Life After 50: Thriving Through Change and Innovation

Welcome to the Age of Reinvention podcast! In this episode, host Emily Bron interviews Antonio Roque, a relocation consultant, business coach, and entrepreneur from Portugal. Antonio shares his incredible journey of reinvention, transitioning across careers in energy efficiency, smart home innovations, and relocation services to become an expert in helping professionals and entrepreneurs move to Portugal.

Discover key insights about adapting to change, achieving location independence, and thriving professionally, even in midlife. Antonio reveals what makes Portugal a compelling destination for expats, discusses relocation strategies, and inspires reinvention at any stage of life. Subscribe and join this transformational journey of professional and personal reinvention!

TIMESTAMPS:
01:39 Guest Introduction: Meet Antonio Roque
03:35 Antonio’s Career Journey and COVID-19 Pivot
05:01 Starting a Relocation Consultancy
06:10 Motivation and Entrepreneurial Spirit
09:16 The Appeal of Portugal for Relocation
11:46 Language and Community in Portugal
13:24 Antonio’s Multilingual Skills and Global Experience
17:14 Key Factors for Relocation
20:43 Balancing Professional and Personal Life
22:30 Antonio’s Business Coaching Program
24:21 Managing Risk and Uncertainty
28:30 Networking and Community
29:46 Time Management and Productivity Tips
32:38 Final Advice for Midlife Professionals
36:50 Conclusion and Farewell

Emily: Welcome to the Age of Reinvention, redefine Freedom, lifestyle, and Purpose at Midlife, the podcast that shares the stories and advice from remarkable individuals who have transformed their careers and lives. I’m your host, Emily Bron, and today we have a truly inspiring guest from Portugal. Antonio Roque is a relocation consultant and business coach with a wealth of experience in various industries, including energy efficiency, internet of things, and smart homes.

Antonio is also an entrepreneur, teacher, speaker and coach, he has reinvented himself professionally many times. One of his latest reinventions is helping professionals and entrepreneurs relocate to Portugal. Whether you are at career crossroads, planning to relocate or seeking new opportunities in life, you are for the treat.

 Join us as we explore Antonio’s journey and insights. Hello Antonio, nice to see you in my studio today.

Antonio: Hello, Emily. Very grateful to be here.

Emily: Yes. And I was looking forward because I have been working actually in similar direction. Speaking about relocation and your multi-layered experience and perspective, it’s very valuable. Again, Antonio, your career has spent various sectors including energy efficiency and construction of smart homes.

How did this diverse experience guide you to your current relocation consultant and business coach roles, and at what age and stage of your life latest professional changes occur?

Antonio: It’s it’s a bit long story, but any everything starts with a point. And for me starting with this consultancy on relocation and also starting to become a business coach it all starts in 2020.

2020 it was supposed to be the year of plenty, but it was the year of Covid and I know elsewhere in the world, but at least Portugal, at the 15th of March, 2020 and it was a lockdown, everything closes. And the business I have it was, based on meetings. I do a lot of and silence my own business with clients. And in those months after March, 2020 it was a lot of free time because I could not place myself to go to meetings and, start new contacts and the use of Zoom, especially from my end clients was not so spread. I don’t wanna stay sitting and waiting. So I decided to make a change in my life. So I started my journey in personal development with coaches in the area of business. All of those programs work with coaches from the US and as those kind of programs as a, the theoretical part, and also they include the community. When people get together, normally those communities are Facebook groups. And most of the people are from the US. a few, from Canada, others from UK, but I noticed when people started noticing there was Antonio Roque was there and then they noticed that I was from Portugal, they asking me questions about how’s Portugal? How is Lisbon different than Porto?

How is the north different from the south? How is Portugal mainland different from Madeira or Madeira and mainland are different from resource?

And so, everything starts like that. It’s like the good things. Everything starts small and it grows in time. So I start telling some tips about it and in time it develops something more more demanding. So I start also to know a little bit more about how, the real estate also connected to it because previously I worked many years with real estate developers, but I never sold a single house, so I was not in that business. And in time it develops site business. It’s what I do since then. So I help people to move, especially from North American, Canada to move to Portugal.

