Keep It Positive, Sweetie

Episode: A Cécred Place with Tina Knowles

Host: Crystal Renee Hayslett
Guest: Tina Knowles
Date: July 9, 2024

Episode Overview

This heartfelt and illuminating episode features Tina Knowles—businesswoman, fashion designer, philanthropist, and the matriarch of one of America’s most influential families. Together with host Crystal Renee Hayslett, the two explore Tina’s upbringing, her journey through challenges and successes, the creation of the Cécred haircare line with Beyoncé, motherhood, spirituality, and the vital role of positivity and faith in navigating life and fame.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Early Life and Roots

• [02:09] Tina Knowles shares about growing up in Galveston, Texas, facing poverty, and her parents' sacrifices—bartering labor so she could attend private school.
  • "They were... She did all the sewing for the church, and my dad chauffeured the nuns... we were like indentured servants for them, which wasn’t the best experience for me, but it prepared me for a lot in my life and I appreciate their sacrifice.” – Tina Knowles [02:21]
• Early experiences like working in makeup, modeling, and running a hair salon instilled both resilience and a love for empowering women.

2. Commitment to Positivity Amidst Negativity

• [03:57] Tina addresses the toxicity of negative media and the importance of uplifting platforms.
  • "There’s so much negativity right now. I can hardly stand some of the podcasts that people have just to sit down and tear people down... To see something like this positive, even the name of it, just makes me happy. So it was important that I come and do this.” – Tina [03:57]
• Tina and Crystal discuss coping strategies for dealing with public criticism as their profiles grew, and the pain that comes from misinformation.
  • “But some things are below the belt, and they are just unacceptable.” – Tina Knowles [05:30]

3. The Salon as a Foundation for Community

• [06:41] And legacy: Tina’s mother was a seamstress, and the salon environment modeled empowerment and networking for the next generation.
  • “Salons are so, so much a part of our history as black women... it’s therapy, it’s spiritual, it’s camaraderie, it’s just woman power.” – Tina Knowles [07:34]

4. The Cécred Haircare Journey

• [07:47] Tina details the years-long development of the Cécred line with Beyoncé, based on decades of salon experience and homemade concoctions for textured hair.
  • “We’ve been working on a product for six years... anybody can go and get some products and say, this is what I want the product to do. But not with this bunch, because they grew up in a hair salon.” – Tina Knowles [09:40]
• Education is central: balancing protein and moisture, and tailoring for the diversity of hair needs.
  • “The foundation of healthy hair is balancing protein with moisturizers and oils. And we need butters in our hair. It’s complicated in textured hair.” – Tina Knowles [11:40]

5. Patience, Faith, and God’s Timing

• [12:43] Crystal and Tina talk about the long road to success and the necessity of resilience and spiritual grounding.
  • “Anything worth having is worth sticking in there. But sometimes you gotta go back and regroup and make yourself better.” – Tina Knowles [14:27]
• Tina’s guiding principle: “Nothing good comes easy. Like, you got to work for it. And if you want to be successful, it’s no shortcuts.” [15:03]

6. Instilling Values in the Next Generation

• Tina emphasizes teaching her daughters and Destiny’s Child about perseverance, humility, balance, and spirituality.
  • “Don’t make that... what you want to accomplish, everything. You gotta balance it, and you gotta balance it with whatever your spirituality and your higher power is, make them a part of it. It’s so important.” – Tina [15:49]

7. Faith, Tithing, and Giving Back

• [16:01] Tina discusses the centrality of faith through challenges and giving back through tithing—citing both scripture and lived experience.
  • “I was taught very early to tithe, to give back, to balance it... those times in my life were challenging, and they were harder.” – Tina Knowles [17:23]
• Both share personal stories of financial struggle, faith, and the rewards of generosity.

