From Mama to Mogul with Cécred’s Tina Knowles

Summary

Confessions of a Female Founder with Meghan
Episode: From Mama to Mogul with Cécred’s Tina Knowles
Host: Lemonada Media
Release Date: June 3, 2025

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Introduction to Tina Knowles

In this inspiring episode of Confessions of a Female Founder, host Megan sits down with Tina Knowles, a trailblazing fashion designer, beauty entrepreneur, and cultural icon. Tina is renowned for her decades-long contribution to black style and her recent ventures, including the renowned hair care line Sacred, which she launched alongside her daughter Beyoncé. Megan sets the stage by highlighting Tina's impressive journey from opening a unique hair salon in the 1980s to authoring her memoir, Matriarch, which delves into her personal and professional life.

Early Entrepreneurship: Founding Headliners Salon

Tina shares her early entrepreneurial spirit, recounting the creation of Headliners Salon in Texas during the 1980s. She identified a significant gap in the market: salons often demanded lengthy hours without considering clients' time constraints, especially working mothers. Tina explains:

"I wanted to start a salon, but I want to really respect people's time. I want to serve wine so that the women can loosen up and have fun."
— Tina Knowles [11:20]

This innovative approach resonated quickly, leading to her salon's swift success. Tina was the first salon to implement a computer system to manage clients' hair care history, setting her business apart from competitors and ensuring a personalized client experience.

Building Sacred with Beyoncé: A Joint Venture

Transitioning from her successful salon, Tina discusses the inception of Sacred, a science-backed hair care line developed in collaboration with Beyoncé. The partnership was driven by a shared vision to provide holistic hair care solutions that cater to a diverse audience. Tina elaborates on the challenges and triumphs of launching Sacred:

"We've been talking about it for years, but Beyoncé was initially hesitant to pursue another business. It took convincing and collaboration, but starting Sacred together has been a labor of love."
— Tina Knowles [15:46]

Sacred has already garnered 30 industry awards within its first year, a testament to the brand's quality and the seamless synergy between Tina and Beyoncé.

Personal Journey and Memoir: Matriarch

Beyond her business endeavors, Tina has authored a memoir titled Matriarch, where she opens up about her family's legacy, her battle with breast cancer, and her quest for a life rooted in pride and purpose. Reflecting on her personal growth, Tina shares:

"It took me till 71 to decide that I am truly enough by myself without a partner. I am whole."
— Tina Knowles [22:05]

This revelation marks a significant milestone in her life, emphasizing the importance of self-acceptance and independence.

Balancing Family and Business

A central theme of the conversation revolves around Tina's ability to juggle her roles as a mother and a businesswoman. She emphasizes the importance of dedicating individual time to each of her children, ensuring their unique needs are met:

"If you have kids, please look at your kids as individuals and give them the attention and confidence they need."
— Tina Knowles [31:03]

Additionally, Tina discusses the struggle of finding personal time amidst her busy schedule, highlighting the necessity of self-care for sustained entrepreneurial success.

Lessons and Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Drawing from her extensive experience, Tina offers invaluable advice to women aspiring to start their own businesses:

1. Find Your Niche: Identify a unique need in the market and tailor your business to address it specifically.

   "You have to find your niche, your thing that you can give people that they didn't have. And it caught on so fast because there were many women that were like me, that didn't want the rest of that experience."
   — Tina Knowles [11:38]

2. Trust and Communication in Partnerships: Whether partnering with family or business associates, trust is the cornerstone of successful collaboration.

   "She was like, my mom knows what she's doing, so she trusts me on things and I trust her. That's really important."
   — Tina Knowles [29:08]

3. Maintain Hope and Faith: Perseverance through failures and maintaining a hopeful outlook are crucial for long-term success.

   "Hope is having this hope that, yes, my business is going to work... you have to have faith in something."
   — Tina Knowles [38:04]

4. Self-Care and Balance: Prioritize personal well-being to prevent burnout and sustain your entrepreneurial journey.

   "You need to do that for yourself. You need to have date night with your husband completely."
   — Tina Knowles [31:08]

Overcoming Early Challenges and Embracing Authenticity

Tina delves into her formative years, highlighting the challenges she faced growing up in a strict Catholic environment that often made her feel like she didn't belong. This early experience instilled in her a relentless drive to prove herself and support her daughters in finding their own paths. She reflects:

"I always have to fight to get a seat at the table. And for my girls, that's why I fight so hard. I tell them every day, you belong anywhere."
— Tina Knowles [24:22]

This mindset has been instrumental in her business success and her ability to create spaces that empower others.

The Journey Continues: Touring and Future Endeavors

As the conversation wraps up, Tina shares updates about Beyoncé's ongoing tour and the positive reception they've received. She emphasizes the importance of enjoying the journey and continuing to strive for excellence:

"Last night was on fire."
— Tina Knowles [41:08]

Conclusion: A Blueprint for Lasting Success

Tina Knowles embodies the essence of a "mama mogul"—a woman who seamlessly blends motherhood with entrepreneurial prowess. Her journey offers a blueprint for building a legacy that transcends generations, emphasizing authenticity, resilience, and unwavering support for others.

