In this episode, I sat down with friend, colleague and fellow Wahlmünchnerin to talk about how she built a business in Germany (in Munich, specifically). Katie and I have known one another for awhile now and I knew the broad outlines of what she does, but it was great to get the whole story, end-to-end in this conversation.
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Meet Katie
Katie’s built a thriving online business serving high-achieving couples around the world. Katie moved to Germany in 2016 after marrying “a tall, handsome man with an accent” she met at a cookout through mutual friends. What started as a planned 3-5 year adventure became permanent when the pandemic hit, and Katie has since established herself as an expert helping couples navigate the unique challenges of international living.
Originally from the States and licensed as a professional counselor in Virginia, Katie discovered that her credentials weren’t fully recognized in Germany – a familiar story for many expat professionals. Rather than starting over with German qualifications, she pivoted to coaching and carved out a specialized niche working with international, bicultural couples.
How Katie Found Her Ideal Clients Without Traditional Marketing
When Katie first arrived in Germany, she wasn’t planning to work immediately – she was pregnant with their second child and focused on settling in. But she did something smart: she started building community.
Katie joined Facebook groups for moms in Munich and even started her own bullet journaling group. She began writing blogs for local websites aimed at expat women, covering topics like the challenges couples face when living abroad. When people posted in Facebook groups asking for relationship advice, Katie would respond professionally, always noting she wasn’t currently practicing but offering helpful insights.
“For a couple years there, when I wasn’t sure how I was going to work, I just answered them, and I shared openly and honestly from a professional standpoint, letting them know I’m not working. But, like, you know, here’s…”
By the time Katie was ready to officially launch her practice, she already had a foundation of trust and referrals in place. People knew her work and would tag her in relevant posts. This organic approach to relationship-building became the cornerstone of her client acquisition strategy.
Navigating Professional Credentials as an Expat
Katie seriously considered getting German credentials to work as a Heilpraktiker, but ultimately decided against it. The couples therapy she wanted to focus on isn’t typically covered by German insurance anyway, and she realized the bureaucratic process didn’t align with her goals.
Instead, she reframed her services, carefully using terms like “relationship strategist” and “coach” rather than “therapist” in her marketing. She’s transparent about her licensing and experience while staying within the bounds of what she can legally offer in Germany.
This decision opened up new possibilities. Katie now works with clients globally, including German couples who appreciate her international perspective, and couples where one or both partners are expats navigating cross-cultural relationship challenges.
Finding Your Niche Beyond Geographic Boundaries
Katie’s client base extends far beyond Germany. She works with couples in Japan, Dubai, Canada, the Netherlands, France, and beyond. Her secret? She doesn’t just pitch to expat podcasts or communities.
Instead, she thinks about what else her ideal clients are interested in. Since she works with couples who’ve been together 15-20 years, many of the women are in perimenopause. So Katie pitches herself to perimenopause podcasts, discussing topics like midlife relationship challenges and the question “should I stay or should I go?”
She’s appeared on over 80 podcasts using this strategy, always tailoring her message to match the host’s brand and audience interests.
The Power of Writing a Book During a Pandemic
Katie always wanted to write a book, originally planning a three-generation project with her grandmother and mother. After her mother’s death in 2018, followed by two miscarriages, Katie found herself journaling extensively about grief – not just death, but the grief that comes with life transitions and unmet expectations.
During the pandemic, when everyone was grieving their “normal” lives, Katie realized her insights were incredibly relevant. She compiled her journals into “The New Face of Grief,” hiring an editor and book cover designer to create a professional product.
The book became a powerful business tool, not necessarily for direct client acquisition, but for building credibility and providing value to existing clients. People would buy the book as soon as they learned Katie had written it, often coming to sessions having already engaged with the material.
Building Community That Actually Converts
Katie was one of the founders of Women Entrepreneurs Munich (WEM), which grew out of her desire to create educational and networking opportunities for skilled women who felt overlooked in their new country.
“Many of us are highly skilled and we’re having to start a business because we can’t do the work we did before. Or we’re having to start from scratch and you just don’t want to feel so alone.”
The group provided a platform for women to lead workshops and rebuild their confidence as experts, even when their formal qualifications weren’t recognized. When the pandemic hit and their planned retreat was cancelled, they pivoted to online education, offering bite-sized daily lessons on everything from Instagram selfies to branding fundamentals.
Katie eventually stepped back from WEM leadership, recognizing that sometimes the things we build don’t need our continued involvement to thrive – a lesson in knowing when to focus energy on direct business development versus community building.
The Tech Stack for Intimate Group Programs
Katie is currently launching “The Reconnection Space,” a six-month community for women navigating perimenopause while living abroad. Her platform choices reflect the need for intimacy and accessibility:
- Member Vault for program delivery and course content
- Vimeo for video hosting (avoiding YouTube’s connection to other content)
- Hello Audio for private podcasting
- Private Instagram groups instead of Facebook for closer community interaction
- Zoom for live calls
She’s particularly excited about using private podcasting to nurture her community, releasing a summer series called “Hormones and Holy Shit Moments” that appears in participants’ podcast feeds like regular episodes but isn’t publicly searchable.
What She’d Do Differently
If Katie could start over, she’d have launched her podcast much earlier – back in 2018 when she first wanted to start one. She held back due to her partner’s very German approach of wanting detailed ROI projections and comprehensive planning before starting.
“You come in with like, I’m so excited. And they’re like, here’s 50 questions. You need to answer all of these before you’re going to get my approval. And it’s like, I don’t need your approval. But now I feel like I do.”
This cultural difference between American “let’s try it and see” mentality and German preference for detailed planning is something Katie now addresses with the couples she works with.
The Pros and Cons of Building an Online Business in Germany
The biggest challenge for Katie has been learning online marketing and sales – skills she never needed in traditional private practice where referrals and insurance networks handled client acquisition. The constant learning curve of new platforms and strategies, combined with shiny object syndrome, can be overwhelming.
But the advantages far outweigh the challenges. Katie now impacts people across multiple continents, building what she calls “legacy work” that extends far beyond what she could have achieved in a single therapy office. Her books, courses, and podcast reach ears she never would have accessed in traditional practice.
Key Takeaways
🌍 Build community before you need clients – Katie spent years establishing trust and expertise in Facebook groups before officially launching her business
💡 Reframe credentials creatively – When professional licenses aren’t recognized, focus on what you can legally offer while being transparent about your background
🎯 Think beyond obvious niches – Instead of just targeting expat podcasts, Katie appears on perimenopause and relationship shows where her ideal clients actually spend time
📚 Books build credibility more than direct sales – Katie’s book serves existing clients and establishes authority rather than driving immediate conversions
👥 Community building has an endpoint – Know when to step back from community leadership to focus on direct business growth
🎙️ Start your podcast earlier than feels ready – Don’t let perfectionism or over-planning delay platforms that could accelerate your growth
💻 Choose intimate tech over flashy platforms – Katie prioritizes tools that create genuine connection over those with the most features
🌏 Online business creates global legacy work – The reach possible through digital platforms far exceeds traditional local practice limitations
Connect with Katie
💼 LinkedIn: Katie Rössler
🌐 Website: Katie Rössler
📷 Instagram: @katie.rossler