I have a partnership with a group of lawyers who help me with the taxes and a partnership with another group of lawyers specialists on the visas. Although I know a lot about it, I don’t know everything. I’m far from it. So I wanna make things safe. On that side. I also develop myself as a real estate broker. So I got we call in Portugal, EMI number, so it’s a reference number. So I make partnerships with all the real estate companies here in a way to speed the process to find the right place for my clients to rent and then to buy if they wish to. And also now I’m studying another part which is we call the golden visa which is a different part of the relocation, but is for very wealthy people who wanna move to Portugal to get a second passport. So now, it’s through investment, not anymore through buying a house. Not anymore through real estate, but it’s through investment in some kind of funds, Portuguese funds and are eligible for that. So, this is what I do as a realty lounge which is the name of the business I have.

Emily: No, it’s great. Actually I started my business also in the 2020. And look, I am, I see the certain trend between certain group of people who using opportunity, even finding opportunity in such time as Covid and it’s going back me to ask your opinion actually question like that, what motivates you to do something new when many people spend, the same time during the covid, watching movies or doing some other stuff.

So in generally. What is about you? What motivates you to do something new? When many people spend years on the same workplace or developing career in the same field.

Antonio: It depends on me. It’s I always I always believe that I’m here to learn and I’m here to grow.

So it’s one of the things I always impose myself when it comes on my father is never stick to where you are. Stay away from your comfort zone and because in your comfort zone, you never grow. So that’s why I’m always looking for new opportunities and new ways to help people to do what they wanna do.

And so the world now is packed with opportunities. It’s an amazing thing. And, I have an entrepreneurial mindset. So I have what my growth mindset.

Emily: and just like over viewing the old people that I know and I understand that, change drastically your direction after 50, it’s very hard. But people with entrepreneurial spirit or even they don’t understand about spirit, but people who would like to learn to grow to actually have curiosity to what’s going on in the world, they the most, probable contenders in such situations because many people still affected by, depression of the times. Yes. And it was a lot of uncertainty in twenties and 21. And but like I also distinguish now the people, even by speaking of, different mindset and I believe the mindset is actually evolving.

It’s what makes us active and live longer. By the way, why you decided to specialize on helping to relocate or become relocation consultant for entrepreneurs and professionals?

Antonio: I can say that I, came from marketing because you need to speak with a group of people because if to speak to everybody you help anyone.

So you need to speak to a certain group of people and especially the people who are asking me for help in the beginning, they’re all entrepreneurs. There are all people who are in those programs learning how to become a coach, and I understand from all of them because most of them don’t wanna stay where they are.

Because coaching, you just need a smartphone and internet and to be online and you can do those kind of things. There are so many people who I’m speaking now to and helping them. They are people absolutely retired, but there are others who come to work with no matter how age they are.

They work remotely. And this is a powerful tool. The same way we are speaking now. You are in Canada. I’m in Portugal, so people can do this from whatever in the world. They are.

Emily: Absolutely agree, and as far as I see the Portugal soon will be full of entrepreneurs and coaches of different age and professional directions because many of who I know they are

in Portugal. Being a digital nomad, it’s different group, but speaking about more mature people how do you see from your perspective, Portugal using this opportunity grew a lot as a country, as economical stage using people who arrived and, complement the economy of the country.

What is your opinion?

Antonio: Oh, absolutely. Portugal, if there is a word I can say about Portugal is a very easy country to live and to develop wherever people want to do. And because it’s easy to drive it’s easy to move from one place to the other countries, quite small, it’s just that the mainland is 800 kilometers per 250. so it’s like a rectangle with two highways, one from between Lisbon and Porto, and the other from south to north, and then another six highways from coast to Spain.

So it’s quite easy to move around. It’s very safe and internet and and all the technology side is absolutely well developed. So it’s a great place to live and to drive and to do wherever, and we are one, two or three hours from wherever you can imagine in Europe so it’s uh by plane it’s quite easy.

Emily: Portuguese people lately, the the approach to newcomers because from what I read, and I fully understand that people in Portugal, Spain, other countries like local people are not always happy with newcomers be because of cost of living is growing up not enough properties. And because of purchase of the properties by foreigners actually as they perceive increase cost of the properties because there’s a lot of demand and not enough new construction to provide all, opportunities. So what about this balance?

Antonio: All kind of foreigners are very welcome here, especially they want to contribute and to and to make things done here.

And, you are absolutely right with that. But that’s mainly around Lisbon and and the Porto and surrounding areas because, if people move outside and helping people to move to different cities than Lisbon and Porto, it’s very easy to find a place and much, much in cheaper than, for example, Lisbon and Porto.

It’s the quality of life in those cities in, not only in the interior, but also in the coast between Lisbon and Porto and south. It’s quite amazing and it’s it’s much lower cost and finding an apartment or villa is much more easier or to rent one. And so what I advise to everybody is that find a place where you have a nice community of people and the cost of living is lower and the quality is high.

