arad's "Reflecting Absence" design, which features two massive pools built in the footprints of the original Twin Towers, with water cascading down their sides. The memorial, which opened on the tenth anniversary of the attacks in 2011, has become one of the most visited sites in New York City and a powerful place of remembrance and reflection.

One World Trade Center

Higgins also contributed to the development of One World Trade Center, the 1,776-foot-tall skyscraper that was designed to be the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. The building's height—symbolic of the year of American independence—was part of a deliberate statement of resilience and renewal.

The rebuilding of the World Trade Center site faced numerous challenges, including disputes over design, financing difficulties, security concerns, and debates about how to balance commercial development with memorial uses. Higgins's role in navigating these challenges helped ensure that the project eventually moved forward, resulting in the transformation of the site from a place of devastation to a renewed commercial and cultural center.

NFL Career

New York Jets (2004-2012)

After his work on the World Trade Center rebuilding, Higgins transitioned to the private sector, joining the New York Jets in 2004. He eventually rose to become Executive Vice President of Business Operations, overseeing all elements of the team's business operations outside of football matters.

In his role with the Jets, Higgins was responsible for marketing, sponsorships, legal affairs, human resources, public affairs, merchandising, Internet operations, and broadcasting opportunities. He became a close advisor to Jets owner Woody Johnson, attending owners' meetings with Johnson and frequently traveling with him to away games. By most accounts, Higgins spent more time with Johnson than any other member of the team's hierarchy outside the football operation.

MetLife Stadium

One of Higgins's most significant achievements with the Jets was his instrumental role in the construction of MetLife Stadium, the $1.6 billion stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, that the Jets share with the New York Giants. The stadium, which opened in 2010, was a complex joint venture between two rival franchises that required extensive negotiation and collaboration.

Higgins helped navigate the intricate process of building a facility that would serve two NFL teams while accommodating each franchise's distinct identity and operational needs. The stadium became the most expensive ever built in the United States at the time of its completion and has since hosted two Super Bowls and numerous other major events.

Jets Training Facility

Higgins was also instrumental in the construction of the Jets' state-of-the-art training facility in Florham Park, New Jersey. The facility gave the Jets a modern, dedicated space for player development and team operations, helping to establish the franchise's competitive infrastructure.

Digital Innovation

During his tenure, Higgins helped pioneer the Jets' use of social media and digital platforms to connect with fans. He oversaw the team's adoption of Twitter, Facebook, and a revamped website that gave fans better access to the team. This early embrace of digital fan engagement anticipated the now-universal use of social media by professional sports franchises.

Miami Dolphins (2012-2021)

In 2012, Higgins left the Jets to become Vice Chairman of the Miami Dolphins, serving as an advisor to owner Stephen M. Ross. The position allowed him to continue his work in professional sports while also launching his entrepreneurial ventures alongside Ross.

During his nearly decade-long tenure with the Dolphins, Higgins contributed to the team's business operations and strategic direction. He was involved in the hiring of Mike Tannenbaum as the Dolphins' Executive Vice President of Football Operations, demonstrating his influence beyond purely business matters.

Higgins served as Vice Chairman of the Dolphins until 2021, maintaining his connection to professional sports throughout the growth of RSE Ventures and his other business activities.

RSE Ventures

Founding and Vision

In 2012, the same year he joined the Miami Dolphins, Higgins co-founded RSE Ventures with Stephen M. Ross, the billionaire real estate developer and Dolphins owner. RSE was established as a private investment firm focused on identifying and nurturing companies at the intersection of sports, entertainment, media, and technology.

The firm's name comes from the initials of Ross and Higgins, reflecting their partnership in building the venture. RSE's investment approach combines Higgins's entrepreneurial instincts and operational experience with Ross's capital and real estate expertise.

Under Higgins's leadership as CEO, RSE Ventures has built a multi-billion-dollar investment portfolio spanning over 100 companies and brands. The firm has focused on identifying emerging trends and backing companies that are positioned to reshape their industries.

