Shropshire Business Podcast

In-depth interviews with Shropshire business leaders and entrepreneurs: Engaging, informative, and entertaining. Brought to you in association with McPhillips

AUGUST 27, 2026

Carl Jones and Chris Pritchard are back with more news and views. This episode includes a chat with the founders of a potentially game-changing new AI platform, Autm.ai, which has been created and built in the heart of Shropshire. Plus, we chat to two of the bosses at Shuker Building & Development to find out why they've been celebrated as one of the county's fastest growing companies.

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AUGUST 13, 2026

This time we catch up with a Telford businessman to find out about an exciting new sustainability venture he's launching - and why his company is on the move. We also hear from a couple who are bringing the fast-growing sport of padel to Shrewsbury with the opening of a new facility. Plus, the latest on the Shropshire Telford & Wrekin Apprenticeship awards, and business headlines. 

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JULY 29, 2026

In our latest episode, we talk all things renewables with Joe Collison from CES. Plus, Craig Hughes from Chrisbeon discusses why the office furniture business is a useful yardstick to local business confidence, and we discover what an Indian three-wheeled Tuk-Tuk was doing in Telford, as part of a project working with local apprentices.

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JULY 15, 2026

Carl Jones chats with Shropshire entrepreneur Stuart Woodings about his fascinating and varied career - discovering how he rebuilt himself from 'rock bottom' to run a business suite, jewellery company, and property ventures. Plus, we drop into the Funding Summit at Shrewsbury Town FC to discover how the loadscape for accessing finance has changed significantly.

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JULY 1, 2026

This time we chat with a delighted and slightly stunned boss of Shropshire's new company of the year, get the inside track on putting together Shrewsbury Food Festival, and take a walk in the beautiful west Shropshire countryside with an author who's been described as the county's very own Jilly Cooper. Plus, what does it take to make the perfect traditional pork pie? A Whitchurch company has the answers.

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JUNE 16th, 2026

We were on the guest list for the official launch of the new development at the Wellington Orbit, talking to directors and contractors about the huge restoration project.  Plus, Chris catches up with the chief executive of the Lingen Davies Cancer Fund to find out how it's working with businesses, and fundraising for its £5 million Sunflower Appeal. There's also a round-up of latest business news headlines. 

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JUNE 4th, 2026

In this episode of The Shropshire Business Podcast, we chat with Shrewsbury College Principal James Staniforth about them winning a 'best place to work' national accolade, and Chris finds out about Shropshire Investors in Community with Joanna Morris and Steve Owen. Plus the latest Shropshire business news with Lucy.

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MAY 20th, 2026

We sit down with the reigning Shropshire Company of the Year, McPhillips, to find out about some of their current projects and discover why community links are so important to them. Plus, best-selling Telford author Emma Cooper chats about her publishing journey as she returns to her former college to open its new library. And we also preview the Shropshire Telford & Wrekin Apprenticeship Awards, where entries close on June 26th.

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MAY 6th, 2026

In this edition, hosts Carl Jones and Chris Pritchard celebrate the county's three winners of the King's Award for Enterprise, talk to the fifth generation of a family running one of Shropshire's oldest manufacturing businesses - The Manuscript Pen Company in Highley - and catch up with  two of of the county's most prolific networkers, Fran Ash and Jeevan Punj. Plus, business news headlines and a report on the 'Battle of the Shropshire Accountants' on the football field.

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APRIL 2026

Welcome to the first episode of our newly revamped podcast, brought to you by Shropshire Business editor Carl Jones and Shropshire Live editor Chris Pritchard, in association with McPhillips. In this first episode, we jump on a train to check out progress on plans to resurrect our direct rail link to London, and find out what one of The Traitors was doing lurking in Shrewsbury. Plus, news round-ups and business chat.