And that doesn’t exactly mean Lisbon and Porto. The country is so easy to move by car or by transportation that no matter where you are never more than two hours from Lisbon or Porto.

Emily: Yeah I actually agree with you and actually what stops me a little bit because I was considering Portugal for several years, it’s Portuguese language, which is not like for me, Spanish is easy to learn, and in order to find community and actually to feel good in a country, I believe you need to know language. You need to local language, and even to find community. Even. I know that in Portugal, many locals speak English and there’s enough people now from all over the world that can, you can speak English.

Are you saying that English speaking, expat communities, you can find now, like in many small cities across the Silver Coast and other small, areas.

Antonio: There’s so many communities and the Silver Coast is the area around a city called Zeria, and that’s one hour drive to Lisbon by highway.

So it’s so close and yeah, there is so many communities and I always tell people that it’s advisable to learn. Start learning just a few words and it comes, it grows with time because if if you don’t do that, most of your friends will speak with you in your own language.

Mostly imagine if they are English, they speak in English, and since most of the Portuguese speak English also, you will never give that give yourself the opportunity to learn the language. It’s always a matter of mindset and know a few words in the language of the country you are, it’ll make life easier for you.

So it’s just make an effort. It’s not this not difficult at all. It’s everything is achievable. If we want, we can do it. And there’s so many things they can do with Learn by Apps. There are communities of people who teach themselves. There are a lot of programs, even the state have programs for helping people to learn the language and to to develop that knowledge.

Emily: Yeah. So my next question actually about languages. You speak several languages, Portuguese, obviously English, Spanish, French, and Italian. Where did you learn French and Italian and what actually was the reason behind it?

Antonio: Yeah, its the very different reasons. The, both of them. French, I speak because it was when I was in school in high school here the main language was French.

And so I, I learned French as my second language and then this the third language was English. Anyway, my aptitude to English was was very high because say it was the language I used for business. In the nineties where I worked for multinationals and as my own business in the 21st century.

And so French came from there. And one of the jobs I have, it’s a company from the uk. It’s a big manufacturer of in the wiring cable industry. And, I always love Italian. And once the, they’re responsible for the company and says, Antonio, we want you to make a stage in a could be a couple of weeks and perhaps it will extend in Italy.

We are going to give you some private classes of Italian. So it was two weeks with private classes and in two weeks, if you wanna, with private classes, you’ll learn a lot and hopefully I was into Italy, I went into Torino, and then to Ascoli Piceno, close to Rome, and I had the chance to use it.

Anyway. One of the things is my level either in French or in Italian, it only develops after I stayed a couple of days in those countries because a language, if you don’t speak it, it’ll slow down in your mind. You need to be there and start speaking and then something will revive on you. Spanish and English is very different because almost every day I speak with with partners because my energy efficiency company is Spanish, so I speak with them in Spanish. And all my relocation businesses is made in English. So I speak in English. So daily I use English and French. And that what makes a language knowledge goes because if you only know by theory, you don’t practice, you only know about it.

Real knowledge comes from action, comes from practice. And that’s why I became so fluently in English. Spanish is is almost as fluent as Portuguese. So this is why, but I love both Italian and French. Yeah very nice languages and I love to read in those languages and I love to speak also.

So multilingual ability and actually global experiences are incredibly valuable assets. How and does it help you in both relocating consultancy and your business coaching?

Antonio: one thing is to realize that although I always lived in Portugal, I’ve been in more than 50 countries and different cultures requires a different way to think and act towards those the persons from those cultures. And we are just a small part in a very big world, although the world is getting smaller in a way due to technology, but the world is very diverse. And I left to learn more because it’s doing business and doing talking with someone. For example, this experience from South Africa, It’s very different from speaking with a person from Columbia. And from South African Columbia is very different than to speak with someone from Japan, which I work in a Japanese company before in the nineties. So it’s a very different mindsets and very different ways of thinking. And all of that is, is my little treasure something I carry with myself and helps me to, make a better understanding and to provide a better service in everything I do.

Emily: The last time we were spoken, you mentioned that your wife is Argentinian. Where did you meet her?

Antonio: Yeah. My wife is a double nationality, but she was born in Portugal. Her mother is from Buenos Aires, she’s from Buenos Aires. We have family there, I really love Buenos Aires and all the area around. I love the wines. It’s one of the things I like more in life. I love wine tasting and and so it’s Argentina is one of my favorite places in the world.

