Podcast Summary: From Sleeping On a DIRT FLOOR In Africa To Owning 156 Units (Within 4 Years) w/ Yamundow Camara

Podcast: Action Academy | Millionaire Mentorship For Your Life & Business
Host: Brian Luebben
Guest: Yamundow ("Yamu") Camara
Air Date: November 26, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode features the remarkable journey of Yamundow “Yamu” Camara, who transformed her life from an orphaned child facing severe adversity in Gambia, West Africa, to becoming the owner of a 156-unit real estate portfolio in the U.S., generating over $1 million in annual passive income. Over the course of one deeply personal and inspirational conversation, Yamu shares how she overcame poverty, abuse, and cultural barriers to create lasting wealth—starting from absolute zero and building her real estate empire in just four years.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Yamu’s Early Life in Gambia

• Orphaned Childhood & Cultural Challenges ([04:00]–[12:00])
  • Lost her mother at 2 and father at 11.
  • Cultural norms discouraged girls from education and prioritized arranged marriage at a young age.
  • Suffered severe physical, emotional, and sexual abuse:
    • “In our culture, a girl child education is not for you. By fourteen, it's time for you to get married.” ([05:30])
    • Describes being bed-wetter due to trauma; forced to sleep on a dirt floor covered with cardboard, infested with lice and bed bugs.
  • Dreamed of a better life, obsessed with the idea of having her own bed, a mattress, and a home with amenities like a toilet.
• Academic Excellence as a Lifeline ([10:00]–[14:00])
  • Excelled in school, which became her sanctuary.
  • Teachers and local mentors lobbied for her to stay in school and helped with scholarships, shoes, fees, and meals.
  • “My way out was education. Even when I was hungry, being good in school kept me going.” ([09:35])

2. Education and Pathway to the U.S.

• From Local Fame to International Recognition ([14:10]–[19:30])
  • Won scholarships for academic merit, received support from UK-based organizations.
  • Started and led non-profit teaching girls basic IT and coding.
  • Applied for—and won—the prestigious Mandela Washington Fellowship, which brought her to the U.S. and an opportunity to meet President Obama:
    • “Out of 40,000 applicants, I was chosen to come and meet President Obama in the US at Northwestern University.” ([20:02])
• Navigating Scholarships & Immigration Hurdles ([21:12]–[24:30])
  • Describes relentless effort in applying for scholarships (even for which she was ineligible) and the challenges of international study.

3. Discovering Real Estate: The Spark

• American Student Housing & The Real Estate Epiphany ([25:00]–[26:34])
  • As an international graduate student, lived frugally—often sharing cramped spaces or even renting only a mattress.
  • Observed how student rental properties generated income:
    • “If I am paying this amount, and these people are renting out mattresses... They're making a lot of money.” ([25:35])
  • This observation led to her real estate “lightbulb moment.”

4. The First Property—Breakthroughs & Setbacks

• Accumulating Her First $8K ([33:00])
  • Saved $8,000 while working as a data scientist at the CDC (her “I’m rich!” moment).
• Banking Relationships, Racism, & Building Credit ([34:00]–[35:09])
  • Shopped local banks (facing skepticism and even hang-ups due to her accent).
  • Built credit from scratch on the advice of a helpful banker.
• The First Deal—a Triplex in Illinois ([36:00]–[43:39])
  • Negotiated a $65,000 triplex down to $52,000 in a college town.
  • Overcame lying property managers and fraudulent expenses. Fired the dishonest manager after cross-checking receipts.
  • Utilized Section 8 for stable rent, even during the COVID eviction moratorium.
  • “I made almost $2,000 per month on my first triplex!” ([41:20])
  • Built a trusted partnership with contractor Chester—“That's my Chester! Every day, we talk.” ([43:42])

5. Scaling Up—From Singles to Multi-Unit Portfolios

• Expanding Portfolios Remotely ([45:52]–[47:41])
  • Bought additional single-family and small multi-family units in Cleveland, OH, often without ever seeing the properties in person.
  • Used seller-financing, package deals, and Section 8 for reliable cash flow.
• Leveraging Midterm Rentals ([47:41]–[52:53])
  • Saw an opportunity in midterm rentals (serving travel nurses, contractors, film crews, etc.).
  • Example: Bought an 8-unit complex for $120K; bank doubted the plan, but fully furnished and rented to corporate clients.
  • “The bank gave me a three-month grace period. By the time they came to check, it was already fully cash-flowing.” ([51:01])
  • Scaled to achieve $20–$22K/month on single properties through bulk rental contracts.

