The Germany Expat Business Show

Like the show? Have a burning question? Send a text? From opera singer to bureaucracy expert, Kathleen Parker shares her unconventional story of building Red Tape Translation—a business she started by showing up at Berlin's immigration office at 7 AM and asking strangers if they needed help.  In this episode, she breaks down the real costs of freelancing in Germany (hint: multiply your employ...

Like the show? Have a burning question? Send a text? Polish-born Paulina moved to Munich for love nearly eight years ago and ended up finding herself. After being laid off from her corporate data analyst role during the pandemic, she transformed into a somatic wellness coach who built a thriving membership business and retreat community through authentic connection rather than aggressive marketing...

Like the show? Have a burning question? Send a text? When Katie Rustler moved to Munich in 2016, her therapy credentials weren't recognized - a crushing blow for any licensed professional. But instead of starting over in the German system, she got creative.  Today, she runs a thriving online practice serving high-achieving international couples from Japan to Dubai, has written two books, appe...

Like the show? Have a burning question? Send a text? From corporate burnout to 11,000+ newsletter subscribers – Igor Ranc built his Handpicked Berlin newsletter starting with just 20 friends.  In this episode, he reveals why he ditched Substack for better business tools, how he's monetizing without paywalls in the German market, and why human curation beats AI every time.  Plus: navigating Ge...

Like the show? Have a burning question? Send a text? From student exchange to successful event business serving clients prominent Berlin clients like Lingoda, Moss, Hello Fresh and more. Rachel Wright's Berlin entrepreneurship story is one of persistence, smart pivots, and systematic growth. Originally planning just one semester in Germany, Rachel has spent 15+ years building a thriving event...

Like the show? Have a burning question? Send a text? What happens when you delete 3,500 LinkedIn connections and start over? Sanjeev Thapa, a three-time founder from Nepal, reveals the unexpected strategy that transformed his consulting business in Germany. From burning through €700,000 in 15 months by over-engineering a startup to discovering why German language skills matter more than a stellar...

Like the show? Have a burning question? Send a text? Jordan Beck Wagner - American expat entrepreneur who built a successful digital marketing agency in Germany after transitioning from politics to marketing through travel blogging. Episode Highlights: The Unexpected Path to Germany Started with a rebellious high school decision: choosing German over Spanish Led to Germanic languages degree, study...

Like the show? Have a burning question? Send a text? In this episode of the Germany Expat Business Show, I caught up with a  friend, and sort-of-former-colleague, Gray Dawdy. I met Gray while I was contracting at a service design agency, where he often enjoyed a friendly chat while making a coffee in the agency Teeküche and bonded over our mutual Californian backgrounds. Gray is an industrial desi...

Like the show? Have a burning question? Send a text? In this episode I talk to Tarek  Abousamra, an inspiring entrepreneur who journeyed from Syria to Germany. Tarek's story is one of resilience and determination, culminating in the founding of Co-Tasker, a platform that connects people with service providers for various tasks. Tarek fled Syria due to the war, eventually making a home in Germ...

Like the show? Have a burning question? Send a text? Gelyn, a mom who moved to Germany at the height of the pandemic in 2020, found herself jobless and very pregnant. Inspired by her daughter (and probably a few hormones), she wrote her first children’s book, "Most of All, You Are Loved," a response to the pandemic, divisiveness, demonstrations, the Ukraine war, rising stories of bullyin...

Like the show? Have a burning question? Send a text? After a decade as a competitive gymnast in South Carolina, Erin found both excitement and uncertainty in shifting her focus. Her college years, filled with new opportunities and inspiring mentors, led her to discover a passion for yoga and fitness—not just as a student, but as a teacher. A six-month study abroad in Italy in 2014 also cemented he...

Like the show? Have a burning question? Send a text? Afshan Samani's journey from Iran to becoming the CEO and co-founder of PinoSell is a masterclass in resilience and innovation. After navigating cultural challenges and personal setbacks, including a broken engagement during her PhD in Canada, Afshan pivoted from academia to a dynamic career in tech and startups. Her relentless pursuit of n...

