PlusFortyNine Podcast

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 willing to take entrepreneurial risks. Monaisa also shares how her multicultural background shapes her leadership style, why she never struggled with impostor syndrome, and what she sees every week working with founders across Germany. A grounded conversation about ambition without burnout, structure without rigidity, and why sometimes the most radical move is knowing when to sell, rest, and begin again. Perfect listening for anyone building something new in Germany or questioning whether the path they’re on still fits.

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 migration as a permanent transition, the pressure to just “take any job” to keep the visa, how to make space for intuition in the middle of bureaucratic chaos, and why he now makes decisions based on excitement rather than fear. Sigrid shares her own crash-landing from diplomat to suddenly visa-less in Berlin – and why she still chose to stay. This episode is a reminder that if you’ve managed to migrate, you’ve already done something incredibly hard. You’re allowed to be proud of that, even while you’re still figuring out what comes next.

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 also explore acupuncture for animals, what a first appointment looks like, and why even the most energetic dogs suddenly melt into deep relaxation when the needles go in. Katja shares her approach, what she looks for in an animal’s environment, and why prevention matters as much as treatment. If you're thinking about bringing a furry friend into your life or you already have one and want to understand Germany’s approach to pet care this episode is for you.

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 Berlin taught her to set boundaries and use her voice. It’s a conversation about migration, identity, yoga as community and yes, about one of the most “very German” topics of all: the culture of nudity in saunas.