SUBSCRIBE
RATE
COMMENT
SUBSCRIBE RATE COMMENT
follow on spotify, apple YOUTUBE or AMAZON PODCASTS for auto updates
Podcast Portugal is available to subscibe on Spotify, YouTube, Amazon and Apple Podcasts.
Please Subscribe on your favourite provider so we can keep bringing you interesting guests and topics.
You can also listen or download each episode below.
guest line up.
Meet the voices behind the stories — every Friday, we release a new episode featuring inspiring guests from across Portugal and beyond, including artists, chefs, winemakers, musicians, historians, entrepreneurs, locals and expats.
Explore our diverse guest line-up and discover the people shaping Portuguese culture, food, travel, and daily life.
Queuing Overnight for a Residency Card: Noah Hallett on the Reality of Moving to Portugal.
Queuing Overnight for a Residency Card: Noah Hallett on the Reality of Moving to Portugal.
A US startup consultant on AIMA delays, Portugal's evolving startup scene, and learning Portuguese one TikTok at a time.
Noah Hallett, a US startup consultant in Lisbon, shares his honest experience of moving to Portugal, from AIMA residency card queues to its startup scene.
Moving to Portugal is often presented as a story of sunshine, safety and quality of life, and much of that is true. It is also worth hearing the other side, which is exactly what Noah Hallett brings to this episode. Originally from rural California, Noah is a fractional Chief Customer Officer and strategic advisor to fast-growing startups, and he moved to Lisbon with his family after a careful, data-driven comparison of destinations.
That comparison, built in spreadsheets and informed by safety statistics, education outcomes, cost of living and an international network, kept returning to the same conclusion. Concerns about the American school system, safety and rising living costs pushed the family to look abroad, and Lisbon's weather, quality of life and accessible immigration routes made it the clear choice.
Noah first came to our attention through a TikTok video in which he vented about queuing for his youngest son's residency card at AIMA. While three of the four family members received their cards smoothly, his son's case turned into six days of waiting, more than 24 hours in line, an all-nighter and repeated biometrics. The card, it transpired, had simply been returned to AIMA after a missed postal delivery. Noah chose not to hire a lawyer so that he could experience and document the process first-hand, and he shares candidly what he saw: limited daily tickets, inconsistent information and people in the queue risking their jobs to be there.
Justin and Noah discuss the simple fixes that could transform the experience, from online appointments and real-time status updates to better postal handling and digital PO box services. They also look at why bureaucracy of this kind is an opportunity for startups and technology entrepreneurs, and why so many of these headaches can be avoided altogether with the right relocation support.
The conversation then widens to Portugal's startup ecosystem, which Noah sees changing quickly, with new founders, accelerators, government initiatives and funding, and a surprisingly close-knit community of experienced founders supporting newcomers. They consider the limits of a small domestic market and why the strongest businesses use Portugal's talent, costs and quality of life while selling internationally, the role of tourism, and the pressure that modest salaries and rising property prices place on local families. They also cover the shift in the Golden Visa towards genuine residents and business creation, and compare Portugal's income equality and cost of living with the United States.
Finally, Noah explains how his TikTok channel, Portuguese Word of the Day, began as a way to hold himself accountable while learning the language, and how it attracted a warm and encouraging Portuguese audience. It is a reminder that a little effort to integrate is met with real generosity.
Whether you are planning a move, already here and battling the paperwork, or building a business in Portugal, this is an honest and balanced conversation about what relocating really involves.
Here is the direct link to Noah's TikTok, which, aside from the rant, is mostly very positive: https://www.tiktok.com/@portuguese.word.o
The paired Instagram account is here: https://www.instagram.com/portuguesewordoftheday/
And you can connect with Noah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noah-hallett/
Get one month of Starlink free when you sign up through this link. Fast, reliable internet at home and on the go. https://starlink.com/?referral=RC-3371964-82086-72&app_source=share
A US startup consultant on AIMA delays, Portugal's evolving startup scene, and learning Portuguese one TikTok at a time.
Noah Hallett, a US startup consultant in Lisbon, shares his honest experience of moving to Portugal, from AIMA residency card queues to its startup scene.
Moving to Portugal is often presented as a story of sunshine, safety and quality of life, and much of that is true. It is also worth hearing the other side, which is exactly what Noah Hallett brings to this episode. Originally from rural California, Noah is a fractional Chief Customer Officer and strategic advisor to fast-growing startups, and he moved to Lisbon with his family after a careful, data-driven comparison of destinations.
That comparison, built in spreadsheets and informed by safety statistics, education outcomes, cost of living and an international network, kept returning to the same conclusion. Concerns about the American school system, safety and rising living costs pushed the family to look abroad, and Lisbon's weather, quality of life and accessible immigration routes made it the clear choice.
Noah first came to our attention through a TikTok video in which he vented about queuing for his youngest son's residency card at AIMA. While three of the four family members received their cards smoothly, his son's case turned into six days of waiting, more than 24 hours in line, an all-nighter and repeated biometrics. The card, it transpired, had simply been returned to AIMA after a missed postal delivery. Noah chose not to hire a lawyer so that he could experience and document the process first-hand, and he shares candidly what he saw: limited daily tickets, inconsistent information and people in the queue risking their jobs to be there.