Megan and Tina conclude the episode on a heartfelt note, celebrating Tina's achievements and the profound impact she continues to have on aspiring female entrepreneurs everywhere.

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Notable Quotes:

• “I wanted to start a salon, but I want to really respect people's time.”
  — Tina Knowles [11:20]

• “It took me till 71 to decide that I am truly enough by myself without a partner. I am whole.”
  — Tina Knowles [22:05]

• “If you have kids, please look at your kids as individuals and give them the attention and confidence they need.”
  — Tina Knowles [31:03]

• “You have to have faith in something.”
  — Tina Knowles [38:04]

• “Last night was on fire.”
  — Tina Knowles [41:08]

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This episode serves as a testament to Tina Knowles' enduring legacy and her continued commitment to empowering women through her entrepreneurial ventures and personal wisdom. Listeners are left inspired to pursue their own dreams with passion and purpose.

Transcript

[Megan]

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[Tina Knowles]

Lemonade and she said, I know you know what you're doing. You're not in a room full of people that were advisors. They were like, I don't think that's a good idea. And she was like, my mom knows what she's doing, so she trusts me on things and I trust her. That's really important.

[Megan]

I'm Megan, and this is Confessions of a Female Founder, a show where I chat with female entrepreneurs and friends about the sleepless nights, the lessons learned, and the laser focus that got them to where they are today.

[Tina Knowles]

No time to get down? Cause I'm moving up no time to get down? Cause I'm moving up no time to get down? Cause I'm moving up.

[Megan]

There's something incredible about a young woman who is willing to roll the dice on herself, be an entrepreneur and build. Let's say you're in your 20s and you start doing that. Let's say you're in your 30s. Let's say you do that in your 30s and 40s as a working mom and you're trying to figure it out. There is something where I just put my hands up and applaud all of you who are doing the thing. And then there is something that gets a standing ovation. And that is when you are in your 70s and you say, I'm still gonna build and I'm still gonna invent and I'm still gonna create. That is next level entrepreneurship. And that is why I am thrilled to have this guest on today. She knows it better than anyone else. I am talking about Ms. Tina Knowles. She's a fashion designer, beauty entrepreneur, cultural icon who has spent decades celebrating and elevating black style. Her daughters from creating a one of a kind hair salon in the 80s to designing looks for Destiny's Child. Ms. Tina. She's always been a force in business, and now she's channeled that into Sacred, the science backed hair care line that she launched with her daughter Beyonce.

[Tina Knowles]

We get along really well and so we have a disagreement. It's her business, so she gets to win because it's her business.

[Megan]

Together, the two of them have built something incredibly special. And Sacred has already racked up 30 industry awards, all in just one year. Beyond her business success, though, Tina has written a new memoir called Matriarch, in which she shares the personal journey behind her family's legacy, her breast cancer experience last year, and building a life rooted in pride and purpose. She is proof that being a mama mogul is not just a title. It's a blueprint for building something that lasts across generations. Here she is. Hi. Oh, how are you?

[Tina Knowles]

I'm good. How are you?

[Megan]

Good. I'm so happy to be sitting down with you. Oh, so much amazing stuff. Thank you. Of course. I'm so glad you reached out and I love seeing Yvette there. I don't know if I wrote her a letter after I went to Bea's concert a couple years ago. She said the kindest things. I just wanted her to know how much it meant to me.

[Tina Knowles]

And Tyler talks about you all. He loves you, Tyler Perry. He's a really good friend of mine.

[Megan]

Yes, well, he's a good friend to have. He's the most great friend. Extraordinary, visionary, soundboard. And even, you know, it's interesting for us to be sitting down talking about business, because he is that person that when I have questions about business or just when you feel like you're off your path, like, I need to call. I need to check in with Tyler.

[Tina Knowles]

Yeah. He just finished the book and he wrote me. I mean, it's like poetry is so beautiful and uplifting. I'm like, oh, God, that's just what I needed today because I'm so exhausted and kind of depleted, you know, so it just lifted me back up.

[Megan]

That will fill your cup. Tyler Perry can do that.

[Tina Knowles]

Exactly.

[Megan]

It's amazing, though, that at 70 plus, because I've talked to entrepreneurs on this program who are in their 20s.

[Tina Knowles]

Yeah. Oh, I know.

[Megan]

I know. I mean, literally, I'm sitting here in my 40. Well, you know, Beyonce and I are, I think, just we're the same age. She's a couple weeks. She's born in September. Right. Virgo season. Yeah. And I'm in August this year, so we'll both be 44 this year.

[Tina Knowles]

Are you a Virgo, too?

[Megan]

I'm a Leo. H is a Virgo.

[Tina Knowles]

Leo. Okay.

[Megan]

My mom's a Virgo. H is a Virgo. I'm surrounded by Virgos.

[Tina Knowles]

Okay.

[Megan]

Virgo season.

