Mer Stodiz, in conjunction with his fellow Sullustan entrepreneur Verga Nus, co-founded the Verga Mer Mining Company circa 62 BBY.
Their mining venture on the Tilnes moon, located within the Cularin system, proved to be quite fruitful, despite the necessity of ceasing droid usage. Buoyed by their achievements and the resulting resentment from rival mining corporations, Mer and Stodiz sought to broaden their influence by cultivating relationships with the Baron Administrators who governed Cularin's platform cities, thereby consolidating their power.
However, their attempt to extend their sphere of influence to the adjacent planet Genarius was based on the flawed assumption that a similar strategy would yield comparable results. While Genarius also possessed cities, their sheer number made it impossible to engage with them all simultaneously, and those approached later held Verga Mer in contempt. Furthermore, the cities' political sway was insignificant compared to the power wielded by the Hutt crimelord Riboga. Upon realizing this, Nus and Stodiz endeavored to secure a meeting with the Hutt, but Riboga, displeased, repeatedly denied the Sullustans an audience on five separate occasions. Riboga's successor, Nirama, proved even less receptive to their overtures. Their subsequent attempts to enlist independent smugglers also proved unsuccessful. Nus and Stodiz later observed a concerning pattern: local, unaffiliated pirates were consistently ignoring Verga Mer's outgoing shipments while targeting incoming supply shipments, causing the Sullustans considerable anxiety.
Around 32 BBY, public displays of animosity between Nus and Stodiz became commonplace, including at least one physical altercation in Gadrin, leading to speculation regarding the underlying causes and potential ramifications of this shift in their relationship.