Born in Germany, she left school her fathers business went bankrupt. She has lived and worked in Hong Kong, the Gulf and New Zealand before moving to the UK in 1991, where she started Pacific Direct as a sole trader. The first sale of the company was a miniature sewing kit to the Dorchester Hotel.

Over the last twenty years, the company grew into a manufacturer and supplier of luxury branded toiletries and guest amenities to hotels, cruise lines and airlines. It has been at the forefront licensing leading toiletries and cosmetics brands for the hotel industry.

Pacific Direct now has manufacturing plants in the Czech Republic as well as in China, it has eight offices around the world and has customers in more than 110 countries worldwide.

She is a founder member of the Young Entrepreneurs Organisation, now EO, was a finalist in the Veuve Clicquot Businesswoman of the Year Award, and has also been a three times finalist in the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year.

In 1999, Lara completed Cranfields Business Growth and Development Programme, the UKs leading programme for ambitious owner managers. She was named Cranfield Entrepreneur Alumnus of the Year in 2009.

Having sold her company, Lara is now focusing her passion on Company Shortcuts, an online platform for entrepreneurs to increase their effectiveness and accelerate growth.

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