Keynote · 30–45 minutes
Which Problem Do You Solve First?
Why founders fix the loudest problem instead of the real one, and how to find the constraint underneath it.
Best for: conferences, chamber events, SME programmes
Business Strategist | Speaker | Facilitator
Lerato Mathodlana
I help founders and growing businesses find the one constraint holding them back, and make the decision to fix it. Keynotes, workshops, leadership days and panel moderation for organisers who want their people to leave with something clear.
Clarity today. A stronger tomorrow.
5.0 on Google · 19 reviews
As heard on YFM · POWER Lunch · #987Woman Takeover · The National Pulse
What I speak and facilitate on
Four ways to bring clarity into the room
Practical, honest and built around South African business realities. Every session ends with a decision, not a to-do list.
Workshop · Half-day · 20–40 owners
The Founder Reality Check
Six honest questions on numbers, clients, team, pricing, sequencing and drift. Each owner leaves with their one constraint and a dated next move.
Best for: incubators, enterprise development programmes, bank SME teams
Workshop or talk · 60 minutes to half-day
Funding and Compliance Readiness
How SMEs get ready for funding and tenders, stay compliant (including CIPC), and manage cash flow, pricing and debt. Drawn from my work and radio features on exactly these topics.
Best for: chambers, supplier development teams, women-in-business networks
Facilitated · Full day
Leadership Strategy Day
A working day for a leadership team to name its constraint, agree what it will stop doing, and leave with owners and dates.
Best for: leadership teams, boards, industry forums
ConferencesCorporate eventsIndustry panelsLeadership forumsWorkshopsPrivate eventsVirtual sessionsPanel moderation and MC
Fees depend on the format, audience size and travel. Send me the details and I’ll come back with a proposal.
What people say
Rated 5.0 on Google
“Lerato has a special gift when it comes to strategy. She has an incredible ability to look at a business, see beyond what is immediately visible, and identify opportunities, gaps and strategic direction that you may not necessarily see for yourself.”
“Her guidance helped me gain clarity on my business goals and provided practical steps for growth. What stands out most is her willingness to listen, encourage, and offer solutions.”
“What stands out most about Lerato is her professionalism, consistency and genuine desire to see others succeed.”
“Lerato is one of the most reliable, skilled people I know. Great communication, delivers quality every time, and truly cares about their clients.”
About Lerato
Why do some businesses scale while others struggle?
I spend much of my time on that question, and increasingly, writing about it.
I’ve spent years leading inside structured corporate environments, including at LexisNexis, where execution, compliance, governance and risk weren’t optional. For the last five years I’ve been building businesses within South Africa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and working closely with founders navigating growth.
That combination taught me two things. Most organisational failure begins long before the problem becomes visible. And most businesses don’t fail from a lack of ambition or effort. They fail because the systems underneath were never designed to support sustainable growth.
The question behind everything I do: how do you build systems that hold up under pressure?
Certified Executive and Management CoachFounder, The Platform ZAWriter, The Founder Brief
As heard on
Radio and podcast features
Conversations on funding, tenders, compliance, cash flow and building a business you can sustain.
YFMAll about NPO fundingListen →
YFMHow to secure government tendersListen →
Cash CapitalUnderstanding what beneficial ownership isListen →
Cash CapitalHow to save your company from being deregistered by CIPCListen →
#987Woman TakeoverLifelong learning: women expanding their knowledge and advancing their careersListen →
POWER LunchWhat to do when your 9-to-5 no longer fulfils youListen →
POWER LunchThe People’s Table: support local, but better serviceListen →
The National PulseGrow my business: cash flow, pricing, debt and expensesListen →
Work with Lerato
Other ways to start
The Business Strategy Test
A free ten-question test that shows where the pressure is in your business and which problem to look at first.
Take the test →The Founder Sessions
A one-day strategy room for founders. 21 November 2026, Little Tuscany, Bryanston.
See the day →The Founder Brief
My publication on strategy, capital, regulation and what it takes to build businesses that last.
Read it →Book Lerato
Tell me about your event
Share what you’re planning, who’s in the room and what you want them to leave with. I’ll reply with a proposal.
Prefer email? lerato@theplatformza.com