[Tina Knowles]

Well, that's a good thing. You know, the other night, I had a tour date in la and Kiki Palmer was the host for me. She was amazing. And then Jennifer Hudson came and sang a song, and I said, I got these two Virgos. I mean, I just attract Virgos. A lot of the kids that I've adopted, you know, they like my bonus kids. They're Virgos. So I think just that Virgo energy. Yeah, they're really amazing people.

[Megan]

It is such a good sign.

[Tina Knowles]

It is.

[Megan]

But look at you right now. I can't even imagine. You have so many plates spinning.

[Tina Knowles]

I do.

[Megan]

Does it feel as though, even with the exhaustion, even with the swirl around all of it, does it feel like it's your time?

[Tina Knowles]

Oh, absolutely. You know, even though I'm exhausted and I've been going from one place to the other because the tour is going on Right now, Beyonce's tour. So I'm going back and forth because I'm working there. I just feel reinvigorated every day when I get to talk to people about the book and the things that have happened. And when someone texts me and they say, you know, I went and got my mammogram and I had been putting it off, or, you know, I decided that I was gonna make my kids a priority. And some of the things that I put in a book, I mean, I just get all this energy and just feel all the, you know, like I did something that was a good thing.

[Megan]

An act of service.

[Tina Knowles]

Exactly.

[Megan]

Just at first glance, you go, that's the most giftable book in the world. Because you have to put that in someone's hands. It needs to be in everyone's home. But I think the inside is really obviously the true gift, which is what your journey has been, obviously, as a working mom, but as a female entrepreneur, which is why I'm so happy we get to talk and have this bonus episode for people who are listening, especially young women who want to start something. Do you think you have to find yourself and then be able to find your business or you can find your business and through that business you start to find yourself?

[Tina Knowles]

I think it's the second one. I think that you start your business and then you find yourself. It gives you confidence that you didn't have before. It gives you creativity, and you just feel accomplished now. I don't think that I would have gotten that had I not had the hair salon. That's where I learned to be a business person. I learned to be a boss. I learned to take care of business and organize things. And I got a lot of self esteem from that. And so I think that for me, it was the other way around.

[Megan]

I mean, that's really helpful because a lot of people would say, you need to know yourself before you know what you're gonna start. But it seems. It seems like we're all kind of figuring it out along the way. And also, we evolve as women. And the chapters of Being a Mother evolve. I mean, Archie turns six tomorrow.

[Tina Knowles]

Where did the time go?

[Megan]

Where did the time go? I remember carrying him out there, and I was just. He is now six years old. We had his birthday party yesterday. But you look up and really, I think everything is in constant, fluid motion. But the common denominator is you knew even when you had a salon back then to now. Having sacred. In this moment in time, the connective tissue is the same.

[Tina Knowles]

Yes. It's the Same.

[Megan]

And you wanted to show up for women or people.

[Tina Knowles]

That's right. It doesn't matter what business it is. You know, it's. I just had a philosophy that if I was going to have a business, first of all, it would be something that is a service that is needed, and what would make my business different from anyone else's, because there were a lot of hair salons, so I had to figure out what was the need. And the need was getting in and out, treated as a professional person whose time was valuable. And once you figure out the need and you make your business special, I think you gotta go, yes, that's a hit.

[Megan]

How did you end up finding what would be that secret sauce to make it special for? It was headliners, right? Your salon?

[Tina Knowles]

Yes, it was headliners. Because back in that time, this was the 80s, I used to go to a salon, and I loved what they did to my hair, But I was there for five hours, and I had a kid, and I just couldn't sit in the salon for five hours while people gossiped, while they brought in food. It just was not professional. And one of my really good friends was. She was an attorney, and she felt the same way. And so I said, you know, I want to start a salon, but I want to really respect people's time. I want to serve wine so that the women can loosen up and, you know, have fun.

[Megan]

Luxuriant a little.

[Tina Knowles]

Right, Exactly. And so everything that I didn't find out there. And that's what I'm talking about, that you have to find your niche, your thing that you can give people that they didn't have. And it caught on so fast because there were many women that were like me, that didn't want the rest of that experience.

[Megan]

So, yeah, I think that's part of it. It doesn't necessarily have to be reinventing the wheel. And that's important for people to hear, because right now, I think it's in the authenticity that you find your originality.

[Tina Knowles]

Exactly.

[Megan]

It is what is so. So pure and true to you. So you found something that you wanted to plug a hol. Look. I remember me with all my hair growing up. Oh, my gosh. And my mom would have to drop me off at the hair salon, and I would. I would sit there for three to four hours for them to press and curl my hair. And that was. I'm talking, like, at the age of 13.

[Tina Knowles]

Right. And that's a harrowing experience when you're 12 or 13, that you're in the salon with all these grown women hearing.

[Megan]

A lot of things you should not be hearing.

[Tina Knowles]

Absolutely.

[Megan]

You should have no visibility. So right out of the gate, headliners was successful, correct?

[Tina Knowles]

Yes, super successful. I mean, I literally opened before Easter, maybe a couple months before Easter. And within a month it was just people lining up because they wanted that great experience of being pampered. And I had a computer system. I was the first salon to have a computer system so I could tell them when they had their last relaxer, when they had that last conditioner, and they were so impressed. So it just motivated me to find other things that nobody else offered. And I think that's really important in business.

