241 Cin Fabré on How She Conquered Wall Street

Behind the Brilliance

Cin Fabré is the personification of grit. We hear that word used in personal and professional development circles, but her story, her mindset, and her confidence truly reflects it.

Growing up, Cin Fabré didn’t know anything about the stock market. But she learned how to hustle from her immigrant parents. Through a tip from a friend, Cin pushed her way into brokerage firm VTR Capital―an offshoot of Stratton Oakmont, the company where the Wolf of Wall Street, Jordan Belfort, had reigned. She instantly felt the pull of profit and knew she would do whatever she had to do to be successful. Pulling back the curtain on the inequities she and so many others faced, Cin’s memoir Wolf Hustle reveals how Cin worked grueling hours, ascending from cold caller to stockbroker, becoming the only Black woman to do so at her firm. She also reveals the excesses she took part in on 1990s Wall Street―the strip clubs, the Hamptons parties, the Gucci shopping sprees―while reveling in the thrill of making money. From landing clients worth hundreds of millions to gaining, losing, then gaining back fortunes in seconds, Cin examines her years spent trading frantically and hustling successfully, grappling with what it takes to build a rich life, and, ultimately, beating Wall Street at its own game.

After a multistudio bidding war, Apple won the rights to the book and will be adapting it into a film.

We covered a lot in this conversation – how she landed on Wall Street so young, how she navigated everything from politics to dick pics, her financial literacy journey, her reflections on grief and mental health, and her leap from Wall Street Hustler to author.

Behind Her Brilliance: Confidence and a commitment to enjoying life

Cin Fabré

Wolf Hustle (Cin’s memoir)

Jacqueline Woodson (Cin’s reading pick)

John Grisham (Cin’s reading pick)