I’m Bill Ward.
These days I earn my living as a Salesforce consultant, trainer and mentor. Personally, I’m a husband, father, pilot, problem solver and lifelong learner who has never quite managed to leave well enough alone.
My first career was in aviation. In the 1980s I became an airline pilot and flying instructor, spending many years in an industry where preparation, attention to detail and personal responsibility really mattered. Aviation taught me lessons that have stayed with me ever since. Know your subject. Tell the truth. Stay calm when things go wrong. Treat people properly. And if you don’t know something, say so.
Eventually I reached a point where I had a choice. Continue chasing the next aviation opportunity or prioritise being present for my family. I chose family and I’ve never regretted it. Looking back, being there as a husband and father matters far more to me than any job title, promotion or line on a CV ever could.
Salesforce came later, but in many ways it was a natural fit. I’ve always enjoyed mastering difficult subjects and solving problems. Give me a system that isn’t working properly, a process that’s become tangled, or a person who’s genuinely stuck, and there’s a good chance I’ll disappear down a rabbit hole until I find an answer.
I’m often awake before dawn with an idea rattling around in my head. Sometimes that’s a Salesforce problem. Sometimes it’s my WordPress website, a home networking project, a tutorial I’m planning to record, or something else entirely. Curiosity has been both a blessing and a curse throughout my life.
Teaching has become an increasingly important part of what I do. I’ve mentored aspiring Salesforce professionals, delivered training, supported career changers and built a growing library of tutorial videos to help people learn. Seeing somebody develop confidence, overcome a hurdle or achieve something they didn’t think was possible gives me a great deal of satisfaction.
That said, I don’t believe in doing the work for people.
I’ll go a long way to help someone who is prepared to help themselves. I admire grit, resilience and determination far more than talent. Some of the people I’ve most wanted to succeed weren’t the most naturally gifted. They were simply the ones who kept showing up, kept learning and kept trying when things got difficult.
I have very little patience for arrogance, dishonesty, manipulation or people who pretend to know things they don’t. I dislike status games, hierarchy for its own sake and the idea that some people deserve more respect than others because of their title, wealth or position.
One of the most important lessons life has taught me is that the most valuable thing you can give another person is your time. Once it’s spent, you never get it back. Perhaps that’s why I care so much about spending mine on work that feels meaningful, people I respect and problems worth solving.
Ward Ambrose Limited isn’t a vehicle for building a large consultancy. It exists because I value autonomy. I enjoy choosing who I work with, what problems I tackle and where I invest my energy. The work I enjoy most sits somewhere between consulting, teaching, mentoring and problem solving.
If you’re looking for somebody to impress you with corporate jargon, sales pitches or grand claims, I’m probably not the right fit.
If you’re looking for someone who enjoys learning, telling the truth, solving difficult problems and helping determined people move forward, we’ll get along great.
And if there’s one thing I’d hope people would say about me, it’s this:
Bill is true to his word.