Starting early, thinking big
On Friday nights, while his Morehouse classmates unwind and the rest of the city winds down, Malik Strong’s day isn’t nearly over.
“I work at the airport. My shift starts at 11:45 PM. I get off at 7:45 in the morning. I work Fridays and Saturdays — and I guess Sunday mornings too,” he says matter-of-factly.
Malik’s grind is intense, but it’s purposeful. “I can cover my rent. Pay my expenses. And invest.” And that last part is essential. Because Malik’s got big plans. For all of us.
Malik came to investing the way so many Stackwell users do: with the hope of building some financial stability. “At first, I wasn’t thinking about generational wealth. I just wanted to make sure I could hold onto some money. I wanted to watch it grow.”
That mindset shifted after a loss that upended the ground under his feet and reshaped his sense of urgency: the death of his mother. “When important people pass away, you have a mindset change,” he says.
It was devastating — and it was a wakeup call.
“It gave me a different type of drive than I ever had before. When you look at people, they’re nice and healthy, you don’t expect that things will change with a quickness. That, losing my mother, made me think, I gotta get on my A game.”
Grief clarified something for Malik.
“I want to have health and wellness, not only for myself, but for the world.”
Malik’s goals are expansive. He wants to leave a mark that helps people everywhere be safe and healthy. He may not know what exactly that will look like for him, but he’s certain about one thing: financial wellness creates options.
“If I learn enough and make enough right actions, it should make a mark.”
That belief fuels his obsession with learning. Malik studies entrepreneurs. He pores over business histories and market behavior. He asks not just how wealth is built, but what makes it possible.
“Learning about those things and how the markets are involved showed me that stocks are not something anyone should be afraid of.”
For Malik, investing is about building the capacity to do something great. “20 years ago, people were investing in the S&P 500. Over time, they’ve made millions, potentially,” he says. “That means they’ve had a plethora of opportunities to help others and help the world.” That’s what Malik wants to build for himself: opportunities.
When Stackwell first came into Malik’s orbit, he was curious — and cautious. But in true Malik-fashion, he started researching. “I looked into each individual asset that Stackwell was investing in. I looked into what the S&P 500 is. Finding out it was the 500 largest publicly traded companies was a big component of why I wanted to do it.” He wanted to understand not just the what, but the why.
“When Stackwell came to Morehouse and helped everyone, every Morehouse brother, I was like, y’all are good people. As Warren Buffett once said, ‘You can’t make a good deal with a bad person.’”
That ethos mattered. For Malik, trust is foundational — especially when it comes to money and long-term goals.
“For someone to go out of their way to help Morehouse and other HBCUs, I knew you were good people. You’re trying to make sure that everyone can establish generational wealth.” That connection felt personal, too.
“When I found out that you were at Hampton, and my sister was there, I was like, ‘Okay, I need to tell my sister!’”Malik’s approach to money is all about discipline. And it starts with spending. When he’s faced with expensive options, he gets real with himself.
“I don’t always have to spend that money,” he says. “I can just go home and make a sandwich.” That restraint isn’t about deprivation — it’s about intention. Malik understands that consistency compounds.
“You have to have discipline. You have to be consistent. If you can do that, that’ll guarantee you’re using all the knowledge, tools, and wisdom in the right way.” He’s learned that lesson the hard way.
“My long-term goal is to invest $1,600 monthly, so it will become a million dollars in 20 years. In the past, I’ve sold assets. I didn’t have enough financial literacy to understand the power of not selling.”
Now, his focus is on building habits.
“Long story short, what you practice becomes a good habit. Practice investing, let that become a habit, and then you won’t have to worry about the future because you’ll already be invested in the future.”
Malik is acutely aware that there’s only one life to live, and that awareness shapes how he thinks about risk. “When you think about this, it makes it difficult to make sacrifices and take risks. But when you give in to that, then fear controls what you do. Life is a flight, but you control the plane.”
That philosophy drives how he approaches opportunity — especially opportunities like Stackwell. When he thinks about other students with the chance to get involved with the Student Investment Program, he has powerful, yet simple advice.
“You don’t want to miss an opportunity just because you didn’t have the discipline at the time.”
His words are practical, grounded, and urgent.
“Do your research, and you’ll understand.”
Malik speaks passionately about this opportunity because he genuinely cares about other people. Ask Malik who motivates him, and he doesn’t hesitate.
“Everyone. Everybody. I know I’m not close with everyone in the world, but I don’t want anyone to go through what my mother experienced.”
That empathy, combined with his discipline, curiosity, and action, is what makes Malik’s story so powerful. He’s not waiting around. He’s building the foundation now so that when opportunity appears, he’ll be ready.
“Do as much as you can while you’re in your youth. You don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but if you push yourself now. You might have fast-tracked yourself without even knowing it.”
For Malik Strong, wealth isn’t the end goal. It’s the runway that allows purpose to take flight.
Disclaimer: This paid client testimonial was of an actual Stackwell client. This testimonial may not be representative of the experience of other clients. No testimonial is indicative of future performance or success. This testimonial may not represent all interactions or relationships with Stackwell.