Ashley Coleman Bathroom Design, Water Filtration & Plumbing Maintenance

11/09/2026

As we welcome the New Year, I’d like to say a heartfelt thank you to all our clients, friends and community for your continued support, trust and recommendations.
It truly means a lot and is greatly appreciated.
Wishing you, your family and all of Am Yisrael a year of good health, happiness, success and simcha!

🍎🍯 שנה טובה ומתוקה!

Ashley & the ACPS Team

27/08/2026

According to the weather forecast, rain is expected from Motzei Shabbat! 🌧️ ☔
It’s time to sweep and clean out your balcony and garden drains from leaves and debris.
It's a simple step that can prevent unnecessary blockages and potential flooding into the house!

19/08/2026

"Is it worth my while going to technical college, or should I just start working?"

Last week I received a call from a young man considering a career in the trades.
He asked me whether it was worth studying at technical college or whether he should skip the formal education, find a job with a tradesman, learn on the job, and eventually start his own business.
My answer came without hesitation.
Do both, and if possible simultaneously.
When I decided to go into the trades, I invested in my future.
I spent three years studying at technical college, while at the same time working as an apprentice with experienced professionals before starting my own business.
During those years, I earned very little. But I never saw myself as "cheap labour." I saw it as an investment in skills, experience and confidence building.
College gave me the technical knowledge, the theory and the professional standards.
Working alongside experienced tradesmen taught me how to solve real problems, work with customers, think under pressure and understand what can't be learned from a textbook.
One without the other would have left gaps.
Looking back over 35 years later, I'm incredibly grateful for those years of learning and for the people who invested their time and knowledge in me.
Today, everyone wants to get there quickly.
But becoming a skilled tradesperson—or succeeding in any profession—takes time.
It takes patience. It takes humility. It takes hard work. It's a learning curve.
There are no shortcuts to becoming truly good at what you do.
If you're a young person considering a career in the trades, or a parent helping your kids choose a path, here’s my advice:
If you are pre-aliya, it would be a good idea to come ready with your qualification. If you have already made aliya, sign up for college in Israel. There are both private and government funded qualification courses available.
Build your knowledge. Build your experience. Build your reputation.
The business can come later.
And when it does, you'll be ready for it.

12/08/2026

‘Tis the wedding season and over the past few weeks I’ve been seeing quite a few people socially.
Clients, friends and even people I barely know have stopped me to talk about my LinkedIn and Facebook posts.
Many have told me they agree that we need to encourage more young people to consider careers that build, maintain and strengthen our country.
A few conversations have really stayed with me.
One person told me their son has decided to enroll in a trade course.
Another said they were rethinking their own career path.
Others spoke about their concerns over AI and the uncertainty surrounding many of the careers they or their kids studied for.
Those conversations have strengthened something I've believed for many years.
Israel needs more people choosing careers that make a tangible difference.
We need skilled tradespeople who build our homes, install our infrastructure, repair what's broken and keep our businesses, schools and hospitals functioning every day.
We also need nurses, social workers, therapists, paramedics, medical staff, carers, teachers and countless others whose dedication keeps our communities healthy, resilient and compassionate.
These careers may not always make the headlines, but they are the backbone of our society.
They solve real problems. They improve people's lives. They create opportunities for entrepreneurship, personal fulfilment and meaningful contribution.
After nearly 30 years in the trades, I've seen the pride that comes from doing work that genuinely matters.
This has become something I'm passionate about.
If I can encourage even a handful of young people—or adults considering a career change—to explore these essential professions, I'll feel I've made a worthwhile contribution.

