Tony Novosel MBE is a former motor mechanic, steelworker, and semi-retired academic from Pittsburgh who has dedicated his life to serving Northern Ireland.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How the collapse of the steel industry was the best thing that ever happened to him

• Why he first decided to visit Northern Ireland 50 years ago

• (And why he's been 85+ times since!)

• Acting as "the American uncle” for NI students on the Study USA programme, (which is is managed by British Council Northern Ireland on behalf of the Department for the Economy)

• The transformation power travel has had on his own life and the lives of his students

• Why we tend to oversimplify narratives

• The grassroots movements that led to a hugely successful academic book about NI

• Being awarded an MBE

• And advice he'd give to any student interested in studying overseas!

Check it out.

Graham Robinson is an Artist and Director with over 15 years of experience working with household names like Netflix, Universal Music Group, Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, Dua Lipa and the BBC.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How the creative journey is made up of incremental steps rather than huge Hollywood moments
• Discovering his art form at a young age
• The role of the artist in society
• Balancing virtual worlds with the "real-world"
• Being led by intuition/calling rather than logic/reason
• What he learned from his time working in London and LA
• How Belfast is positioned to carve its own path in the new era of story-telling
• Why he thinks the big-budget feature film model is about to be disrupted
• The deep heritage/history of Northern Ireland as a place of creativity and impact
• And his vision for the future of the screen industry in NI

Check it out.

https://bestofbelfast.org/stories/graham-robinson-virtual-artist-and-director

Alan Mahon is the Belfast-born Founder and CEO of Brewgooder, an impact beer brand, B Corp, and the fastest-growing independent UK beer brand of 2023.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Meeting George Clooney & Leonardo Dicaprio
• Leaving his "three mums” behind to move to Scotland
• The tension between doing good and making money
• How getting a parasite in Nepal led to him starting his business
• The power of pub culture and its impact on relationships
• Using business as a vehicle to change the world
• Not compromising on quality just because you're "doing good”
• Why he moved back to Northern Ireland after so many years
• And advice he'd give to an 18-year-old version of himself

Check it out!

https://bestofbelfast.org/stories/alan-mahon-brewgooder