Mathew Knowles says these days he focuses on one-word happiness. “I work very hard to be happy,” says the music executive, talent manager, and businessman responsible for developing the careers of daughters Beyoncé and Solange and the group Destiny’s Child. On this day, he speaks with the ‘Twins of Media’ Trisha and Tasha via video from his home. “When I was a young man, I worked very hard on winning awards, being number one, being the best, making sure my artists were the best,” he says. Adding, “I wish I would have known earlier on to put the same energy that I did on being number one and the best and put that same energy on happiness.” How Knowles does so consists of a number of things; “It’s about living my passion, about living my truth, about the empathy of others, care of others. Mental health as well as physical health.”
What brought us to our conversation with Knowles is the American Heart Association, where the author and motivational speaker was recently a panelist on the roundtable Empowered to Serve created to inspire thought leadership and community transformation. His involvement includes over 15 years of work with the nonprofit organization.
In this insightful interview, Knowles takes us on a journey and talks about ancestral health dating back to slavery times, self-diagnosis with male chest cancer, black health, career, happiness, and family.
About Mathew Knowles.
Author, professor, lecturer, motivational speaker, music executive, artist manager, entrepreneur, fighter and cancer survivor would be the words used to sum up the life and career of Mathew Knowles.
Dr. Knowles possesses an MBA in Strategic Planning and Organizational Culture, Ph.D in Business Administration and recently attended Harvard’s Professional Development course in Ethical Leadership. He currently holds a professorship at University of Houston, Prairie View A&M University and The Art Institute.
As a pioneer for African American success in the corporate world, Knowles corporate career includes sales and marketing at Xerox Medical Systems, Phillips Medical System and Johnson & Johnson. In music he has architected the careers of Destiny’s Child, Beyoncé and Solange, just to name a few, and has worked with legends such as Chaka Kahn, O’Jays, Earth, Wind & Fire, and many others.
Photo Credit: Keer Orr/Veronica Hill for Point and Click Photography
