After travelling to more than 50 countries and building a location-independent life, Australian entrepreneur and content creator Jake Snow has amassed an Instagram audience of 1.6 million followers. He could have chosen almost anywhere to call home. In this episode, Helen sits down with Jake to explore why he and his wife Marie chose Mallorca as the place to slow down, raise their young family and create a more permanent base after a decade of travelling the world.

Jake shares what Mallorca offers beyond the holiday experience, from the walkability and everyday lifestyle of Palma to beaches, mountains, family-friendly culture, healthcare and the growing question of schooling. He also explains why he believes renting before buying is one of the smartest things prospective residents can do, and what he learned from eventually purchasing and renovating their own property on the island.

Their conversation also traces the unconventional journey that made the move possible: meeting in Thailand, creating an online business and building a global audience, before moving into boutique hotels in Bali and developing a new project in Cape Town.

In this episode:

• Why Mallorca stood out after travelling to more than 50 countries
• How living in Mallorca differs from holidaying here
• Why Jake and Marie chose Palma for life with a young family
• The lifestyle, safety and sense of freedom they value on the island
• Schools, healthcare and the practical considerations of raising children here
• Why Jake recommends renting in Mallorca before deciding to buy
• What they learned from purchasing and renovating their Palma property
• Why trusted recommendations, local contacts and Spanish speakers matter
• The realities of working online and building a location-independent life
• How Jake and Marie built an Instagram audience of 1.6 million followers
• Their journey from travel creators to boutique hotel owners
• Why integration and learning Spanish matter when making Mallorca home
• Jake's advice for anyone still wondering whether to make the move

For anyone contemplating a move to Mallorca, Jake offers a particularly useful perspective: that of someone who has spent years comparing different lifestyles around the world before deciding what truly matters when choosing somewhere to live.

After years working in some of the world's finest hospitality destinations—from Germany and Mallorca to California and New Zealand—Anita Possner and Bastian Wenzel decided it was time to stop following other people's dreams and build one of their own.

In this episode, Helen sits down with the couple behind La Pasión, one of Mallorca's newest and most exciting restaurant concepts, to explore the journey that brought them back to the island.

They discuss learning from Michelin-level chefs, travelling the world in search of inspiration, opening and selling their first restaurant in Germany, and why Anita's solo Camino walk became the catalyst for creating a business centred on creativity, community and meaningful connection—not just great food.

The conversation also explores what it's really like starting a hospitality business in Mallorca, the realities of navigating bureaucracy, finding the perfect location, building relationships with locals, embracing the island's incredible food and wine culture, and why patience, authenticity and passion have been the foundations of their success.

In this episode you'll discover:

• Why they left Germany to start a new life in Mallorca
• How working in California and New Zealand shaped their philosophy
• The Camino walk that changed Anita's life
• Lessons from opening restaurants in two different countries
• What makes Mallorca's food scene so exciting today
• Why La Pasión is about much more than dining
• Their advice for anyone dreaming of starting over abroad

In this episode, Helen sits down with musician, creative and coach Maria Schönfeld to talk about what life in Deià is really like beyond the beautiful images and international reputation. Maria opens up about moving to Mallorca as a single woman, dating on the island, why she believes you should “move here for yourself”, and her two-year journey to finding the right home.

Maria moved to Deià after years of living internationally, including London and Amsterdam. She arrived on Mallorca with two suitcases and her cat, having spent surprisingly little time on the island beforehand. What began as a winter rental gradually became a permanent home. Almost four years later, she has built a life, friendships and a creative community in one of Mallorca’s most famous villages.

She shares an honest picture of Deià beyond the postcard: quiet winters when almost everything closes, intensely busy summers, a close-knit community and the creative energy that has attracted artists and musicians for generations.

In this episode:

• The reality of winter versus summer in Deià
• Why artists and creatives are drawn to the village
• Finding community when you arrive alone
• Life as a single woman on Mallorca
• Dating and meeting people on the island
• Maria’s two-year journey to buying her home
• Creativity, music and The Sonic Womb
• Maria’s advice for anyone considering moving to Mallorca

For anyone dreaming of Mallorca, Maria’s story is a reminder that finding the right place is about more than falling in love with how it looks. It is about discovering where and how you genuinely want to live.

What does it really take to feel at home in Mallorca?

When Tanja Sanders first visited the island in 2023, she made a life-changing decision. Within two months, she and her family had sold everything in the Netherlands and moved to Mallorca with their three children.

The reality was harder than expected. Finding the right home and school took time, and the family lived in several different parts of the island before eventually settling in Sóller.

In this episode, Tanja speaks openly with Helen about integration, feeling like an outsider, and why she now wishes she had embraced the local language and community much sooner.

She also shares why moving her children from an international school to the local public school became such a positive experience, and why she sees learning Catalan as a “gift”.

In this episode:

• Selling everything and moving within two months
• Finding the right home and school
• Settling into life in Sóller
• International versus local schooling
• Learning Catalan and integrating into the community
• What Tanja would do differently
• Why newcomers should give something back to Mallorca
• AI and the future of work

A candid and practical conversation for anyone considering making Mallorca their home.

In this especially personal episode, Helen is joined by her daughter, Eva Cummins, to examine one of the biggest concerns facing families moving to Mallorca: will their children’s education be compromised?

Eva attended Agora Portals from the age of three until completing the International Baccalaureate at 18. Drawing on her own experience, she offers an honest student perspective on Mallorca’s schools, academic standards, languages and integration. She also shares what it was really like to grow up on the island and how well Mallorca prepared her for university and life abroad.

