As of January 2025; Jeroen van Beek has joined the global network of ERA Group as a partner. In his profile text; you can read a brief summary of his time before ERA and the expertise he brings with him. To get to know our new people a little better; we ask each new partner six questions. Read Jeroen's spontaneous response:
1. Why this new step in your career?
For a number of years; I have been toying with the idea of continuing my career as an entrepreneur. Throughout my career; I have always sought the challenge of discovering new things; improving processes and achieving growth; both for myself and for my teams. In my last position as country manager for Benelux; I noticed more and more that my personal growth was stagnating and that it was time for a different approach. That's when ERA Group came along; at exactly the right moment.
2. Was this what you wanted to be when you were a little boy?
Sales have fascinated me since I was a child. I loved going to markets to sell my old toys and LPs. That's how I learned to negotiate in a playful way. As a partner at ERA; I can put those early skills to good use and my childhood dream is now really coming true.
3. Every career has its ups and downs. What are you proud of? And what would you like to do over?
I am proud to have held positions at the iconic brands Walt Disney and Hasbro. I was given a lot of room to develop; which enabled me and my team to achieve great successes. I have always worked with talented and versatile people; which I believe is the essential foundation of any success.
To be honest; I wouldn't want to do anything over. Every choice I've made has brought me to where I am today and shaped me into who I am now. You celebrate your successes and learn from your mistakes. You can't win a lost game. But you can play better next time.
4. What (work) challenge should we wake you up for?
I love running and road cycling. On a personal level; you can always wake me up for a nice challenging ride. At work; I get energy from commercial challenges; especially when I can tackle them together with my team and customers. I love brainstorming problems together to come up with extraordinarily creative solutions. Teamwork makes the dream work!
5. Who is your role model?
Richard Branson; Steve Jobs and Albert Einstein: all people who dared to challenge the status quo; worked disruptively and brought about major changes. They followed their dreams and made them come true.
In my work; I am also particularly inspired by managers who put their teams first. They bring out the best in people and encourage personal growth. I have been fortunate to work with a number of such inspiring people managers.
6. What is your ERA dream?
My ERA dream is to support entrepreneurs in realising their growth ambitions. I see it as a challenge to help strengthen their business model with a solid financial foundation for long-term success.
ERA is delighted that Jeroen van Beek is joining the network and wishes him every success and enjoyment; in line with his motto: 'Growth begins with curiosity and ends with impact'.