Emily: Tell me please, if you had to relocate, imagine to a new country yourself. What three key factors would you consider as the most important based on your experience, personal experience, business experience, and as a relocation consult?

What do you think people should base the, decision to relocate on.

Antonio: For me, the first one, and it’s quite easy to say because Portugal is one of the safest countries in the world for the reason number one is safety. Everything comes after that. Number two is the quality of life and the cost of living. And the number three is the weather because it’s so important. People don’t know when only know when they miss it. So it’s a I and I’m very used to staying in a country with a lot of light, with the sunlight.

And for me, that’s very important. Professionally I visit many times, Germany Norway, Sweden, and it’s very different the mood and so on. Now, that’s very well studied now, and people change when they have the sun all day around when the sky is blue. And this remembers one thing a story.

I work in the nineties for several multinationals, as I’ve told you. One of them was A-B-B-A-B is a company and Swedish. And always having Lisbon year colleagues from Sweden and they stay year a couple of years or one year or two, and then they move back to other country, or mainly they went back to Sweden and we met after in export meetings and marketing meetings all over Europe.

And I remember to ask to them and they say, oh, how is life And going back home and so on. And I remember to ask what do you feel more that you are left from Portugal. And they don’t say the food, the cost of leaving, no. What they say is the light, and this is amazing. And and we only notice that you miss the light when you don’t have it. So when the sky is damp and gray and so on. So that’s where you see, so for me is this three. Safety,

Easy living and low cost of living and, and the light also, if I may add a fourth factor for myself personally, is being close to the sea because I always live close to the sea. And this is one of the things I like to do more is early mornings is part of my morning ritual. I love to do big walks or jogging on the beach with barefoot on the wet sand even in the winter with the cold water, you feel yourself refreshed so you feel invigorated and in it, increase your vitality and you’ll be it happens to me. I’ll be more ready for the day to come. It’s one of the things I love to do.

Emily: Safety it’s generally super important, but in big countries there is different areas.

Would you relocate, for example, to Bueno Aires that you mentioned? How all these three, four factors coming together for this place.

Antonio: To Argentina, yes. But to Buenos Aires? No. Because it’s in the city center, and this is, that’s a place I know quite well. It’s too much people, too much traffic and there’s it’s one of, it’s one of the countries that you need to know where you are. At least here in Portugal you can be wherever and no one, there’s no problem for you, but there you need to take good care of yourself. But although this is not close by the sea, I love a city called Mendoza.

And yeah, I will not mind to live a few years in Mendoza. There’s plenty of wines. It’s close to the Andes. It’s very safe, very quiet, and it’s a big city. It’s a city around 2 million inhabitants, but it’s a beautiful surroundings and you can do big hikes in the mountain and it’s it’s quite nice.

Yeah, Buenos Aires for me personally, is to urban. I would love to be there for a week or two, but to leave, for example, a complete year now. No it’s not my style. No. It’s a wonderful city and I have family there, so it’s it’s yes. Now, but it’s not my favorite place there. I would love to live in Mendoza or in the northern area of Bueno Aires in an area called El Tigre, it’s close to the river. Rio Pla is one of the affluent, and that’s wonderful. It’s but it’s not in the city center because the city is too massive for me.

Emily: Okay. I was speaking about the city center because I understand it’s a big city and there is the different areas. How do you think midlife professionals.

Can leverage their skills and experiences when they considering relocation abroad or maybe how they should think about it and select country based on their professional and personal experience?

Antonio: Yeah. It’s a, it depends on the what you really wanna do. Because after 50, you are in a position that, probably you have your savings and you need to ask yourself what going do in the next few years because until about well

It’s a 20th century thinking, but until some years ago people were supposed to work until sixties and then to live until 70 something. But that not anymore the case. After 50 you can think you to yourself that you are going to live more 30, 40 years or even more. and so you need to to think more what to be moves because your children are already working

And what do for yourself and my biggest advice is try to do one thing is do you wanna move to another country it’s a great opportunity to move to another country where the cost of living is much lower.

And the quality of life is much higher probably than the place where you live. And on the other side is take a close look of your of what you are good at and try to see if you can use that as location independent, we spend 20 or 30 years watching Netflix. So we need to be active because active is making not only body, but also the mind. And there’s nothing that makes you more active than see that you are helping others and you are creating something. So keep your mind active and now with the use of internet, it’s so easy.

Just see something that you are good at. You wanna do something that you have you can call it your passion and and go for it. Try to see if you can develop into a mission and just establish a goal or a dream and then make goals and make some tasks and do it because no matter the age, there’s so many things that everybody can do.