[Megan]

If you're listening to this show, one thing is certain. You're ambitious, just like the women Megan speaks to in the series. But as you've heard in these episodes, we all get stuck sometimes. Maybe you're not sure how to get that promotion or you're thinking about a career pivot, or you're just trying to find more balance between your professional and personal life. Today's sponsor can help. Strawberry Me offers one on one personalized career coaching from the comfort of your home. It's like virtual therapy for your career. Your coach won't just give you advice. They'll ask the right questions, help you break through the roadblocks, and guide you toward the career that you envision. And more importantly, that actually fits you. If you're ready to turn your goals into reality, visit Strawberry Me Confessions and claim your $50 credit. That's Strawberry Me Confessions. Because if you want real career success, don't leave it to chance. Get the right coach and make it happen with Strawberry Julio.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

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[Megan]

I'm so curious how you go from in Texas, starting the hair salon, having the girls there, and then all these years later evolving this into now sacred, which is incredible. And I mean, just the accolades. Why did you want to start something else?

[Tina Knowles]

It has been a dream of mine forever. And Beyonce, it's been a big dream of hers. And so we talked about this for years and years and years, but she just really was not interested in pursuing a business, another business, because she, in her younger years, she completely focused on her singing and her skills and, you know, all of that. And so, you know, it took some convincing because I was like, listen, I will work on it and, you know, we'll work on it together. And so finally she said, okay, we could start on it. Because I didn't want to do it by myself. I just felt like at this point in my life, being 70 years old, I didn't want to work that hard for one.

[Megan]

And you deserve the rest.

[Tina Knowles]

I wound up working hard anyway.

[Megan]

Sure.

[Tina Knowles]

But it's been a labor of love. But we've been talking about it forever. Because she grew up in a hair salon. She could actually be a hairstylist.

[Megan]

Really?

[Tina Knowles]

All of my kids, Kelly and Solange, because they grew up seeing me mixing things and taking care of their hair. And she also, you know, she's on the stage with hot lights and she wears wigs a lot. And she has managed to keep her hair beautiful and healthy. And that's not an easy task when you're in show business.

[Megan]

That is a testament. I mean, even on suits. I was on suits for seven years and I remember so many other actresses, especially if you're in that grind.

[Tina Knowles]

Yes.

[Megan]

They said, you are going to fry your hair. And everyone was recommending that I should start wearing wigs. I know. Never ended up doing it, by the way, if I was in that industry longer. I understand why you need to protect your hair in that way.

[Tina Knowles]

Yeah. Because who wants to curl and spray and tease and, you know, do all those things to your hair every day? So she's been wanting to do this. People always ask her because they don't know when she has her hair or she has a wig on. Like a lot of times people say, well, she wears wigs all the time. A lot of times it's her hair. So she wanted to share that secret with other people that are going through, you know, similar things. And it doesn't have to be just that you're an entertainer. It could be just if you are on the news or if you are a swimmer or you are just a regular person that curls your hair every day. Yeah.

[Megan]

Or even if you don't curl your hair every day, just natural UV rays and sun damage. Our hair is like our skin. We are exposed to all sorts of things that need extra care. And I think that's what Sacred has started to really tap into that. It's not a unique position that you need to take. It's just holistic hair care.

[Tina Knowles]

Exactly. You know, I have always been a mixologist, so I had products already. I would make them out of natural things and mix it with high tech science. And then the things that I knew our hair needed are just damaged hair. Because this is not a black product. It's for anyone that curls and blow dries and, you know, we manipulate our hair so much. And so I was mixing all these things together, but also with olive oil, you know, hot oil treatments and egg white protein and, you know, just balancing it and just studying the science of it. So we had a lot of setbacks because, you know, it takes a long time with products. You have to test them and then you gotta, a lot of times just go all the way and start all over again.

[Megan]

I know. Trust me. Do you know why I know? Because when you're talking about consumables, even jam.

[Tina Knowles]

Yes. Because you're doing food.

[Megan]

Yes. You go. It has the same restriction, very not the same, but very similar restrictions and nuance as when you're looking at fda, as with you're looking at compliance for beauty people that do skin care and sun creams and all of that. I think, oh my. We all have this level of constant stress testing the product. And you can say, oh, I made this in my house, like with your egg whites and your olive oil. And I'm going, I just picked these strawberries and it's so great. Look, I just put a little bit of sugar and some Meyer lemon. And you try to scale that up. And you're wanting to manage expectations, but you want to share the thing you've worked so hard on. And so for me at the moment, with, as ever, it was great. We plan. We plan for a year we get. And then everything sells out in 45 minutes. Which, yes, amazing, great news.

[Tina Knowles]

But then what do you do?

[Megan]

Then, then what do you do? And then you say, okay, we planned as best as we could.

[Tina Knowles]

Yes.

[Megan]

Are we going to replenish and sell out again in an hour or is that annoying? As a customer, I'm looking at it saying just pause. Yeah, that happened. Let's wait until we are completely stable and we have everything we need.

