Expats of Berlin: Nithin Thankachen (Entrepreneur, India)

Nithin left Kerala in South India and landed in Berlin three years ago with a clear goal: to build something of his own. Out of that determination came his cleaning venture, Fmhaus360ug, launched in 2023.

The early days were anything but easy. “Every form, every email, every meeting was in German,” he says. “Even getting an appointment with a tax consultant was very difficult.” He leaned on his German friends to translate the maze of paperwork while testing AI tools that could untangle payroll and taxes. 

What began as a survival hack soon became his ultimate trick, turning an overwhelming start into a clear path forward. Bureaucracy itself wasn’t the enemy — “99% of the offices I dealt with were smooth and helpful,” he says — but the complexities of finance and taxation remain a constant concern.

Building Through Work and A4ord

Nithin runs a company that specializes in cleaning services and solar panel installations across Berlin and Brandenburg in partnership with A4ord. 

The scope is broad: households, restaurants, offices, and residential buildings. Back in India and Abu Dhabi, his family also manages mechanical, electrical, and civil works, but the shortage of skilled labor in Germany narrowed his focus. Electricians and plumbers were hard to find, so solar installations and cleaning became the core of his business.

Starting the company was simple enough — registering with the Gewerbeamt, meeting a notary, and filing paperwork. The challenge came later with communication and taxes. In Berlin, the multilingual environment made adaptation possible, but Brandenburg proved harder. “The majority of the people are above 50 or 60, and they don’t speak much English,” he recalls. 

Complaints came in during the first year because his staff struggled with German. Over time, they adapted, and today the company operates in English, German, and regional Indian languages like Malayalam and Tamil.

Building trust has meant more than just offering services — it has been about visibility. Nithin and his team stay active in community groups on Facebook and WhatsApp, where expats share recommendations. “Sometimes clients say they didn’t know an expat-run company like mine even existed,” he explains. Platforms like A4ord make that discovery easier, giving him visibility among newcomers who prefer to book services in English.  

The Challenge: Calling Berlin Home

Despite the long hours and financial worries, Nithin appreciates Berlin’s openness. The city’s diversity was one of the main reasons he chose it. “Berlin is multilingual. That’s the main reason I moved here,” he says. But his own lifestyle leans quieter. Most of his contracts are in Brandenburg, and he enjoys the contrast: open fields, peaceful surroundings, and nature. Berlin feels like a daily party at Alexanderplatz, but he prefers the calm.

Forging a Future 

Looking ahead, Nithin plans to keep his base in Berlin even as the company expands further into Brandenburg. The city has given him the combination of support and opportunity he needed. He’s candid about the challenges: taxes and payroll are the steepest learning curve, and no one should face them alone.

Expats often choose his company for this bilingual advantage, but Nithin is quick to note that German clients are steadier. Expats sometimes look for cheaper, cash-based services, while Germans value proper invoices and contracts — a reliability that helps his business grow, he concludes.

For expats who want to make life easier, platforms like A4ord Cleaning Services can take the edge off. Explaining your needs in English and trusting the service is invaluable when you are still adapting to the city.

What would you say to someone moving to Berlin tomorrow?
– “I don’t think a new person would be able to do it alone.”