The Heart & Hustle of Portugal

Sebastião Bugalho’s meteoric rise from journalism to politics is astonishing, specially considering he wasn’t even 30 years old when he gained the top seat of his political party, PSD, on the European Parliament. In an insightful conversation with host Tony Gonçalves, Sebastião discusses his visions for Portugal, Europe and also offers some insights into the rise of the far right party Chega.

His fa...

Portuguese journalist Ana Rita Guerra covers a range of topics from tech to AI to entertainment and US Politics for Lusa, Expresso, Diário de Notícias and others. Based in LA, Ana Rita was at the center of the Palisades wildfires and the ICE raids and, speaking with host Tony Gonçalves, she muses over those surreal days and offers a glimpse of the future of the media business.

Ana Rita Guerra believes that good...

Comedian Mike Rita isn’t just a stand-up. He’s a naturally funny guy who also happens to be Portuguese. Born in Canada to immigrant parents, he grew up mimicking their voices and mannerisms as a way to connect with the adults around him. But for years he left that part of himself off stage… until, one day, someone called him on it and it changed everything.

Mike’s presence carries the same raw honesty as th...

Marta Pereira da Costa’s story speaks to instinct, dedication, and cultural pride. She began on the piano but what spoke to her was the unique 12 string Portuguese guitar. Today, Marta is one of the few soloists performing this complex instrument on stages around the world, representing her culture with Fado music.

In this episode, Marta shares her path from civil engineering to full-time musician, her roots and hustle in the...

José Costa Rodrigues started selling iPhones to his friends in his teens, now he’s making it big in the United States. The true definition of an entrepreneur, José is now based in Texas and is the co-founder and CEO of Relive, a real-estate agency. Listen to the enthusiastic story of this true hustler.

José shares his humble beginnings selling iPhones, a move that led him to be known as “José...

Tim Vieira was born in South Africa but his Portuguese heritage shines bright. A businessman, entrepreneur and investor, Tim is running for President of Portugal, a bold move that we discuss in this episode of the podcast The Heart and Hustle of Portugal.

Speaking with host Tony Gonçalves, Tim explains his down to earth approach to politics and why he wants to give back to Portugal.

As usual, our guest shares his favorite Po...

What do you do when you miss a childhood staple food from your home country? Well, you make a business out of it, of course. Lindy Reid was baking bagels at home when when she started living in Lisbon and everyone loved them. Rhodo Bagels is now a colorful downtown place, where you can eat amazing bagels, drink great coffee and lush on delicious cookies.

Lindy’s story is also one of finding your place in a foreign country, a ...

John Calvão is a Partner and Fund Principal at Arrow, one of Europe’s leading credit and real estate investment platforms. In this episode, John shares how Arrow is helping reshape Portugal’s real estate landscape from resort towns like Vilamoura to new efforts in affordable housing.

He reflects on the unique opportunities Portugal offers, the cultural values that shape his leadership, and the practical hurdles t...

Julia Machado may only be 14, but Tony’s conversation with her showed that she is wise beyond her years. Winner of The Voice Kids Portugal, Julia is a songwriter, a singer and has the dream of using her music to help other people through challenges including bullying. As we celebrate World Youth Day, listen to her extraordinary journey (and perspective) on The Heart and Hustle of Portugal.

See omnystudio.com/listener for priva...

Lilian Mehrel went to the Azores with her mother for a vacation and left there with a script. She teamed up with Portuguese producer Andreia Nunes and, a string of coincidences and happy encounters later, led them to win Tribeca’s 1 million dollars grant to shoot “Honeyjoon” in the place it was imagined the first time: the idyllic island of São Miguel. Listen to Lilian and Andreia’s incredible journey...

The far-right has become Portugal’s leading opposition force. Tony Gonçalves sat down with Ricardo Costa, Chief Content Officer at Grupo Impresa and one of the most trusted voices in Portuguese media to get a glimpse of the new political landscape in Portugal following yet another snap election. This is a special episode from The Heart and Hustle of Portugal.

Ricardo Costa has covered many elections and is convinced th...

Joel Sousa is leading the revival of Famel, the iconic motorcycle brand that was a staple of Portugal’s working class from the 60s through the 80s. Now reimagined as a sleek, sustainable electric bike, Famel is ready to ride again and once again become the two wheeler of “the People”.

Joel Sousa’s engineering background and willingness to get his hands on everything is the passion that drives the new iterati...

Lauren Covas is a proud Portuguese-American chef, two-time Food Network champ and now the author of “Little Portugal”, her cookbook that champions and highlights the Portuguese dishes and flavors of her youth, where, as she recalls, there was always something cooking in the kitchen: night and day.

For Lauren, food is deeply rooted in family and this conversation highlights this heritage, as she recalls her youth spent i...

Gifford Miller planned a stop over in Lisbon on his way to Seville, but 36 hours later, he was house hunting and never made it to Seville. Today, he’s the owner of Atlético Clube de Portugal, a historic football club in the heart of the Portuguese capital. His motto? Football and good times

A former New York politician, Gifford shares his passion for football, and for walking - offering a few tips for navigating Lisbon...