Swiss born Alex Schinasi is an expat living in Portugal since 2023 following a twenty-year stint in the USA. She has built and sold two SAAS startups and is now building an ecomm brand with Hulken, the bags that make “Schlepping Easy”!

Tell us about your business?

I’ve always been passionate about creating solutions that fill a concrete need. I co-founded two companies that both exited successfully – Ivy, which was acquired by Houzz, and Clay, which was sold to Kangarootime. Those experiences taught me not only how to build businesses but also how to pivot, adapt and scale. My latest venture, Hulken, became a viral sensation and combines practicality and design, focusing on solutions that simplify everyday tasks.

How did you end up in Portugal?
What led you here?

Portugal was a bit of a happy accident. I was looking for a change, and it just clicked. The quality of life, the openness of the people, and the slower pace compared to the hustle of New York or Tel Aviv – it all felt right. What started as a crazy idea turned into a long-term decision, especially when I realised it was a great place to raise my family and run my business. The fact that it’s so close to NYC allows me to bounce back and forth more seamlessly than other parts of Europe.

 

“Like New York and Tel Aviv, Portugal has this unique way of making you feel grounded.”

 

Is it ‘home’ now?

Yes, it feels like home. While I’ll always have a soft spot for the places that shaped me, like New York and Tel Aviv, Portugal has this unique way of making you feel grounded. It’s home now, both for my husband and me, but also for my kids who attend school and have created a strong circle for themselves. We love that we are surrounded by like-minded families that experienced the high-paced life of bigger cities and have now settled in Portugal.

Best bits and challenges of living and working in Portugal?

The best part is the quality of life. Our kids can go sailing after school and go surfing on weekends. They are such happy kids! On the work front I love that I’m at the halfway point between Tel Aviv and New York City, two of the biggest entrepreneurial hubs in the world. The biggest challenge, though, is navigating bureaucracy. It can be frustratingly slow compared to the efficiency we are used to.

Any lessons learned about running your own ship here? Any advice to people looking to follow in our footsteps?

Patience is key. You have to adapt to the Portuguese pace of life. Building a network takes time, and understanding the local way of doing things is crucial. Surround yourself with locals who can handle the bureaucracy for you.

Pros and cons of running a business in Portugal vs the US?

Portugal offers incredible talent at a fraction of the cost, and the startup ecosystem is growing fast. But compared to the U.S., the market here is smaller, so scaling often means thinking internationally from day one. The U.S. has its edge in speed, funding opportunities and scalability, but it can lack the lifestyle balance you find here. So my advice is to do both! Live in Portugal but launch businesses stateside, you can do it!

Best/Worst thing about being an entrepreneur?

The best part is the freedom to create and watch something you imagined come to life. The worst? The constant uncertainty. You have to make peace with not knowing what’s next and trust yourself to figure it out.

How do you balance work/life?

Short answer: I don’t! I’m constantly off balance. I’m either working too much or not enough. I always feel like I don’t spend enough time with my kids. That’s ok though, and that’s part of the ebbs and flows of entrepreneurship. It’s not perfect, but I try to set boundaries and focus on my health.

 

“Make peace with not knowing what’s next and trust yourself to figure it out.”

 

Any career highlights/lowlights?

A major highlight was selling our first company – it was validation that the risk and effort were worth it. A lowlight? Seeing team members feel bitter because of business decisions we had to make. I learned to accept that your team won’t always approve your direction, but it still always stings.

Life motto?

“Success is never linear.” The ups and downs are all part of the process. Embrace the challenges because they’re what shape you.

What’s next?

With Hulken, the focus is on expanding globally and continuing to innovate. Personally, I want to keep mentoring other entrepreneurs and maybe even dip into new industries I haven’t explored, yet. I feel like I still have so much to learn and achieve!

Oh, and favourite emoji?

It has to be the 💡– it’s all about ideas and creativity!

Follow @alexschinasi