About the Author: Ashley Thomson
Professional Journey
Ashley started in business improvement in 1998, working for an Australian consulting company. He honed his skills by optimising corporate giants like Coles Group, Myer, ANZ Bank, Telstra, and Zurich Insurance. This hands-on experience gave him practical insights into the workings of great businesses and the pitfalls of poor performers.
Accolades and Awards
Ashley’s exceptional coaching prowess has earned him a place in the prestigious Coaching Hall of Fame (2019). Additionally, his achievements have been acknowledged through multiple awards, solidifying his reputation as a world-class business coach. He leads a team of award-winning business coaches at Tenfold, setting the gold standard in the industry.
Expertise Across Industries
With diverse experience spanning FMCG, manufacturing, wholesale, distribution, construction, trades, retail, and professional services, Ashley has successfully coached businesses across various sectors. His expertise lies in coaching mature businesses with revenues ranging from $5M to $50M, guiding them through complex financial structures, marketing strategies, operational improvements, and leadership development.
Innovative Problem Solver
Ashley’s background as a convergence task force manager and project manager at leading organisations like Show Ads and NewsCorp – PMP Print equipped him with the skills to streamline complex business functions. His ability to sift through data, identify key business drivers, and provide agile financial models enables businesses to thrive in competitive markets.
Published Author and Global Authority
Ashley’s influence extends far beyond his coaching practice. He co-authored “The Quiet Sales Genius,” a definitive guide to effective sales strategies. He has been featured in prominent publications, podcasts, and conferences, cementing his status as a thought leader in the coaching community.
Ashley’s influence reaches across the globe, with features and accolades from esteemed platforms such as:
Trade Services Labour Demand | June 2024
In this briefing: Update on labour demand for the quarter April - June 2024 Labour Demand for Electricians Demand for electricians continues to remain high:
Economic signals for small-medium businesses in Australia | June 2024
It's challenging to understand what's going on in the economy at the moment. Some signals, like the low unemployment rate, point to strong economic conditions. Other signals point to the contrary, such as the number of company insolvencies trending up. It’s important for many of you as you implement your big picture plans to understand what the economic conditions might look like around the corner. Insights like these can guide you, whether you're planning on purchasing a factory, thinking about whether labour is going to be easier to recruit in the future, whether sales orders are likely to surge or ...
Buying a Van for Your Tradie Business: What You Need to Consider
Planning the growth of your trades business means that there are some key financial decisions you’ll have to make. Even when you have a good pipeline of jobs booked and cash flow is positive it’s worth weighing up what you spend your money on. Buying a vehicle for your tradie business can be exciting; it’s not just a big present from the company, it’s a marker of growth. It means you have employees on your books and you have jobs to get them to. I’ve been a business coach to tradies for long enough to know that even the most ...
Glossary of terms for manufacturing
This glossary has been collated for growing manufacturing businesses, with a special nod to businesses that we coach. (Tip: If you're specialising in the commercial sector, check out our glossary on tender terms.) Before you dive in, I'll say this: it's one thing to understand the concepts of manufacturing; it's another thing to apply them to run your business well. If you want to know how to take your business to the next level, give us a call or drop us a line. A Alternative Components (ALTS) Components that can be substituted for those initially specified without compromising performance in ...
Top 5 Most Profitable Niches For Plumbing Businesses In Australia
If you're running a plumbing business in Australia, the key to growing and sustaining a healthy operation is having consistent profit. And the way to get bankable profit is finding your niche and owning it. Reports from market researcher IBIS World shows that there are over 28,000 plumbing business in Australia. Think that’s a lot? It is. And it’s an increase of 1% on the previous year. If you’re in the plumbing industry and you’re waiting for the competition to die down… There’s a saying that comes to mind; “In business, you’re either growing or you’re dying.” I’ve been coaching ...
Grow Your Tradie Business By Saying No
If you’re running a tradie business, does this scenario sound familiar? In the early days of your business, you take any work; you say yes to every job, you learn how to price it, you do the work, maybe make some money or maybe lose some money. You get asked to quote on something you haven’t done before, you have a crack and it’s ok. You buy specialised tools and add new services to your website. The phone is ringing and you’re busy. Great. At some point you check your bank account. Sure, there’s money in there but the amount ...
Top 8 Benefits of GPS Tracking for Your Trade Service Fleet
Running a trades services business isn’t just about fixing leaks and replacing switchboards; it’s about delivering reliable and efficient service to your customers, which then drives profit to your bottom line. When it comes to driving, your fleet of service vehicles is an essential revenue generator. At Tenfold, we coach business operators to look at technicians and vehicles as economic units. Let me explain why: a tech without a van can't do much - they can't get to a client's site and they can't transport materials. Likewise, a vehicle without a tech is useless - it isn't going anywhere ...
Tradie Business 101: Tips for Winning Tenders
Tenders can be lucrative for tradies. Long-term contracts that provide regular work and predictable recurring revenue can be the goose that lays the golden egg. Given the importance of tenders, I'm surprised that the topic doesn't get more air time at trade school. But that's where a tradie business coach can help. If your business provides commercial maintenance or construction services such as plumbing, electrical contracting, HVAC installation, landscape construction, or carpentry, then these tips on how to submit a successful tender bid are for you. By the way, if you've ever thought to yourself, "I didn’t learn how to ...
Contracting to Commercial Construction: What You Need To Know
Commercial Construction Contractor Ash’s notes for coaching businesses that contract to commercial construction Commercial construction is a tough market, you need to get great at: • Numbers o Accurate billable hours versus quoted hours o Accurate take offs and quoting • Financials o Job profitability reporting throughout the job so you know whether you are on track and over/under by how much • Contracts o Understanding: liquidated damages, variations processes Niche = • The work you do, try to do the same type of work each time o i.e. a client that specialised in medical centre fit out – ‘body ...
Glossary of business terms for Australian small businesses
Understanding the language of business is crucial. Not only will it help you navigate day-to-day operations, it will also give you confidence when dealing with other business owners and support specialists, like accountants, bookkeepers and business coaches. This glossary has been collated for all Australian small businesses, with a special nod to businesses in trades services that we coach. (Tip: If you're an electrician, plumber, or other tradie specialising in the commercial sector, check out our glossary on tender terms.) Before you dive in, I'll say this: it's one thing to understand the concepts of business; it's another thing to ...
