Trading Up

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.

Trading Up is a business podcast hosted by The Irish News, with 109 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

The Irish News hosts Trading Up, a business show with 109 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #50

  The Art of the Shift: How Commercial Failure Unlocks Entrepreneurial Impact

  Aug 19, 20261h 2mS2

  In this episode, Fiona Bennington of Catalyst shares her journey through the world of invention and product design. She details how she developed an innovative wearable device to manage period pain - a product that successfully made sales and won a major category award, but ultimately served as a profound learning experience in commercial failure. Though her invention solved a painful, real-world problem, its lack of a scalable strategy taught her that engineering a great product is only half the equation. Fiona reflects on her critical identity shift from a problem-solving engineer who simply wanted to build things, to an entrepreneur who understands how to commercialise them. She explains why commercial viability is the ultimate foundation of sustainable, long-term impact. Today, Fiona brings these hard-won lessons to her role at Catalyst, empowering early-stage founders to turn their own inventive designs into scalable businesses. Tune in to discover why success and failure are both vital in the entrepreneurial journey. Brought to you in association with EY. The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not reflect the views or positions of EY or its other member Firms. EY proudly sponsors the Trading Up podcast but does not endorse or take responsibility for any statements made by individual guests. The Trading Up podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Supported by - Queen’s Business School at Queen’s University Belfast offers world-class undergraduate, postgraduate, and executive education. The mission of Queen’s Business School is to educate and explore for the benefit of business and society. QBS is triple-accredited, an accolade which puts it in the top 1% of business schools in the world. As a member of the Global Business School Network, the School is connected through strategic partnerships across the globe. QBS engages with the business community to develop principled and effective leaders, provide student and graduate talent, and harness innovation through academic expertise. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  Episode #49

  The Great Profit Squeeze: Flat Sales, Burnham’s Care Taxes, and Trump’s Tariff Wars

  Aug 12, 202638 minS2

  In this episode of Trading Up Unpacked , Jim Fitzpatrick and Richard Ramsey dissect the intensifying profit squeeze gripping Northern Ireland businesses. Despite flat sales of £35 billion, pre-tax profits for NI's top 100 companies have plummeted by 17.5%. Meanwhile, local PMI figures reveal new orders falling at their fastest rate in three and a half years, with sectors like retail and hospitality hit hard by rising costs. The hosts examine domestic pressures, from National Insurance hikes to Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s bold gamble on social care. Burnham is navigating tight manifesto restrictions by leaning towards a 10% "death tax" or a 1.8% income care levy. Globally, they analyse how Middle East conflicts have drained US strategic oil reserves to 1980s levels and evaluate Donald Trump’s record-low approval on inflation and his disruptive new tariffs. They also debate how regional supply chains face delays amid geopolitical tensions and local civil unrest. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  Episode #48

  Coolcations and Culture: Can Belfast Capitalize on the Global Rise of Climate Tourism?

  Aug 5, 202629 minS2

  In this episode of Trading Up, hosts Jim Fitzpatrick and Richard Ramsey explore whether Belfast is positioned to capitalise on a massive, climate-driven tourism boom. As Europe swelters under devastating heatwaves and wildfires, a major travel trend has emerged: the "coolcation," where tourists actively seek out cooler climates to escape extreme heat and enjoy restorative sleep. Can Northern Ireland—with its compact layout, rich cultural appeal, and UNESCO City of Music status for Belfast—become a premier destination for these travellers? The hosts weigh the massive £60 million economic projection from Belfast's Fleadh festival against serious local headwinds, including hotel booking declines following June’s civil unrest. Looking to Scandinavia, they debate what Belfast must learn from the Nordic model of civic responsibility, waterfront design, and "leave no trace" environmental ethics to truly maximize its long-term tourism potential. Brought to you in association with EY. The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not reflect the views or positions of EY or its other member Firms. EY proudly sponsors the Trading Up podcast but does not endorse or take responsibility for any statements made by individual guests. The Trading Up podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Supported by - Queen’s Business School at Queen’s University Belfast offers world-class undergraduate, postgraduate, and executive education. The mission of Queen’s Business School is to educate and explore for the benefit of business and society. QBS is triple-accredited, an accolade which puts it in the top 1% of business schools in the world. As a member of the Global Business School Network, the School is connected through strategic partnerships across the globe. QBS engages with the business community to develop principled and effective leaders, provide student and graduate talent, and harness innovation through academic expertise. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  Episode #47

