From curly haircuts to cupcake shops, Eleanor has spent decades helping expats in Germany feel a little more at home. Today, she’s the co-founder of The Germany List—a one-stop hub for international-friendly services—and shares how life, work, and language shaped her unexpected journey in Munich.

Sigrid
We are back in one of my favorite parts—where we get to talk with people from different corners of the world, each of whom has made a life for themselves here in Germany. Today, I’m joined by Eleanor, who’s recently been caught in a kite strike—but we finally found a moment to connect. Strikes can be complicated, can’t they?

Eleanor
Yeah. They’re over now. It was just a couple of days here and there. So… yeah.

Sigrid
Still seeing the fun side of Germany, right?

Eleanor
Well… kind of. To be honest, it almost doesn’t matter—because it’s probably the same in Berlin—but in Munich, basically from mid-February to mid-March, everybody is sick all the time. Especially if you have a kid in school—which is just a germ container. So even if there’s a strike, your kid is probably home sick anyway.

Sigrid
Part of normal parenting here: expect at least one sick child per season.

Eleanor
Yeah.

The Birth of the Germany List – A Central Hub for Small Businesses, Communiity services, and International Finds

Sigrid
But you’ve already integrated all that into your lifestyle—and you’re also doing amazing work. So tell us a little about it.

Eleanor
What I do? Okay. A lot of things. I have a business in digital strategy—digital marketing, branding, websites, online marketing, all that stuff. I actually started working at an agency here for ten years. It was an American agency getting started. After that, I freelanced at different agencies. I built a big network from that job.

Then when I started my own business, I thought I might focus on expats. I started a podcast—and through that, I realized there’s a huge ecosystem. There are lots of startups, sure—but also people with “mom-and-pop” businesses. Solopreneurs. Online stores. Sustainability consultancies. So many people doing interesting things.

When I came here in 1999—yes, my first job was paid in Deutschmarks—there were websites where you could find things happening. But then came social media, and now everything’s spread out across Facebook groups and Instagram. Like, there’s this American woman in a Munich suburb who figured out how to roll up Bavarian pork like an American Christmas ham. But I can never remember her name, so I just go into a Facebook group and type “ham ham ham.”

So I thought—we just need a place where I can search “Munich food” or “international foods” and find things.

That’s how I co-founded The Germany List with Lindsay. We’re trying to document every small business, community group, or English-speaking Frauenarzt across Germany. It’s for people who need these services—and for those who offer them, to market themselves without getting buried in social media noise.

Curls and connection matter more in Germany than you’d think.

Sigrid
That sounds incredible. I also love that you’re making it easier to find a Frauenarzt who speaks English. That’s huge. How has the international community evolved since you first arrived?

Eleanor
I just added someone today—this Brazilian woman in Hamburg who cuts curly hair. She doesn’t speak English, but she speaks Portuguese and Spanish—and a bit of German. And she’s got a great Instagram. So she’s going on the list too. It’s not just about English, it’s about solving real problems like curly haircuts!

Germany has gotten much more multicultural. I’m Black, and I used to be the only Black person everywhere. Not the case anymore.

Also, the media landscape has shifted. When I arrived, you figured everything out on your own. Now there are influencers with massive followings explaining how to navigate life here. That’s probably the biggest change.

Sometimes, integration means learning when to yell.

Sigrid
Migrating isn’t easy. It’s not like you just wake up one day and say, “Germany sounds fun!” You think it’ll be better, and then… you get yelled at in Aldi. How did you overcome those fears?

Eleanor
Honestly, learning German changed everything. You can stay in an English bubble forever. I worked at an American agency, spoke English at home… but eventually I made a conscious decision to learn German.
It’s still rusty, but I can do what I need—socialize, talk to my in-laws. That shift—especially being able to yell back on the bike path—that changed my experience here completely.

Sigrid
That moment you yell back… is maybe the moment you’ve officially integrated.

Eleanor
Exactly. Not that it’s always about yelling. But being able to communicate—especially when you’ve crossed that threshold where you don’t check out of the conversation—that helps you feel integrated.

How a Temporary Visit Turned into a Lifetime: From café visa extensions to permanent residence.

Sigrid
How did you end up in Germany in the first place?

Eleanor
I studied design in San Francisco. A German guy from our program got me interested in coming here. A friend and I had this idea to start an agency. Ridiculous—we didn’t know anyone, and I didn’t speak German.

But I came anyway. The café owner kept telling me, “Get a job or get married.” Every three months, I’d get an extension.

Eventually, I got a job at an ad agency—paid in cash at first! Then I found a job at a bigger American company here. The recruiter was from Boston and didn’t care about my German. That job changed everything.

Sigrid
How was the transition from agency life to running your own business?

Eleanor
Totally different. You’re responsible for finding your own work. But I had a great network from my agency days.

I started as a contractor, and people just called me. The harder shift was deciding I wanted to have my own business—not just freelance. That meant learning about positioning, niches, marketing… it was a big curve.

Sigrid
Did you experience any major cultural shocks?

Eleanor
Definitely. Understanding regional differences was a big one. Bavarians are grumpy—they’ll tell you that. But then I worked on a project in Cologne and found people were warm and open. I realized, “Oh… Bavarians are like that. Not all Germans.”

Also, you have to watch your reactions. I gave someone the finger once—just a regular American reaction—and my German friend was like, “You CANNOT do that here.” Huge learning moment.

Given the chance, What would Eleanor do different?

Sigrid
If you could do it all over again, would you change something?

Eleanor
I would’ve learned more German, sooner. And maybe spent less time hanging out with English speakers in the beginning. But that’s tough—it’s lonely otherwise.

Sigrid
What are some of your best discoveries since launching The Germany List?

Eleanor
This woman in Hamburg who cuts curly hair—amazing. A woman in the Pfalz who makes cupcakes. Another who runs wine tours. There’s also a guy from South Africa who sells South African delicacies. Clearly, I like food!

Sigrid
If someone wants to be listed, how can they do it?

Eleanor
Just go to The Germany List, click “Add Your Business,” and fill out a form. We do verify submissions—but it’s simple. As long as you’re a real person—not a giant company pretending to be small—you can join.

Sigrid
And you have a podcast too?

Eleanor
Yes! It’s now under The Germany List brand. It’s called The Germany Expat Business Show. I interview non-native German business owners about how they set up, handle taxes, find clients, whether they work in German or English.

One guest talked about getting a vendor number at a big company so he could bill. Another got e-residency in Estonia to simplify taxes. It’s all very practical.

Sigrid
Where can we find it?

Eleanor
Anywhere you listen to podcasts—Spotify, Apple, etc. Or just go to The Germany List and find it in the top navigation bar.

Sigrid
Eleanor, thank you so much for being with us. We’ll definitely want to check in again later this year to see how The Germany List has grown.

Eleanor
Thanks for having me.