PlusFortyNine Podcast

PlusFortyNine Podcast

By Sigrid ArteagaSociety & CultureNewsDaily News
Download on the App Store

PlusFortyNine Podcast episodes

  • Week 5: From Public Policy to Impact Communication: Finding Purpose, Honesty, and Boundaries in Berlin
    How Yash Das Sharma navigated German directness, leadership, and belonging as an international professional in Germany
    In this episode of Plus Forty-Nine, we speaks with Yash Das Sharma, a marketing and business development professional originally from Kolkata, India, who has been living in Berlin for six years. Trained in political science, international relations, and public policy, Yash’s path into communication was anything but linear.
    The conversation explores how Berlin shaped his professional identity, the role of brutal honesty in German work culture, adapting to direct feedback, and the challenge of setting boundaries in environments that reward efficiency over people-pleasing. Yash also reflects on leadership, migrant work ethics, failure as a learning tool, and the question many internationals quietly ask: why punctuality matters so deeply in Germany.
    An honest, thoughtful episode about growth, resilience, and learning how to communicate impact without losing yourself along the way.
    31 min
  • Week 4: God Has Done Well: Directness, Belonging, and Building a Life in Germany - Chiemela O.
    What winter, bureaucracy, and community teach you over time
    In this episode, we sit down with Chiemela, a product manager from Nigeria living in Berlin, whose name means “God has done well.” What starts as a conversation about moving to Germany for work quickly becomes a deeper reflection on language, cultural adjustment, community, and the quiet ways belonging is built over time.
    Chiemela shares what surprised him most about German directness, why adapting your communication style matters more than changing who you are, and how finding community through work, faith, and friendships makes life here feel grounded. We also talk about winter survival, vitamin D, Germany’s love of paperwork, and whether this country is really as automated as it thinks it is.
    The episode closes with a reflection on German honesty: where it comes from, why it’s not meant to be rude, and how learning to read it differently can make life here a little easier.
    30 min
  • Week 51: Failure, Freedom, and Founding in Germany with Munay Zamorano
    Munay Zamorano on entrepreneurship, migration, and why letting things fall apart can be the smartest move
    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.
    34 min
  • Week 45: Between Two Worlds: Finding Identity and Belonging with Andrea Fahmel
    From Mexico to Germany - growing up between cultures and learning the beauty of directness
    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, but its rhythm.
    23 min

About PlusFortyNine Podcast

From the publisher's feed

Plus Forty Nine is the ultimate podcast for internationals and expats living in Germany. Each week we dive into the personal stories and experiences of other expats. Together, we look back on their…