Peter Ashley
COO at Bean
Los Altos, California
Overview
Work Experience
COO
2023 - Current
With Bean, I see an opportunity to solve a challenge that nearly every CFO faces today: how to deliver more impact with tighter resources, leaner teams, and increasing complexity. My focus is on bringing clarity and control to the chaos - leveraging automation, AI, and fractional expertise to help finance leaders stay ahead of deadlines, track deliverables in real time, and focus on strategy over spreadsheet wrangling. We enable finance teams to navigate transitions, backfill critical roles, and complete strategic initiatives faster - often with less overhead. In an uncertain market, adaptability is everything. That’s why we focus on precision, not excess - delivering agile, high-level support when and where it's needed most. If your team is under pressure to scale without adding headcount - or if you're exploring how AI can augment your finance function - I’m always up for a conversation. #FinanceLeadership #AIinAccounting #StrategicGrowth #FractionalCFO #AutomationInFinance #FinanceOps
Chief Revenue Officer (CRO)
2006
Led transformative growth initiatives across AI, SaaS, fintech, and digital media ventures by aligning financial strategy with business innovation in unpredictable market conditions. Raised over $60M in capital during economic headwinds, managing investor relations across two funds while advising portfolio companies on efficient capital deployment. Closed a $6.4M venture round for an AI-powered adtech startup and led strategic fundraising for HNW financial services, demonstrating command of both institutional and private investor ecosystems. Introduced financial controls and performance metrics at BEAN AI, enabling sustainable scaling and boosting investor confidence following a 20X revenue increase from a single keystone deal. Delivered business growth amid market uncertainty by building lean sales and marketing teams across global markets, driving six enterprise deals without excessive burn. Developed adaptive go-to-market strategies that responded to changing industry demands, especially during AI market shifts and capital constraints. Applied cost-effective market entry frameworks that accelerated time-to-profit across fintech and SaaS ventures. Defined product positioning and AI solution narratives that resonated with enterprise buyers, especially in rapidly evolving sectors like automation and machine learning. Leveraged AI and machine learning to optimize client acquisition strategies, increasing both engagement and revenue in multichannel campaigns. Supported capital-efficient scaling of AI SaaS products with clear feedback loops and data-backed product refinements. Secured enterprise partnerships with Nike, ESPN, Yahoo!, Microsoft, and AOL, developing sponsorship and licensing models in SaaS and media verticals. Spearheaded revenue growth and innovation by integrating scalable partnership structures across B2B and B2C channels. Drove $B+ in structured financial and strategic deals, amplifying monetization of emerging technologies.
Director, Business Development
2001 - 2006
I defined and launched high impact businesses for PayPay and eBay. I launched the PayPal Shipping Platform for which I closed the deal with UPS, building the foundation for eBay's shipping platform, which fulfills nearly 20% of eBay sales. I launched PayPal Large Merchant Services for which I closed the first branded online retailers to accept PayPal as an alternative payment form. I closed the Apple iTunes deal which created one of PayPal's highest revenue generating relationships. I defined and launched PayPal's New Media/Micropayments business, which leverages PayPal's cost structure to enable new online business models selling digital content at sub $2 price points.
Vice President, Business Development
2000 - 2001
Recruited by mentor and Stanford Business School Professor to assist the 6 person start-up with prospecting markets and partners for company's patented, content-based audio identification (CBID) product. Worked with partner and Audible Magic engineering teams to define application architecture and integration requirements for custom solutions. Gained valuable experience in negotiating from low leverage position. Explored licensing deals with major music labels, search engines, digital rights management companies, royalty distribution associations, music lockers and equipment manufacturers Structured deal with IP interdiction company to enable real time detection and interdiction of copyrighted materials exchanged over the internet Structured OEM licensing deal projected to generate $2,000,000 in first two years Negotiated deal with SESAC, the largest royalty collection society to test CBID technology as sole vehicle for monitoring audio play over Internet
Director, Marketing & Business Development
1999 - 2000
First employee, hired to define product strategy and build sales, marketing and business development areas -Hired, Trained and Managed Inside Sales and Business Development team, which closed more than seventy partnerships prior to product launch -Defined business deal templates, developed sales/marketing materials and trained sales team -Closed key content and distribution accounts which generated 90% of user base for Winfire -Hired/Trained Account Management team responsible for cultivating relationships and up-selling strategic accounts -Helped scale Winfire/BDG to 200 employees in twelve months -Recruited and trained department heads for Product, Brand Management and Customer Service -Managed development of Marketing collateral materials; wrote copy and managed graphic design vendors -Developed original website specifications and software business requirements
Vice President, Corporate Development
1996 - 1999
Hired by Chairman to analyze declines in comparable store sales and recommend a strategic turnaround plan -Managed P&L Development budget of $3.5 million -Identified units reducing cash flow through cannibalization and developed disposition strategy -Negotiated acquisition and integration of Zoopa chain of six restaurants *Negotiated sale of retail unit at nearly twenty times cash flow *Negotiated two lease terminations, resulting in retention of $380K allocated restructuring reserve -Developed strategy, budget and implementation plans for 1999 remodel program -Managed all aspects of new store openings including design, bidding and construction -Wrote business plan and managed project team (CEO and Vice Presidents of Marketing and Product Development) in concept development for Fresh Choice Express which leveraged excess capacity in base units to create incremental revenue generating vehicle for Fresh Choice stores and fund resources necessary to improve operations at store level
Regional Manager
1997 - 1998
Regional Manager; P&L Responsibility for $12MM Region of 8 restaurants Designed and implemented highly successful turnaround strategy Reduced manager and employee turnover by more than 25% in some stores Increase in same-store-sales made region the most decorated in company; driving one store from the bottom quartile to become the top-performing restaurant among all fifty-four units
Associate
1995 - 1996
Redesigned repair and maintenance operations processes for major gasoline retailer in Canadian market -Worked with Regional and unit managers to identify inconsistencies at decision-making points -Worked with field personnel to identify and analyze units at which results varied from mean -Modeled returns and determined investment for company's $18 million retail upgrade program Managed competitive analysis for large multinational oil and gas retailer in Thailand -Conducted field research with operators owning franchises of both client and competing brands -Analyzed site economics to derive profitability, scale curves and recommend growth strategy
Product Manager (Summer Intern)
1994 - 1994
Conducted market analysis and wrote business plan for Walt Disney Comic Artwork new product launch Managed new product launch for Disney Dimensions line of craft artwork -Performed evaluation and analysis of Art Editions operations for critical path reengineering -Established line positioning, merchandising guidelines and branding strategy -Coordinated marketing, creative, sales and operations departments in $2 million product launch
The Walt Disney Company started as a cartoon studio and evolves into sports coverage and television shows.
Raised $11,000,000,000.00 from Citibank.
Founder/Director
1991 - 1993
Created consumer greeting card company that generated social impact and awareness of alternative solutions to homelessness and assisted residents of Philadelphia shelters in teaching basic business skills Marketed greeting cards designed by homeless shelter residents in more than fifty Philadelphia area retailers including franchises of The Body Shop Featured in The Philadelphia Inquirer, on Profiles, television program and named one of Kollage magazines "Ten People to Watch for 1993" because of Innovative approach to addressing chronic dependency
Associate
1989 - 1991
Consultant at this privately held Incentive marketing Company Designed merchandise incentive programs for clients including Subaru of America, resulting in a record number of performance awards self funded through sales increases exceeding dealership goals Designed travel incentive programs for clients including SmithKline Beecham and Major League Baseball aimed at aligning interests of sales force with newly merged company through yearlong consumer product incentive competition