Episode Notes
In this episode, I sit down with Brad Staines, founder of a major commercial window cleaning company operating across London and Manchester, and host of the podcast "Working On It." We talk about his journey from teenage DJ to accidentally discovering window cleaning through a neighbor's flashy cars, the moment a bad accountant left him owing £93,000 in VAT, and the hard lessons learned scaling a team too fast. Brad shares how mastermind groups transformed his mindset, why he's drawn to endurance sports and cold water therapy, and his honest reflections on what it really takes to build inner, "quiet" confidence.
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Video Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
00:41 - Starting out DJing at 14
02:03 - Turning pro and nightclub residencies at 21
02:57 - Buying a BMW in cash at 21
03:32 - Watching his dad's affair unravel and losing respect for him
04:45 - Striking out on his own, away from his dad's DJ company
06:03 - Will's parallel story: resentment as fuel for independence
06:56 - Meeting his wife and losing two pregnancies
07:56 - Discovering window cleaning through a mysterious neighbor
09:07 - Building the window cleaning business around his son
10:08 - Growing into major commercial contracts
10:34 - The Manchester story: meeting Israel Moskovitz and 64 developments
11:52 - Staggering the takeover and building systems from scratch
12:31 - Self-taught growth before the days of YouTube
13:52 - Building loyal, long-term relationships with his team
14:27 - Hitting the VAT threshold
15:18 - The £93,000 VAT disaster
17:01 - His business coach's blunt advice: "get off the tools"
17:54 - Uncovering the accounting error and facing the debt
18:32 - Closing the company and starting fresh
19:29 - The value of good advisors vs. bad advice
20:41 - Thinking about exit strategy and business coaches
21:40 - "Sell it or keep it as an asset" - his coach's advice
22:38 - Why so many businesses have messy numbers
23:35 - The five people you surround yourself with
24:08 - Undervaluing mastermind groups until recently
24:53 - Feeling stuck despite reading books and listening to podcasts
25:47 - Joining a mastermind group on Rob Moore's advice
26:23 - The power of surrounding yourself with driven people
27:32 - The value of cross-industry mastermind insights
27:55 - Scaling the team to 40+ people
28:18 - The disastrous month he hired nine people too fast
29:43 - Ignoring his own hiring process - and paying for it
30:36 - Hire slow, fire fast, train well
31:12 - Marianne Page and the McDonald's "one right way" system
32:21 - Bringing structure and discipline into family and health
32:57 - How self-development first came into his life
33:38 - Building identity through fitness and structured habits
34:16 - Meeting an inspiring older triathlete mentor
35:31 - Age as no excuse: lessons from his Ironman mentor
35:57 - Comparison, inspiration, and social media
36:34 - Balancing Ironman training with business demands
37:28 - Filling your day with high-value activities
37:43 - Cold water therapy and ice baths
39:03 - Discovering ice baths through rugby recovery
39:53 - Running Wim Hof workshops with Emma
40:24 - Ten years of daily cold showers
41:08 - Doing something you don't want to do each morning
42:08 - The power of surrender and breathwork
43:37 - Finding mental clarity through discomfort
45:11 - Starting the podcast "Working On It"
46:44 - Turning overwhelming DMs into a podcast, on Rob Moore's advice
47:23 - Time management as priority management
49:14 - The 70/20/10 focus framework
49:33 - Falling into mentoring trades businesses
50:16 - Building a "trade club" community with Chris Archer
51:36 - Mentoring in exchange for equity
52:08 - Why it all happened organically, not by design
52:45 - How to connect with Brad
53:00 - Final reflection: what's the question you wish people asked?
53:36 - Outer confidence vs. inner, "quiet" confidence
54:32 - How to build real inner confidence
55:24 - Wanting what you have vs. wanting more
56:17 - Closing thoughts: audit where you're at, apply gratitude
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Relevant Links For the Viewer and Citations
Website - https://www.willpolston.com
Instagram - https://instagram.com/willpolston
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/willpolstonmih
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/willpolston/
Twitter / X - https://x.com/willpolston
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@willpolston
Connect with Brad on Instagram: @BradStaines10
Check out Brad's podcast "Working On It" on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Pm5AHdMuAfVteTXvZ15SA
About Me: I am dedicated to helping individuals and businesses unlock their true potential through expert coaching and training programs. I'm passionate about empowering others to achieve their dreams and live a life they love. Subscribe for more insights and tips on personal development, productivity, and achieving your goals. Let's embark on this journey together!
