Cool Beans Pod

🎙️  Podcast Episode: Richard Zimler in Porto 📚 In this episode, we chat with acclaimed novelist Richard Zimler, an American-born author now living in the beautiful city of Porto, Portugal. ✨ We explore some of his best-known books, including: The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon The Warsaw Anagrams The Gospel According to Lazarus 💬 Our conversation dives into: Feminism and the strong, complex voices in...

🎙️ Podcast Episode: Driving the Green Transition with Bernardo Pinho do Aguiar In this episode, we’re joined by Bernardo Aguiar, Senior Asset Manager at EDP Renewables, who brings over two decades of experience in the energy sector. Drawing on his background in electrotechnical engineering and an MBA in management, Bernardo offers a thoughtful perspective on the evolution of clean energy and the p...

On this episode of The Cool Beans Pod 🎙️☕, we head to the Matosinhos beach front to sit down with Pedro Teixeira , co-founder of Moka Coffee, a standout spot redefining the local coffee scene alongside his wife, Angela Silva. We dive deep into all things coffee ☕🔥 — from the best ways to prepare the perfect cup to exploring different beans and what makes each one unique. Pedro shares his passio...

🎙️ Podcast Guest: Ricardo Nascimento In this episode we sit down with Ricardo, Sales Director at Devoteam, where he works with organisations across Europe on data, cloud, and emerging technology solutions. With a background spanning computer science, project management, and enterprise management, Ricardo studied at Universidade Nova de Lisboa and ISEG – Lisbon School of Economics & Management,...

🎙️ Podcast Guest: Mark Hooley Mark Hooley is an international educator, education leader, and Founder of GOER - Global Online Education Regulator, a global initiative dedicated to raising standards, trust, and accountability in online learning. 🌍 In this episode, Mark explores what it means to be a true teacher — someone who leads with empathy, curiosity, and a genuine passion for students. Drawi...

🎙️ Podcast Spotlight: Gaspar Ferreira Gaspar Ferreira is a psychologist working at the intersection of leadership, performance, education and cultural integration in Portugal. 🔗 Connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gasparferreira22/ 🧠 About Gaspar Gaspar is a Portuguese psychologist focused on performance psychology, leadership development and mental health. He is actively i...

🎧 Episode Spotlight: The Return of Josué Ferreira — Deep Dive into the Book of Enoch & the Wicked Bible! ✝️📖 He’s back! We’re joined once again by the ever-inspiring Josué Ferreira — preacher, gifted musician 🎶, teacher of the Word, and a powerful voice in Christian thought. This week Josué unpacks two fascinating topics: the ancient Book of Enoch 👼✨ and the notorious Wicked Bible 🕯️📜 —...

🎙️ Podcast Guest Spotlight: Cindy Shapiro 🎼 Composer • ✍️ Librettist • 💻 Technologist • 🎭 Artist-in-Residence Meet Cindy Shapiro—a multi-faceted artist originally from the US, now creating and performing 🌍 globally and based in 🇵🇹 Porto, Portugal. She bridges 🎭 immersive theatre, 🎶 opera, 🎮 interactive media, and 🕹️ video games with her bold, genre-defying music—blending storytelling, techn...

🎙️ Podcast Spotlight: David Moreira In this episode, we speak with David Moreira — DJ, author and educator — about history, colonisation and contested memory. Born in Porto in 1993, David holds a Master’s in History of International Relations from the London School of Economics, and a degree from Università Bocconi in International Economics, Management and Finance. He has taught Economics in Port...

🎙️ Podcast Spotlight: Catarina Parada ✨🦷 Meet Dr. Catarina Parada, a dentist based in Matosinhos, Portugal 🇵🇹, specialising in aesthetic dentistry and helping patients feel confident through beautiful, natural-looking smiles. Catarina works at Avenida Dental Clinic – Matosinhos, where she focuses on personalised, modern treatments designed to enhance both oral health and smile aesthetics. 🌟 🔗...

🎙️ Cool Beans Pod | Dr. Elena Molinos 🩺 In this episode of the Cool Beans Pod , we sit down with Dr. Elena Molinos, an intensive care physician at Hospital Pedro Hispano in Porto, Portugal. 🇵🇹 Originally from Spain 🇪🇸 and living in Portugal for over 20 years, Dr. Molinos is a true public healthcare provider with a deep passion for patient care. 💬 She speaks openly and candidly about the challeng...

Cool Beans Pod: Tim Vieira – the serial entrepreneur who built empires from Angola to Portugal, now leading the revolution in education as Founder & CEO of Brave Generation Academy! 🇿🇦➡️🇵🇹 South African-born, Portuguese-rooted powerhouse, epic car & arcade collector at Tim's Garage 🎮🚗, Christian optimist, and fierce believer in slashing bureaucracy, sparking innovation, and giving back t...

🎙️ PAULO CORDEIRO SALGADO - author 🎖️ From colonial war to global health missions 🏥 Hospital leader with stories from Portugal, Guinea-Bissau & Angola 🎓 Lawyer, hospital management expert ✍️ Writer of fiction, children’s tales & sharp reflections 🗞️ Where medicine, history, and storytelling collide 📚 Books by Paulo Cordeiro Salgado Guiné: Crónicas de Guerra e Amor (Guinea: Chronicles of...

