In this second of the Summer Shorts, we catch up with Belfast hotelier Melanie Harrison. The key lesson here is how Melanie has put thoughtful storytelling at the heart of everything she does. Her property once belonged to Belfast's answer to Mr Selfridge, Cleaver of "Cleaver and Robinson" a once famous Belfast department store. At the height of Cleaver's success in the 19th century he was selling linen by mail order across the world and had become, in Melanie's words, "the Jeff Bezos of his day". Each of Melanie's rooms at her hotel tells a story. And she partners with theatre and opera companies to bring quirky lives performance into her hotel. It makes the hotel itself a place of discovery for guests who can soak up stories and create new ones of their own to tell their friends. As a result, the marketing almost looks after itself. It's an approach from which many businesses could learn. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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8:26
Unpacked: Benefits U-Turn and Tax Rises; Trump's Reverse Robin Hood and The Northern Ireland Economy
On the latest Unpacked episode, journalist Jim Fitzpatrick and economist Richard Ramsey explore the big economic stories and how they're likely to shape our lives. From Donald Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" which is going to take US debt to almost unimaginable levels; to the Labour Government's U-Turn on benefits and what that could mean for future tax rises; to the very latest on the Northern Ireland economy and what it tells us about global exposure. For all the latest analysis, opinion, and even a game of Top Trumps, hit play now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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51:18
Summer Shorts: Dominic Kearns of Fibrus and his £845 million gamble
In this episode of Trading Up, Jim Fitzpatrick interviews Dominic Kearns, founder and CEO of Fibrus, discussing the company's significant investment in building a fibre telecoms network in Northern Ireland and Cumbria. They explore the challenges of raising capital, the impact of government support, and the competitive landscape in the telecoms industry. Dominic shares insights into the operational challenges of building infrastructure, the transition from a build phase to focusing on customer acquisition, and his ambitious goals for the future.TakeawaysFibrus has invested £845 million in fibre telecoms infrastructure.Dominic initially raised £100 million with a slide deck presentation.Government backing was not initially part of the funding strategy.Project Stratum - which was government backing - was a significant competitive win for Fibrus.The company is expanding into Cumbria, focusing on hard-to-reach areas.Customer acquisition is a key focus as they transition from building to operating.Dominic emphasises the importance of understanding infrastructure investment.The company aims to reach 200,000 customers in the next two years.Fibrus operates both an open access network and a commercially integrated retail model.Dominic's accounting background aids in managing the financial aspects of the business. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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10:13
Founders: How Declan Keeney Built The Most Advanced Virtual Effects Studio In the World
Declan Keeney grew up with broadcasting in his blood. His Dad was the driving force behind a revolution in local radio in Ireland. Recognising a demand from rural communities whose stories needed to be told and shared, he lobbied the Irish government to change the broadcasting law and founded Highland Radio in Donegal. It became hugely successful and was the catalyst for a new ecosystem of local radio broadcasting in Ireland that changed the national conversation. Declan is now implementing his own revolution and building a new ecosystem at the cutting edge of the creative industries. Studio Ulster, of which he is co-founder, is a £72 million investment in virtual production located in Belfast Harbour. This technology allows film and television producers to create virtual sets that blend with the real so that fully visualised environments can be captured on camera in real-time without the need for laborious post-production. Goodbye green screens. Hello giant "tv" screens. The new facility also has the very latest in motion capture technology on a scale that's not found elsewhere. There's nowhere else like it, in the world. But what Declan's building is more than a studio: with a network of talent and support across government, academia and industry, he's developing that new creative industries ecosystem. As a Professor at Ulster University he has been instrumental in developing the courses and training for the talent to enter the industry. Studio Ulster is also a key research centre - a CoStar Screen Lab, one of five government-backed centres across the UK, each with a different specialism. And the studio is also hosting and incubating a new generation of companies to work with the global film and television industry. The economic payback for the regional economy could be immense. One of the first productions on site was a docudrama about the Titanic. The production was initially slated for a studio in South Africa with a huge water-based set. But Studio Ulster's virtual environment provided a solution that was closer to home. Rebuilding the Titanic wasn't tempting fate, but instead felt like an appropriate first project - keeping millions in local economy - and the order book for the months ahead at Studio Ulster looks pretty full. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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1:08:16
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1:08:16
Thinkers: John Ryan on How Health Really Does Mean Wealth
For years, issues like health and wellbeing have been the preserve of corporate HR departments. John Ryan is on a mission to change that. His approach is radical and based on data. His own wake-up moment was uncovering the shocking evidence that too many workplaces are simply killing their employees. His challenge to organisations is at all levels - some of the worst health is found on the executive floors. But with a rigorous approach he believes he can help companies become healthy places to work and contribute not only to the health and wellbeing of all, but make a real and sustaing difference to the company performance and the bottom line. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Trading Up hosted by Jim Fitzpatrick and produced in association with EY, delves into the real businesses, personal stories, and remarkable journeys of entrepreneurs. Discover insights on risk, resilience, and business growth from diverse founders and leaders in businesses big and small across various industries. Tune in weekly for inspiring entrepreneurial learnings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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