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:
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 ...
6 wrong turns your business heroes made (so you don’t have to)
Even the most famous and successful of our business heroes bomb out sometimes. Sōichirō Honda went as far as to say that “success is 99% failure”.The wins of the following entrepreneurs are legendary. Luckily (for you) their mistakes were just as public.Our Tenfold coaches mentor small business owners in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and all over Australia to reverse engineer the failures of business giants and benefit from their 20/20 hindsight. Let’s examine the detours and dead-ends that these six entrepreneurs endured so you can set your course to avoid them: Richard Branson’s (losing) battle of the brands“Declaring a soft drink war ...
10 strategies to recession-proof your business
An Australian Recession: not a matter of if, but when (and how bad?) The world’s financial experts have been banging the (dol)drums louder and louder, warning of a US recession by 2020. And Australian economists* predict that we could see that downturn here a little earlier. We’ve enjoyed almost 30 years of continuous growth in this country, but global and local trends point to the tides turning in the Australian economy. This slow-down could become a ‘downturn’ without too much trouble. An Australian recession isn’t all bad news for businesses… The ‘R word’ strikes fear in the hearts of every ...
Honestly, it’s the best policy: essential workplace policies for small businesses
Small business is a big player when it comes to employment in Australia; 95% of businesses in this country are classified as ‘small’ and some 4.8 million workers are employed by such an establishment. This all adds up to a lot of responsibility. Between workplace health and safety, bullying, technology usage and data security there is a lot to keep track of and it can be difficult to know where to begin. I mentor my business coaching clients to write down their ‘position on things’. This will help you to form the basis of a set of policies – a ...
Sorry, did you mean to say, ‘thank you’? Three reasons why gratitude is mightier than an apology
Very few of us seem to find the right balance when it comes to apologising. Occasionally I’m faced with a small business owner for whom summoning an apology is like coaxing the last bit of Heinz Big Red out of the sauce bottle (much to the detriment of their customer relationships). Far more common, however, is the opposite predicament; some of my coaching clients can’t stop apologising. They beg forgiveness for others’ mistakes, they say sorry for taking up people’s time, they apologise to a table they’ve bumped into. A few years ago, I came across an idea that acts ...
7 hot tips to get more out of less time
There’s a number I want you to focus on for a moment. 1971. One thousand, nine-hundred and seventy-one… Assuming a 9-hour work day (as well as deducting public holidays, weekends, personal days etc) that’s how many hours you have available to invest in your small business this year. Just let that sink in for a bit… I know, right? That’s all you get. If all you had was just under $2,000 to invest in your small business, you’d be doing some pretty careful calculations to work out how you could best leverage that asset. Your time is no different. You ...
You’ve lost that loving feeling: how to fall back in love with your small business
I was once considering selling my Clubsport R8. It was still running beautifully, but it just wasn’t exciting me anymore. I am a “car guy”, so if my pride and joy isn’t making my heart beat a little faster when I open my garage door every morning, then it’s probably time to move it on. To prepare for the sale I booked a professional detailing. They did a great job; buffing and polishing until she looked like new. As she rolled out of the shop, I realised I wouldn’t part with her - I was in love all over ...
