Willie Jack describes himself as a barman, street cleaner and bouncer - but he’s also the owner of The Duke Of York - the heart of nightlife in our city. Willie has been investing in the Cathedral Quarter before it was cool and shares a lifetime of stories with us in today’s show.
Read MoreKarishma Kusurkar left India when she was 6 years old to live in Belfast. It was 1996, she had the army as neighbours and the building wobbled on a windy day. At 18 years old she found herself at a career crossroad between medicine and the arts. After a lot of deliberation, Karishma took the plunge, rejecting her medicine offer at Trinity to study Art at Ulster University.
Read MoreGareth Quinn may be the co-founder of Digital DNA and Kairos - two very successful tech businesses from Northern Ireland - but he claims his road to success was unplanned and somewhat unexpected. ‘Scraping’ his way through school, Gareth grew up working in factories, bars and call centres before eventually landing a job with Belfast City Council.
Read MoreOne day not too long ago, I went to visit this new place around the corner from Ormeau Baths called Cafe Cuan for lunch. A mate had told me that they sell these unbelievable BBQ sandwiches and that they had bought the smokers from Bubbacue. So I went, got one of the best lunches I’d had in recent memory.
Read MoreWhen Andrew McCracken and Jason Harvey met 10 years ago, they had no idea they’d end up co-founding GoFyt, a successful sports tech start-up based in Belfast. After getting injured just before the race of his career in the Commonwealth Games, Jason struggled to find a local physio and get the therapy he needed, despite having a huge range of contacts in the fitness industry.
Read MoreAfter quitting her marketing job in Australia, Danni Simpson bought a one-way ticket to Europe to pursue a career as an artist. Stopping off in Belfast for a short-trip to visit her granny spiralled into working on a number of murals in the city while living above the Harp Bar… It wasn’t long before Danni decided to move to Northern Ireland full-time.
Read MoreA polymath is someone with a wide range of expertise in many areas and I’ve never met anyone who fits this description better than John McGregor. John grew up in Short Strand in Belfast during the 1950s and was kicked out of school at age 14. Through a series of twist and turns, this event led John to a widely successful career in almost every industry imaginable.
Read MoreJack Hamilton is a 6th generational farmer with a twist. After the family farm faced financial difficulties, the Hamilton Family took the potato industry by surprise and founded Mash Direct.
What started as a mash-potato delivery service via van has grown into one of Northern Ireland’s most well-loved companies and one that sells a pack of vegetables every second.
Rachel Snowden is a speciality coffee pro who has been working in Cafes around Northern Ireland since she was 17. After getting a degree in psychology and working in the corporate world, Rachel decided to return to her roots and her passion: making coffee. Since then she has entered into several coffee competitions, managed several cafes and has even found the time to dream and scheme about opening her own someday.
Read MoreAbsolute wildcard episode for you all today. In a bizarre twist of events we had the chance to sit down with Tofe Evans, an endurance athlete, public speaker and author from Australia to talk about what he calls ‘a six-pack mindset’. Tofe…
Read MoreKevin Young spends his days peeling back the false beliefs and limiting mindsets each of us have.
Whether it’s something from our past, pain we experience in the present or a national negativity etched into our psyche, Kevin is extremely interested - and talented - at challenging the voices in our heads with reason and truth.
In this special ‘New Years Edition’ of Best Of Belfast, we tackle the massive question of why do we not become the person we want to be, discuss the drawback of New Years Resolutions and try to understand the Northern Irish mindset.
Not all superheroes wear capes, in fact some wear a suit and tie… Ross Moffett may sells cars by day, but at night he’s busy promoting and managing local bands to drive the local Northern Irish music scene through his venture Pop Up Original.
Read MoreFuelled by a passion for the outdoors and a genuine fascination with scent, Michael Morris went on to start The Bearded Candle Makers, a business that sells hand-crafted candles with exceptional scents.
In this week’s show, we caught up with Michael to chat about the wonderful world of scent, how smell is closely connected to our memory and why more and more fellas are buying candles.
This interview has been a real highlight of the year and I loved learning all about flow-state, how to balance business with art, what life is like as a maker and how a dog can sell candles…
A few years ago Aoife Doherty ditched a career in law to pursue her dream of working in fashion. After studying and working abroad for a few years she came home to Derry and founded her own company Sass & Halo.
Sass & Halo creates incredible decorative headwear for festivals, weddings and much more. From their workshop in Derry Craft Village, Aoife and her team have been able to create bespoke products for a global audience and even have a range stocked in TopShop.
Read MoreHad the absolute pleasure of chatting to the power couple behind Lines And Current a minimal jewellery brand making waves in Northern Ireland and beyond.
Rebekah and Jon Johanson run their own online gig - on their own terms - while juggling life with 4 kids.
In today's show, we get to chat about entrepreneurship, how to balance hectic seasons and the importance of storytelling in business.
Check it out!
Read MoreMeet Bill Wolsey, the Belfast-born man who has built a hospitality empire with some of the most noteworthy and memorable establishments in the UK.
In this honest, casual conversation, Bill shares about the lessons he’s learnt along the way, how Beannchor balances creativity with profitability and how he juggles a large portfolio while prioritising family.
Read MoreMeet Jude Henderson…The Comber woman who packed in her Corporate job to pursue her dream and passion.
Jude now works for OutsideIn, a street-wear brand that bridges the gap between society and homelessness through their unique wear on share one model.
In this interview we caught up with Jude to chat about the transition from a comfy steady job to start-up life, how to keep moving slowly towards your goals and why the big picture matters.
Check it out.
Read MoreMeet Linzi Rooney…The photographer who became a silversmith before founding a creative charity and opening a shop in George Best City Airport.
Our interview with Linzi Rooney was as diverse as her experience and passions.
Tune in for a fun, energetic conversation about creativity, making money as an artist, life in the departures lounge and the importance of supporting quality, local goods
Read MoreMeet Bill Wolsey, the Belfast-born man who has built a hospitality empire with some of the most noteworthy and memorable establishments in the UK.
In this honest, casual conversation, Bill shares about the lessons he’s learnt along the way, how Beannchor balances creativity with profitability and how he juggles a large portfolio while prioritising family.
Read MoreQ: What do you get when you cross a New Yorker, creativity, entrepreneurship and resilience?
A: Nancy Brown.
Really enjoyed this chat with a personal mentor and friend of mine.
We dive deep into the importance of work-life balance, how to bounce back after a freak accident and how getting better quality sleep could take your business to the next level.
Hope you enjoy.
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