[Tina Knowles]

I go through the same thing, right.

[Megan]

Where you're trying to just balance inventory cost.

[Tina Knowles]

Yeah.

[Megan]

Make. I mean, at least our things are shelf stable.

[Tina Knowles]

Yes. And that's another thing. Ours, you know, they have a shelf life of like three years. So your, your time is ticking and. Yeah, I know exactly. Everything you're saying is it's just a part of business that people don't see.

[Megan]

It's a part. They see all the flashy stuff and they see the product. But that end game, I think you're right. Those behind the scenes moments, how many tears I've shed.

[Tina Knowles]

Yeah. Stayed up all night because we have this edge drop thing. And I feel bad because people are saying, you know, you guys aren't making enough stuff and we're looking for it and we can't find it. So I don't think it's such a good thing all the time to sell off.

[Megan]

Yeah. I think that scarcity mentality at the beginning might be a hook for people. Not dissimilar to a sneaker drop. Great.

[Tina Knowles]

Yes, exactly.

[Megan]

But when you're talking about products, products.

[Tina Knowles]

That you need to be consistent with or foods that you want to provide to your family.

[Megan]

I don't want you to eat that jam once every six months. I want that to be on your shelf all the time. You want us to wash our hair with these products all the time. So trying to keep up with that demand, I think is something that's really helpful for people to have that insight, no matter who you are, that, that, that part of the process as an entrepreneur is not easy. That numbers game. And you know, I know that in the pages of your new memoir, Matriarch, you delve into so many of these elements. Growing a business, but also juggling that with the very personal element of your life as a wife, as a mother. So I'm curious, what is one of the key takeaways you want people to have from the stories in there?

[Tina Knowles]

It took me till 71 to decide that, that I am truly enough by myself without a partner. Because, you know, I grew up Very Catholic. Very. I stayed in the marriage for 31 years. Then I got married again. And. And, you know, the first part of it was wonderful. And then it wasn't so happy. And the old me, before I came to this revelation, because there was no big, drastic thing that happened. I would have stayed but not been totally fulfilled. And so I finally know that whether I have a partner or not, I am a pretty perfect whole and complete. I am whole. And I just hate that I had to get to 70 before I realized that. I wish I would have done it way sooner in my life, but I didn't.

[Megan]

But 70 years young, I mean, look at you. And I think there's such a wisdom that comes with that kind of life experience.

[Tina Knowles]

Yes. Well, you know, I've been through a lot, and I grew up very poor, with a lot of challenges. And I went to Catholic school, and I was told that I didn't belong there, because I found out later, as a teenager, that the reason why my father drove the nuns and my brothers cleaned the schoolyard, and my mom did all the altar clothes, and she was a seamstress. And I was like, why are we indentured servants? And what I found out later is that my mom was actually bartering services to send us to a Catholic school, which was a, you know, really good school in terms of academics. But not all of the nuns, but a couple of them, a few of them felt like we didn't belong there. And they kept saying, well, you don't belong here, and you should be so grateful. And I didn't understand why. Now, as an adult, I look back on that, and I used to say, why didn't my parents tell us that so that we could have been prepared.

[Megan]

But.

[Tina Knowles]

But that early message of not belonging stayed with me somewhat. I felt like I always had to fight. I had to have my dupes up all the time because. And prove to people that I deserve to be involved, to have a seat at the table. Exactly.

[Megan]

Well, and that will carry through for your whole life. If that's. From the very beginning, it has carried through.

[Tina Knowles]

And for my girls, that's why I fight so hard. And I tell them every day, you belong anywhere. I mean, since they were little girls, you belong anywhere you choose to be, and you have to fight to get a seat at the table. And so it's been very interesting. And I think that my fight in me, to stand up to the nuns, because I was only, like, five years old, I became this warrior because my mother was very, very into the church and kind of brainwashed. And she just didn't protect me in that way.

[Megan]

Oh, goodness.

[Tina Knowles]

When I say that, I want you to understand that my mother was a great. But she respected so much the Catholic Church, and she was very, very involved in it. She went to mass seven days a week. And to her, being a good Christian person was being humble and not.

[Megan]

Not questioning.

[Tina Knowles]

Not questioning. And so when I say that she didn't protect me, that's what I mean by that.

[Megan]

Well. And that was her way of protecting me.

[Tina Knowles]

It was.

[Megan]

From what she knew that would be the best way to protect you. And I think that's generationally, really different.

[Tina Knowles]

Yes.

[Megan]

You're in deference that you look up to, and that's what you stick all of your faith in without questioning. Are you losing any of yourself in that?

[Tina Knowles]

Exactly. My allergies are.

[Megan]

Oh, no. Do you eat local honey? That can help.

[Tina Knowles]

You know, I used to, and it really does work. I have to get back to that.

[Megan]

That's.

You have to get back on that, Because I just. The other day, one of Archie's little friends at school, this little girl has such bad allergies, and I said, hold on a minute. We have bees. Let me give you a jar of our honey.

[Tina Knowles]

Oh, you guys have bees, too? Too?

[Megan]

We sure do.

[Tina Knowles]

You know, Beyonce has bees, too. She.