25/07/2026

Are you going away this summer? 👇

20/07/2026

After over 30 years of running my own plumbing and water filtration business, people often ask me what I believe is the most valuable asset a small business can build.
It isn't just about turnover. It isn't the size of your team. It isn't necessarily having the latest equipment or technology.
It's your reputation.
A strong reputation isn't built through marketing alone. It's built through operational consistency. It may take a little longer to build your business, but it will be steady and robust.
It's answering the phone efficiently. It's turning up when you said you would. It's communicating when plans change. It's delivering the quality of work your customer expects—and often a little more.
Every interaction contributes to your brand, whether you realise it or not.
One of the biggest mistakes I see many self-employed business owners make is focusing almost exclusively on winning the next customer, and many think the more money you spend on marketing, the quicker they will come. I'm not saying it isn't important, but they are underestimating the lifetime value of the customers they already have.
Efforts put into customer retention is usually far more profitable than constant customer acquisition.
Satisfied customers don't just come back—they become your sales team. They recommend you to family, friends and colleagues because you've earned their trust.
Over time, that trust becomes one of your business's most valuable assets. It reduces your reliance on advertising, improves your profitability, and creates a business that grows through reputation rather than constant promotion.
I've learned that every job has two outcomes.
One is the invoice you send today.
The other is the reputation you're building for tomorrow.
The second is often worth far more than the first.
It's a principle that has served me well over the years, and one I enjoy discussing with fellow small business owners whenever the opportunity arises.
What do you think is the single biggest asset a small business can build?

15/07/2026

09/07/2026

I don't usually post personal photos on my business pages, but I thought this one was worth sharing.
As a self-employed business owner - and in my spare time a mentor to small business owners and a volunteer mentor with Paamonim helping families achieve financial stability - I'm always talking about planning and long term investment.
That includes looking after yourself.
This week, together with my better half, I have taken a short break in beautiful Montenegro. It's been a chance to disconnect from the daily routine, switch off the phone a little, enjoy long hikes, the stunning lakes and rolling hills, good coffee, the occasional local beer, and simply recharge.
Running a business isn't just about working hard. It's about investing in and building a business that can continue to serve your clients even when you take a well-earned break.
A huge thank you to my fantastic team back home, who continue looking after our customers while I'm away. Having reliable people you can trust is one of the greatest assets any small business can have.
Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is to pause.
It's good for the heart, the body, and the soul.
Now I'm off to the Old City of Budva...for my last beer before coming home!

25/06/2026

Recently I've noticed something that genuinely concerns me.
I am having more conversations with friends and acquaintances who are either looking for work, or expressing their concerns that their jobs are being fazed out by AI.
All of them are talented, experienced and highly capable people.
Some have spent years building careers in industries that are changing rapidly. Others are facing economic pressures, restructuring, outsourcing, or shifts in the job market that nobody could have predicted when they first chose their profession.
Watching good people navigate that uncertainty is not easy.
This has made me think a lot about the conversations we are having with our children about careers and the future.
For many years, a lot of us encouraged our children toward similar paths:
Hi-tech
Programming
Engineering
Analysts
Writers and translators
Law
And for many people those are still excellent choices.
But increasingly, I meet young graduates who have done everything they were encouraged to do, earned good degrees, and then struggle to find that first opportunity or gain a foothold in their chosen field.
The world is changing quickly.
Perhaps the lesson isn't that one profession is better than another.
Perhaps it's that we need to broaden the conversation.
As someone who has spent more than 30 years building a business in the trades, I've seen first-hand that there is tremendous value in practical skills and service professions.
Yes, the work can be demanding.
Sometimes physically.
But it is also deeply satisfying.
You solve real problems.
You help real people.
You're helping building our beautiful country
You can see the results of your efforts at the end of the day.
And society will always need people who provide essential services:

Electricians
Builders
Plumbers
Technicians
Nurses
Healthcare workers
Social workers
Therapists
Caregivers
Teachers

These professions may not always make headlines, and they may not always offer the glamour or salaries associated with certain industries, but they provide something incredibly important:
Stability
Purpose
And the knowledge that your skills are needed.
Especially here in Israel, where communities continue to grow and develop, the demand for people who serve, support, build, repair, care for and help others remains strong.
The trades are not the right path for everyone.
Neither is hi-tech.
Neither is academia.
The challenge for us as parents today is not choosing one path for their children.
It's helping them discover the path that fits them best while keeping an open mind about what success can look like.
Perhaps it's time we started talking about a wider range of possibilities.
I'd be interested to hear how others are thinking about careers, education and preparing the next generation for a rapidly changing world.