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:
How to Protect Gross Margin Through Better Estimating Practices
For established trade and construction businesses, gross margin remains the vital foundation of financial stability. Builders, electricians, plumbers, concreters, HVAC specialists, solar installers, and civil contractors all depend heavily on precise estimating procedures to ensure that the projects they secure can be completed profitably. Without accurate estimates, these businesses risk significant margin losses and jeopardise their long-term viability. Weak estimating processes represent one of the most significant threats to maintaining healthy profit margins. They can create a misleading sense of security, leading companies to believe their jobs are more profitable than they actually are. A project might appear financially viable ...
Estimator vs Project Manager: How to Align Pricing and Delivery
For established builders, electrical contractors, plumbers, concreters, HVAC specialists, solar installers, and civil and structural contractors, the relationship between the estimator and the project manager is absolutely critical. The estimator plays a key role in establishing the commercial foundation of the project by accurately pricing the job, while the project manager’s primary responsibility is to ensure the successful delivery of the project on time and within budget. When these roles are not well aligned or if there is a breakdown in communication, businesses often find themselves facing significant cost blowouts, unexpected delays, disputes, and erosion of profit margins. Business coaching ...
How Trades Businesses can Take Advantage of Regional Victoria’s Tree-Change Boom
Regional Victoria is no longer a sleepy overflow valve for Melbourne. Over the last five years, several tree-change regions have posted extraordinary house price growth, driven by a mix of lifestyle migration, remote work, tight rental markets, and affordability pressures in the capitals. For established trades and construction businesses, this isn’t just property news. It’s a clear demand signal. Rising house prices usually follow (and then reinforce) population inflows, renovation activity, new builds, commercial expansion, and infrastructure pressure. When the makeup of who lives in a region changes, so does what they buy, what they expect, and what they’re willing ...
How to Use Actual vs Estimated Reviews to Improve Future Quoting
For established trade and construction businesses in Australia, the difference between estimates and actual deliveries can determine whether the business makes a profit or a loss. Actual vs. Estimated (A vs. E) reviews are a structured way to compare forecasted costs and hours in a quote against the actual figures once the job is finished. This process isn't about assigning blame or fault. It's about improving commercial accuracy, tightening margin control, and ensuring future quotes align with delivery realities. A business coach working with trade firms often points out that Actual vs. Estimated reviews are one of the most effective ...
Managing an Estimator for the First Time: How to Improve Margins, Speed, and Accuracy
In a previous guide, we examined the process of hiring an estimator tailored for a trade or construction business. Many business owners successfully take this initial step; however, the real challenge begins once the estimator is officially part of the team. Without clear structures, robust management practices, and effective communication channels, the role of the estimator can quickly become inefficient, prone to inaccuracies, or disconnected from the business's overall operations. This article offers a practical and straightforward framework specifically designed for established trade business owners across Australia. Whether you own a construction company or you're a builder, electrician, plumber, concreter, ...
Hiring an Estimator for the First Time: A Practical Guide for Trades & Construction Businesses
For most growing trade and construction businesses, the owner begins as the estimator. It’s a natural progression: you know the work, the clients, the suppliers, and the numbers better than anyone else. But as your business grows, estimating quietly becomes a bottleneck. It starts competing with supervising teams, overseeing projects, and driving new opportunities. Eventually, quoting slows down, margins fluctuate, and growth stalls. With over 20 years of coaching established trades and construction businesses, Tenfold Business Coaching has seen this turning point hundreds of times. The pattern is consistent: when the owner is still doing the estimating, the business ...
How AI Is Changing Employment and People Management for Small Business Owners
This article provides general information only and is not legal advice. You should seek advice specific to your circumstances before acting. Across Australia, small and medium-sized businesses are navigating a wave of change in how they manage people. At the centre of this shift is artificial intelligence. From recruitment to rostering, AI is becoming part of the everyday toolkit for employers. But as these tools become more common, so too do the risks. One of the clearest warning signs? A sharp rise in unfair dismissal and employment-related claims. According to the Fair Work Commission’s 2024-25 annual report, unfair dismissal applications ...
Artificial Intelligence long-term outlook: 2030 and beyond
Last September I wrote a 3-part briefing series on the short-, mid- and long-term predictions for AI. I explained the changes due to AI we are experiencing now (Part 1: How AI and Industry Automation Are Transforming Small-Medium Businesses) the job roles that will be replaced and those that will be augmented over the next 3 to 5 years (part 2), and the bigger, long-term changes to watch for 5 years from now (part 3). In today’s briefing I want to update my thinking based on more developments and research in the last 12 months. In particular, this briefing will focus on the long-term outlook; 2030 ...
Why ROAS is a Dud Metric (and What Trades Businesses Should Use Instead)
If you’ve ever received a glowing report from your ad agency showing a high ROAS, you’re not alone. ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) is the go-to metric for marketers to showcase campaign success. It measures how much revenue is generated for every dollar spent on advertising. For example, a ROAS of 4.0 means $4 in revenue for every $1 spent. Sounds impressive. However, for trade businesses (such as builders, electricians, plumbers, and landscapers), ROAS is a dangerously misleading metric. Why? Because ROAS only tells you how much money came in, not how much you actually kept. It completely ignores the ...
How to Find Your Most Profitable Leads (and Get More of Them): A Guide for Trade Business Owners
If you run an established trade business, you already know that not all leads are created equal. Some customers buy quickly, pay well, and don’t haggle. Others drain your time, cut corners, and leave barely any margin. The difference often isn’t in the work itself, but in where those leads came from. Understanding which marketing channels generate your best jobs — and then doubling down on those — can transform your business from busy to highly profitable. As a tradie business coach, I’ve helped hundreds of trade business owners across Australia uncover which lead sources deliver the highest returns. In ...