Emily: Absolutely agree. And I know that you are working last years in the direction of business coach, and I’m trying to understand in what exactly direction, because you know what exactly you are offering for your clients, students. What are the most common challenges faced by the entrepreneurs you mentor?

What you are working on with them?

Antonio: Yes. Emily. I’m going to start I just finishing the end of last year, I finished the base of my own program and already branded and give it a name, and the goal it’ll be to help people who are entrepreneurs to become business owners and while working on their nine to five job.

And that means moving online. So this is the thing I would like to help people to do that. And make them feel that’s possible. While they have a nine to five job, that’s very possible nowadays because with internet, with social media, and with ai the opportunities are there in this, for everybody to try anyway, they need to be entrepreneurs and I helping them to align all of their ideas in a way that they can succeed. So this is my coaching. The basic of the coaching will be that.

Emily: But not all people will warn entrepreneurs. And actually, when you working nine till five.

When you are working nine till five, many years, like people should have or maybe develop special skills, think differently, act differently. It’s what you’re speaking about. As a mentor.

Antonio: In a way that you absolutely agree. Not everybody in a is an entrepreneur, but many people are entrepreneurs, but they don’t want to create a business.

They want to develop themselves into the company where they are to grow in the company scale. That means that’s entrepreneurship. The same, but I’m going to help those who are entrepreneurs, but wanna create. Because they don’t want to depend only on their single source of income. So they want to create another source of income, and they have the dream to create something online. If there is online, that can help. If it’s not, I also can help also, but I will advise online because if it’s not, it’s difficult to combine with their nine to five job.

And yeah, there’s so many entrepreneurs out there.

Emily: Absolutely. And it’s my next question. Personal change, professional change often involves managing risk and uncertainty, and especially we are living now in a time of big uncertainty. Yes. And economical, political personal. What strategies do you recommend for people for dealing with these challenges during such transitions from this like nine to five to the entrepreneurship to relocate, how you deal with managing risk and uncertainty?

Antonio: For me it’s, two different steps, but you need to make sure that first to relocate if you want to go to the place you, I imagine to go. So just go there, stay there. All I always advise stay there, rent a house, stay there for a few months, 2, 3, 4, 6 months.

Stay there first, and then decide if it is the right place for you. Because possibly, it could not be. Or you need to change to another place, another city, more close to the sea, more close to the mountains and so on. But if you wanna to when you work on the nine to five job, it’s and you want to create a business, you need to make sure that your Why is very strong.

Because if your why is not so strong when, your why is your purpose it’s strong. You wanna do it. Okay? So it’s it’s you’ll be the right person because it’s very important to not only to choose the right business to do on, online, but also you need to be the right person.

And and so it’s in what I helping people to do with the coaching is really to helping them to align their principles and values with a purpose to see what passions they really are and what passions or what passion one, it’s you can monetize and then align with goals and tasks and with a vision and so on.

So this to create in your mind that’s really what you want. And you want give up at the first adversity or the first shiny object that someone shows in face of you. That need to be, you need to grow yourself also. And a business for me is the best way to earn to earn money.

And then you need to invest your money in something that make that money work for you. But the first place is to really have a good income. And the business for me is the best way and the safest way to get that income. Especially now using online. If you are, while you are still doing this it’s very important that you stay with your nine to five job because you have bills to pay.

So I always advise people to stay in their own job,

Emily: but if people lost their job, okay, if people are not working and many people now, fired things are changing, businesses are closing or workplaces, what to do in this case.

Antonio: In this case is trying to find another job or trying to start a business.

But the, my best option is if it is, if you are losing your job and if you have an idea to launch your business, do it immediately. Don’t wait so long for that you need to know when you lose a job. You need to know exactly if you want to create a business or look for another job.

When I work for the Japanese, we had a meeting in the early hours of the morning. It was the first meeting, and it always end with the safety first. And that’s what I say to everybody, safety first. So it’s great to start a site business when you have, income is very important. So don’t start a business just by necessity. A business need to be start because it’s with your purpose. It’s basically is what I really advice to do.

Emily: Yes. Like ideally, obviously it’s better to do when you still have income coming. But business development and especially when you new in the business, first might take up to five even more years.

And if you are not working, like you need to have funds to subsidize your. Personal business development and family and home probably you are owning or whatever your day-to-day purchases. So it’s I understand it’s a sweet spot to start when you’re still working. It’s actually what I did, but I see how all changing, and what do you think? Like from every specialty and professional direction people can make business or, being in every profession.

