In the beginning
Fred Marfleet, Founder and Executive Chairman of ERA Group, has always taken a keen interest in finance and business. From growing up in the UK on a family Farm and later in Australia, Fred transitioned into the financial services industry.
He successfully gained his business degree and qualified as Certified Practising Accountant (CPA) in Perth Western Australia.
Utilising his experience in accounting Fred quickly decided to also utilise his entrepreneurial skills and move into the finance industry forming a boutique financial services business.
1992 – The beginning of a new ERA
In a growing economy, with businesses looking to streamline their business costs, Fred soon identified an opportunity to assist companies leveraging his personal experience in finance & accounting in combination with his passion for working with people. This was the starting point from which the ERA Group business grew.
When first launched, ERA was a training focused business. It attracted people wanting to become consultants along with small professional firms wanting to add another service to their portfolio.
1996 – The introduction of the Intranet
Advancements in computer technology and the introduction of the Intranet provided Fred and ERA with the opportunity for global scalability. This led Fred to take the next step in the ERA journey and move from a training business to a franchise organisation.
This proved to be a hugely successful formula, taking off quickly with minimal challenges, however it soon became clear that collaboration between the trainees could offer clients an even more impactful service.
Today – A business built on collaboration
Working together and utilising ERA’s 10-Step Methodology for cost optimisation, franchise partners leverage each other’s expertise to deliver significant savings and valuable insights to businesses and their suppliers.
Today, with more than 18 languages now being spoken throughout the global offices, and many more in local offices, ERA staff support more than 700 franchise partners present in over 40 countries. ERA has become a truly international corporation.
The next ERA
For three decades, ERA has evolved its value proposition in order to deliver the best and most current services to franchise partners and their clients.
Passionate as ever, we continue to leverage new technologies to connect our franchise partners and provide an even more effective service to their clients.
As the demand for our services grows, so too does our desire to help as many companies as possible to find savings and operate a more efficient business. In fact, that’s our mission, especially in today’s world.