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:
It’s easy being green: 10 ways to decrease your small business’ environmental impact (without lightening your wallet)
In the 12 years that have passed since Al Gore shocked the world with his famous climate change documentary, the issues of climate change and environmental impact have become more than just an “Inconvenient Truth”. It’s a complicated puzzle that will only be solved if every piece slots into place. Business has an important role to play and it’s no longer enough to pop a recycling bin next to the photocopier. Under pressure Increasing numbers of customers are actively seeking out businesses that walk the talk when it comes to sustainability. Making judicious purchasing decisions is very much an extension ...
The best defence is a good offence: a two-tier strategy for responding to disruption in your industry
In our two previous blogs on disruption, we explored the impact of disruption on small business owners and how to spot disruption early to avoid a collision. In this third instalment, let's take a closer look at how your small business can respond to the challenges and opportunities of disruption in your industry. No sitting ducks The clear message experts are sending to the business world is that there is no strategic advantage in taking a ‘wait and see’ approach. Industry stagnation is sure to attract the attention of disruptors, as it often leads to lower levels of customer satisfaction. ...
Increase your creativity tenfold: 10 ways to spark great ideas in your small business
It’s amazing how many of my business coaching clients believe that they “don’t have a creative bone in their body”. They consider themselves as ‘business-minded’ – logical and strategic. Of course, many small business owners possess those qualities, but they are often selling themselves short by not actively exploring their creative side. We tend to think of creative people as those who dwell in the arts: writers, painters, sculptors, chefs, musicians, architects etc. These are certainly creative pursuits, but in its purest form, creativity is best defined as making a new connection between existing ideas. When you look at it ...
Networking: It’s not just a game for suits
If you are a business owner who walks into a room feeling confident and makes 10 new connections easily before strutting out with a fan of business cards and a smartphone full of warm leads… then keep scrolling - I am probably not talking to you. If on the other hand you are like most small business owners I have met, you believe that networking is for those ‘other guys’… you know, the suits. Plus, the thought of having to sell yourself at a networking event sounds about as appealing as roof work during a thunderstorm. No thank you. The ...
Check yourself before you wreck yourself: 9 ways your ego could be holding your business back
I recently came by some interesting feedback from a fellow Tenfold coach’s client. He told us that the most valuable thing he had gotten out of his sessions so far was how his ego was holding his business back. I’ll admit it – I was a little taken aback. Quiet and mild-mannered, I certainly didn’t have this guy pegged as an ego-maniac. This exchange reminded me that ego-imbalance doesn’t always result in a mahogany tan, bad comb-over and a “bull in a china shop” approach to relationship management (Oh, hello Donald). You don’t have to have an obviously inflated sense ...
Spotting the iceberg: three ways business owners can detect disruption early to avoid a collision
In the early hours of April 15th, 1912, the RMS Titanic hit an iceberg and sank to the bottom of the North Atlantic Ocean. It was a state of the art craft, “the unsinkable ship” and yet 1,522 lives were lost. While there were many factors contributing to this tragedy, none are so poignant as this: the whole thing would have been avoided but for a pair of binoculars. Surviving witnesses assured the official inquiry that had the key for the locker which held the binoculars not been misplaced, the crew would have spotted the iceberg in time to steer ...
12 binge-worthy podcasts for small business owners
“When I'm drivin' in my car, and the man come on the radio He's tellin' me more and more about some useless information Supposed to fire my imagination” – Rolling Stones, Satisfaction If you’ve been stuck in traffic on your daily commute or when moving between client sites lately, you may be experiencing the same level of dissatisfaction that I have been. The breakfast fare offered by my local radio stations comprises a tedious menu of pranks and over-excited, mind-numbing dissection of the previous evening’s episode of The Bachelor. Well, no more! I am setting myself a challenge to maximise ...
Once upon a time… A small business owners’ guide to telling their brand story
Humans have always responded to storytelling. It creates a sense of belonging and connection to the past. For as long as anyone has been telling them, stories have helped us preserve our history, teach important lessons and inspire each other to strive for greater things. Consider the people you admire the most as a small business owner – Sir Richard Branson, perhaps. Everything you know about him has come to you via his anecdotes, interviews, articles, books and press conferences. He is a master storyteller. Many people feel an instant connection with him because he shares just enough personal detail ...
8 fear busters to help you fail your way to success
Ability to master fear would make the top 5 of any entrepreneur’s list of most important skills – in fact, it would most likely take out the top spot. The big names - Branson, Jobs, Disney, Gates to name just a few – know that the path to success never did run smooth. These guys have all experienced setbacks at some point in their journey, but they didn’t let their fear stop them. Fear: Friend or Foe? Fear is a completely natural response to negative stimuli… so it can’t all be bad, right? Fear is one of those double-edged-sword emotions. ...
Bridge or a bunker: How should small business deal with ‘disruption’?
Google, Amazon, Uber, Airbnb, Airtasker, Netflix… what do these brands all have in common? They are disruptors in their industry. As an avid consumer of their products and services, I love and admire the way they’ve changed the world by putting the customer experience at the centre of their operation. As a business coach I see that the writing is on the wall: mass industry disruption isn’t coming – it’s here. What is ‘Disruption’? The term refers more particularly to ‘disruptive innovation’ – a term coined nearly 20 years ago by Harvard Business boffin, Clayton Christensen. His theory recognises that ...