Antonio: Yeah, almost you can be an entrepreneur in almost everything. The most important thing is that need to be part of your passion need to be part of you.

So you need to love what you do and to make certain that you can succeed. You need to make sure that there is people who want what you have to offer. That’s why normally I teach everybody, it’s if you wanna learn something, which is you’ll apply it to everything.

You’ll do learn marketing. Because marketing teaches you to be, why isn’t to move in this to make very good decisions on that? And so it’s yeah, it’s just need to make sure that you can reach the people and that people wanna buy what you have to offer. It’s and the more people you can help, the more you earn.

So it’s like that and the more you can give back to them.

Emily: Look there are so many changes lately, even in marketing. Marketing is changing quicker than anything else. Even professional marketers confirm it and whatever was working for one business year ago will not work even for the same business later because people are changing, social media platforms.

From your experience, what role do networking and community play in successfully reinventing oneself in midlife?

Antonio: I think that’s very important because all my life I was a networker and the connector because it’s, that’s so important. And when doing business, there is nothing more powerful that, someone that knows you, likes you, and trusts you, come to you and asking for you to help them or to supply them with some service you have or some product you have or some even in the coaching of some transformation you can do in their lives. And so it’s networking is absolutely, important because it Doesn’t matter that everybody’s going online because this works also online.

And the thing is, it speeds up all the process. You can reach even more people online, but it’s always people who know and trust you can refer you and can introduce you to other persons. So that’s why I say networking is so important, but using tools like everything. It’s only can speed up the process and you have more chances to succeed on that.

The networking we do now, it’s very different from the traditional networking from the 20th century, but it’s still networking.

Emily: Absolutely. Balancing all your professional and business directions in several roles requires excellent organization and adaptability, how do you manage your time and maintain effectiveness across these different responsibilities?

Antonio: Yes. One of the first things I made long time ago was to know myself and know myself means that what are my because we are not all the same. We are 8 billion people in the world, and we all have different aspects and the different ways how we do in the 24 hours a day. And what I learned from the early days is that everybody has those 24 hours.

So for me the most important thing was to know myself and where am I more productive? I like to wake up early and I have a morning routine quite early and then I work the from 8, 8 30 to 1230 so in a row. And this is where I’m more productive. So everything important. Normally I put in those morning hours. But I seen people that they are more productive six o’clock in the afternoon. Others, they are productive after lunch.

We’re all different. And so all the important tasks, I do it in the morning and then in the afternoon is other type of tasks. It’s some meetings and so on. So that’s what I do daily. And one of the things I do very important is before I go to bed, I know exactly what I do.

The in the four hours, in the first four hours of productive on the day head. So this is daily planning and I try to integrate this daily planning in my weekly planning. And I introduce, and I try to integrate this weekly planning in the monthly planning, and then in the end planning.

It’s all, it’s the best way to reach your goals.

Emily: So what tool are you using? Sorry for planning. Are you using some tool for planning some app?

Antonio: No. No. I had one of the coaches I had, they teach me this, so it’s I use some I just, there are agendas who teach you on this, but I have my own thing and it’s a part of the things I’m teach also I’m teaching in my coaching is this because productivity is a key thing. Because after three, after 90 days or 100 days, it’ll be another habit. And when it’s a habit, it just you refuse not to do it. It’s it’s part of you. The most important thing is to make sure that you win the hours of the day. So it’s and so this is for me doing this more important tasks in the morning, and I will only have four tasks.

50 minutes for each task, four main tasks the is what I do, but in the morning I don’t listen to television. I don’t have my phones everything is canceled. I just work for myself on those, ev everything else. I will reply after lunch. Every day I’ll do it after. So it’s a kind of productivity. One thing I learned really from a long time ago is that we don’t manage time.

We only manage what we do in a certain amount of time. Because time is always what it is,

Emily: Good if you can always evaluate that, you will have say, 50 minutes per task because sometimes like when I’m starting to write something and I’m thinking about it, I forget about time. I mean it just going.

Antonio: I know that.

Yeah. I have always a professional agenda, which is what I mentioned here, and I have also a personal one, so I have both. And I make sure that only have, nothing less than three tasks, and nothing more than five is the month. So the average is four tasks and if I do it in in, for example, in 20 minutes, okay, I’ll relax the other 40 minutes.

I’ll take that time for myself. And then on the next hour, I’ll start again. And of course this can never succeed like this, sometimes you need to put some tasks for the afternoon or every day in the late of the day. I will put the tasks for the day after and sometimes I need to complete the task of the day before.

