In this episode, Brad sits down with Ben King, founder of King's Window Cleaning and Verpa, to unpack his incredible entrepreneurial journey. From starting with a single squeegee and a free set of Vista business cards to scaling a business on track for a £1 million turnover with 10 vans, Ben shares the raw, unfiltered truth of what it takes to build a successful service business. KEY TAKEAWAYS Systems and Processes are Vital for Scaling: Inspired by The E-Myth and the McDonald's founding story, Ben realized that to grow beyond a few vans, he needed strict "copy and paste" processes. Embrace Pain as a Catalyst for Growth: Ben’s lowest point—a disorganized business partnership that pushed his mental health to the brink—forced him to rethink everything. Don't Let the VAT Threshold Stunt Your Growth: Many small business owners intentionally stop growing just to avoid registering for VAT. Ben’s advice is to push through the threshold by knowing your numbers, raising your standards, and confidently adjusting your pricing to compensate. Delegate with Clarity, Not by Abdication: Hiring an office manager or a PA too soon is a mistake if you haven't built the backend processes first. Speed of Implementation is a Superpower: Action is everything. Whether it's returning emails, fixing a broken system, or setting up a new business idea, successful entrepreneurs make fast decisions and act immediately rather than sitting on ideas for months. BEST MOMENTS "I think there's a difference between a business owner and an entrepreneur. An entrepreneur will constantly look for opportunity, where a business owner will just want to scale that one business." "I watched the McDonald's film, The Founder, and when they sketch out the kitchen... I was like, okay, so now I need to do copy and paste. I need to make that van identical to the next one." "I think a lot of businesses hire a PA or an office manager far too soon, because they don't build processes and systems on the back end... They just go, 'Hey, here's my business, go look after it.'" "Pain evolves you as a business owner. You have to go through pain. Going through that, you become more resilient in business." "Every time we talk about it... we still laugh. It's like, oh, that business killed us. Like literally killed us. But I needed that to get to where I'm going. I think every business owner needs that." HOST BIO Brad Staines is a founder in the thick of it - but by design, not by default. As the face of Aquamark Cleaning, he’s built a multi-million-pound operation with 30+ team members, strong systems, and a culture that gives people space to grow. He’s still involved in the business a couple of days a week - but only doing the parts he genuinely enjoys: building relationships, growing the brand, spending time with the team, and spotting new opportunities. The day-to-day grind? That’s been handed over to a structure that runs without constant firefighting. Brad’s also found his rhythm outside of business - with a deep commitment to physical and mental training. Whether it’s strength work, early morning runs, or cold plunges, he’s a believer that how you show up for yourself shapes how you show up as a leader. Working On It is where he brings it all together - growth, grit, and getting better every week.
