Get to know Latunya Wright; she is the proud owner of Wright Financial Bank, a business she started after being incarcerated for more than four years in federal prison for her part in a multi-million dollar heist at an ATM service company.
Early in life, she faced significant challenges, beginning with the demise of her father, a retired military officer and a business owner. Her father’s death had a traumatic effect on her. At age 9, she endured abuse from a family member and by age 14, she was diagnosed with epilepsy.
According to Black Business, she managed to overcome these problems, creating her own path to entrepreneurial success. Today, her company, Wright Financial Bank, demonstrates her resilience.
Wright started entrepreneurship at a very young age. She secured a job at McDonald’s, working after school to support herself. She also got a summer program with the Urban League, where she excelled and was given an office desk.
Her work ethic would get her notified by her superiors, thereby catapulting her into her next endeavors. Her quest to create her own path resulted in her finding herself on the wrong side of the law, leading to her incarceration.
After serving her time, she enrolled in Forest Park Community College, where she pursued studies in Business and Accounting. It was at this college that she discovered her talent for taxes. She also started preparing tax returns for herself, her family, and her friends.
In no time, her tax business flourished, which resulted in her getting contracts. Leveraging on her newfound income, Wright ventured into the world of car auctions. At one point, she became the only young black woman bidding against established white business owners.
Her confidence and persistence earned her respect and recognition, but it also attracted attention from authorities who scrutinized her rapid rise in business, as per Black Business.
She expanded her car-selling business, offering payment plans and even purchasing a tow truck to manage her investments. She ventured into real estate but encountered significant challenges due to her run-ins with the law. Nonetheless, she survived against the odds.
Today, she is not only a financial expert but a community icon who became known as “The Lady That Bought the Bank.” In 2022, it was reported that she purchased the old Great Southern Bank building in Miller, and announced that she plans to open a “fully digital financial institution” in the building to offer services including real estate investing opportunities, insurance, credit repair and information on how to “become a tax partner.”
“My best piece of advice for readers who desire to find success in their life would be to not give up, follow their hearts and not worry about what anyone thinks,” she recently advised.