Restaurant and Food Investments

One of RSE's most prominent investment areas has been the restaurant and food industry. In 2016, Higgins broadened RSE's investment focus to include rapidly expanding fine dining and fast-casual concepts, recognizing the opportunity in the changing American food landscape.

Momofuku: In 2016, Higgins negotiated a deal for RSE Ventures to become a minority stakeholder in Momofuku, the acclaimed restaurant group founded by chef David Chang. Momofuku had revolutionized dining with its innovative approach to Asian cuisine and has expanded to include restaurants in multiple cities.

Milk Bar: In 2017, Higgins negotiated RSE Ventures' funding of Milk Bar, the celebrated dessert brand founded by pastry chef Christina Tosi that had been launched in 2008 as part of Momofuku. The investment helped fuel Milk Bar's expansion from a single location to a national brand with locations across the country.

&pizza: RSE backed the national expansion of &pizza, the Washington, D.C.-based fast-casual pizza chain known for its elongated personal pizzas and progressive labor practices. The investment helped transform &pizza from a regional concept into a multi-city operation.

Magnolia Bakery: In 2020, Higgins led the investment for RSE to take full ownership of Magnolia Bakery, the iconic New York City bakery made famous by Sex and the City and known for its banana pudding. The acquisition gave RSE control of one of New York's most recognizable food brands.

Bluestone Lane: In 2018, RSE acquired a significant minority stake in Bluestone Lane, an Australian-style coffee and café business that has helped introduce American consumers to the flat white and other Australian coffee traditions.

Fuku: RSE has invested in Fuku, the fried chicken sandwich concept also created by David Chang, which has expanded through partnerships with sports venues and other locations.

Brooklyn Dumpling Shop: The portfolio includes Brooklyn Dumpling Shop, a innovative dumpling concept that uses technology-driven service models.

Technology and Media Investments

Resy: RSE Ventures incubated and invested in Resy, a restaurant reservation platform that competed with OpenTable. The investment proved highly successful when American Express acquired Resy in 2019, providing a significant return for RSE and its partners.

Drone Racing League: Higgins led RSE's first-round investment in the Drone Racing League (DRL), the world's first professional drone racing circuit. DRL has since become a leading sports and media company, broadcasting drone races to audiences around the world and attracting major sponsors.

FanVision: RSE invested in FanVision, the handheld device that became the official in-venue content provider of NASCAR, allowing fans at races to access multiple camera angles and real-time information.

MSCHF: The portfolio includes MSCHF, the Brooklyn-based art collective and product company known for its provocative viral drops and cultural commentary.

Magic Spoon: RSE backed Magic Spoon, a high-protein, low-carb cereal brand that has helped pioneer the better-for-you cereal category.

VaynerMedia Partnership

In 2014, RSE Ventures partnered with Gary Vaynerchuk to form VaynerRSE, a $25 million seed fund and incubator. The partnership combined Vaynerchuk's expertise in social media and consumer insights with RSE's investment capabilities.

RSE also became a co-owner of VaynerMedia, the social media-first advertising agency founded by Vaynerchuk and his brother AJ. VaynerMedia has grown into one of the largest agencies of its kind in the world, serving major brands across industries.

In January 2023, Higgins co-founded VaynerWatt, a content production company, alongside Vaynerchuk and television executive Eric Wattenberg. VaynerWatt produces original long- and short-form content for streaming platforms and linear networks. The company's production credits include The Z-Suite on Tubi, starring Lauren Graham, and The Home Team, an inside look at the New York Jets, on Amazon Prime Video.

Combat Robotics and Defense Technology

Higgins is the co-founder of Performance Drone Works (PDW), a combat robotics company that reflects his interest in emerging technologies with defense applications. PDW represents RSE's expansion into the defense technology sector.

