Building a business abroad can feel as scary as moving abroad did. Val has found that international professionals usually get stuck because of the beliefs they carry, not because they lack experience, ideas or knowledge. She goes through five common beliefs and how to reframe each one.

The 5 beliefs

1. "I need to figure things out before I can start."
   Preparation has a limit. After that you're just consuming information instead of acting. Ask yourself what you could test in practice to get an immediate answer. That might be speaking to three potential clients, sharing your offer or becoming visible on LinkedIn.
2. "It took me years to rebuild my life abroad, and I don't want to start from scratch again."
   You aren't starting from scratch. You're building on years of experience and skills you can transfer. Write down three past transitions you navigated and what each taught you.
3. "I'm not a salesperson."
   Think of sales as a doctor's diagnosis. You ask questions, reflect back what you understood, suggest a course of action and ask for a simple decision. It doesn't take a particular personality. First, be honest about whether you trust the value of your work.
4. "My network is scattered across countries."
   Connections in many countries can be an advantage, especially for an online, service-based business. List the people you've worked with, reconnect with them and build relationships rather than chasing sales.
5. "Why would anyone choose me with so much competition?"
   Competition shows there is demand. Your edge comes from combining your experience, personality, expertise, perspective and type of client.

Key takeaways

• Notice your beliefs and treat them as thoughts, not facts.
• You don't have to fake confidence. Take a small step that's a bit uncomfortable, like talking to a stranger about what you do or writing your first post.
• Ask yourself what you could do differently this week.

Resources & Links

The Business Building Sprint (November): three live workshops on Zoom, max 20 people each, €39 each. You can join one or all three.

1. Workshop 1: Nail your positioning.
2. Workshop 2: Find your first 10 potential clients.
3. Workshop 3: Build an offer people can actually buy.

You will get your money back from the Sprint if you later join the group program in January.

• Apply to the Spark Your Expat Business program.
• Book a free clarity call and let's explore working together 1:1
• Get the checklist to see if you're ready to start your business, and which steps to take first

Connect with Val:

• Linkedin
• Instagram

This episode explores a topic that often gets overlooked when someone leaves employment to start a business: how that decision changes a relationship, especially when finances, household stability, and emotional support are shared. Val shares her own experience of building a coaching business while living abroad and explains why this is not just a career choice, but a joint life decision. She focuses on two main areas: money and psychological safety. The episode is especially relevant for couples where one partner is becoming self-employed, and even more so for internationals navigating visas, shared expenses, and reduced safety nets.

Key topics

• In this episode, Val explains why starting a business changes the household economy, not just the founder’s career path.
• She breaks down the real-life impact on shared finances, including savings, holidays, housing plans, children, and long-term security.
• She shares how she and her husband discussed runway, including savings, benefits, and a timeline for when they would reassess the plan.
• She warns against leaving too much unspoken, especially around who covers shared expenses and how long that arrangement can last.
• She stresses the importance of setting boundaries so a partner supports the journey without becoming the person who controls the business.
• She highlights the added complexity for international couples, especially when one person has already compromised their career for a move abroad.
• She walks through the uncomfortable money questions couples should discuss early, including temporary income gaps, business investments, and whether the founder pays themselves a salary.
• She explains why your partner should not become your business manager, therapist, or decision-maker, even if they are your closest person day to day.
• She encourages founders to build support outside the relationship through community, business coaches, and peers who understand entrepreneurship.
• She closes by reframing the conversation around success, not just failure, asking what happens if the business works and how that changes lifestyle, location, and household choices.

Resources & links:

• Join my dinner with Mad Money Club "Three's a crowd: Love, Money and the Business"on November 17th, Copenhagen
• ONLINE: Join my practical Business Building Sprint "Nail Your Positioning" on November 12th
• Book a free clarity call and let's explore working together 1:1
• Get the checklist to see if you're ready to start your business, and which steps to take first

Connect with Val:

• Linkedin
• Instagram

Val explains why LinkedIn reach is not just about the algorithm, but about how clearly and personally you show up on the platform. She shares the content and profile shifts that helped her increase impressions, grow her network, and attract better-fit clients.

Key topics

• Val shares that her LinkedIn impressions grew by about 100,000 in 90 days, up 104% from the previous 90 days, with 52% of impressions coming from outside her network.
• She explains that early LinkedIn content often tries too hard to prove expertise, but that posts become more effective when they include the story behind the knowledge.
• Valeria distinguishes vulnerability from oversharing and says the goal is not trauma bait, but showing how you learned what you know.
• She breaks down the value of trial and error in content, including mistakes, client conversations, changed opinions, wasted time, and lessons learned from other professionals.
• She says independent professionals often fail on LinkedIn because their profiles still look like corporate resumes instead of client-facing positioning.
• She recommends fixing the profile first by making the photo, banner, headline, and About section clearly answer: what do you do, who do you help, and why should someone work with you?
• Valeria stresses the importance of speaking in the client’s language, not industry jargon, so posts sound like a real conversation instead of insider terminology.
• She argues that your personality, perspective, and lived experience are the real differentiators in service businesses, not generic expertise.
• She shares that every useful lesson has a cost, and posts become more credible when readers can see what it took to learn the lesson.
• She advises writing for the actual client, not for other coaches or consultants, by reading posts aloud and checking whether a potential buyer would understand and care.

Resources & links:

• Book a free clarity call and let's explore working together 1:1
• Get the checklist to see if you're ready to start your business, and which steps to take first

Connect with Val:

• Linkedin - write me "PROFILE" in DM
• Instagram