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The Evolution:
From one hire to full multi-country teams
What started with one .NET developer evolved into something far bigger.
The Origin Story:
Ten years ago, Filta didn’t exist yet
It was 2015, and Nerissa and Efren Chaux were building something entirely new: a BPO company that would treat offshore teams like true business partners, not disposable contractors.
Their first client? Ripe Solutions – a Brisbane marketing agency with big ambitions and tight margins.
The ask was simple:
Find ONE person in the Philippines who could handle .NET development work. Someone reliable. Someone who fit Ripe’s culture. Someone who could stick around.
What happened next changed both companies forever.
That first hire is still with Ripe today – 10 years later. Same person. Same commitment. Still delivering exceptional technical work for major clients including The Lott, Subway, UFC Gyms, and Wingstop.
This isn’t a case study about outsourcing. It’s a case study about partnership.
The Agency:
Ripe Solutions is what happens when “Thinkers meet Makers”
Founded 15+ years ago in Brisbane, Ripe built its reputation on three pillars: Affordable, Flexible, Accountable. They’re the agency major brands call when they need franchise launches, brand repositioning, and campaigns that actually move the needle.
Their portfolio reads like a Who’s Who of Australian marketing:
- The Lott (Australia’s Official Lotteries):
Record-breaking campaigns, millions of dollars raised - Subway:
Complete brand repositioning (“Eat Well, Go!”) - UFC Gyms:
Digital marketing partner for Australian franchise launch - Wingstop:
US brand launch into competitive Australian market - Johnny Rockets:
Another beloved US brand, Australian franchise rollout - Mater Prize Home:
Largest and most successful lottery draw to date - Telstra, Stellarossa, iAgeHealth, Rural Aid:
..and the list goes on
But in 2015, Ripe had a problem every growing agency faces:
They were winning. But winning was expensive.
The Challenge:
The Australian agency paradox
By 2015, Ripe Solutions was in what agency owners know as “the danger zone.”
The situation:
- Growing client base with increasingly complex demands
- Reputation for exceptional creative and strategic work
- Opportunities flooding in from major brands
- Australian labor costs pricing them out of competitive bids
- Brisbane’s smaller talent pool limiting hiring options
- Razor-thin margins in an increasingly competitive market
“We were in a very competitive market where margins were under pressure,” explains Ripe’s Head of Digital, Josh Blackler. “It was also becoming difficult to recruit and retain great talent. The opportunities for creating a larger business were all around, but the downsides of that business development were holding us back.”
The specific pain points:
Cost Constraints
- Australian mid-level designers: $85K+ annually
- Australian developers: $150K annually
- Australian copywriters: $75K+ annually
- Total cost for a small production team: $200K-$280K/year
Meanwhile, competitors were undercutting on price while Ripe refused to compromise on quality.
Talent Scarcity:
Brisbane’s creative and technical talent pool was a fraction of Sydney’s or Melbourne’s. Every hire took months. Every resignation meant starting over.
Brisbane’s creative and technical talent pool was a fraction of Sydney’s or Melbourne’s. Every hire took months. Every resignation meant starting over.
Scalability Ceiling:
Want to take on three new franchise clients simultaneously? That meant hiring 5-7 new people in a market where quality candidates were scarce and expensive.
Want to take on three new franchise clients simultaneously? That meant hiring 5-7 new people in a market where quality candidates were scarce and expensive.
Quality vs. Growth Dilemma Ripe could either:
- Maintain quality with small team (and turn away revenue)
- Scale quickly with questionable hires (and risk brand reputation)
Neither option was acceptable.
The Search:
Finding a True HR partner
Ripe started researching offshore solutions like every agency does — with equal parts hope and terror.
The horror stories were everywhere:
- “You’ll spend more time managing them than doing it yourself”
- “Quality control is impossible from 5,000 miles away”
- “The good ones leave after 6 months”
- “Communication breakdowns kill projects”
The requirements were specific:
-
Start-to-finish HR management
Recruiting, onboarding, payroll, compliance -
Cultural fit expertise
Not just skills, but personality and work style alignment -
Long-term partnership mentality
Not a quick placement, but sustainable growth -
Quality obsession
People who cared about Ripe’s brand as much as Ripe did -
Australian + offshore capability
Handle both local and international hiring seamlessly
The Partnership:
One hire that changed everything
2015: Filta’s first-ever placement
Ripe needed a .NET developer for custom web development and technical projects. Someone who could handle complex builds, collaborate with Australian teams, and maintain Ripe’s exacting technical standards. Filta delivered.
That team member is still with Ripe today — 10 years later.
Think about that: In an industry where 18-month tenure is considered “good,” Ripe and Filta achieved 10 years with their first hire.
Key wins from the Filta partnership
- Australian-only team: $310K+ annually for equivalent capacity
- Filta multi-country team: ~$100K annually for same (or better) output
- ROI: $210K+ saved annually, reinvested into growth
After a comprehensive market search,
Ripe chose FiltaGlobal.
