North Star Conversations | Unlock Your Potential, Performance & Purpose

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.
Don't miss the opportunity to take the first step towards a more fulfilling life. Book your complimentary clarity call today and discover how Will Polston can help you achieve the success you deserve. 💡 https://willpolston.com/book-a-call/
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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!

Originally aired: December 2024
Episode Number: 186
Success isn't about achieving perfect balance. It's about understanding yourself, embracing your strengths, and finding a way to show up for the people who matter most in a way that feels authentic.
In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston, Resilience Coach and mental health advocate Josh Connolly shares some daily habits to help you stay grounded, and why there's no one-size-fits-all approach to living a meaningful life. Explore the importance of aligning your actions with your values, letting go of unrealistic expectations, building resilience through life's challenges, and creating deeper connections with your family by discovering what genuinely works for you.
Listen to the full episode here: 
https://kite.link/joshconnolly

Originally aired: November 2024
Episode Number: 185
The way we respond to stress, conflict, and difficult emotions is often shaped by unconscious patterns we've carried for years. Lasting change begins when we learn to recognise those patterns and respond with awareness instead of reaction.
In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston, Founder and CEO of the Momentum Institute Vered Kogan shares practical techniques for regulating the nervous system, releasing emotional patterns, and leading yourself with greater awareness. Learn how approaches such as heart coherence, EFT tapping, and self-compassion can help you move beyond reactivity, strengthen emotional resilience, and create a positive ripple effect in every area of your life.
Listen to the full episode here:
https://kite.link/veredkogan

Episode Notes
In this episode, I sit down with James Hadley, a pensions and property investment expert who has completed over 4,000 property transactions using pension funds. We talk about his journey from accountancy to pensions to property, the nine-year ordeal of being investigated by the HMRC, FCA, and SFO after a business deal went wrong, and the life-altering discovery in his 40s that he's autistic and bipolar. James shares the mindset shifts, daily habits, and hard-won lessons that got him through the darkest period of his life, plus practical advice on how business owners can use pensions to build wealth and protect themselves from risk.
Don't miss the opportunity to take the first step towards a more fulfilling life. Book your complimentary clarity call today and discover how Will Polston can help you achieve the success you deserve. 💡 https://willpolston.com/book-a-call/
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Video Chapters
00:00 - Introduction and how James and Will first connected
00:53 - Where James's determination comes from
02:57 - Grit and lessons learned from playing rugby
03:27 - School life and almost becoming an Army officer
04:59 - Why he ultimately didn't join the Army
05:37 - Training as an accountant
06:51 - Early business exposure: washing cars and his dad's business
07:59 - Moving into pensions at a global life assurance company
09:39 - Combining property investing with pension tax advantages
10:56 - Why property appeals to entrepreneurs as an asset class
13:15 - Business owners' preference for hands-on investing
14:00 - Pension tax advantages for business owners, part one
15:17 - Reducing corporation tax and protection from creditors
16:45 - Personal guarantees vs. pension protection
17:14 - Carry-forward contributions and director pension schemes explained
19:15 - Into the property investment rollercoaster
20:19 - The Richard Branson advice that backfired
21:09 - The pension scheme product that went wrong
22:07 - Investigated by HMRC, FCA, SFO and more
23:09 - "Guilty until proven innocent" - the early morning raid
23:58 - Nine years under investigation, then the case dropped
24:37 - Getting out of bed each day amid the pressure
25:27 - The life audit: family, sleep, and alcohol
27:38 - Cutting out alcohol and fixing sleep hygiene
28:44 - Discovering he's autistic and bipolar
29:49 - Developing empathy for others through adversity
31:06 - The moment the case was finally dropped
32:34 - How James and Will first connected, through Emma Mills
34:41 - The impact of coaching and accountability
35:33 - Quantum leaps vs. marginal gains
36:52 - The power of environment and peer groups
38:55 - Managing reputation through the ordeal
40:04 - "What other people think of me is none of my business"
41:09 - Choosing radical candor over hiding the story
42:39 - Why business owners are more understanding of failure
43:39 - Getting the ADHD and autism diagnosis
45:24 - Understanding pathological demand avoidance
45:59 - The bipolar diagnosis
49:32 - Nature vs. pressure: is neurodivergence innate or triggered?
50:29 - Masking and "special interests" in autism
51:17 - Giving up alcohol and realizing the mask
52:08 - Neurodivergence as a gift or a curse
53:14 - His North Star now: pension-led business funding
55:17 - Why pension-led funding beats expensive business loans
56:33 - How to connect with James
56:52 - Final reflection: "Can you help?"
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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 James here: https://www.jameshadleypensions.com/
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!

Originally aired: November 2024
Episode Number: 184
Building a successful business isn't about holding onto what's worked in the past. It's about staying adaptable, understanding what truly drives you, and creating a business that supports the life you want to live.
In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston, accomplished entrepreneur and digital marketing expert Dawn McGruer explores why the most sustainable success comes from designing your business around your values rather than society's definition of achievement. Discover how embracing change, trusting your instincts, and focusing on work that energises you can lead to greater fulfillment, stronger business growth, and a life built on freedom, flexibility, and purpose.
Listen to the full episode here: 
https://kite.link/dawnmcgruer