So it’s like that. But this makes you stay on the right track and keeps you from becoming overwhelmed. And this is really important. This is the basics of productivity. It’s all over the, well on YouTube. It’s full with the vices of this type. But if you can put this in a system and if that system becomes a habit, oh, it’s an amazing, so it makes you win your days.

Emily: Many midlife professionals. Find themselves now at a crossroads, as far as I know, looking to redefine the careers and lives. What initial steps would you recommend they take to start this journey of reinvention and transformations?

Antonio: My biggest advice is for everybody after 50 is if they want to do another career, if you want to proceed and I really advise to do, try to do something that gives you location independency.

That means in most of the cases, not hundred percent, but most of the means, do your business online, do your tasks online, because that’s gives you freedom. And then you can freely decide where to go and where to live and where to work. Normally this is why advice to everybody.

Of course we need those things, but I’ll never advise anyone to to open a coffee shop for example. No, because it’s a location dependent business. Have always, my advice is to have, try to have a location, independent business.

Emily: Let’s speak openly. Location, independent work. So it’s consulting or coaching or if you managing, you able to manage your company by online. It’s not so many professional opportunities like direction. All skills you can do online?

Antonio: Yeah, I, I can do an example. It’s for example, the, my engineering business on energy efficiency, the company Spanish. My team of engineers is in Spain, in Ali County, and I deal with most of my clients I deal online now. It’s everything change deal online and with the help of of internet and smartphones and so on.

I don’t go to the site to see it. Normally it’s done completely remote. And I’m here in Portugal, but I could be in Spain, I could be in France, I could be in Cyprus, I could be in Morocco, wherever. Because it’s and it’s engineering business. It means that you need to know exactly what you want to develop and make sure that the business could be physical in a physical place, but you don’t need to be there. Never to work in the business because when you are running a business you need to work on the business to grow and don’t if those little things that every business need to be done, try to delegate. Because if that’s the only way to free you time. I didn’t say that before, but it’s very important.

Learn how to delegate it’s a must. Because if you no matter how easy and small the business is, if you do everything, it’ll be much much difficult for you, succeed. You need to know exactly what you are going do, what you want and deligate as much as you as you can because if you start delegate, it’s because you understand the business and the key things is the ones you do is the ones who make your business grow. But yes, it’s you can have hybrid like I do also. You can have hybrid and you can do it online, but the business is not an online business.

But do it online. Yes. And this is my advice to everybody who are experts. I was an expert in energy, so I find out a company who wanna to do what I was willing to do. And this is a great opportunity for lots of people to work all over Europe, over the world.

Emily: And what you would recommend for professionals above 50 who are planning to relocate and other than, to develop online business, what else?

What steps to to make towards, your new destination?

Antonio: Yeah it’s a ever a close understanding about your finances. And if you want to leave the place where you are now think about the places where we have been before. Don’t say, oh, I wanna go to Spain, because some friends went there and they say, that’s wonderful.

No take some time for yourself and your family and go there. Stay there for. 1, 2, 3, 4 weeks and to see if you like it or not, or come to Portugal to see if you like it or not, or to Greece or somewhere, or to Costa Rica or to Panama and and see if you fit. We need to go to one place and to go not Yes, but it’s we need to know to have your, our feet on the ground to know exactly if that move is the one for us to do. Make your, do your job and especially go to your memories from when you have thirties and twenties and so on and you travel, you say, oh, I was very happy there.

That place was fantastic. I love that place. And so go back there and see if it’s still what you remember. Perhaps it’s even beter. ’cause the world changed in 20, 30 years. The world changed. Go there. Never think by your own act and do your actions and and you’ll be much more happy with that. This is my advice, really.

Emily: Thank you very much. Antonio. I really enjoyed our conversation as usual. And good luck to you with all your business directions, with coaching relocation help, engineering and whatever new you can come up in the future.

Antonio: Thank you so much, emily, it was it was all my pleasure to be here with you.

Emily: Thank you.

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Age of Reinvention. It was an absolute pleasure to have Antonio Roque with us today, sharing his incredible journey and valuable advice for midlife professionals on the brink of personal change and reinvention. We hope you found inspiration in actionable insights to help you navigate your path.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and live a review on your favorite podcast platform, and don’t forget to share it with those who might benefit from Antonio’s wisdom. For more updates and resources, follow us on Spotify Age of Reinvention podcast. Until next time, keep embracing change and reinventing your life.