Relevent Sports

Higgins co-founded Relevent Sports, a global sports and media rights organization. Relevent Sports is best known for representing commercial rights to major European football leagues, including UEFA's men's club competitions globally, the English Football League (EFL) in the Americas, La Liga across North America, and Bundesliga in North, Central, and South America.

Relevent Sports created the International Champions Cup, the largest privately owned soccer tournament featuring Europe's top clubs. The tournament has hosted some of the most attended soccer matches in American history, including a match at Michigan Stadium with an attendance exceeding 109,000 fans.

Shark Tank

Joining the Show

In 2018, Higgins made his debut as a guest shark on ABC's Shark Tank, the Emmy Award-winning reality television series where entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to a panel of investors. Higgins appeared during Seasons 10 and 11 of the show, bringing his experience as a serial entrepreneur and investor to evaluate pitches alongside the show's regular sharks.

Higgins's addition to the show reflected Shark Tank's strategy of featuring guest investors with diverse backgrounds and expertise. His experience spanning public service, professional sports, media, and venture capital gave him a unique perspective for evaluating the entrepreneurs and businesses presented on the show.

The Cup Board Pro Investment

The most emotionally resonant moment of Higgins's Shark Tank career came during Season 10 with the Cup Board Pro pitch. The product—a cutting board with a built-in catching cup for food scraps—was presented by siblings Christian, Keira, and Kaley Young, the children of late FDNY firefighter Keith Young.

Keith Young had invented the Cup Board Pro before dying from cancer caused by his exposure to toxins at Ground Zero during the September 11 rescue and recovery efforts. The product was his final gift to his children, and they came to Shark Tank seeking $100,000 for 10% equity to bring their father's invention to market.

The pitch resonated deeply with Higgins, who had been at Ground Zero within minutes of the attacks as Mayor Giuliani's press secretary and had seen firsthand the heroism of firefighters and other first responders. In a rare moment of unanimity, all five sharks present—Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner, Daymond John, Kevin O'Leary, and Higgins—agreed to invest together.

Each shark contributed $20,000 for a combined $100,000 investment in exchange for 20% of the company. In an even more touching gesture, all five sharks pledged that any profits from their investment would go to charities supporting firefighters and first responders affected by 9/11.

The Cup Board Pro episode became one of Shark Tank's most memorable moments. After the episode aired, the company sold out its entire inventory within minutes. Within 18 hours, they had sold 26,000 units and generated over $1 million in sales. By August 2024, Cup Board Pro's net worth was valued at over $15 million.

In a Season 14 update in 2023, Higgins reflected on the investment's success, saying that the Young children would "never have to work for anybody else again" thanks to Cup Board Pro's success—fulfilling their father's original dream.

Other Shark Tank Investments

Tailgate N Go: Higgins invested $250,000 for a 20% stake in Tailgate N Go, a family business selling portable tailgating equipment, with a $50 per-unit royalty. The deal came after Higgins initially declined but reconsidered after the entrepreneurs made a counter offer.

Shark Tank Dubai

In 2024, Higgins made history by becoming the first shark to appear on both the American and Dubai versions of Shark Tank. The Dubai edition of the show expands the format to entrepreneurs in the Middle East, and Higgins's selection as a crossover shark reflects his international reputation as an investor and business expert.

Teaching and Academia

Harvard Business School

Higgins serves as an Executive Fellow at Harvard Business School, one of the most prestigious business schools in the world. In this role, he co-teaches the course "Moving Beyond Direct-to-Consumer," described as the leading course on direct-to-consumer brands in the United States.

The course draws on Higgins's extensive experience investing in and building consumer brands, from his RSE Ventures portfolio companies to his Shark Tank investments. It examines the strategies, challenges, and opportunities facing companies that sell directly to consumers rather than through traditional retail channels.

Higgins's position at Harvard represents an unusual trajectory for someone who dropped out of high school at 16. His journey from poverty in Queens to teaching at the world's preeminent business school embodies the transformative potential of education and entrepreneurship.