[Megan]

She does?

[Tina Knowles]

Yeah, she has a beehive.

[Megan]

Oh, my gosh. I didn't. Well, I know she has a beehive. I didn't know she had bees.

[Tina Knowles]

No, real.

[Megan]

The real ones. Yeah. I mean, we have. Yes. We have three. Like, a little apiary down there, and three of them. And Archie has his little beekeeper suit.

[Tina Knowles]

Oh, that is so cute.

[Megan]

The whole hat on and the gloves. We. It's great. But I will say for allergies, helpful, because the local. You know, if it's local honey.

[Tina Knowles]

Yes.

[Megan]

Get that. All the pollen, all the same things in your system, and then it desensitizes allergies. But I'm sorry.

[Tina Knowles]

Oh, what. Thank you.

[Megan]

That's no fun. Of course.

[Tina Knowles]

I'm sorry.

[Megan]

No, no, don't be silly. What fascinates me, too, about sacred is that you're working directly with your daughter. You're working directly with Beyonce on this, and you've worked with the girls for years, but this is a different type of endeavor. Just curious. I mean, I wonder if one day I'll be in business with Lily and we'll be building something.

[Tina Knowles]

Yeah, that's the best.

[Megan]

What do you have? What advice do you have for people? Really digging into business together in that Way, especially as mother and daughter, there are.

[Tina Knowles]

There are difficulties sometimes because when you're dealing with your. Your child or they're dealing with their mother, you know, you have disagreements and. And you have to. I'm the one to always cave. Like, I've been like that since I was young. If my kids are mad at me, I can't take it. So I will cave. I'll ap. I'll not that they ran over me because they're really. They were really good kids. But, like, even as adults, if we have a disagreement or whatever, I'm the one to call. Cause I don't wanna waste that time. And I don't ever wanna not be close to my kids.

[Megan]

Yes.

[Tina Knowles]

It's just my priority.

[Megan]

And it would be wasted time.

[Tina Knowles]

Yeah, it would be wasted time. Yes. So we have, like, disagreements about things, but it's her business. I'm helping with the business. Cause I just wanna leave this earth knowing that. That, you know, that she is. Other than entertainment is going to be okay. You know, that's a big part of it for me. But overall, we get along really, really well. Yes, we get along really well. And so if we have a disagreement, it's her business. So she gets to win because it's her business.

[Megan]

And also, you know, I think it's just part of the evolution of. In any partnership with business. Right. Of course, it's more layered if you're in business with family.

[Tina Knowles]

Right.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

But.

[Megan]

But ultimately, any business, you're going to have to make strategic decisions and you're going to have to, at a certain point, come to agreement and trust and trust and communication.

[Tina Knowles]

Yeah, because I trust her. She's just such a savvy business person, and she knows so much about hair. And so we trust each other. And sometimes I'll say, you know, I want to open this office. I want to build this office, but I want to have a test salon in the back, and I want to have a laboratory in. Everybody else was like, you can't do that in that amount of space. And I'm like, yeah, I'll figure it out. And she said, I know you know what you're doing.

[Megan]

Yeah.

[Tina Knowles]

You know, in a room full of people that were advisors, they were like, I don't think that's a good idea. And she was like, my mom knows what she's doing, so she trusts me on things and I trust her. That's really important.

[Megan]

That's a key facet, I think, for whether you're in business with a partner or someone that you know and Love or just in business in general, if there is no trust there, I think the entire foundation is fractured.

[Tina Knowles]

Exactly. Whenever you're doing something for somebody else, it might seem like you're doing it for them, but you're also doing it for yourself. And it works both ways.

[Megan]

Yeah, well. And you had also said at the beginning, even your original experience in having the salon, that it did so much for your self esteem. Those relationships of how we support each other taps into that as well. Where you go, Someone believes in me.

[Tina Knowles]

Right.

[Megan]

You know, I think as you look towards some of the biggest wins that you've been having, can you think of some of the biggest learns and lessons that you've had along the way that will be helpful for some of these women listening?

[Tina Knowles]

What I didn't always do such a great job in is balancing. And you know, we talked about losing yourself and I've lost myself several times and then something will happen to jolt me into reality and I'll start taking care of myself and putting more energy into myself. But it's just my nature to start sliding back into those old habits. So when I see young women that are trying to balance families and businesses and education and all of this, I just remind them two things. One is that if you have kids, to please look at your kids as individuals and not as one unit, and to give them the attention and to give them the, you know, just the confidence and work on that person and spend time with them so that you don't. Because it's easier to, when you have more than one kid, to lump them.

[Megan]

Together, treat them as a team, a little group.

[Tina Knowles]

Exactly. Yeah. Especially if you're working.

[Megan]

So for a working mom, how does she do that? How do you carve out time for each of them individually?

