All episodes

Laura Soto never planned to stay in Germany. Like many internationals, she arrived through love, stayed through circumstance, and slowly built a life through resilience, curiosity, and openness to change. In this episode, Laura shares how Germany became home after heartbreak, bureaucracy, a second master’s degree, and an unexpected journey into entrepreneurship.

As a Colombian founder working in Germany’s startup ecosystem, Laura reflects on cultural differences between Latin America and Germany, why migrants often thrive in innovation, and how learning not to “submit” to perfection became essential to her confidence. From navigating German structure and skepticism to embracing risk, failure,...

What happens when you build a business before you’re fully prepared for it and then have the courage to let it go?

In this episode, Andrea speaks with Munay Zamorano, entrepreneur, mentor, and founder of the Female Founder Academy. Born in Germany to Chilean and US-American roots, Monaisa reflects on growing up between cultures, buying her first company at twenty-three, navigating German bureaucracy, and learning when growth becomes misalignment.

They talk about business succession instead of the usual startup myth, the emotional reality of entrepreneurship, failure as a learning space rather than a flaw, and why migrants are often more...

In this episode of PlusFortyNine, we talk to life and career coach Simon de los Rios about what really happens when you reinvent yourself far from home.

Simon grew up in Colombia, spent almost two decades in Miami, studied in Europe and eventually chose Germany as the “hardest” next step: new language, coldest climate, barely any prior connection. Behind that decision were years of high-pressure leadership jobs, a pattern of burning out every five years and several long sabbaticals that ended in a silent retreat in Indonesia – and the realisation that something had to change.

Together they talk about...

This week, we dive into something many newcomers think about sooner or later: getting a pet in Germany. And let’s be honest - nothing prepares you for how seriously Germans take dogs, cats, and every creature in between.

We talk with Katja Herbst, a Tierheilpraktikerin - basically an animal health practitioner who works with dogs, cats, and horses using traditional Chinese veterinary medicine. She explains what you need to know before adopting a pet, how to choose the right breed for your life, why some “trendy dogs” struggle with health issues, and what makes German adoption centers so thorough.

We...

In this episode of Plus Forty Nine, Andrea hosts her first interview in the series and sits down with Vanessa Muñoz-Pretzell - a yoga teacher from El Paso with Mexican, Lebanese and Cherokee roots who has been living in Berlin for eight years.

They talk about how yoga became Vanessa’s path, what it means to move from warm, open cultures to Berlin’s rough edges, and how language, community and small rituals can slowly turn a foreign city into home. Vanessa shares what shocked her, what she’s grown to love, why she still misses desert sun and good tacos, and how...

Week 47 of Plus Forty Nine takes us to Berlin with Andrew and Maurice, the two minds behind 20 Percent Berlin – a newsletter and podcast that translates the city’s news, quirks, and politics for the 20% of residents without a German passport (and the many more who feel that way).

In this episode, we dive into how 20 Percent Berlin emerged from a pandemic layoff and became a lifeline for anyone who needs Berlin’s news in English to feel included. We get into the idea of German burnout - the deep fear of change, the “no experiments” mindset, and...

We’re replaying one of our favorite conversations with Jen and Yvonne from Simple Germany—a smart, funny guide to making life here actually work. We talk language as the real unlock, the first steps after arrival, and how to avoid the classic newcomer traps.

In this episode of Plus Forty Nine, we speak with Andrea Fahmel, who grew up between Mexico and Germany - two cultures that shaped her identity, language, and sense of belonging.

Andrea shares what it’s like to live with a “liquid identity,” how German communities in Mexico kept traditions alive, and why directness something she once found intimidating has become one of her favorite parts of German culture.

Together, they talk about homesickness in the age of social media, the power of language in shaping integration, and the quiet lessons learned when you start understanding not just a country’s words,...

In this warm and reflective episode, Mika - a Venezuelan entrepreneur and now the Brand Ambassador for Mezcal Cómplice in Germany shares her story of migration, reinvention, and finding ritual in a new home. From escaping instability in Venezuela to falling in love with Mexico’s rich mezcal traditions, her journey is one of resilience, identity, and cultural connection.

She opens up about the emotional and spiritual depth of mezcal, how it’s lovingly handcrafted over generations, and why it should never be "shot," but savored. We also talk about living through Berlin’s long winters, finding seasonal joy, and why Día de...

Berlin 2035 – Music, Global Goals, and the Vision of a World Expo

In this episode of Plus Forty Nine, we speak with Henning Wehmeyer, Managing Director of EXPO 2035 Berlin GmbH, about the bold idea of bringing the World Expo back to Germany this time to Berlin. From the city’s open-air pianos symbolizing the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals to the concept of a multi-centric expo that stretches across neighborhoods rather than staying confined to a single site, Henning shares how Berlin’s story of transformation from division to diversity could become a global stage for cooperation.

We explore how...