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:
Taking Over an Established Business: A Decision-making Framework for Hiring, Expansion, Equipment, and New Services
When owners come to me after taking over an established business, they usually arrive with the same mix of excitement and pressure. They have purchased something that already works, employs people, has clients, and has a reputation. At the same time, they want to improve it. They want to grow it. They want their managers to step up so the business can operate at a higher level without breaking the parts that are already performing. In this article, I share the decision-making framework I use when coaching owners taking over established businesses in trades, construction, commercial services, and manufacturing. Whether ...
Improving Operations After You Buy a Business: How to Make Changes Without Breaking What Works
When you take ownership of an established business, the first 12-24 months set the tone for everything that follows. I often see it among new owners in trades, construction, fabrication, and commercial services. You buy a business because it has potential, but once you step in, you quickly realise the operational reality is more complicated than the handover suggested. Improving operations after you buy a business is not as simple as tightening a few processes or introducing new systems. If you move too fast, you risk breaking the parts of the business that actually work. If you move too slowly, ...
Got the Keys to the Business? The 6 Drivers of Profit You Must Control After You Take Over
When you buy an established business, the handover period feels deceptively calm. The previous owner walks you through the jobs board, quoting system, team structure, and financials. You get the keys, shake hands and step into your new role. Then the real work begins. In the first year of ownership, the biggest challenge is not learning the technical side of the operation. It is taking control of the six core drivers of profit that determine whether the business grows, stalls or quietly slides backwards. As a business coach working with owners in trades, construction, fabrication and commercial services, I see ...
Bought the Business, Inherited the Pricing: How to Lift Margins Without Losing Sales
When I coach owners who have recently bought an established business, one pattern shows up almost every time. You take over the operation, inherit the pricing structure that came with it, and quickly realise the numbers do not stack up. The rates are outdated, margins are thin, and the previous owner's quoting habits continue to shape how your team prices work today. For owners in trades, construction, fabrication, and commercial services, this becomes a real barrier to growth because the business cannot fund the level of performance you want from your managers or your team. In the first year of ...
The Unstoppable Forces: A 3-5 year Perspective
As business owners, it’s necessary for us to keep up with global and local events so we can make informed decisions in our businesses. In this briefing I want to provide some perspectives on four forces that I believe will be highly relevant for the next 3-5 years. In 2025 we read about the threat of US tariffs on Australian businesses and strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. At the time, many people were worried that these global events could impact Australia and our businesses. Now that we’re in early 2026 we can look back at 2025 and it’s clear ...
The Working‑Capital Traps New SME Owners Don’t See Coming
When I coach new owners who have recently bought a small business, one pattern shows up again and again. They take over a business that looked stable on paper, only to find that cash flow is suddenly tighter, bills feel heavier, and the bank balance is shrinking faster than expected. They’re working harder, delivering more and still wondering why the money isn’t there. This is the reality of working capital for small businesses. It’s not just about profit. It’s about timing, discipline and the hidden traps that most new owners don’t see until they’re already in trouble. In trades, construction, ...
Bought a small business and now you’re stuck? What to do in your first 12–24 months as the owner
When an owner tells me they bought a small business and now feel stuck, I know exactly what they mean. The first year of ownership in a trades or manufacturing business is rarely smooth. You inherit people issues, patchy systems, inconsistent margins and a team that is still working out who you are. You’re trying to learn the business while also leading it. And you’re discovering that buying a business is very different from running one. If you’re in your first 12 to 24 months and feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone. Most new owners underestimate the extent of operational discipline, ...
Developing Your Senior Leaders to Step Up: A 90-Day Training and Coaching Plan
When I speak with owners of established trade, construction and manufacturing businesses, one concern comes up consistently. Their senior leaders are solid operators, but they’re not yet performing at the level required to run teams, drive performance or take real ownership. The owner is still the one solving problems, managing people's issues and keeping jobs on track. A structured leadership development plan is the fastest way to change that. A 90-day plan for managers gives your operations manager, service manager or project manager a clear pathway to step up. It builds capability, confidence and accountability in a timeframe that delivers ...
Training Your Ops or Service Manager to Think Strategically: The Owner’s Playbook
When I coach owners of established trade, construction and manufacturing businesses, one frustration comes up repeatedly. Their operations manager or service manager is hardworking, loyal and technically strong, but they’re stuck in firefighting mode. They react all day instead of planning ahead. They manage tasks rather than lead people. They make decisions based on what’s urgent instead of what’s important. This is the gap that strategic thinking for managers is designed to close. It’s not about turning your ops or service manager into a corporate strategist. It’s about teaching them to think ahead, make better decisions, and run day-to-day operations ...
Succession Planning for Trades and SME Businesses: How to Prepare Your #2 to Run the Day-to-Day
When I talk to owners of established trade, construction and manufacturing businesses, one theme comes up again and again. They want to step back from the business without everything falling apart. They want a second-in-command who can run day-to-day operations. They want a leadership bench they can rely on. And they want a succession plan that actually works in a small business environment, not a corporate textbook. Succession planning for a small business is different. You don’t have layers of management. You don’t have HR departments grooming future leaders. You have a handful of key people, usually promoted from within, ...