🎙️ Cool Beans Pod | Guest: Purvi Shroff In this episode of the Cool Beans Pod, we sit down with Purvi Shroff, Director of Alumni Leadership & Career Development at Teach For Portugal, to talk all things education equity, teaching, and systems change 🌍📚 Purvi brings a truly global perspective, having worked across the Teach For network in India, the UK, and now Portugal. She shares honest ins...

Discover Chris Tully ☕🇨🇦→🇵🇹 This friendly Canadian expat living in beautiful Porto, Portugal, has a heartwarming habit: buying coffee for strangers just to listen to their amazing life stories! Chris is all about building real connections, meeting new people, and celebrating the unique tales we all carry. Check him out on Instagram and Facebook for more glimpses into his adventures and the inspir...

🎙️ Josué Ferreira | Music, Faith & Education in Portugal 🎵🎸 Musician & Music Teacher 🧠 Registered Psychologist ✝️ Pastor & Gospel Advocate 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family Man | 📍 Porto, Portugal Josué Ferreira is a Porto native, devoted family man, registered psychologist, music teacher, and pastor at Igreja de Cristo Evangélica Carismática (ICEC). A gifted multi-instrumentalist, Josué shares a...

🎙️☕ Cool Beans Pod — Episode 11: Mary Wilson (Exuberant Chaos) 🌍🇨🇦➡️🇵🇹 In Episode 11 of Cool Beans Pod, we chat with Mary Wilson, a Canadian native now living in Matosinhos, Portugal🌊. After a career in project management, Mary made a bold shift into the NGO world, founding Exuberant Chaos — a community-driven organisation rooted in creativity, inclusion, and social impact 🎨🤝. She shares what...

💥 Cool Beans Pod — Featuring John Lambe 🔦 In this episode, I sit down with John Lambe, an Irish tech founder now living in Porto. We shine a spotlight on his journey building and selling companies, and the lessons he’s learned along the way. 🤖 AI: Challenges, Opportunities & the Changing World of Work John breaks down the practical challenges of AI — from data issues to transparency and rap...

🎙️ Episode Spotlight — Mystery Skies: CIFA & (UAPs) UFOs Over Portugal! In this episode, we welcome Vitor Moreira, director of the Center for Aerospace Phenomena Investigation (CIFA) in Vila do Conde. A dedicated UAP investigator since 1976, Vitor brings decades of experience, curiosity, and sky-watching expertise 🛸✨ — but he stays surprisingly coy about certain details, offering just enough...

Carlos and Helena Branco (Villa das Eiras)  Meet two brave souls who decided that the German corporate rat race was not the path to fulfilment — so they tore up the rulebook, packed their lives, and followed a deeper calling all the way to Gaia, Portugal. 🇩🇪➡️🇵🇹 Now, they're building something extraordinary: a Quantum Healing & Spirituality Retreat Centre (Villa das Eiras) designed to nurture...

🎙️ Episode Spotlight: The Cool Beans Pod ☕🇺🇦✨ Meet the unstoppable Oleksii & Iryna Korkushko 🔥 Ukrainian entrepreneurs, influencers, and proud parents who built an incredible life in Leça da Palmeira, Porto, Portugal! 🌊🏖️ In this episode, the couple opens up about: Growing their blogging & brand promotion business 📸💼 Raising their daughter who’s already killing it in the modelling wo...

🎙️ Episode Spotlight: Inside VDM Capital with Maria João Vieira de Matos 🌟 Join us as we dive deep with Maria João Vieira de Matos, board member of VDM Capital and daughter of founder Domingos Vieira de Matos! 👨‍👧‍👦 From powerhouse media empire Media Livre 📺📰 (magazines, TV channels, newspapers – check medialivre.pt) to sustainable giant Altri Group 🌳 (eucalyptus pulp production, proudly li...

🌍✈️ Wonders & Wanderlust with the Von Bergs 🎙️ Hey adventure seekers! Join the Von Berg family – that fearless crew now living the dream in Porto, Portugal 🏠🇵🇹 – as they share how to chase the world’s greatest wonders with young kids in tow! 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 From sunrise selfies at the Taj Mahal 🕌 to fairy-tale castles in Scotland 🏰, epic boat rides through emerald mountains ⛰️🚤, and palm-line...

📺 From Netflix’s Fauda to Temporarily Dead and Munich Games , Michal Aviram has shaped some of the most gripping global TV. 🌍 Now living in Porto, Michal opens up about: 🔥 Turning raw ideas into global hits 💣 Building tension and truth into unforgettable characters 🎬 The real craft of story development — from spark to screen ✨ A rare, golden peek inside a top writer’s creative mind. Perfect...

Meet Zonia, a passionate Hyrox athlete, teacher, mom, and wife from South Africa 🇿🇦. In this inspiring episode, she sits down with a high-performance athlete to explore the balance between competition, career, and family life — and what it takes to educate and motivate the next generation. ✝️ Child of God 👩‍🏫 Dedicated Teacher 💪 Group Fitness Instructor 🚴‍♀️ Spinning Coach 🇿🇦 South African - L...