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:
Business Insights – 23rd September 2021 – SME Recovery Loan for business growth
I’m here with insights for Australian businesses on 23rd September 2021. Many Tenfold clients are working with their business coach on their big picture plans, and we are using these lockdowns to plan for their business growth and expansion. The federal government SME recovery loan scheme may be a good option to fund those plans. The loans provide up to $5M for 10 years with the federal government guaranteeing up 80% of the loan. The purpose of the loan can be almost anything to do with your business, so I encourage small business owners who are thinking about buying a ...
Business Insights – The labour problem explained and the action you need to take now
As business coaches, the Tenfold team sits across all our clients’ businesses and also have contact with many other small businesses outside the Tenfold community. Every day, we’re hearing stories of employees resigning. Some are leaving for other offers, while others have become fatigued with COVID-19 lockdowns imposed on their industry. Many of these employees were in senior roles, were people who weren’t expected to leave or were long term and seemingly secure employees.We know that employees leave for different reasons, and staff turnover is a normal part of business.In normal times, it’s usually straight forward to find replacements.But these ...
Google’s core algorithm updates and how they affect your business website ranking
In 2002, business directories in Australia such as the Yellow Pages turned over about $800M. That was a massive chunk of Telstra’s bottom line at the time and about 10% of an estimated $8.9b Australian ad market. They even inspired a crude form of search optimisation: start your business name with an A or even AAA and you were more likely to appear up top of your preferred category. 20 years later, internet search has eaten those directories for breakfast. Google now handles an estimated 2 trillion searches per year. Google regularly releases updates to its algorithm to help searchers ...
Seth Godin on people who benefit the most from coaching
Seth Godin is globally recognised as one of the best known marketing thought leaders. Seth has a long running blog in which he has published daily posts for over 10 years. In his blog, he has often written about the virtues of having a coach, and he recently wrote a post about business coaches in particular. In this recent post, he makes note of the emotional considerations and practical benefits of having a coach. As you can imagine, it struck a chord with the coaches and team at Tenfold. We're obviously biased towards using a coach. We know from experience ...
Business pricing strategies to win the work you want
Let's be honest, the primary objective of sales is to make money for your business. But sales without smart pricing is risky at best, and costly at worst. In my time coaching businesses in industries from wholesale, manufacturing and trades to professional services, I've seen it all. As I learned early on in my career, ‘anyone can sell a dollar for fifty cents’. This truth has stuck with me ever since. Creating the right price for your product or service is about so much more than making money. Taking the time to get your pricing right is a powerful yet ...
Business Insights – 8th June 2021 – Vic employment grants
In this update for business owners on 8th June, I provide insight on a new and lucrative Victorian employment grant. We've been watching a grant that was announced in the Victorian state budget in November last year. Some information about the grant was released several months ago, but more clarification has been provided in recent weeks. There have been many incentives announced over the last year to promote jobs. Some have worked – such as the apprentice/trainee scheme – which many Tenfold clients have taken advantage of. (For more info on this scheme, see my briefing here of 14 May 2021 ...
Business Insights – Evidence of Recruitment Challenges in Australian Markets in 2021-2022
I’m here with insights for Australian businesses on 20 May 2021. I wrote about recruitment in February and I'm revisiting it again today because the message is so important for all Tenfold clients and Australian small businesses and medium size businesses, particularly those who are going to experience substantial growth over the next 18 months. Please consider this message carefully - recruitment will get much harder as 2021 progresses. We're seeing more and more evidence of businesses facing challenges when recruiting for skilled roles and this is now starting to get some airtime in the media. As an example, there ...
Business Insights – What the Federal Budget 2021-22 means for Australian businesses
I’m here with insights on the Federal Budget 2021-22 for Australian businesses on 14 May 2021. This week, the federal budget was handed down. In this brief, I’ll highlight key aspects of the budget that relate to your business and what it means for you: Instant Asset Write Off Training Building Infrastructure Financial Support for Small Business 1. Instant Asset Write Off In an announcement that will please many Tenfold clients and Australian businesses, the instant asset write off has been extended for a further year. Overview: Businesses with total income of less than $5 billion will be able to ...
Business Insights – 29 April 2021 – Two Speed Labour Market | Update on govt funding
I’m here with insights for Australian businesses on 29 April 2021. In today's briefing for Tenfold clients and Australian business owners, I'm talking about the two-speed labour market and one of the approaches we're using to give Tenfold clients the leading edge. I also have a short update on Government funding. Australia's Tight Labour Market Challenges With the end of JobKeeper in March, the Australian Treasury estimates that an extra 100,000 to 150,000 people will end up unemployed and on the JobSeeker program. Yet, we're seeing many of our clients get only minimal applications for jobs they have advertised, ...
Putting capital risk in perspective for small-medium business
In this set of insights for Australian businesses I provide a view on different capital risks that business owners often have to weigh up. Also in this briefing is an update on the flow of credit for investing in business and personal wealth strategies. As a business coach, my intention is to provide information to business owners so you assess and make informed decisions for your business. 3 options to grow your business and the associated capital risk for each strategy When your sales and marketing strategies start to bear fruit, demand picks up. Faced with the need to ...
