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:
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 ...
Tender Glossary: Know Your Terms
A Alternative bid Initiate an offer that is alternative to the tender requirements. Meaning the offer is different to what is being asked for in the tender procedure. Often the alternative bid provides advantages or benefits over the stated requirements regarding cost and/or performance. Also known as variant bid (see variant bid). Approach To Market (ATM) ATM refers to a business opportunity advertised on a tender site. ATMs can be published as an open, prequalified or limited tender procurement method source. Award criteria A list of key criteria or requirements, which is required for a contract to be awarded. Awarded ...
A Guide to Systemising your Business
Welcome, small business owner. As a business coach, I’ve worked with business at different stages of growth so I know what it takes to get a business to the next level. This business coach’s guide to systemise your business aims to unlock the power of streamlining your business, a game-changer that can revolutionise the way your company operates. As you navigate through these sections, you'll discover the key to unlocking growth, efficiency, and scalability within your business. However, in my experience coaching business owners I’ve observed some common obstacles that impede the process: Time Constraints: As a small business ...
Sales Prospecting: A Guide for B2B Service Providers [Examples]
Sales prospecting is like Vegemite; some people love it, some people can’t stand it. Those who love it don’t get what the opposition is; you spread it on and eat it up. Yum. But those who aren’t fans would probably rather eat broken glass. Whether you’re reading this because sales prospecting doesn’t come naturally to you or because you want to expand your toolkit, our guide has got you covered. As a business coach with 20 years of experience, I've seen firsthand the benefit of effective sales prospecting, especially for small to medium-sized businesses providing B2B services. Whether you're an ...
Bounce Back from a Sales Slump: Actions To Boost Your Sales
Understanding Sales Prospecting What is Sales Prospecting? In the world of small to medium-sized B2B service businesses, hitting a sales slump isn't just a bump in the road—it's a wake-up call to reassess and realign. I've been in the trenches, coaching business owners through thick and thin, and I've seen the resilience and creativity it takes to bounce back. Whether you're laying cables as an electrical contractor or drafting blueprints for the next big commercial project, the principles of recovery are the same. It's not just about hard work; it's about smart work—understanding the core of your challenges and ...
18 Business Objectives to Measure Success [Examples for B2B]
Ask a business owner what their goals are, and you’ll get a quick answer: “I want a profitable business that runs well, makes me good money and gives me financial freedom.” Confident nod. Now ask what their objectives are, and that nod might shift to a head tilt. “I just told you my objectives… didn’t I?” Mmmm, no. So, what’s the difference between business goals and business objectives? Business goals are the big picture of what you want to achieve in the future. It’s what the business owner described – the broad, long-term aims of their business. Business objectives, ...
Tradie Business 101: A Guide to Managing Employees
Remember your first job when you started as an apprentice working for a tradie business? You spent the day looking for left-handed spanners, doing the Dare iced coffee run and trying to remember what you'd learnt at trade school. Now you're the boss of your own tradie business — whether plumbing, electrical contracting, HVAC installation, landscape construction, carpentry, or residential building - you realise that trade school didn't teach you about managing employees. Trade schools are essential for developing the knowledge and skills of tradies to do quality work that's essential for every part of Australian life. However, as ...
Tradie Business 101: A Guide to Marketing
Remember when you enrolled at trade school because you knew you wanted to be a... marketer? Wait, what? Nah. You signed up to be an electrician or a plumber or a landscaper or a chippy or to learn HVAC or roofing. So it wasn't a surprise to you that marketing wasn't in the TAFE curriculum. Yet now that you've got your own tradie business — whether plumbing, electrical contracting, HVAC installation, landscape construction, carpentry, or residential building - you realise that maybe they should've taught you something about marketing. Trade schools give you the knowledge and skills to do ...
