Business Daily

Mobile businesses - or businesses on four wheels - are growing in number. Seen as an affordable and flexible way to set up a venture, more of them are popping up all around the world and in all sorts of industries. We head to rural France, pioneer territory for van-trepreneurs where now, food trucks, mobile pet grooming services and even mobile cinemas are thriving. And we hear from guests in Indi...

With tariffs of up to 145% on US imports from China, we take a look at how its playing out in the country. China’s leaders are downplaying the potential impact of the trade war - we speak to Chinese exporters and economists to find out what’s really happening and whether the country’s economy is as resilient as senior officials are saying. The impact is already being felt in factories - so will th...

Millions of people in the country are struggling to find affordable homes. We’ll be looking at why rental costs have been rising so sharply. We hear from some of those affected, and find out why they have been taking to the streets to air their grievances. Plus – what are the solutions? Produced and presented by Guy Hedgecoe(Image: A woman is holding a placard saying "not for sale" in Spanish, as...

Raising a child is expensive - and in the US, families can pay more than their monthly rent to cover childcare and enable them to get back to work. We find out why costs in the US are so high compared to the rest of the world. We hear from parents who are struggling to make ends meet, and speak to providers who say they're operating in a difficult environment. Produced and presented by Monica Mill...

Judy Faulkner started Epic in 1979 from a basement, with $70,000 in start-up money and two part-time assistants. Now, the company has grown to become a global provider of healthcare technology - with more than half of the US population's medical information stored on its platform. Judy shares how she built the company from the ground up, her insights on industry challenges, and the future of elect...

Nearly a decade has passed since the Colombian government signed a peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the Farc, the largest left-wing guerrilla group in Latin America. Thousands of Farc fighters came out of their jungle and mountain hideouts, handed in their weapons, and returned to civilian life. The state has helped them reintegrate into the workforce, find jobs, an...

What gift did you open for your birthday this year? Were you gifted any toys? Lots of adults were. In fact, figures suggest that adults buying toys for themselves is keeping the toy market alive, driving nearly a third of global sales. But what’s behind shift? In this episode we meet the makers, the sellers and the buyers. Produced by: Megan Lawton Presented by: Sam Gruet(Image: A man playing with...

For thousands of years people have traded spices across continents, sharing recipes and wealth. But what could happen to the modern spice industry if costly barriers to free trade are imposed? As US President Donald Trump reaches 100 days in office, it is arguably his “reciprocal tariffs” that have caused the most upheaval in the US and global economies. We speak to three people working in the Nor...

Even before there was talk of a trade war between the US and EU, Europe was on the economic backfoot. But it wasn’t always the case. In 2008, the EU was the world’s biggest economy - today, the US economy is $9.5 trillion bigger than the EUs. So what has happened? Presented and produced by Rob Young(Image: An employee fixes the seat to a Volkswagen AG Tiguan on the production line at the Volkswage...

From filming 'day-in-the-life' videos, to capturing casual conversations in the office, some employees are no longer just working behind the scenes. They're stepping into the spotlight as the creative forces behind their company's social media content. More businesses are moving away from paying for traditional social media influencers to market their brands, to asking their own staff to do it. Me...

Why are egg prices in the US so high? The price of a dozen eggs has risen dramatically this year, and in some stores, consumers face prices approaching the 10 dollar mark – five times the long-term average. Meanwhile, breakfasts are booming for US hospitality but restaurants are also raising their prices. In a country where the average citizen eats 280 eggs annually, is there an end in sight to th...

Consumer goods as well as fuel and cocoa are all crossing Ghana’s northern border illegally, and in large volumes. It's costing the government billions of dollars in lost revenues. Ed Butler looks at perhaps the biggest illegal trade - gold - Ghana’s number one cash export. But even as the informal economy, unmonitored and untaxed, continues to grow, some are asking: isn’t there also a specific ec...