[Tina Knowles]

You know, they have different needs. Because when my kids were little, they're five years apart. Solange needed her own day. So we called it Solange's day. And on Wednesdays that was her day. And I just did something with her by herself because she needed that. Beyonce didn't need that. She was like fine either way. Cause she was all into her own little world of music and entertaining and that kind of thing. And so you have to know what your kids needs are that identify their needs and spend that individual time with them. But you also. What I didn't do such a great job of is having time for myself. So that's. You get lost because you're working. You know, I worked five days a week and then I had the two days off and one day I said, okay, well let me spend it with Beyonce. And later Kelly. And then the other day was Solange. And then I'm like, what day do I have to go get a facial or a massage or. So I just encourage young women to balance that. You need to do that for yourself. You need to have date night with your husband completely. Yeah. And not always have your kids coming on vacation with you.

[Megan]

This summer we are embarking on a huge backyard renovation project. And I have one word that will be guiding me every single step of the way. Oasis. Not the band. Although playing great music and lounging around with my favorite people is definitely part of what I envision. And when it comes to finding everything I need to level up my outdoor space space, I am turning to Wayfair. Browsing their website has become my favorite pastime. They have patio sets and lounge chairs, outdoor bars and hot tubs, fire pits, gazebos, and of course string lights. It's so easy to have a one stop shop where you can make over your entire space with a resort feel without that resort price tag. I personally love their outdoor dining sets which are perfect for alfresco meals. As a family, they have six or eight or even 10 persons sets, all of which look so chic and stylish. And you also can find exactly what you need in terms of style and color. It's just very easy and really affordable. I also love their fire pits which are perfect for cool nights, sitting around the fire in my Adirondack chairs that I also got from Wayfair, roasting s' mores and listening to Oasis. Don't wait. Make your outdoor space your dream Oasis today with Wayfair and enjoy it all summer long. Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop a huge outdoor selection that's W-A-Y-F-A-I-R.com Wayfair Every style, every home. As a small business owner, you don't have the luxury of clocking out early. Your business is on your mind 24 7. So when you're hiring, you need a partner that grinds just as hard as you do. That hiring partner is LinkedIn job. When you clock out, LinkedIn clocks in. LinkedIn makes it easy to post your job for free, share it with your network and get qualified candidates that you can manage all in one place. And for a remote company that's able to hire candidates all over the country, it's been so helpful to have such a stellar applicant pool right at our fingertips with LinkedIn jobs. And this isn't Just our experience here at lemonada. Based on LinkedIn data, 72% of small businesses using LinkedIn. LinkedIn says that LinkedIn helps them find high quality candidates. And it's just so easy to use. They have this new feature that even helps you write job descriptions, which saves tons of time. You can post it for free or pay to promote your job listing and get three times more qualified applicants. LinkedIn will very quickly get your job in front of the right people with deep candidate insights. I also love that you can let your network know that you're hiring. You can add a hiringframe to your profile Picture and get two times more qualified candidates. This is why more than 2.5 million small businesses like ours use LinkedIn for hiring. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com FemaleFounder that's LinkedIn.com FemaleFounder to post your job for free. Terms and conditions apply.

As a mom, in many ways it is like being an entrepreneur because you are creating every day. You're creating. You don't need to call it a brand. It's not a brand, but your family and what you're creating and working on every single day.

[Tina Knowles]

And you don't get a do over.

[Megan]

You don't get over.

[Tina Knowles]

You know, you can file bankruptcy with your business and go start a new business. You cannot go start a new kid.

[Megan]

That's so true.

[Tina Knowles]

So you, that's an important part of your life is those kids are like you. You don't get to screw it up and say, oh, I want to do over.

[Megan]

Right. And also in you being able to carve out the time to specifically look at each of their needs as human beings. That I would imagine is part of what allowed you to be such a brand visionary, which you are. I think that without question, everyone would say you're able to see the individual talent and skills and opportunities for growth as well. And then the holistic views. When you put Destiny's Child together in that way, you're able to see the brand vision as a whole. I'm curious how when you look at for yourself what your brand vision is for you.

[Tina Knowles]

For Ms. Tina, I mean, I never dreamed in a million years that I would have the number one book on the New York Times bestseller list. That's crazy to me. It's surreal. I can't even believe it. It's incredible because I hope to even be on the bestsellers list. But to be number one is incredible.

[Megan]

It's well deserved.

[Tina Knowles]

Well, thank you. But I know that I have when I get those Instagram Comments that people are going to get their breast exams or they starting a business or they're getting the courage to leave a bad marriage or leave a bad job that's not fulfilling. I tell you, it's more than a brand. It's really helping people. And my biggest prayer is, when I wrote the book, was that it would resonate with people and it would personally help them with some area of their lives.

[Megan]

So if you started the salon to be the antidote for a place that was not nurturing and a space of gossip. So you start that all those years back, then you continue with this support of. Of your girls and being a working mom. And now you translate all of that knowledge into sacred and you put it in a book for people to read. But it's the same thing. You're the same person with the same set of values of how you want to show up for people.

[Tina Knowles]

Yes, it's true.

[Megan]

And now you're sharing that in a broader way, which I think is. Is just testament to your authenticity.

[Tina Knowles]

Well, thank you.

[Megan]

Oh, my goodness. Of course. Anything else that you think would be helpful for people to know or for young entrepreneurs as they're on their journey?

