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:
Prepare your business for sale to maximise the value
We’ve worked with a number of business owners who came to us seeking guidance on navigating the sale of their small business. A few had received unexpected (and somewhat underwhelming) offers from potential buyers. They realised that they needed guidance on how to improve the ‘kerbside appeal’ of their businesses to attract the best price. Some simply felt they’d taken their business as far as they could on their own. They were thinking about selling to someone who could take what they’d started to the next level. A couple had simply lost passion for their business or felt stuck. ...
What’s your ‘secret sauce’? Uncovering your business’ USP
What makes you so special? Why should customers choose your business over all the others out there doing the same thing? If trying to answer those questions gets you down, don’t despair just yet. Sure, chances are that your business is just one of many in your local marketplace offering your product or service. And new competitors enter the market All. The. Time. BUT As an established business, you have an edge over any fresh competitors. New businesses are untested in the market – they’ll need to create a way to differentiate themselves. That may (or may not) be in ...
Are you a leader who cracks under pressure? Your team’s success could be at risk
‘A leader is a dealer in hope’ That quote sounds like something straight out of a present-day leadership expert’s keynote speech, right? In fact, it was legendary French statesman and military leader, Napoleon Bonaparte who uttered those words over 200 years ago. As it turns out, he was spot on. Two centuries later, a study by leadership training company, VitalSmarts, has proven that when managers buckle under pressure, their success of their team will suffer. 1 in 3 leaders can’t handle the heat According to the study, one third of managers don’t cope effectively with stressful situations. When ...
The age of the flywheel: putting the customer back at the centre of your growth strategy
Last week we reviewed how funnels work to move customers through your sales process. Why? First, because it’s always a good idea to take one last look in the rear-view mirror before driving off into the sunset on a new adventure. (Knowing where you are coming from helps you better understand where you are headed.) Second, because we don’t want you to chuck all your funnels out the proverbial window. There’s still room for funnels in HubSpot’s new flywheel model. (More on this later.) A quick recap: why funnels don’t fit We left off at a point where we realised ...
Funnels are so last year… but what are they? And why your business needs a flywheel instead.
It’s official: flywheels are the new funnels. HubSpot says. Don’t worry if you’re only understanding every other word of that statement – you’re not alone. Many marketers have been remarkably slow to fully embrace ‘funnel’ vision. It’s not surprising, therefore, that most business owners still view their content strategy purely as a way to improve SEO for their website. Now HubSpot has gone and shape-shifted their funnel conversion model into a spinning wheel. It’s hard to wrap your head around until you understand why. Then it will all make sense. Promise. But first, let’s take a step back. To understand where ...
There’s a formula for success… but do you have what it takes?
We have something to share with you. It’s nothing, really. Only… THE FORMULA FOR SUCCESS (No need to adjust your screens - you read that right.) Physicist, Albert-László Barabási, has boiled this most elusive of goals down to a formula containing just three terms: S = Qr Let’s unpack this – because that tiny formula is stuffed full of big insights. There are two essential ingredients in the recipe for success: Ingredient #1: a generous scoop of ‘r’ In his book, The Formula: The Universal Laws of Success, Barabási explains that ‘r’ stands for ‘random idea’ – or more ...
Can I quote you on that? The Tenfold guide to quoting for your small business
Without a plan in place, quoting for a job can feel like playing ‘Marco Polo’. You have a price in mind. The customer has a price in mind. As the business owner, you are left stumbling around blindly searching for a number that keeps everyone happy. Your only measure for success in this scenario? Whether or not your potential customer says ‘yes’. Even then, if they seem too enthusiastic about the price, then you may be left thinking ‘should I have quoted more?’ What if you could take the guesswork out of the equation? Our team of business coaches is ...
Following in their footsteps: Stepping up to lead your family’s business
We recently looked at succession planning within a family business from the founder’s perspective. But what about the next generation – the successors? Up and coming leaders of family businesses know all too well that they’ve got some size 13 shoes to fill. It’s only with clear communication, proper planning, adequate preparation and continued support that a new leader can rise to the occasion and ensure that the business continues to provide financial stability and personal satisfaction for all involved. Many people start a family business with the hope and expectation that their children will one day take the lead. ...
Succession planning for your family business
In Australia, family businesses account for a whopping 70% of all businesses. This means that for 1.4 million business owners, the work they do is far more than just a job. A family business is often viewed as a legacy, not only in terms of financial security but also a venture based on a shared culture, identity and set of values. Unfortunately, the stats on passing down such a legacy are less optimistic. Only one in three family businesses survive a generational leadership change – and that's most likely because 43% have no succession plan in place. Start planning for ...
Help! I need somebody: how a virtual assistant could help you scale your business (and keep your sanity)
Remember those 1,971 working hours you had ‘in the bank’ at the start of 2019… Hands up if you’ve maximised every moment of your time and still calculate that you’ve signed up for more hours working in your business than you have available? (And NO, sleep is not optional!) It’s a good sign if your business is in ‘growth mode’ but if you’ve tipped over into the ‘not waving, but drowning’ zone, then it might be time to consider what you could accomplish with an extra pair of hands. VAs have changed the game Traditionally, hiring an assistant ...