Why? Filta wasn’t pitching “cheap labor.” They
were pitching a “strategic HR partnership.”
What made the difference?
Strategic Recruitment,
Not Volume Hiring
Filta didn’t send Ripe 50 resumes. They sent 3 perfect candidates after:
- Deep-dive sessions understanding Ripe’s culture and standards
- Extensive vetting for technical skills AND personality fit
- Cultural alignment assessment (not just “speaks English”)
- Technical assessment for .NET proficiency and problem-solving
“Getting the right people can change your business entirely,” says Ripe’s CEO.
Embedded Integration,
Not Outsourced Contractors
The Philippine team member wasn’t “offshore help.” They were Ripe team members who happened to be based in Manila.
- Full integration into Ripe’s project management systems
- Daily collaboration with Australian developers and strategists
- Direct client exposure (with appropriate guardrails)
- Career development and skills training
Recognition and celebration of wins.
Full HR Management,
Zero Headaches
- 60-70% cost savings vs. Australian-only teams
- Higher margins while maintaining competitive pricing
- Scalable capacity without proportional cost increases
- Reinvestment capability — Savings funded business development and technology
The math that changed everything:
-
Australian-only team:
$310K+ annually for equivalent capacity -
Filta multi-country team:
~$100K annually for same (or better) output -
ROI:
$210K+ saved annually, reinvested into growth
Ripe could focus on client work. Filta handled the rest.
Phase 1:
Philippines Production Powerhouse
2015-2017
After the success of the first hire, Ripe expanded their Philippine team:
Filta recruited for Ripe:
- Meta Ads Specialists — Social advertising for franchise clients
- Copywriters — Email campaigns, ad copy, content creation
- Additional .NET Developers — Scaling technical development capacity
- Graphic Designers — Creative capacity for major campaigns
- Project Coordinators — Client communication and workflow management
All working seamlessly with Ripe’s Brisbane team.
Phase 2:
Australian
Expansion
2017-2020
After the success of the first hire, Ripe expanded their Philippine team:
“Filta had become an integral part of our business,” Ripe’s team recalls. “Why wouldn’t we have them handle Australian recruitment too?”
Filta became Ripe’s complete Australian HR partner:
- Sourcing talent across Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne
- Managing full recruitment lifecycle
- Handling local compliance and onboarding
- Strategic workforce planning
Phase 3:
Strategic Multi-Country Operations
2020-Present
Today, Ripe operates as a true multi-country agency:
- Brisbane team: Strategy, senior creative, client relationships, leadership Philippine team: Development, production, social advertising, copywriting, project coordination
- Philippine team: Development, production, social advertising, copywriting, project coordination
- Collaborative workflow: Constant communication across time zones on major campaigns
The result? Ripe can promise — and deliver — what competitors can’t.
The Results:
A decade of growth, quality, and wins
The transformation is remarkable.
Operational Excellence
- 6 weeks to 10 days — Recent technical website build compressed by 83% thanks to Philippine development team
- Flawless execution — Complex website delivered perfectly for major client under impossible deadline
- 24/7 productivity — Time zone advantage enables continuous workflow
- Major brand launches — UFC Gyms, Wingstop, Johnny Rockets, Subway campaigns all relied on Filta teams
- Record-breaking campaigns — Mater Prize Home’s largest lottery draw leveraged multi-country capacity
Financial Impact
- 60-70% cost savings vs. Australian-only teams
- Higher margins while maintaining competitive pricing
- Scalable capacity without proportional cost increases
- Reinvestment capability — Savings funded business development and technology
The math that changed everything:
- Australian-only team: $310K+ annually for equivalent capacity
- Filta multi-country team: ~$100K annually for same (or better) output
- ROI: $210K+ saved annually, reinvested into growth
“We didn’t just need an outsourcing agency, we
needed a true partner who could take our hand
and guide us through the process.”
The Defining Moment:
6 weeks to 10 days
Every partnership has a “prove it” moment. For Ripe and Filta, it was 2024.
The scenario:
-
Major client needed complex technical website rebuild
-
Original timeline: 6 weeks (already aggressive)
-
Client request: “Can you do it in 10 days?”
Most agencies would say no. Ripe said yes
How? Their Philippine development team, led by that same .NET developer from 2015.
The execution:
- .NET developers worked extended hours coordinated with Brisbane strategy team
- Time zone advantage enabled 18-hour daily productivity
- Filta’s HR support ensured team well-being during sprint
- Quality control maintained throughout accelerated timeline
The result:
Flawless website delivered in 10 days. Client ecstatic. Relationship strengthened.
This isn’t just a success story. It’s proof that when you find the right partner, magic happens.
Ripe’s CEO offers this perspective:
“Getting the right people can change your business entirely. We didn’t just need employees – we needed partners who understood our standards and cared about our success. Filta delivered that 10 years ago, and they’re still delivering it today. That’s the partnership that transformed our agency.”
Ready to Build Your
10-Year Partnership?
Let's Talk
+61 (07) 2146 2211