6. Millionaire-Level Problems & Delegation

• Operational Scaling & Letting Go ([55:35]–[59:06])
  • Reluctant to spend or change her lifestyle despite new wealth (“I’m cheap!”).
  • Delegated management; trained agent to become property manager.
  • Full automation: maintenance teams, property management, buying and renovating remotely.
• First Venture Into Self Storage ([59:06]–[60:52])
  • Bought and managed a distressed self-storage facility; learned through direct experience.

7. Mindset, Giving Back, and Celebration

• Giving Back as Motivation ([63:03]–[63:59])
  • Sponsors 17 orphans in Gambia, witnessing their happiness makes the journey meaningful:
    • “Giving back makes me so happy, but I need to do stuff for me, not just for my soul.” ([63:17])
• Celebration and Personal Growth ([61:07]–[62:27])
  • Admits to never celebrating her milestones; Brian challenges her to take a solo vacation.
  • Plans to finally reward herself with a solo trip on her birthday month.

8. Advice to Listeners & Closing Wisdom

• Practical Tips for Aspiring Investors ([65:10]–[66:54])
  • Use other people’s success as proof that it’s possible (“Find somebody that you can look at and say, this person did it, why can I not do it?”).
  • Don’t wait to buy real estate—buy, then wait:
    • “Don't wait to buy real estate. Buy real estate and wait. And guess what? It's mine now. I trademarked it.” ([66:50])

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Survival and Self-Belief:
  “When I say I got it out of the mud, I mean from nothing.” ([13:01])
• On Faith and Resilience:
  “God, I cannot tell you how, like, he's everything to me. And as we go on my story, you will see what I mean by that.” ([04:30])
• On First Real Estate Spark:
  “If I am paying this amount, and these people are renting out mattresses... They're making a lot of money.” ([25:35])
• On Breaking the Cycle:
  “I never want to go back to where I came from or what happened to me. I don’t want my kids to ever go through that.” ([65:10])
• On Action:
  “Don’t wait to buy real estate. Buy real estate and wait.” ([66:50])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Yamu’s Early Life and Trauma: [04:00]–[14:00]
• Education & Getting to the U.S.: [14:10]–[21:12]
• Discovering Real Estate: [25:00]–[26:34]
• First U.S. Property & Bank Hurdles: [33:00]–[35:09]
• COVID & Section 8 Success: [39:22]–[41:20]
• Property Management Lessons: [41:20]–[43:39]
• Scaling & Multi-Units: [47:41]–[52:53]
• Personal Finance and Delegation: [55:35]–[59:06]
• Self-Storage Venture: [59:06]–[60:52]
• On Celebration & Personal Growth: [61:07]–[62:27]
• Giving Back: [63:03]–[63:59]
• Final Words of Advice: [65:10]–[66:54]

Where To Find Yamu

• Instagram: @buildingwealthfromrentals
• Facebook: Building Wealth From Rentals
• Email: yamilethgroup@gmail.com

Tone & Takeaways

Yamu’s story is raw, unfiltered, and deeply inspiring—she does not shy away from describing her painful beginnings, and she mixes her truth with humor and humility. Her optimism, grit, and belief in both God and herself serve as a testament to the power of persistence and purposeful action. No matter your starting point, taking strategic action and serving a higher purpose can change generational destinies.

Listen, share, and let Yamu’s story inspire your next step toward freedom and impact.