Justin and Noah discuss the simple fixes that could transform the experience, from online appointments and real-time status updates to better postal handling and digital PO box services. They also look at why bureaucracy of this kind is an opportunity for startups and technology entrepreneurs, and why so many of these headaches can be avoided altogether with the right relocation support.
The conversation then widens to Portugal's startup ecosystem, which Noah sees changing quickly, with new founders, accelerators, government initiatives and funding, and a surprisingly close-knit community of experienced founders supporting newcomers. They consider the limits of a small domestic market and why the strongest businesses use Portugal's talent, costs and quality of life while selling internationally, the role of tourism, and the pressure that modest salaries and rising property prices place on local families. They also cover the shift in the Golden Visa towards genuine residents and business creation, and compare Portugal's income equality and cost of living with the United States.
Finally, Noah explains how his TikTok channel, Portuguese Word of the Day, began as a way to hold himself accountable while learning the language, and how it attracted a warm and encouraging Portuguese audience. It is a reminder that a little effort to integrate is met with real generosity.
Whether you are planning a move, already here and battling the paperwork, or building a business in Portugal, this is an honest and balanced conversation about what relocating really involves.
Here is the direct link to Noah's TikTok, which, aside from the rant, is mostly very positive: https://www.tiktok.com/@portuguese.word.o
The paired Instagram account is here: https://www.instagram.com/portuguesewordoftheday/
And you can connect with Noah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noah-hallett/
Get one month of Starlink free when you sign up through this link. Fast, reliable internet at home and on the go. https://starlink.com/?referral=RC-3371964-82086-72&app_source=share
AI, Talent & the Future of Work in Europe — with Denis Lassance (PMI).
AI, Talent & the Future of Work in Europe — with Denis Lassance (PMI)
From Lisbon to the global stage: how project leadership, technology, and human skills are evolving in 2026.
What does the future of project management look like in an AI-driven world? In this episode, Denis Lassance, Managing Director Europe at PMI, explores how emerging technologies, shifting workforce dynamics, and a renewed focus on purpose and people are redefining project success in 2026 and beyond.
In this forward-looking conversation, Denis Lassance shares insights from his leadership role at PMI, overseeing project innovation and professional development across Europe. With global organisations facing rapid technological change, Denis breaks down what is truly transforming project delivery — and what leaders may be overestimating.
We dive deep into the real impact of AI on project management, from automation and decision-making to the evolving role of human leadership. Denis also introduces the M.O.R.E. framework — Meaningful, Ownership, Resilient, Engaged — a model designed to move beyond traditional metrics and place value, people, and impact at the centre of delivery.
The discussion explores the growing talent gap, the urgent need for upskilling, and how the nature of work is shifting in an increasingly hybrid and global environment. Denis shares practical perspectives on how organisations can adapt, build resilient teams, and redefine success in a complex, fast-moving world.
Finally, we look ahead to the key global trends shaping organisations in 2026 and beyond, and what leaders, professionals, and innovators should be focusing on right now — particularly in the context of the upcoming Global Summit Series in Lisbon.
For more information about the Project Management Institute (PMI) you can visit their website: www.pmi.org
To follow Denis Lassance click this link.
Revolut Personal click this link
Revolut Business referral link
Use the code NEWTOAIRALO15 to receive 15% discount on eSIMs smarter, stay connected — download Airalo SIM cards before your next adventure.
To book flexible dates surf coaching sessions, to find out about immersive surf training camps, online video analysis program and special JWC rates for using SurfREC, head to justinwestcoaching.com
From Lisbon to the global stage: how project leadership, technology, and human skills are evolving in 2026.
What does the future of project management look like in an AI-driven world? In this episode, Denis Lassance, Managing Director Europe at PMI, explores how emerging technologies, shifting workforce dynamics, and a renewed focus on purpose and people are redefining project success in 2026 and beyond.
In this forward-looking conversation, Denis Lassance shares insights from his leadership role at PMI, overseeing project innovation and professional development across Europe. With global organisations facing rapid technological change, Denis breaks down what is truly transforming project delivery — and what leaders may be overestimating.
We dive deep into the real impact of AI on project management, from automation and decision-making to the evolving role of human leadership. Denis also introduces the M.O.R.E. framework — Manage Perception, Own Success, Relentlessly Reassess and Expand Perspectives — a model designed to move beyond traditional metrics and place value, people, and impact at the centre of delivery.
The discussion explores the growing talent gap, the urgent need for upskilling, and how the nature of work is shifting in an increasingly hybrid and global environment. Denis shares practical perspectives on how organisations can adapt, build resilient teams, and redefine success in a complex, fast-moving world.
Finally, we look ahead to the key global trends shaping organisations in 2026 and beyond, and what leaders, professionals, and innovators should be focusing on right now — particularly in the context of the upcoming Global Summit Series in Lisbon.
For more information about the Project Management Institute (PMI) you can visit their website: www.pmi.org
To follow Denis Lassance click this link.
Revolut Personal click this link
Revolut Business referral link
Use the code NEWTOAIRALO15 to receive 15% discount on eSIMs smarter, stay connected — download Airalo SIM cards before your next adventure.
To book flexible dates surf coaching sessions, to find out about immersive surf training camps, online video analysis program and special JWC rates for using SurfREC, head to justinwestcoaching.com