[Tina Knowles]

Oh, God. Just that to keep the faith. You know, yesterday in church, the minister talked about faith is one thing, but along with faith has to be hope.

[Megan]

Yeah, it's interesting.

[Tina Knowles]

Yeah. So hope is having this hope that, yes, my business is going to work, yes, my marriage is going to work. It's the hope that makes it personal to you. And so I think what I wanted to convey in the book is that I've always. People ask me, well, how did you do this and how did you do that? And I said, because I always have faith. I've never, ever been in my life somebody who just sits around and just says, oh, God, that failed. And I've had failures, but when the failures happen, I just keep it moving and I look into the next thing that I can do to sort of reinvent my life. Because it's sad at that time, of course. And I have hope, and I have faith that it's gonna happen. And every time it happens, it really happens for me. And I'm not saying it has to be religious faith. That's what it is for me. But you have to have faith in something.

[Megan]

Something greater than yourself or faith in yourself.

[Tina Knowles]

That's right. Yeah.

[Megan]

I used to have a quote up in my trailer years ago that said, my faith is greater than my faith.

[Tina Knowles]

Yes, absolutely. That's in my book, too. I said, yeah.

[Megan]

Oh, my God. I can't wait to dig into it.

[Tina Knowles]

It's true. You have to. And that doesn't come easy. And the other thing is, I have fought very hard not to be bitter, because I don't want to be bitter. I don't want any parts of it. I choose to look at the good things in my life and not harp on the bad ones. And so I've been through a bunch of stuff in my life, really hard stuff. But what I will never be is bitter.

[Megan]

I. I mean, that is easier said than done for a lot of people. But I think that is what you said earlier, just. You don't want wasted time. This time is precious. And I imagine, you know, you were saying if last July, having this breast cancer scare, and you're healthy and good now. Yes, yes, yes. I mean, what a blessing.

[Tina Knowles]

Yes.

[Megan]

Really. It just probably puts into perspective even more so why every day, every minute, all of it matters.

[Tina Knowles]

It matters.

[Megan]

It's true. So, look, so you're busy. You're on the tour. I'm sure I'm going to see you on one of those. One of the dates. We've all been trying to rally to figure out which one. Which show to come to. My mom just went last week.

[Tina Knowles]

She did?

[Megan]

She did. I didn't even know. She was like, oh. I just went. She goes, ooh, she's so good. I was like, you went? You didn't tell me.

[Tina Knowles]

I wish I would have talked to her. Got to say, she was lovely.

[Megan]

But, you know, how's the tour been going? Good with everything else.

[Tina Knowles]

I was. She had one last night, and it's just getting better and better because, you know when you go to the first. It's like, first couple getting your sea legs back. Yeah, you get your sea legs back. Cause nobody else knows, but we know. You know, right?

[Megan]

Exactly.

[Tina Knowles]

Last night was. It was on fire.

[Megan]

Oh, my gosh. I can't wait.

[Tina Knowles]

Yeah, y' all gotta come.

[Megan]

I know. I can't wait.

[Tina Knowles]

Tyler came the very first night. He and Oprah and Gayle, and we had so much fun. Yeah.

[Megan]

Oh, I bet. I can't imagine how you can juggle all of it, but, my goodness, did your girls adopt your work ethic?

[Tina Knowles]

That's a good thing.

[Megan]

Thing. There's something to be said for that.

[Tina Knowles]

Sometimes they work too much, but you're.

[Megan]

Also going to instill in them the same thing that you're saying right now, which is to take that time for yourself.

[Tina Knowles]

Balance. Yeah.

[Megan]

Yes. And I think that's going to be one of the hardest lessons. Look even for me. I hear you saying that and I'm integrating. That going. Yeah. Just take a minute to breathe. Enjoy it. Go have a date night. We have a date night tonight.

[Tina Knowles]

That's right.

[Megan]

Also. Exactly. Look, I appreciate you. If there's any way I can uplift and continue to support you, tell me. I'm always here.

[Tina Knowles]

Thank you so much. You are wonderful and I enjoy this so much.

[Megan]

Yes. Well, this should be the fun stuff celebrating you.

[Tina Knowles]

All right, Take care.

[Megan]

Thank you. You too. Bye. Bye.

Confessions of a Female Founder is a production of Lemonada Media created and hosted by Megan. Our producers are Katherine Barnes and Oha Lopez. Kristin Lepore is our senior supervising producer. Executive producers are Stephanie Littles Wax, Jessica Cordova Kramer and Megan. Mix and sound design are by Johnny Vincevans. Rachel Neal is our VP of new content and production and Steve Nelson is our SVP of weekly content and production. You can help others find our show by leaving us a rating and writing a review. There's more. Confessions of a Female Founder with Lemonada Premium subscribers get exclusive access to bonus content when you subscribe in Apple Podcasts. You can also listen ad free on Amazon Music with your prime members membership. Thanks so much for listening. We'll see you next week. We hope you enjoyed Confessions of a Female Founder with Megan. If you'd like to support the show, the best way to do so is by leaving a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. It helps more incredible listeners like you discover the series. Thank you.