Like the show? Have a burning question? Send a text? “The solopreneur journey really is a mirror that reflects your deepest beliefs, fears, doubts, and limitations. It's a process of growth that forces you to confront not only the external and practical challenges but also the internal ones—those that affect how you see yourself, the world around you, and how you make decisions.” — Roberto Br...

Like the show? Have a burning question? Send a text? I became familiar with Olivia and her work through the WEM Facebook Group (Women Entrepreneurs in Munich). It was clear to me from the jump that she’s a go-getter. We had a coffee chat and then we actually met in person at the I Am Expat fair in Berlin in the summer of 2024. Olivia Marcu-Iordănescu is an attorney-at-law known for leading corpora...

Like the show? Have a burning question? Send a text? I've been wowed by DanRam's LinkedIn profile for awhile, so I was delighted when he agreed to be a guest on the podcast last summer. DanRam travels the globe as an Event MC & Speaker at over 100 events a year. Hosting changemakers like President Barack Obama, billionaire founders Sir Richard Branson and Reid Hoffman, F1 champion Ni...

Like the show? Have a burning question? Send a text? Navigating German bureaucracy can be quite challenging, especially when you don’t speak German, are new to the processes and don’t know what support is available to you. If you’re a new parent in Germany, you’ve probably heard of Elternzeit, Elterngeld and Kindergeld and are totally overwhelmed by everything you need to take care of for your bab...

Like the show? Have a burning question? Send a text? Hey everyone! Season 3 is FINALLY underway. Also, big announcement! I'm excited to introduce The Germany List.  This came out of the need to connect and support the expat business community in Germany, this open directory is a centralized resource for international entrepreneurs, creators, and service providers.  Together with my co-founder...

Like the show? Have a burning question? Send a text? Lora McInturf supports high-performing lawyers and business professionals primarily in law, IT, finance, accounting, and coaching. Lora's business is 100% virtual. She's worked with professionals and businesses around the world - from over 40 countries and counting. She is also a founder and co-leader of the following groundbreaking on...

Like the show? Have a burning question? Send a text? Jen and her husband Paul Higgins are originally from NJ. A career opportunity for Paul brought them to Munich in 2003 and Jen kept her IT career on track so they stayed. In 2018 they founded a small craft beer brewery in the heart of Munich's brewing district, creating American styled ales. In 2022, they opened a taproom next door to the br...

Like the show? Have a burning question? Send a text? Thermodemand, founded by Irapua Santos Ribeiro, is a consultancy focused on sustainable energy solutions for industrial applications, particularly in solar and renewable process heat technologies. His company aims to help industrial clients reduce their carbon footprint and operational costs. Ira has started the business as a sole proprietorship...

Like the show? Have a burning question? Send a text? A Canadian in Berlin for 10+ years, Cheryl has the unique experience of moving to Berlin – not once, but twice. During her time in Berlin, she's had five different visas and worked as both a freelancer and a permanent employee for numerous German companies. Her day jobs include working as a hiring manager, overseeing the recruitment of coun...

Like the show? Have a burning question? Send a text? Mandy Borchardt is a German marketing strategist and translator helping small non-German businesses to market their brand in Germany. In 2015 she went freelance full time as a translator for English and Spanish into German, working for translation agencies and direct clients. After a few years, she started to notice that most end clients need mo...

Like the show? Have a burning question? Send a text? I stumbled across Jen and Yvonne of Simple Germany through their YouTube channel, and boy am I glad I did! Jen was born and raised in Guatemala and sought better quality of life due to LGBTQ+ rights and security concerns. Yvonne was raised in Germany but always wanted to explore the world and worked for many years on a cruise ship (side note: Th...

Like the show? Have a burning question? Send a text? In this episode I talk to May and Peter Kamya, the Berlin-based founders of Kidsimply.  Peter is originally from the UK and May’s family immigrated to Germany from Thailand when she was five years old. Kidsimply is an online shop selling diverse and inclusive books and toys. Through the KidSimply brand, and inspired by raising their child, Peter...

Like the show? Have a burning question? Send a text? Tetyana Pirker came from Ukraine to Munich in 2002. She studied psychology in the university of Munich and afterwards she started a career at Accenture as IT SAP consultant.  After many years SAP consulting he looked for a ‘soul business’. After the birth of her first child in 2017 she discovered her passion; photography.  Tetyana works for both...