The 80/20 Rule: Balancing Science, Drive, and Personal Growth

Today, Brad interviews Christina Robinson, who shares her extraordinary journey of self-reinvention, beginning with her transition from redundancy to becoming a successful business owner in the marketing industry. Christina discusses the pivotal role social media played in her career and how she eventually orchestrated a management buyout to own her agency. However, the narrative takes a profound turn as Christina recounts a life-altering medical emergency in 2025 that challenged her physical abilities but strengthened her mental resolve. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Christina highlights that life often requires us to recreate ourselves multiple times, and dropping out of traditional paths (like university) can lead to discovering true passions, such as social media and marketing.

Christina introduces her ‘COGH’ model for overcoming adversity: 

Community (having the right people around you)

Vision (owning where you want to go)

Reality (understanding your current situation)

Happy (finding joy in the journey).

True success in business and personal branding comes from removing the ‘mask’ and being the same person in every environment, from a boardroom pitch to a 2 AM reflection in the mirror.

In marketing, focus 80% on educational, inspirational, and motivational content, and only 20% on direct sales to build a loyal audience.

When faced with a prognosis that she might never walk again, Christina focused on the ‘possible’ rather than the ‘unlikely’, using the same mental tools that helped her succeed in business to navigate her physical recovery.

BEST MOMENTS

"You get to a point in life and you realise that you've recreated yourself way too many times."

"Success to me is the freedom to be who I am every hour of the day."

"The mind only knows what you tell it."

"Unlikely means it’s possible, and I’m going to focus there."

"Everything happens for you, not to you."

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.