Book and Philosophy

Burn the Boats

In 2023, Higgins published his first book, Burn the Boats: Toss Plan B Overboard and Unleash Your Full Potential, through HarperCollins imprint William Morrow. The book became a Wall Street Journal bestseller and established Higgins as a thought leader in entrepreneurship and personal development.

The book's central thesis is derived from an ancient military strategy: when leaders want to ensure their forces are fully committed to a mission, they destroy their own means of retreat—literally burning their boats so that victory becomes the only option. Higgins argues that this same principle applies to entrepreneurship and personal achievement: maintaining backup plans and escape routes diminishes the probability of success because it saps motivation and dilutes focus.

Core Arguments

Burn the Boats draws on extensive research, historical precedent, and dozens of firsthand case studies to support its argument. Higgins cites examples ranging from ancient military leaders like Sun Tzu and Tariq ibn Ziyad to modern figures like Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, all of whom achieved remarkable outcomes by eliminating retreat as an option.

The book features interviews and case studies with contemporary figures including actress-turned-entrepreneur Scarlett Johansson and former NFL coach Rex Ryan. Higgins uses these examples to demonstrate how commitment without backup plans leads to breakthrough success.

Key themes include:

How a perfectly crafted Plan B actually saps motivation and diminishes the probability of achieving Plan A
How to break patterns that undermine total commitment, such as imposter syndrome, anxiety, and toxic leadership habits
The importance of pursuing opportunity before the "tipping point of evidence," in the space between intuition and data
Strategies for building conviction and eliminating self-doubt

Structure and Reception

The book is organized into three sections: "Get in the Water" (Part One), "No Turning Back" (Part Two), and "Build More Boats" (Part Three). Each section contains chapters supported by stories from Higgins's own life, the companies he has worked with, and research backing the principles he advocates.

Burn the Boats received endorsements from notable figures including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Adam Grant, Mark Cuban, Daymond John, Jay Shetty, Cathie Wood, and Joanna Gaines. According to architect and critic Paul Goldberger, Higgins's Queens College commencement address (which previewed many of the book's themes) "belongs in the same category as David Foster Wallace's great speech at Kenyon College commencement in 2005."

Personal Life

Family

Higgins is married to Michele Higgins. The couple has multiple children, including a daughter named Collette. Higgins generally maintains privacy regarding his family life, preferring to keep his wife and children away from media attention.

Daughter's Autism Diagnosis

Higgins's involvement with Autism Speaks, where he serves on the board, stems from a deeply personal connection. His daughter Collette was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at age 3.

In a 2011 interview, Higgins described the experience of watching his daughter before and after the diagnosis: "Before making eye contact with her parents, the autistic child sang and played, walked and spoke, but it was all seemingly apart from the world right in front of her." The formal diagnosis led Higgins and his wife to pour themselves into finding the best treatment, with rounds of therapists in their home on a rotating schedule as part of an early intervention program—one of the few scientifically proven methods of helping young autistic children.

Higgins has said that the difficulty of getting through the uncertainty and treatment for his own cancer diagnosis "paled in comparison" to what he and Michele faced as parents navigating their daughter's diagnosis and treatment.

In 2011, Higgins ran the ING New York City Marathon along with his wife Michele and her sister Megan Guinnessey to raise money for autism research and awareness.

Cancer Survivor

Higgins is a testicular cancer survivor, having been successfully treated for the disease in 2007. He has been open about his health challenges, including completing a marathon two years after his cancer treatment.

His experience with cancer, combined with his daughter's autism diagnosis, has informed his philanthropic work and his perspective on life's priorities and risks.

Athletic Pursuits

Higgins is an avid runner. His completion of the New York City Marathon in 2011, despite having undergone cancer treatment just four years earlier, demonstrated his commitment to physical fitness and his willingness to push through adversity.