Consumer goods, fuel, gold and cocoa are all crossing the border illegally - it's costing the government billions of dollars - so can it be stopped? Ed Butler travels to the northern Ghanaian border with Burkina Faso, and hears from cocoa smugglers who are operating in the region. Produced and presented by Ed Butler (Image: A livestock market in northern Ghana. Traders, including those pictured, t...

Argentina, a country often associated with economic turbulence, is emerging as a frontrunner in agricultural biotechnology and home to a third of Latin America's start-ups. From shrimp shells to super crops, we explore how a blend of scientific talent, venture capital and cutting-edge research is starting to transform farming - one of the country's most important sectors. While Argentina is becomi...

The small country of Armenia in the South Caucasus has long been positioning itself as an emerging technology hub. Hundreds of tech start-ups with strong ties to the US market through the Armenian diaspora are now based there. From 2020 to 2022, investments in small Armenian tech companies reached $48 million. The industry has been partly fuelled by the arrival of hundreds of Russian IT specialist...

In India’s villages, innovation is being born from necessity. From a fridge made of clay, to silk fashioned from lotus stems, to smart devices helping blind farmers manage their land, we meet the country’s grassroots innovators. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresented and produced by Devina Gupta(Picture: A lotus flower, on top of some fabric...

We’re in Helsinki where Europe’s biggest campus for startup companies is being built. What role could it play as Finland strives to create the continent’s most supportive environment for new businesses? We’ll look at some of the challenges the country’s facing as it competes for global investment and tech talent. And hear from Sweden - does it see Finland taking its start-up crown anytime soon? If...

Thousands of businesses have 'spun-out' from universities - so is this an opportunity for further growth? The model has seen great success in the US, leading to booming commercial ventures such as Dropbox, iRobot, and Boston Dynamics. And now the UK government has plans for further investment in spin-outs from Oxford and Cambridge. But what evidence exists that this approach can be as effective in...

From noticing a gap in the market, to launching a start-up with her husband, CEO Julia Hartz tells us how she's built Eventbrite to become one of the biggest event ticketing platforms in the world, distributing 272 million tickets to more than 1.7 million global events in 2024. The online site enables users to buy tickets to all kinds of community gatherings; with almost one-million creators publi...

Colombia has emerged as the world's second-biggest exporter of cut flowers, and the largest supplier to the United States. Local growers suffered a scare this year when US president Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs of 50% on imports from Colombia. The dispute was quickly resolved but, even so, the threat of tariffs remains. And the sector faces other challenges, particularly around sustai...

A shortage of workers is leading some retailers to forgo hiring altogether. The number of unmanned, or staff-less stores in South Korea has grown rapidly in recent years - from ice cream shops to bustling cafes and bars. We explore how these unmanned stores operate and if they can offer a solution to the country’s demographic problems. Is this the answer for business to keep things running when th...

The country is facing a labour shortage following decades of low birth rate and depopulation. By the year 2032, it’s estimated South Korea will need more than 890,000 additional workers to maintain the country’s long term economic growth goal of 2%.But with 95% of the country’s population identifying as ethnically Korean, the public opinion on immigration is mixed. In the second of our three-part...

South Korea has grappled with an unprecedented decline in birth rate over the past nine years. However the latest figures show a slight rise in the number of babies born. Although the number remains low, the news is being welcomed with cautious optimism. The increase follows years of pro-parent policies and heavy investment by the government and businesses. In the first of our three-part series lo...

In its 50th anniversary year, we chart Microsoft's history and look at where the tech giant is heading into the future. It's one of the world's biggest companies - we get exclusive access to the Seattle HQ.If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Zoe Kleinman Producers: Imran Rahman-Jones, Georgina Hayes and Rumella Dasgupta(Picture: A Micros...

Two years ago, boxing was on the ropes. Fans were fed up, and rival promoters were playing the blame game, as egos, finances and broadcaster commitments got in the way. Now, it's all changed, largely thanks to investment from Saudi Arabia. We head to the boxing ring to look at the revival of this global sport – and find out whether the Kingdom's increasing involvement in sport is being universally...