  Building a Luxury Watch Brand from Scratch: How Nomadic Put Belfast on the Horology Map

  Jul 29, 202649 minS2

  In this episode of Trading Up , host Jim sits down with Peter McAuley, founder of Nomadic Watches, to discuss how he built Northern Ireland’s premier luxury watch brand from the ground up. Launching in Belfast in 2021 with a background in mechanical engineering, Peter set out to challenge established Swiss watchmakers by combining high-precision craftsmanship, accessible luxury, and rich local heritage. Peter reveals how Nomadic grew from a boot-strapped side project selling 50 watches in its first year to a global business shipping 3,000 timepieces annually across 50 countries. He shares crucial insights on presale funding models, building customer trust through authentic founder storytelling, expanding into physical retail next to Belfast City Hall, and landing major international sponsorships like the United Rugby Championship. Discover how Nomadic transforms Belfast’s industrial engineering heritage into timeless storytelling. Whether you are a business leader or an investor, tune in to discover key geopolitical risks, the hidden potential of public sector AI transformation, and bold economic predictions for the year ahead. Brought to you in association with EY. The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not reflect the views or positions of EY or its other member Firms. EY proudly sponsors the Trading Up podcast but does not endorse or take responsibility for any statements made by individual guests. The Trading Up podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Supported by - Queen’s Business School at Queen’s University Belfast offers world-class undergraduate, postgraduate, and executive education. The mission of Queen’s Business School is to educate and explore for the benefit of business and society. QBS is triple-accredited, an accolade which puts it in the top 1% of business schools in the world. As a member of the Global Business School Network, the School is connected through strategic partnerships across the globe. QBS engages with the business community to develop principled and effective leaders, provide student and graduate talent, and harness innovation through academic expertise. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  ListenShow Notes
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  Episode #46

  Unpacking Northern Ireland's Shifting Job Market

  Jul 22, 202640 minS2

  Jim Fitzpatrick and Richard Ramsey explore the current paradoxes within Northern Ireland's employment landscape. Despite record-high job numbers and a remarkably low unemployment rate of 1.7%, a significant portion of the population remains economically inactive, and a disconnect exists between struggling employers and job seekers. The hosts examine the obstacles facing young people, noting that entry-level opportunities and traditional summer jobs are shrinking due to increased employer costs driven by higher National Insurance contributions and National Living Wage hikes. These financial pressures are severely impacting the hospitality sector, resulting in reduced trading hours and job losses. Additionally, they discuss the rise of AI and the "fear of becoming obsolete," though Ramsey predicts AI will ultimately create more jobs than it destroys. Finally, the episode advises workers to embrace lifelong learning and career flexibility to remain competitive. Whether you are a business leader or an investor, tune in to discover key geopolitical risks, the hidden potential of public sector AI transformation, and bold economic predictions for the year ahead. Brought to you in association with EY. The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not reflect the views or positions of EY or its other member Firms. EY proudly sponsors the Trading Up podcast but does not endorse or take responsibility for any statements made by individual guests. The Trading Up podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Supported by - Queen’s Business School at Queen’s University Belfast offers world-class undergraduate, postgraduate, and executive education. The mission of Queen’s Business School is to educate and explore for the benefit of business and society. QBS is triple-accredited, an accolade which puts it in the top 1% of business schools in the world. As a member of the Global Business School Network, the School is connected through strategic partnerships across the globe. QBS engages with the business community to develop principled and effective leaders, provide student and graduate talent, and harness innovation through academic expertise. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  ListenShow Notes

Based on semantic analysis of episode topics and host coverage, this show is a strong guest fit for executives in:

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