Some entrepreneurs experience a single lightning-bolt moment of inspiration. Others, like Thomas Foushee, have grown into their industry over many years. For Thomas, industrial batteries and chargers formed a family legacy, his father operated a small battery company in North Carolina, and this early exposure gave Thomas a deep understanding of the technical side of the business. However, when he launched Ampro Industrial Batteries & Chargers around 2010 in Greensboro, he discovered that a lifetime of practical know-how did not necessarily translate into running a profitable, well-structured company.
Thomas spent more than a decade as a branch manager, amassing expertise in industrial batteries, chargers, and customer service. Yet he readily admits that he was not, as he describes it, “a businessman” in the beginning. His transformation into a strategic leader, capable of managing teams and scaling the enterprise sustainably, he credits much to his partnership with ActionCOACH and business coach Ross Cox. Ross provided Thomas with the clarity, accountability, and systems needed to build Ampro into a high-performing business. The transition not only freed Thomas from grueling 60-hour workweeks, it allowed him to reclaim personal time without worrying that the company would lose momentum in his absence.
A Family Legacy In Batteries
Growing up in a family business environment Thomas watched his mother and stepfather run a roofing company near Washington, D.C. His teenage years consisted of working long days hauling shingles in extreme heat which taught him about work ethic but pushed him toward an alternate professional direction. Upon graduating from high school he relocated to North Carolina to work in his father's battery company. Through his work experience, Thomas gained full technical knowledge of industrial batteries and chargers which enabled his career progression from field technician to sales representative and ultimately to branch manager.
He recalls that his entire knowledge base stems from the battery industry but acknowledges that industry knowledge alone doesn’t qualify one as a business owner. "My experience lies in service expertise rather than business expertise."
In 2010 Thomas established Ampro Industrial Batteries & Chargers in Greensboro by applying his practical and customer-focused approach to create an enterprise centered around customer satisfaction. His company gained a solid reputation because Thomas maintained a steadfast dedication to integrity and dependable technical solutions. Soon after launching his business, Thomas noticed problems starting to emerge. He discovered that handling funds and recruiting qualified technicians while establishing stable work processes turned out to be more challenging than he expected.
Early Steps Toward Entrepreneurship
During his initial years as an entrepreneur, Thomas maintained an intense work schedule of 60 to 70 hours weekly. He displayed exceptional skill in fixing batteries and chargers yet realized that building a scalable business required an entirely different skill set. Hiring, in particular, proved troublesome. Thomas preferred to hire candidates based on instinct or urgent requirements instead of formal interviews which resulted in a high turnover rate and cultural discrepancies. The unpredictable hiring system required him to consistently search for skilled technicians.
Breaking Through The Plateau With ActionNCOACH
A local lunch-and-learn event at a bank introduced Thomas to ActionCOACH. Intrigued by the promise of mentorship that would focus on teaching him systems, discipline, and accountability, he filled out a form expressing interest in working with a coach. Within days, Ross Cox, based just 15 minutes from Ampro, contacted him. During their initial conversations, Ross underscored that he would not act as a temporary consultant who swoops in, resolves issues, and departs. Rather, he would work alongside Thomas to refine his leadership style, enhance the hiring process, and create operational structures that would pave the way for sustainable growth.
Ross’s approach resonated with Thomas, who explains, “I tried hiring consultants in the past. They’d come in and do some fixes, but I never learned how to solve the underlying problems on my own. Ross made it clear that he was there to guide me, not do the job for me.”
At the outset, they set three major goals: driving sustainable growth beyond the plateau, systematizing the hiring process, and reducing Thomas’s workload so he could step away without the business stalling. Although these objectives seemed ambitious, Ross’s step-by-step framework gave Thomas confidence in a strategy that emphasized methodical progress rather than sporadic efforts.
Implementing The ActionCOACH Approach
Under Ross Cox’s mentorship, Thomas came to understand that lasting success demands more than operational tweaks. It requires cultural and structural shifts. ActionCOACH introduced Thomas to short planning cycles, accountability sessions, and data-driven reflection. Each week, Ross and Thomas would dissect what had been accomplished, identifying areas that stalled, and revising plans where necessary.
One of the first transformations involved clarifying the core values and vision for Ampro. Ross led Thomas through reflective exercises on the company’s mission: providing excellent battery and charger solutions anchored in honesty, technical skill, and a client-first philosophy. These values guided every subsequent decision, ensuring alignment across the workforce.
Next came systematic hiring. Where Thomas once relied on heart and urgency, he now implemented structured interviews and personality assessments to ensure a good cultural fit. According to Thomas, “We learned the importance of not just hiring for technical competence, but also for alignment with our mission.” The result was lower turnover and a staff that genuinely believed in the service-oriented direction of Ampro.
On the financial front, Ross walked Thomas through budgeting, profit planning, and KPIs for every department. By analyzing revenue streams, overhead costs, and production efficiencies, Thomas gained the clarity to set realistic goals and spot profit drains. He discovered inefficiencies in pricing and resource allocation that had long gone unnoticed. With clearer financial dashboards, he felt more confident reinvesting in areas with the highest impact, moving past the plateau that had dogged Ampro for years.
