What a Sandwich Can Teach Us About Building Wealth

As we prepare to close out an incredible year at DreamRoot, we’ve been reflecting on all the special moments we experienced. One stands out: a workshop in Recife, Brazil that captured the heart of our mission. When people connect, they grow, and when people grow, communities grow with them.

The workshop took place earlier this year on the jiu-jitsu mats of the Arte Suave DreamRoot Training Center, where Doug, his wife Michelle, and their four children visited from the U.S. and led a two-part financial empowerment workshop through the lens of personal development and value creation.

What he shared wasn’t just good advice for the community members at the training center. It is insight all of us can benefit from, so we wanted to pass along some of the takeaways.

Build Your Sandwich.

Doug shared a simple analogy:

Building your life and career is like building a sandwich.

You start with the bread, which is what you already have.

Then you add layers: new skills, emotional maturity, better habits, and stronger abilities. These are your sandwich ingredients. With each new layer, the sandwich becomes richer, more satisfying, and more valuable to employers, clients, and those you serve.

He encouraged participants to:

• Take inventory of their current skills, abilities, and strengths.

• Notice the needs around them and identify how they can help meet those needs.

• Ask, “How can I contribute? What do I need to learn or develop to serve more effectively?”

The key point: the value you bring grows when you grow. And as this value increases, so do opportunities. These wealth building opportunities can come in the form of new introductions, roles, projects, clients, and compensation.

Compounding Interest.

Progress does not happen by accident or overnight.

It happens through intentional and consistent investment in your skills, emotional capacity, and mindset.

Small upgrades compound into opportunity.

Steady steps create breakthroughs.

Take a moment to look back at how far you have already come. Now, let's keep going. What is the next ingredient you'll add to your sandwich?

Exposure Expands Possibilities.

Visitors like Doug, Michelle, and their family do more than teach.

They shift perspective.

Their presence communicates:

“I see value in you.”

“You are capable of more.”

“This path exists.”

Sometimes that is all a person needs. Someone who has walked the road simply points and says: “This way.”

Mentors and role models, whether in person, online, or in books, are priceless. Small moments can unlock entire trajectories.

Impact Already Taking Root.

Before action comes mindset.

Before progress comes possibility.

And we saw this impact in 2025 as a results of Doug's Financial Empowerment workshop combined with our Leadership Accelerator: 

• One participant enrolled in school to study psychology.

• Two participants opened their own business. 

• 23 others invested in entrepreneurial training to launch businesses.

These were not giant leaps. They were first steps fueled by awareness, desire, and the belief that change is possible.

Across our leadership cohorts, youth programs, and community initiatives this year, we have seen the same pattern. When people grow on the inside, life expands on the outside.

This is the kind of transformation that compounds across families and communities.

See and Contribute to This Work Up Close.

Our next DreamRoot Brazil Camp is happening this October in Recife.

Some come for jiu-jitsu.

Others come for cultural immersion, service opportunities, community connection, and leadership development.

Several participants do not train jiu-jitsu at all. It is truly a trip designed for anyone who wants meaningful growth and cross-cultural collaboration.

If you are interested in joining us or scheduling a separate visit anytime throughout the year, we would love to explore it with you. Reach out to us via email at: hello@dreamrootinstitute.org

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