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 employee salary by 2.5-3x), explains why the Künstlersozialkasse is a game-changer for creative profess...

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. Paulina discusses transitioning from yoga teaching to emotional healing work, the challenges of...

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, appeared on 80+ podcasts, and built communities that have helped hundreds of expat women rebuild thei...

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 German bureaucracy as a newsletter entrepreneur, the distribution problem that kills most star...

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 design company serving international tech scale-ups. She shares the real story behind navigating Germ...

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 resume, his journey is packed with hard-won lessons about building companies in one of Europe's ...

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 SpanishLed to Germanic languages degree, study abroad, and eventually 12+ years in GermanyClassic expat story: "18 months" turned into a permane...

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 designer and expat solopreneur who’s built a successful freelance career in Munich, Germany. He ...

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 Germany. Despite starting from scratch, his entrepreneurial spirit led him to co-found Co-tasker, a p...

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 bullying and increase in suicide rates amongst teens. She started asking herself "What can I do to protect my chil...

Like the show? Have a burning question? Send a text? You can find this episode and all episodes as well as show notes for each at https://thegermanylist.de/the-germany-expat-business-show-podcast/ Starting or running a business in Germany as a foreigner? Already running an online business in Germany as an expat? Wanting to grow your German-based business? Working as a freelancer in Germany? You'll love my guide with over 30 resources for expat business owners in Germany.

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 new opportunities led her to Rocket Internet and eventually to the creation of PinoSell, a company insp...

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 Brito, from his Substack Burning Thoughts post ‘Building a Business, Re-Building Yourself, I really enjo...

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 corporate projects for 15+ years. She is the founder of spotlegal.io, the legal solutions platform for sma...

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 Nico Rosberg, Grammy-winning artists and celebrities, he works on 4 continents from college campuses to parl...

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 baby. And after Elternzeit, many mothers want to change jobs due to a shift in priorities or the nee...

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, Lindsey, we're publicly building a platform that aims to make finding and promoting Ausländer ...

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 online networking communities: Lawyers Coaching Lawyers - International Network, Women Expat Lawyers and Law Stu...

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 brewery and have enjoyed meeting locals, expats, craft beer fans and brewers from around the world.In our ...

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, but plans to expand by forging strategic partnerships and delivering innovative, high-quality ser...