Your best chapter is waiting, we'll help you write it
We left the U.S., moved to Portugal, and built a life we truly love. Now we help others do the same with honest guidance, real experience, and genuine connection.
If you've been thinking about moving to Europe but aren't sure where to start, or you're deep in the research and feeling overwhelmed, you're probably closer than you think. You might not fit the typical expat mold either. Maybe you’re still building a business, a career, a life that looks entirely different from the one you're leaving behind.
We’re Benaz and John William and we've been exactly where you are. We first visited Portugal in 2018 and it kept calling us back. In 2024 we purchased land overlooking the Atlantic, and in 2025 we packed up our lives and moved from Austin, TX to Portugal on a D2 Entrepreneur Visa. We're now building our dream home, and we haven’t looked back.
The process was full of lessons we wish we had learned sooner. We've been through the paperwork, the bureaucracy, the messy process of starting over, and we started Venture Along to help you do the same. When you work with us, you'll always talk to us. Not a team, not a specialist. Just us.
Our Story
You don't need to have it all figured out yet.
Why Venture Along?
We are in Portugal right now. We’re building our home, navigating the systems, making connections, and learning something new every day. When you work with us, you get access to knowledge that is current, practical, and deeply personal, from two people who were once exactly where you are, asking the same questions.
Personal D2 Entrepreneur Visa experience from start to finish
Experience on both sides: remote employee and entrepreneur, as U.S. citizens in Portugal
Real insight into daily life near Lisbon and Portugal's Silver Coast
A trusted network of tax, financial, and legal professionals
Honest guidance, both the wins and the hard lessons
Perspective tailored to your specific questions, fears, and goals
We're your guides on the ground.
What We Help With
From your very first question to your first week in Europe.
Visas, Residency & Citizenship: Full range of Portuguese visa types, with personal first-hand experience obtaining the D2 Entrepreneur Visa. We can also help you navigate the D7 Passive Income / Retiree Visa, D8 Digital Nomad Visa, Golden Visa, D3 Highly Qualified Professional / Tech Visa, and more, as well as obtaining your NIF. We can also share firsthand perspective on EU citizenship by ancestry, a route we've personally explored and one that several people close to us have successfully navigated, though laws in this area vary by country and change frequently.
Finances & Taxes: Expat finances, cross-border tax guidance, opening a Portuguese bank account (personal and business), and working remotely for a U.S. company in Portugal, plus warm introductions to the trusted tax, financial, and legal professionals we rely on ourselves.
Finding Your Home: Most services stop at rentals and existing properties. We bought land, navigated PIP and planning permission, obtaining a building license, and are building from the ground up. From renting an apartment to purchasing land and building your dream home, we can guide you through all of it.
Getting Settled: Moving and shipping belongings, buying a car and getting local insurance, obtaining a Portuguese phone plan, and flying with a dog to Portugal.
Health & Wellbeing: Finding doctors and dentists, Schengen insurance, and navigating private health insurance and the Portuguese healthcare system.
Language & Daily Life: Learning European Portuguese, building a social life, and understanding what day-to-day life actually looks and feels like near Lisbon and on the Silver Coast.
We are not licensed legal, tax, or financial advisors and nothing we discuss should be taken as professional advice in those areas. For topics requiring professional expertise, we share our personal experience and connect you with professionals we trust, either from our own experience or through our network. We'll always be upfront about where our experience ends and a licensed professional begins. We may receive compensation for some referrals. See our Terms & Conditions for details. Additional topics coming soon.
The View From Here
Some mornings we step outside and it still doesn't feel real. We are steps away from the ocean on a beautiful stretch of coastline most people haven't discovered yet and we’re building something with our own hands. The pace is slower, more intentional, and it’s exactly what we needed.
While there have been many moments of frustration navigating unfamiliar systems, a new language, and cultural differences, we got through it, and those experiences are exactly what shaped Venture Along.
From navigating the D2 visa to flying a 70-pound rescue dog across the Atlantic, follow along as we build it →
Others Who've Taken the Leap
Pricing & Packages
Each call is a dedicated, personal conversation with two people who have navigated this process and want to help you do the same. We'll share what we know, help you think through what's holding you back, and make sure you leave with more clarity than you came in with.
We are not licensed legal, tax, or financial advisors and nothing we discuss should be taken as professional advice in those areas. We'll always be upfront about where our experience ends and a licensed professional begins.
All sessions are conducted via video call. Payment is required at the time of booking to secure your spot.
Insight & Clarity
Relocation Support
One 45-minute video call
Who this is for: Anyone who is seriously thinking about moving abroad and wants to talk it through with people who have done it.
What's included:
• One 45-minute video call with us focused on your most pressing questions
• Honest answers and perspective grounded in our own experience
• A short follow-up email with 3–5 clear next steps tailored to you
• Links, resources, and contacts we mentioned on the call
What this is: A real conversation with people on the other side of the move. Leave with grounded, experience-based feedback and simple next steps.
What this is not: A formal relocation plan. Ongoing support beyond the follow-up email.
Three 60-minute video calls • 3-6 months
Who this is for: People who know they want to move abroad and want ongoing support and encouragement as they move from idea to action. Whether you're following on from a first call or jumping straight in, we'll work through the decisions, doubts, and details together as your move takes shape.
What's included:
• Three 60-minute video calls with us with each session focused on where you are and what you most need at that stage
• An email recap after each call with the main themes from your conversation and 3–5 next steps
• One check-in email between each session, with a response within 48 hours
• Links, resources, and introductions to our trusted network throughout
What this is: A supportive, ongoing relationship with people a few steps ahead.
What this is not: Unlimited email access or on-call messaging. Detailed research or document reviews.
$150
$495
3-SESSION BUNDLE
SINGLE SESSION
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Booking & Payment
All calls are scheduled online. Payment is collected in full at the time of booking via Stripe. We accept all major credit cards.
Cancellations made more than 48 hours before your session and before any work has begun are eligible for a full refund. Cancellations within 48 hours are non-refundable. Reschedules are welcome with 48+ hours' notice. For exceptional circumstances, please reach out to us directly — we'll always try to find a fair solution. See our full Cancellation & Refund Policy for details.
Follow Along on Our Journey
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Contact
You don't need to have it all figured out before you reach out. Whether you're deep in the research phase or just starting to dream, we'd love to hear from you.
info@venturealong.com
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A few steps ahead, every step of the way.