Former stand-up comedian becomes first Black woman to own an investing mobile app

As a Black entrepreneur, Sabrina Lamb is familiar with the financial exclusion of persons who look like her, regardless of where they are located, be it in Africa, Europe or America.

This reality stared in her face in her traveling experience in Ghana, Senegal, Rwanda, South Africa and the United States advocating for financial inclusion. She heard stories of people who felt excluded from the opportunity to invest in the U.S. stock market and their own countries’ stock exchanges.

Although some inroads have been made to improve financial inclusion, a wide segment of the Black population worldwide is still excluded in the formal banking and financial system.

In response, Lamb started Wekeza to complete the circle. The fintech startup makes her the first Black woman to own a trading and investment mobile app, according to Black News. Wekeza derives its name from the Swahili language in Eastern Africa which means “invest.”

“We are excited that with Wekeza, everyone can own fractional or whole shares of any company we support as consumers. Let’s become consumers and educated investors! And receive guidance from licensed, experienced financial advisors,” she said.

“It is no laughing matter to ignore the power of saving and investing, which are opportunities to earn returns over time. Parents can also create Wekeza custodial accounts for their children,” she added.

Lamb started her career as a stand-up comedian and became a best-selling author of the NAACP Image Awards nominated Do I Look Like An ATM? A Parent’s Guide to Raising Financially Educated African-American Children (Outstanding Literary Work- Instructional). 

She also transitioned into the nonprofit space with the founding of WorldofMoney, a leading provider of virtual financial and entrepreneurial education to people between 7 and 21 in countries like the United States, Senegal, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa.

WorldofMoney also inspired the creation of Wekeza.

“Leveraging decades of WorldofMoney’s financial education experience empowering over 7,000 youth with 120 hours of holistic financial education, we created Wekeza so adults also can receive investor education, create financial security, and build generational wealth for themselves and their families. Imagine the day when we no longer experience financial roller coasters in our lives!” she shared.

Lamb has also co-hosted several radio shows on three popular New York City radio stations. She was a radio correspondent during three Democratic National Conventions and presidential inaugurations.

She performed standup comedy in Lifetime Television’s Girls’ Night Out and NBC’s Saturday Night Live. She is a three-time finisher of the New York City Marathon.