{"id":27,"name":"Mark Ashton","url":"","description":"Mark Ashton is a UK business leader, developer, entrepreneur and consultant whose passion is starting, growing or restoring great businesses that outstrip customers' expectations.  His leadership mettle and die-in-a-ditch, selfless business principles were first forged in the early-1990s in the US, where in 4 years he led 250% growth of a 2 year old textile machinery sales and service company against a backdrop of industry decline and fierce, entrenched competition.  Since then he has led and advised on start-ups, turnarounds, and growth, strategy, improved business metrics and customer-driven Lean (continuous improvement) projects in SMEs, mid-sized and large corporates, in widely differing industries.  He brings strategic insight, courage, honesty, common sense and motivational skills to help businesses survive, avoid pitfalls and grow sustainably.  Over the next 5 years he and his close-knit team of C-level experts intend to build a hands-on, long-term investor company that will apply tried and tested, winning principles of enduring Top 1% businesses to create exceptional shareholder value.  You can <a href=\"http:\/\/uk.linkedin.com\/in\/markashtonresolve\">connect with Mark on LinkedIn here<\/a>.","link":"https:\/\/flevy.com\/blog\/author\/mark-ashton\/","slug":"mark-ashton","avatar_urls":{"24":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8a5d376a6361f369430137b0c5c2b57d?s=24&d=mm&r=g","48":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8a5d376a6361f369430137b0c5c2b57d?s=48&d=mm&r=g","96":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8a5d376a6361f369430137b0c5c2b57d?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/flevy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/27","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/flevy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users"}]}}