In this episode, Helen and Eva discuss:

• Whether studying in Mallorca limits a child’s future opportunities
• Choosing between the IB, A Levels and the Spanish system
• International, private and public education on the island
• Joining a Mallorcan school at different ages
• How schools support children arriving without Spanish
• The importance of Spanish and Catalan for integration
• The benefits of a multilingual, multicultural childhood
• The freedom, safety and outdoor lifestyle Eva enjoyed growing up
• The occasional limitations of island life for teenagers
• Why proximity to schools and public transport matters
• Eva’s transition from Mallorca to university in Paris, Turin and Madrid
• How studying abroad changed her appreciation of Mallorca
• Her experience working in the family business and interest in property
• Why she hopes her own children will one day grow up on the island

From choosing the right school to understanding the wider reality of family life in Mallorca, this candid mother-and-daughter conversation offers valuable insight for parents considering a move.

When Christine Leja and Andree Mienkus began working in Santa Catalina more than 20 years ago, the Palma neighbourhood was very different from the cosmopolitan lifestyle destination it is today. Drawn to its fisherman’s houses, wide streets, natural light and distinctive character, they saw potential where others still needed convincing.

In this episode, Helen speaks to the German couple behind bconnected about vision, courage, partnership and knowing when it is time to begin a new chapter.

In this episode, they discuss:

• How Christine and Andree met and began building bconnected together
• Their role in the transformation of Santa Catalina
• Why the yachting community became their first important market
• How Swedish buyers discovered the neighbourhood
• The concept stores that brought new daytime energy to the area
• Their bold decision to leave Santa Catalina during the pandemic
• Reinventing bconnected from their new base in Bendinat
• Combining real estate, architecture and interior design
• How Mallorca’s property market has changed over three decades
• Why the island continues to attract buyers from around the world

From the early days of Santa Catalina to bconnected’s evolution into an integrated property and design company, Christine and Andree share what it takes to recognise potential, remain true to your values and keep moving forward.

In this episode Helen speaks with Dr. Carlos Rubí, founder of Instituto Rubí, about balancing family life in Mallorca with the demands of providing world-class plastic surgery.Originally from Bilbao, Carlos studied and worked across Spain and internationally before moving to the island in 2019. Inspired by his father, an anaesthesiologist, he developed an early passion for medicine and complex problem-solving. He explains why plastic surgery extends far beyond aesthetics, encompassing reconstruction, preventative treatment and the restoration of confidence after life-changing diagnoses.Helen also shares her experience of preventative breast surgery after discovering a BRCA1 mutation. Together, they discuss the importance of combining risk reduction with thoughtful reconstruction, emotional support and advanced aftercare.Away from the clinic, he reflects on raising his children on the island in Mallorca, his love of cycling, the importance of leading his team by example and his plans to establish a charitable surgical programme in the Dominican Republic.In this episode:• What makes Instituto Rubí different• The connection between aesthetic and reconstructive surgery• Why recovery and aftercare matter• Mallorca’s appeal to international patients• Balancing medicine, family and island life• Carlos’s future charitable surgical projectA thoughtful conversation about medicine, trust, family, purpose and a new standard of patient care in Mallorca.

In this episode Helen speaks with Dr. Carlos Rubí, founder of Instituto Rubí, about balancing family life in Mallorca with the demands of providing world-class plastic surgery.Originally from Bilbao, Carlos studied and worked across Spain and internationally before moving to the island in 2019. Inspired by his father, an anaesthesiologist, he developed an early passion for medicine and complex problem-solving. He explains why plastic surgery extends far beyond aesthetics, encompassing reconstruction, preventative treatment and the restoration of confidence after life-changing diagnoses.Helen also shares her experience of preventative breast surgery after discovering a BRCA1 mutation. Together, they discuss the importance of combining risk reduction with thoughtful reconstruction, emotional support and advanced aftercare.Away from the clinic, he reflects on raising his children on the island in Mallorca, his love of cycling, the importance of leading his team by example and his plans to establish a charitable surgical programme in the Dominican Republic.In this episode:• What makes Instituto Rubí different• The connection between aesthetic and reconstructive surgery• Why recovery and aftercare matter• Mallorca’s appeal to international patients• Balancing medicine, family and island life• Carlos’s future charitable surgical projectA thoughtful conversation about medicine, trust, family, purpose and a new standard of patient care in Mallorca.📧 For questions, feedback or enquiries, feel free to reach out: podcast@helencummins.com

For many people, success means climbing the corporate ladder, earning more money and building a bigger career. For Andrew Clemence, it eventually meant something very different.

Originally from Manchester, Andrew spent 18 years helping grow a small travel company into one of the world's largest tourism businesses. At just 38, despite being on the board of a multinational company, he made a decision that shocked almost everyone around him: he walked away from it all and moved his family to Mallorca.

Nearly three decades later, Andrew reflects on what happened next.

In this conversation with Helen, he shares how Mallorca transformed his outlook on success, why he chose family over corporate ambition, and how he went on to build and scale businesses across hospitality, entertainment, tourism and coaching while creating a life with far greater balance.

Together they discuss:

• Why he left a high-powered corporate career
• Raising three children in Mallorca
• Choosing the right schools and places to live
• Building businesses from the island
• The realities of relocating to Mallorca
• Why success isn't always measured by wealth
• The importance of community, health and purpose
• Practical advice for anyone considering a move to Mallorca

If you're dreaming of relocating to Mallorca—or simply questioning what success really looks like—this episode is full of honest insights and hard-earned wisdom from someone who's lived both worlds,