8. Fashion Legacy: House of Deréon & Miss Tina

• [21:06] Tina recounts the birth and experience of launching her own fashion labels, influenced by her mother’s creativity and their signature tailoring.
  • “The jeans were darted. They were the first darted jeans. And I took all those tricks of tailoring from my mom.” – Tina Knowles [22:08]

9. Family Spotlight: Next Generation

• [24:14] Proud moments witnessing her grandson Jules’ modeling success and fashion designs, and Blue Ivy's growth and resilience in the Renaissance tour.
  • On Blue’s viral moment: “Blue kept asking, because every day, Blue rehearsed with all the dancers. And I was like, she can do it. She is killing it.” – Tina [27:07]
  • After early criticism, Beyoncé advises Blue: “If I were you, I would go work harder and I would get out there and kill it and shut them up.” – Tina [27:33]

10. Motherhood, Protectiveness, and Humility

• [29:41] Tina stresses pride in her daughters for their character, not just their public achievements, and the importance of protecting and grounding her children amid fame.
  • “It can make it really hard... to protect yourself, because you have to protect yourself because, you know, it’s a lot of beasts out there in this business.” – Tina [31:11]

11. Positive Outcomes Advice Segment

• [35:33] Listener letter prompts advice on dating after loss and self-rebuilding. Both Crystal and Tina advise intentionality, discernment, manifestation, and opening oneself to new possibilities.
  • “Manifest what you want and be very, very picky about it and pray for what you want, but also get out there and open your heart.” – Tina Knowles [36:27]

12. What I’m Going and Growing Through

• [38:40] Tina opens up about grieving siblings, aging, and the importance of cherishing remaining family, making time for loved ones, and growing through loss.
  • “I lost my brother a couple months ago, and all of a sudden, it just hit me... So I’m going through it and I’m growing through it.” – Tina Knowles [38:51]

13. Signature Uplift: “Keep it ___, Sweetie”

• [40:36] Closing affirmations:
  • Crystal: “Keep it pushing, sweetie, because no matter what life throws at you, you just gotta keep going.”
  • Tina: “Keep it moving... just keep moving no matter what’s going on in your life. This too shall pass.”

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “God gave me the tools... He just filled my toolbox with all these experiences in my life that help me to do everything I’m doing today.” – Tina Knowles [02:59]
• “Salons... it’s therapy, it’s spiritual, it’s camaraderie. It’s just woman power.” – Tina [07:40]
• “I’ve never been broke. I’ve never had really, really bad financial times. And I believe that that’s because I tithed.” – Tina [17:59]
• “Being that poor made me more creative.” – Tina Knowles [22:44]
• “If you sign up for it, you got to finish. You cannot quit.” – Tina Knowles [29:13]
• “If something is not working out and you keep trying and it’s not working out... just keep it on—maybe put it on the back burner for a minute, focus on something else... sometimes it ain’t time.” – Tina [13:12]
• “To whom much is given, much is required.” – Tina [16:01]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 02:09 – Tina’s childhood in Galveston, TX and early influences
• 03:57 – Importance of positivity and impact of media negativity
• 06:41 – Multigenerational legacy: seamstresses and salons
• 07:47 – Beginnings of Cécred haircare, family collaboration
• 13:12 – Lessons in patience, perseverance, and spiritual timing
• 15:49 – Tina’s principles for success and motherhood lessons
• 16:01 – Faith, tithing, and giving back
• 21:06 – The rise and lessons of House of Deréon fashion line
• 24:14 – On her grandson Jules and Blue Ivy’s growth
• 29:13 – On finishing what you start and motherhood philosophy
• 35:33 – Listener advice: dating after caregiving and loss
• 38:40 – Tina’s vulnerability on loss and cherishing family
• 40:36 – Closing affirmations (“Keep it moving, sweetie”)

Episode Tone

Warm, honest, faith-filled, and uplifting—with an undercurrent of strength and wisdom. Tina Knowles’s mix of practical advice, heartfelt storytelling, and humor resonates throughout, emphasizing family, legacy, and intentional positivity.