Now my question is, how were they able to get the trading company to budge?
It is because you were able to deal with a legit trading platform. If the trading site is registered, people will be able to challenge them. But, if supposing you unknowingly put the money on a scam site, nobody can help you out, you will lose all the funds. Even, any recovery service that says it is possible to still recover such funds back, such will only scam you along.
I am not sure if OP is right, or want to promote hermesrecoveryfirm, and I do not know if hermesrecoveryfirm@protonmail.com is legit, but recovery services are not advisable.