Lara Marsh (Marais) founded her own business shortly after completing her master’s degree in Economics at SU. This go-getter believes that while there are challenges, there are also many opportunities for working and doing business in South Africa. And with remote work and globalisation, it is possible to collaborate internationally and hold oneself to global standards.
Verdades Consulting, which has now been in business for almost two years, offer consulting services to businesses that may need outside help to complete specific projects. “Standout examples include valuing enterprises in anticipation of new investments or merges, and setting up employee share ownership plans (ESOPs) to harmonise the incentives for owners and employees,” Lara explains. “The latest product we are working on is a business strategy programme that gives entrepreneurs the knowledge and tools to develop a successful strategy and drive this forward independently.”
Lara says it is essential for every business to have a sound strategy in place, as this informs all other important decisions that enable the business to grow and show results. “My programme gives entrepreneurs the told to identify and pursue their competitive advantage, which is central to a successful strategy,” she says. “The word ‘Verdades’ means ‘the deep truth’ or ‘the naked truth’; the essence of a concept, without embellishment. This suits my business, since I try to relay abstract or academic ‘truths’ to my clients in the form of proven business principles and practical steps.”
She graduated from SU in 2020, having studied Public Economics and Monetary Theory, which equipped her with a solid understanding of the wider economy and how policy decisions affect businesses and individuals. She was attracted to the field of economics because she believed it would help her develop good analytical and decision-making skills. “My memories of Stellenbosch broadly fall into three distinct phases: firstly, living in Huis ten Bosch residence in my first year; secondly, establishing my study direction throughout the rest of my undergraduate degree, and thirdly, memories of frantic writing projects and math optimisation problems as a postgraduate.”
Lara is proud of how her writing skills improved in the course of her studies. In fact, in 2016, she was a finalist in the Schroders essay writing competition, and she made the top ten in the 2020 Nedbank budget speech essay competition. Her skills came in very handy in starting her business. “After university, I completed a few small business-related projects for a software company. I was able to build up intellectual property from these projects and expand my clientele by working based on referrals.
“The journey thus far has been characterised by learning as I go, and not being afraid of failure. For now, the Verdades offering is still in the testing and development phase, but my aspiration is to develop it into a gold standard for the industry.”
Author: Pia Nänny
