Generational wealth building for women starts long before the first investment, the first business, or the first paycheck. It starts with the decision to believe your life can look different from the one you inherited.

On Getting Rich Together, host Syama Bunten sits down with Twyla Garrett, a serial entrepreneur, real estate developer, and founder of the Garrett Foundation, whose story is one of the most compelling examples of how to build wealth from poverty you will ever hear. Twyla grew up in Cleveland's inner city, was removed from her home at 14, spent time in juvenile homes, and relied on welfare and food stamps during college. She left with a financial acumen that would eventually carry her to seven figures within a year of walking away from a government job.

Twyla does not skip the hard parts. From doing taxes and bookkeeping as a teenager to buying her first home at 26 with just $4,000 and shaky credit, to transforming a derelict Cleveland train station into the city's largest jazz supper club, Twyla's path is a masterclass in how to scale a business from nothing. Women entrepreneurs and real estate intersect throughout her journey in ways that feel practical and urgent, not abstract.

But the conversation goes further than personal success. Twyla is now channeling everything she has built into a model for affordable homeownership in the inner city, one that replaces Section 8 dependency with actual ownership. People take care of what they own. A $200,000 condo with a $900 monthly mortgage costs less than what Section 8 currently pays for a two-bedroom rental. That gap is where generational wealth building for women and for entire communities becomes possible.

If you have ever wondered whether your starting point disqualifies you, this episode is a reminder that your starting point does not have to define what you build next. And if you are ready to keep going, Wealth Catalyst is where women take it further. Join us at the Wealth Catalyst Summit, a full-day event in San Francisco this October 16, 2026, or find a Freedom Tour salon happening near you. Women are gathering in 32 cities this year for intimate, honest conversations about money, risk, and what they are building. Find your city and claim your seat at wealthcatalyst.com.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Getting Rich Together With Syama Bunten and Twyla Garrett

02:29 Growing Up in Poverty in Cleveland's Inner City

08:39 How Twyla Turned Childhood Trauma Into a Success Mindset

18:56 Learning to Manage Money From Scratch and Building the Foundation for Generational Wealth Building for Women

29:40 Buying Her First Home at 26 With $4,000 and Bad Credit

33:04 Why She Left Her Government Job to Build a Business From Nothing

47:11 The Cleveland Train Station That Made Millions and Changed Lives

50:49 Affordable Homeownership vs. Affordable Housing and Why the Difference Matters

55:10 The Garrett Foundation's Vision for Inner City Communities

1:02:09 How to Connect With Twyla Garrett and the Impact League

Connect with Twyla Garrett: