Why We Moved to Portugal — and Why We’re Building the Future of Sales Coaching from Here

When my wife and I told our friends in Berlin that we were moving to Portugal with our two kids, the first reaction was usually the same: “Really? With a startup in such a critical phase?”

Yes. Exactly then.

Because sometimes leaving your comfort zone is the best way to see things clearly — both in life and in business.

A New Chapter in Cascais

After more than a decade in the real estate industry, Berlin had been the perfect place to learn, grow, and eventually found improov. But I felt that both my family and my company needed a new rhythm.

Cascais, a coastal town near Lisbon, gave us exactly that. For my kids, it means playing by the ocean and discovering a new culture. For me, it means being in a vibrant, international startup ecosystem with the freedom to build improov with a fresh perspective.

The Everyday Struggles in Real Estate

If you step into a typical brokerage office, you’ll quickly notice the same characters everywhere:

• Anna, the newcomer — highly motivated, but lost in the noise. She doesn’t know which tasks really move the needle. After months of trial and error, her energy fades — and often, so does her career.

• Markus, the solid performer — sometimes brilliant, sometimes inconsistent. He closes deals, but his conversion from listings to sales is shaky, and no one knows why.

• The leadership team — drowning in spreadsheets and calls, trying to push performance without real transparency.

The result is predictable: frustrated agents, overworked managers, and lost revenue. Many companies respond by desperately recruiting new “superstars.” Costs rise, churn continues, and the cycle repeats.

Where improov Comes In

This is exactly where improov changes the game.

• Anna now sees a clear dashboard that shows where she’s progressing and where she’s stuck. Instead of guessing, our AI coach suggests micro-trainings tailored to her — like handling buyer qualification calls. Within weeks, she lands her first closing.

• Markus discovers through improov that his weakness lies in converting listings into actual sales. The system recommends modules on negotiation and seller objection handling. Within a quarter, his results stabilize, and his confidence grows.

• The leadership team finally has a transparent, real-time view of team and office performance. Instead of pushing with pressure, they can coach with precision — saving time and building sustainable success.
  

Why Now — and Why From Portugal?

The real estate industry is under pressure. Deals have become harder to close, markets are more complex, and the shortage of top performers grows year by year. At the same time, AI has matured to a point where it can finally deliver what was unthinkable just a few years ago: personalized, scalable coaching for every single agent.

That’s exactly why Portugal feels like the right place to take this step. The country combines a welcoming environment for families with a vibrant international startup scene and a strategic position between Europe, USA and Latin America. From our new home base in Cascais, we are convinced this is the right moment to act. With improov, we want to help companies move away from last-minute firefighting at year-end and instead achieve consistent, sustainable performance every single day.

Final Thoughts

Moving a family and a young startup to another country is not the easiest path. But it’s the right one.

For us, Portugal is more than a lifestyle choice — it’s the foundation to build improov into a platform that empowers real estate professionals everywhere to perform at their best, sustainably and with joy.

👉 If you’re curious to learn more or see how improov could work for your team, I’d love to connect.