Ash Taylor – Founder, Coach, Human
Award-winning entrepreneur. Speaker. Coach. Dog wrangler. And someone who knows what it means to hit the wall—and bounce back.
I’m Ash. I started The Business Clubhouse in 2013 so I could keep doing what I love—coaching—without having to sprint across tennis courts anymore.
This is my space. And I love it. Helping business owners succeed on their terms, seeing that moment something clicks, watching people grow into the life they actually want—nothing beats it.
From Tennis Courts to Boardrooms
My first love was tennis. Playing it, watching it, living it. At 18, I helped launch a community tennis centre in South London. That’s where I learned the value of knocking on doors, working 18-hour days, and keeping customers coming back.
Then came a role at David Lloyd Clubs where I handled budgets, landed sponsors, and turned a dead programme into one of the most profitable in the country.
As Head Coach at a private members club, I got a crash course in politics—managing volunteers, collaborating with rivals, and building winning teams. That led to four years at the Lawn Tennis Association where I juggled everything from high-performance coaching and finance to planning, facilities, and coach mentoring.
No matter the role, one thing was constant: I was coaching. Every single day. Taking qualifications. Learning. Improving. Studying what makes people tick—and what holds them back.
The Business Break—and the Breakdown
In 2009, I launched a business supplying tennis coaches to clubs and schools. It grew fast.
12 sites. 3 counties. A team of 27, plus dozens of casuals. Thousands of customers.
On top of that? An online license business. Coach education programmes. A community service working with people with learning difficulties and the GB hearing-impaired squad.
By 2012, I was winning awards. But I was losing my health, my friends—and worst of all, my relationship with my daughter.
The price was too high. And when the core business collapsed, I knew it was time to walk away.
At the end of 2013, I left the tennis world behind for good.
Finding a New Way to Lead
That’s when I discovered Leadership Management International. The tools and mindset it gave me changed my life and business so deeply, I joined them.
Now, as a Director of LMI (UK), I get to help leaders grow with tools that actually work—and change lives doing it.
“We’re changing the world one leader at a time.”
One thing I learned early: everything’s easier with a great team. Here’s mine.
Hannah Illingworth – Business Manager, Reality Checker, All-Round Legend
Hannah keeps the wheels turning and the chaos out. She handles the operations, makes sure I show up where I’m supposed to, and runs the details I’d rather avoid.
She runs her own virtual business management company, plays music in the Army Reserves, and somehow juggles that with being a mum of three, an Army wife—and a cat wrangler.
Bobby & Lily – Office Dogs, Distraction Experts
These two are our Beddy Whippets (Bedlington x Whippet). They’re motivators, cuddle machines, and the real bosses of the house.
A lot of our meetings happen at home. So fair warning—if you’re not into dogs, we might not be your people.
