Donald Knight is Chief People Officer at Greenhouse Software, where, through a collaborative partnership, he is spearheading people-first strategies as the company scales globally.
The son of military parents and the oldest of four siblings, before the age of fifteen Knight lived in six states and three different countries, which offered him insights into cultures and human behavior that simultaneously developed an innate curiosity for people and how the world works.
In high school, Knight ran track and played football, but, despite his unique upbringing that few could relate to, he was still adept at interacting with all different types of people.
“I was a glue student, meaning I could get along and stick with anyone,” Knight says.
“I was friends with goths, nerds, and athletes, and because I was in a military family, all my friends were constantly coming and going, so I had to learn at a young age how to adapt to different people and environments quickly.”
After high school, Knight attended VCU for undergrad, then went to Richmond University for grad school (this included a stint in Ireland), before ultimately going to Cornell for post-grad work.
Through it all, Knight accumulated knowledge that still influences him today.
“Education is essentially the sharing of knowledge,” the Ivy League alum begins.
“The knowledge that I was able to extract from people, particularly the professors, that laid the foundation for what I wanted to do, which is be a net positive for my family and society, plus create lasting and meaningful impact along the way.”
But for Knight, university was about more than absorbing as much information as possible.
His several stops in higher education also showed him the power of networking, and how academia, when at its best, can seamlessly integrate students who have contrasting cultures, religions, and political views.
“Universities are one of the very few places where thousands of new people from all walks of life come together every year,” Knight says.
“That alone taught me a lot about business, in that all business starts and ends with people.”
Since entering the workforce, Knight has steadily climbed the corporate ladder, devoting his attention to bringing value to the companies who have given him opportunities, while also learning how to be a leader that can inspire future generations.
Leadership in itself is a concept that Knight has always been fascinated by, and icons like Martin Luther King, John F. Kennedy, Maya Angelou, and Napoleon Bonaparte are just a few of the names that Knight has drawn immense inspiration from.
“I hope people one day see me through the same lens as those leaders, not necessarily in terms of popularity, but in terms of impact and me being able to positively affect the people within my life,” he remarks.
For the steadfast Knight, he’s already inspired countless individuals across the globe.
In May of 2023, Knight went viral during one of his leadership speeches when he explained the concept of Belgian Horses, outlining how when high-performing men work together instead of alone, they can be extremely productive because they will push and motivate each other toward greatness.
This speech, which garnered millions of views on social media, was delivered in front of men from The Standard, an international organization that is comprised of men who are looking to level up socially, financially, physically, and spiritually.
The Standard, founded by Atlanta natives Hafeez Baoku and Joseph Hines, taps into the leadership element that Knight practices and preaches, which is why he has aligned himself with the organization.
“It’s filing a void,” Knight says of The Standard.
“Unlike other fraternities or social clubs, The Standard has established itself as an organization where high-performing men can go to meet like-minded people and also receive encouragement and meaningful connection. That also includes finding people who are moving through life with equal intentionality.”
Adds Knight:
“Whether it’s people like Sam LaCrosse who are writing books and changing the culture, those offering real estate investment opportunities like JR Garcia, or even someone like Ricardo Carrillo, who is an expert at getting people financing to buy homes. All of these men are high-level professionals that The Standard attracted because of their shared mentality and commitment to elevating others.”
“There are plenty of organizations who could have occupied this space, but like anything, over time bureaucracy invades, and as a result not as much meaningful impact occurs, which is why The Standard is so unique and special.”
Knight believes that due to The Standard’s people-first approach, the organization could quadruple in membership in the coming year, a growth that would only benefit those already affiliated with the group.
“And those are not empty numbers,” Knight stresses.
“It’s not attendance simply for the sake of attendance. It’s actual relationships that are being fostered and businesses that are being constructed that makes The Standard so impressive.”
At the same time, despite having an array of accolades attached to his name, and with his name slowly becoming synonymous with greatness, Knight does not view his professional accomplishments as the most important thing in his life.
That designation goes to his son, who fuels Knight to be the best version of himself, while also reminding the 37-year-old that what he does inside his home is just as vital to what he does when he’s at work.
“Being able to pass on values and principles to someone else is priceless,” Knight says when asked about his relationship with his son.
“My parents imparted endless wisdom onto me and my siblings. They donned this nation’s uniform and sacrificed for people they never met before, and that’s one of the main reasons why I try to find ways to give back to my community, because I witnessed firsthand my parents’ selflessness and how much good it brought to the world.”
In that sense, being a father will be the crowning achievement of Knight’s life.
“And it’s not even close,” he emphasizes.
“The most impactful thing I will ever do is teach my son how to conduct himself with honor and integrity. Not only will that allow him to be a contributing member to society, but it will ensure that the values that I was given will live on, and that’s the type of generational wealth that quite frankly doesn’t get talked about enough.”
That being said, in the coming years, there are still several objectives Knight is striving to complete.
This includes taking tech companies public or selling them, publishing a book about leadership, and setting himself up to be a CEO in the next decade.
Each of those targets is well within the competencies of the talented and ambitious Knight, and there is no doubt he will work assiduously to bring them to fruition, but much like with his son and leadership principles, Knight is hoping his impact benefits more than just himself.
“I want to leave people better than I found them,” Knight punctuates our interview with.
“I am the walking illustration of people who have poured into me. People talk a lot about being self-made, and that’s not me. Yes, I have worked hard to get to where I’m at, but that’s only about 10% of the equation. The other 90% can be attributed to people who saw potential in me and gave me life-changing opportunities, so my aim is to help others in the same way, and hopefully be an accelerant to their success.” QS
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