Most high earners know real estate builds wealth. Fewer know how to actually do it while running a demanding career—without burning out or buying themselves another job. In this session, Arthur Johnson shares how he built a 53-unit rental portfolio across three states while working his way up the corporate ladder at companies like Pure Storage and Twilio. He'll break down how he structured his time, built remote teams he could trust, and created systems that took him from 10 hours a week to under 2 hours a month. He'll also share the tax strategy that dropped his effective rate from over 30% to under 15%—and how the portfolio ultimately let him walk away from corporate at 52. If you're serious about building assets that pay you whether you show up or not, this is the blueprint.
Assets Over Hours: Build a Portfolio to Replace Your Paycheck
ARTHUR JOHNSON
Investor
Arthur Johnson retired at 52 after building a 50+ unit rental portfolio across Texas, Indiana, and Wisconsin—all while working in the Bay Area serving as a corporate executive at companies like Pure Storage, Twilio, Cisco, and Andreessen Horowitz. He is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Amara Investments and a Senior Advisor at Grant Thornton. Arthur holds an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business and a BS from California State University, Los Angeles, where he was a scholarship baseball athlete.
The Return: Building Wealth Through African Real Estate
Most people talk about investing abroad. Dawn Dickson actually moved. In 2022, she relocated to Ghana and Rwanda—fulfilling a lifelong dream of living on the continent while building a real estate development business that has facilitated over $10 million in property sales. In this session, Dawn breaks down how to evaluate markets, find trustworthy partners, avoid the scams that trap diaspora investors, and structure deals from thousands of miles away. She'll share the difference between being a tourist and being an owner—and how to make the transition. If you've ever thought about buying land, developing property, or building income streams in Africa, this is your blueprint from someone who's living it.
DAWN DICKSON
Founder & CEO of PopCom and D1 Consulting
Dawn Dickson is an award-winning entrepreneur, inventor, and real estate developer whose career spans technology, retail innovation, and global investment. She founded PopCom, a pioneering automated retail platform that introduced facial detection and AI to vending machines and holds a patent for the PopShop robotic storefront. After relocating to Ghana and Rwanda, Dawn expanded her impact into international real estate, helping investors and diaspora clients purchase land, homes, and luxury properties while championing sustainable, culturally grounded development.
How Hotel Franchising Works and What It Really Takes
Hotel franchising offers a powerful path to ownership, but it comes with unique financial, operational, and brand-driven requirements. In this session, Evens breaks down how hotel franchising actually works, including capital needs, brand standards, financing structures, and common misconceptions. Drawing from his own journey, attendees will learn what to know—and what to watch for—before exploring hospitality as a wealth-building strategy.
EVENS CHARLES
Founder & Managing Principal of Frontier Development & Hospitality Group
Evens Charles is the Founder and Managing Principal of Frontier Development & Hospitality Group, a real estate and hospitality investment firm with a $320M+ capitalized portfolio of Hilton- and Marriott-branded hotel assets across seven states. He began his investing journey with a $1,000 out-of-pocket deal that yielded a $25K return, later scaling through residential and multifamily real estate before entering hospitality. Today, Frontier has $1.1B in urban infill and commercial development in its pipeline, anchored by institutional-grade hotel assets.
The Second Passport: Real Estate as a Path to Global Citizenship
Inquiries from wealthy Americans seeking second passports are up 183% year over year. What used to be a move for the ultra-rich is now a strategy for anyone thinking about optionality, tax efficiency, and generational flexibility. In this session, Basil Mohr-Elzeki breaks down how citizenship and residency-by-investment programs actually work: which countries offer the best value, what the real costs and timelines look like, and how real estate investments in places like Portugal, Greece, and the Caribbean can unlock mobility for you and your family. He'll also share which programs are closing or tightening, and what to consider before making a move. If you've ever thought about building a global footprint through real estate, this is where you start.
BASIL MOHR-ELZEKI
Head of the Americas - Henley & Partners
Basil Mohr-Elzeki is Managing Partner at Henley & Partners North America, the global leader in residence and citizenship by investment. Based in Miami, he advises high-net-worth clients on second passport strategies, golden visa programs, and real estate-based pathways to global mobility. A recognized subject matter expert in investment migration, Basil is regularly interviewed by top media outlets and contributes to Henley & Partners' research publications. Bachelor's degree in finance from John Molson School of Business.
MORE SPEAKERS TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON