Episode Details

In this episode, Brad sits down with marketing strategist Chris Burton of ‘The Marketing Centre’ to pull back the curtain on what truly drives business growth in 2026. Moving far beyond the surface-level tactics of SEO and pay-per-click ads, Chris explains his ‘Marketing Orchestra’ philosophy, where technology, messaging, and people must be perfectly synchronised to create a high-impact brand.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Successful marketing isn't about a single tool; it’s about the synergy between the ‘instruments’ (tools like Google Ads or AI), the ‘music’ (your messaging and tone), and the ‘conductor’ (strategy).

Exceptional customer experience is defined by doing the unexpected. Small, innovative shifts in how you treat customers can lead to massive increases in referrals and lifetime value.

Small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) have a distinct advantage in their ability to pivot quickly. By leveraging AI to accelerate research, they can outmaneuver slow-moving corporate competitors.

A brand isn't just a logo; it’s the internal culture of the business. When employees are aligned with the brand's values, they naturally deliver the ‘operating standards’ that keep customers coming back.

To avoid the ‘Red Ocean’ of cutthroat price wars, businesses must identify their ‘sweet spot’ - the intersection of what they do best and what the market uniquely needs.

BEST MOMENTS

"Marketing shouldn’t be a cost; it should be a profit driver, a growth driver, contributing actively in the fiscal year and beyond".

"The instruments are the tools, the music you play is the messaging and the tonality of it all. I need to be the conductor, not the instrument player".

"Customer experience is what your customers feel and actually experience. It’s not what you say; it’s how you say it. It’s not what you do; it’s how you do it".

"Brand exists because what it does is it helps attract the right people to your business. That’s customers, but it’s also talent".

"A customer that strongly recommends your business typically creates eight times their own lifetime value through recommendation".

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.