Lauren Simmons facts for kids

Lauren Simmons (born August 11, 1994) is an American producer, writer, and podcaster. She used to be a stock trader for a company called Rosenblatt Securities. On March 6, 2017, when she was only 22 years old, she made history. She became the youngest and the only full-time female trader at the famous New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).

This was a really big deal! She was also the second African American woman to have such an important job in the NYSE's 228-year history. Lauren left Wall Street in December 2018. She was recognized for her achievements, being named to Ebony's Power 100 list in 2018. She also received the 2018 Women of Impact award from Politico. Some people even called her the "Wolfette of Wall Street".

Early Life and Education

Lauren Simmons grew up in Marietta, Georgia. She went to Kennesaw State University and earned her bachelor's degree in genetics in 2016. At first, she planned to work as a genetic counselor. However, she decided to move to New York City instead. There, she met Richard Rosenblatt through networking, which led her to a new career path.

Making History on Wall Street

Lauren Simmons became well-known in 2017 when she was 22. She took a job at Rosenblatt Securities and became the youngest and only woman working as a trader at the New York Stock Exchange. She was also the second African American woman ever to hold that position. As a full-time stock trader, she helped people buy and sell parts of companies (called stocks).

She left this job in December 2018. One reason she left was because she felt excluded by her coworkers after she started getting a lot of attention from the media. Lauren is now a strong supporter for making the financial world more welcoming to people from all backgrounds. She believes in increasing diversity (having people from different groups) and inclusion (making sure everyone feels welcome).

New Ventures and Inspiring Others

After leaving Wall Street, Lauren Simmons started new projects. In September 2021, she launched her own podcast called Mind, Body, Wealth. A podcast is like an online radio show you can listen to. She hosted this show until December 2022. In February 2022, the show changed its name to Money Moves and became a special show for Spotify.

In 2021, Lauren also became the first host and producer of a web video series called Going Public. This show helps viewers learn how to invest in companies that are about to offer their stocks to the public for the first time (this is called an IPO, or Initial Public Offering). Lauren hosted the first season of the show, which had ten episodes from January to March 2022.

Lauren Simmons also wrote a book in 2023 called Make Money Move: A Guide to Financial Wellness. This book teaches people about personal finance, which means managing your own money.

There's even a movie being made about Lauren's life! She is a co-executive producer for this biographical film. This means she helps make decisions about the movie. The film will star and be co-produced by Kiersey Clemons.