Awards and Recognition

Ellis Island Medal of Honor

On May 10, 2019, Higgins was selected as a recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, one of the nation's most renowned awards. The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives officially recognize the Ellis Island Medals of Honor, with recipients listed annually in the Congressional Record.

Past recipients include seven U.S. presidents, Colin Powell, Barbara Walters, Sandra Day O'Connor, Condoleezza Rice, Hillary Clinton, Nobel Prize laureate Elie Wiesel, Muhammad Ali, Indra Nooyi, Frank Sinatra, Gloria Estefan, and Rosa Parks.

Higgins, whose ancestors immigrated to America from Ireland, was selected for his professional achievements—including his work during and after 9/11 to help rebuild New York City—his integrity, and his passion for supporting causes including autism research and awareness.

Industry Recognition

Crain's New York 40 Under 40 (2007): Recognized as one of the top 40 executives under 40 in New York
Sports Business Journal 40 Under 40 (2011): Selected as one of the most outstanding executives in sports
Forbes Recognition (2015): RSE Ventures was listed as one of the 10 best organizations to work for in sports
Fast Company (2017, 2018): RSE portfolio companies Resy and Drone Racing League were named to Fast Company's World's Most Innovative Companies 2017 list; &pizza was named to the 2018 list

Public Speaking

Queens College Commencement (2019)

In 2019, Higgins returned to his alma mater Queens College to deliver the commencement address. The speech, which drew on his personal journey from poverty to success, received widespread acclaim.

During his address, Higgins announced the establishment of the Linda Higgins Empowerment Scholarship to support single parents pursuing college degrees, honoring his late mother's memory and her belief in education's transformative power.

According to Vanity Fair Contributing Editor Paul Goldberger, "This is a magnificent and truly inspiring speech that everyone should read. If you think commencement speeches are made of clichés, this one will change your mind."

Molloy University Commencement (2024)

In 2024, Higgins delivered the commencement address at Molloy University, titled "Why Not Me?", at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The speech continued the themes of his earlier addresses and his book, encouraging graduates to pursue their ambitions without maintaining backup plans.

Legacy and Impact

Entrepreneurial Model

Matt Higgins's career represents a distinctive model of American entrepreneurship. His journey from poverty to prominence was built not on a single breakthrough innovation or startup but on accumulated expertise, relationships, and strategic positioning across multiple domains—journalism, politics, sports, and venture capital.

His story resonates particularly with aspiring entrepreneurs from disadvantaged backgrounds because it demonstrates that success is achievable without the traditional advantages of wealth, connections, or elite education. His decision to drop out of high school at 16 was a calculated risk that paid off because of his willingness to work harder and longer than those following conventional paths.

Crisis Leadership

Higgins's role in the response to September 11 and the subsequent rebuilding of Lower Manhattan established him as an exemplar of crisis leadership. His experience managing communications during the worst terrorist attack in American history, followed by his contribution to the complex process of rebuilding Ground Zero, provides a template for leaders facing catastrophic challenges.

The Reflecting Absence memorial and One World Trade Center stand as physical legacies of the work Higgins contributed to at the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation.

Sports Business Innovation

During his tenure with the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins, Higgins helped advance how professional sports franchises approach business operations. His early adoption of social media for fan engagement presaged now-universal practices, while his involvement in the construction of MetLife Stadium demonstrated his ability to navigate complex partnerships.

Through Relevent Sports and RSE's investments in sports-related companies like the Drone Racing League, Higgins has continued to shape how sports are consumed and monetized.

Investment Philosophy

RSE Ventures' portfolio, with its focus on emerging consumer brands and technologies, reflects an investment philosophy that prioritizes cultural relevance and consumer behavior. The firm's successful investments in companies like Resy (acquired by American Express) and its backing of influential food and lifestyle brands have established Higgins as a significant figure in the venture capital world.

His approach differs from traditional venture capital in its emphasis on operational involvement and brand building, rather than purely financial analysis.

References

External links

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