Ross also stressed delegation and accountability. Thomas learned to conduct weekly team huddles focusing on specific metrics so employees could track progress and address shortfalls collectively. Freed from constant firefighting, he turned his attention to strategy and business relationships. This shift redefined his role. “I used to log on every day if I took time off,” he recalls. “Now, I can unplug and know the business will keep humming.”
Tangible Outcomes: Revenue, Team Morale, and Personal Freedom
The structured guidance from ActionCOACH yielded immediate and long-term results at Ampro Industrial Batteries & Chargers. Thomas’s single greatest triumph might be his ability to take vacations without checking in constantly. Initially, working 60-70 hours a week made him feel indispensable. But with a leadership framework that empowered employees to make decisions, he realized the business could not only survive but thrive in his absence.
Improved hiring processes stabilized the workforce. The old pattern of filling roles out of desperation gave way to a more deliberate method, reducing morale issues and aligning new hires with the technical and cultural demands of industrial battery services. Existing staff members also felt more confident, having clarity around expectations and performance targets. Turnover dipped significantly, creating an environment of continuity that benefited Ampro’s clients.
Financial clarity dispelled the cloud that had hovered over Thomas whenever overhead costs ballooned or an unexpected crisis arose. Armed with monthly forecasts and real-time KPI data, he optimized overhead, caught potential cost overruns early, and identified services that delivered the best margins. With stable cash flow, Thomas reinvested in advanced battery solutions and considered expansions that once felt out of reach.
Equally transformative was the deepening trust and rapport with suppliers and customers. Thomas could finally dedicate time to visiting key suppliers, negotiating better contracts, and cultivating partnerships that yielded more robust product lines. From the customer perspective, improved response times and higher technical quality reinforced Ampro’s reputation for reliability.
Building Leadership and a Stronger Culture
Ross Cox’s coaching underlined that Thomas’s evolution into a confident leader was crucial for Ampro’s broader success. In his new mindset, Thomas devoted less time to daily tasks like invoice reconciliation or minor repairs and more to shaping the company’s strategic direction. With each weekly coaching session, Thomas refined the way he communicated with staff, moving from top-down commands to a collaborative approach that harnessed employees’ expertise.
He also learned to recognize when a poor fit was dragging the team down. Rather than agonize about retaining someone who clashed with Ampro’s values, Thomas now made decisive calls that were fair but firm. The end result was a cohesive culture in which staff felt both respected and accountable.
The morale jump was evident. Workers at all levels recognized that Thomas was investing in their growth, exemplified by new training modules, consistent feedback loops, and skill-building sessions. They in turn became more engaged, willingly going above and beyond for clients. This synergy fed back into the brand promise of service excellence.
Next Steps for Ampro: Expansions and Maintaining a Family Feel
Looking ahead, Thomas envisions further growth, perhaps additional service lines or expansions into neighboring states. With monthly overhead stabilized and team performance on the rise, the possibilities are opening up in ways Thomas once thought impossible. He remains adamant about preserving Ampro’s close-knit, family feel. Disciplined hiring and a laser focus on core values safeguard that culture from the purely numerical approach that can sometimes accompany growth spurts.
Thomas’s continuing relationship with Ross Cox and ActionCOACH ensures ongoing guidance. “Each stage of growth brings a new set of challenges,” Thomas remarks. “But having a coach on my side means I don’t have to tackle them blind.” Whether the challenge is exploring advanced energy storage systems or opening a satellite office, Thomas now has the leadership capability to assess risks and orchestrate expansions methodically.
How ActionCOACH Redefined Ampro’s Future
Thomas’s transformation underscores how an expert with deep technical acumen can evolve into a strategic leader when paired with effective coaching. For a long time, Thomas leveraged his “service-first” ethos to grow Ampro but struggled to escape the day-to-day grind. ActionCOACH delivered a structured approach to leadership, team building, and financial discipline, allowing him to break free from plateaued revenue and perpetual firefighting.
“I used to call myself ‘not a businessman,’” he says with a grin, “but now that I’ve been with Ross for years, I see how these frameworks change your mindset. It’s the difference between having a technical job in your own company and truly owning and running a business.”
That shift unlocked improved work-life balance, a more consistent revenue stream, and a happier, more effective team. Customers benefited from better response times and deeper product knowledge, while staff found renewed purpose under the clarity of well-defined roles and performance metrics. Best of all, Thomas feels confident stepping away for personal time, knowing the company will not only stay afloat but continue thriving.
For anyone stuck or facing similar hurdles, Thomas’s journey with Ampro Industrial Batteries & Chargers highlights the importance of external mentorship. Expertise in a field may ignite a successful launch, but to sustain momentum and achieve long-term prosperity, leaders must embrace accountability, structured planning, and robust leadership. ActionCOACH provided those elements for Thomas, unlocking a future that merges personal fulfillment with enterprise-level success. If you are thinking of taking the next steps towards new entrepreneurial success, request a discovery call today with ActionCOACH. Learn what steps you can take to improve your business and how to reach new heights.