Matt Higgins has one of the more unusual backstories of anyone who's been on Shark Tank. He dropped out of high school at 16 to help support his family, got his GED, and then went on to become the youngest press secretary in New York City government history at 26. That's not a typical career trajectory for a venture capitalist, which is exactly what makes him interesting.
He eventually went back to school, getting degrees along the way, and carved out a career at the intersection of sports, media, and business. He co-founded RSE Ventures, a private investment firm that has stakes in everything from the Miami Dolphins to companies in media, food, and technology. The portfolio is broad and the deals are smart.
Higgins wrote a book called "Burn the Boats" about the idea of committing fully to your goals with no fallback plan, which tracks with how he's lived his own life. The guy didn't have a safety net growing up and he's built everything from that starting point.
On Shark Tank as a guest shark, Higgins brings an operator's perspective. He's not just writing checks, he's someone who has been in the trenches of building and scaling businesses. He understands media, sports, consumer brands, and the messy reality of actually running a company. He also has a soft spot for founders who come from nothing, probably because he's been there.
Some key things:
- Co-founded RSE Ventures, with investments across sports, media, and technology
- Youngest press secretary in New York City government history at age 26
- High school dropout who built a career in venture capital and private equity
- Author of "Burn the Boats"