António Roque

Helping Online Entrepreneurs and Families Transition to Portugal ✈️ | Premium Relocation Services 🏡 | Speaker, Consultant, Coach and Mentor

Antonio Roque helps online entrepreneurs from North America and Northern Europe relocate to Portugal with ease. He offers tailored property searches and access to a trusted network of experts in visas, taxation, and real estate—ensuring a smooth, premium relocation experience.

In a constantly evolving world, personal and professional reinvention is more relevant today than ever, especially for midlife professionals. This core theme was beautifully explored in a recent episode of the “Age of Reinvention” podcast, hosted by Emily Bron. The episode featured an inspiring guest, Antonio Roque, a relocation consultant, business coach, and entrepreneur from Portugal. Antonio’s transformative journey sheds light on how midlife professionals can adapt and thrive in change.

Antonio Roque: A Maverick of Reinvention

As Emily introduced Antonio on the podcast, she highlighted his impressive and eclectic career trajectory across diverse industries such as energy efficiency, smart home construction, and the Internet of Things. Antonio’s ability to continuously reinvent himself made him a perfect guide for those looking to transition careers or relocate to an entirely new country.

Having experienced reinvention during the global pandemic in 2020, Antonio blended personal growth with professional expertise to pivot toward a career aligned with his passions: assisting others on their relocation journeys, particularly to Portugal—a country he intimately understands.

The Spark of Change

Antonio described how the adversity of the COVID-19 pandemic became the catalyst for his reinvention. As traditional business models faltered amidst lockdowns, he embraced opportunities through personal development and business coaching. Connecting with global audiences, predominantly from the United States, he noticed an obvious interest in relocating to Portugal.

This awareness inspired him to leverage his local insights and develop a relocation consultancy business, partnering with local experts to help others navigate a seamless transition to Portugal. Whether it’s expats, entrepreneurs, or retirees, Antonio’s mission is rooted in empowerment through informed decision-making.

Motivation Behind Reinvention

When asked about his drive to pursue reinvention, Antonio radiated positivity and ambition, emphasizing his lifelong belief in continuous learning and stepping out of one’s comfort zone. Curiosity about the broader world and a mindset that embraces entrepreneurial thinking propelled Antonio to seek new growth opportunities.

“Many people found comfort in leisure during the pandemic,” Antonio explained, “but I found purpose in pursuing change and progress.” His story underscores that transformation doesn’t happen passively—it’s fueled by intention and self-discovery.

Why Portugal? Relocation Insights

Antonio shared compelling reasons why Portugal has become a top relocation choice for professionals aiming to redefine their lives. Key factors include:

• Quality of Life: Portugal’s safety, excellent infrastructure, and easygoing lifestyle make it a highly appealing destination.
• Geographical Advantages: The country blends beautiful landscapes with proximity to European hubs.
• Professional Ecosystem: The rise of remote work opportunities and thriving expat communities support economic growth and connectivity for digital nomads.

Economic Realities and Smart Relocation Strategies

While Portugal offers undeniable advantages, Antonio addressed challenges such as increasing living costs in popular urban areas like Lisbon and Porto. He recommends exploring smaller or less urbanized regions, where living costs remain reasonable without compromising the quality of life.

Antonio noted that these areas can provide an excellent environment for building nurturing communities for expats while maintaining fiscal flexibility.

Overcoming Language Barriers

Antonio shared valuable advice for navigating the cultural and linguistic challenges of moving abroad. Learning the local language is key to fully integrating into Portuguese society and creating meaningful connections within the community.

From his personal experience, Antonio emphasized how multilingualism and cultural adaptability have enhanced his career and life, which are tools he encourages others to embrace for successful relocation.

Professional Reinvention for Midlife Professionals

For midlife professionals contemplating a career pivot, Antonio offered actionable recommendations. He emphasized:

1. Alignment of Values: Identify areas where personal passion intersects with professional skills to create meaningful work opportunities.
2. Location Independence: Explore online avenues for work that offer freedom and flexibility without geographic limitations.
3. Adaptability: Reinvention isn’t about discarding the past. It is about recalibrating one’s path to better align professional goals with personal purpose.

Conclusion

Antonio Roque’s journey exemplifies how embracing transformation can unlock unprecedented opportunities—even in midlife. By cultivating an open mind and an adaptive mindset, anyone can redefine their lifestyle, professional goals, and global opportunities.

Listeners are encouraged to take inspiration from Antonio’s story, consider tangible steps toward personal and professional reinvention, and engage further with transformative insights on the “Age of Reinvention” podcast.