Name: Kelly Marshall
Job title: Director, Gateway2Lease
How long in role: 15 years
What’s your role? Director and co-owner
KELLY Marshall was just 22 when she set up her own vehicle brokerage back in 2008. Fifteen years later, her business Gateway2Lease is going from strength to strength.
What is immediately evident when you talk to Kelly is her passion for both broking and owning a business, and she says it has never been more exciting:
‘I love running Gateway2Lease and being master of my own destiny. It is such a brilliant time to be in broking because of the pace of change right now. We’re at a real crossroads as the whole automotive sector transitions to greener technology and to automation. It’s not just fascinating, but also really good fun.’
So, how did Kelly get into broking? Back in 2005 Kelly decided to make a U-turn, swapping her university English course to enter the world of work instead. Her first job? Customer services for Lombard Vehicle Management.
Kelly progressed quickly at Lombard, taking on a business development role with the brief to manage and grow a broker patch. She says that it was a big step up, but she quickly learnt what to do to make a difference to performance. Kelly explains:
I quickly understood the importance of brokers, which gave me some ideas. I finished work one day and decided to do something about it. First, I ran my ideas past dad, who was already in business, and I told him that I wanted to start a leasing brokerage. Wisely, dad sent me away to write a business plan - it all took off from there really! We set up Gateway2Lease together as business partners - he was a fantastic mentor, I couldn't have done it without him.
Kelly’s father might also have ignited her passion for cars:
‘Dad worked for Rover when I was young, and he would regularly bring home new demo cars. I loved it! If a new car arrived, I remember checking out the latest model with my friends. I’d often be found in the car, on the driveway, just trying out all the features and pressing the buttons! Over the years, I’ve enjoyed driving some brilliant cars but I’m definitely an electric convert now.’
When her father decided to retire, Kelly needed a new business partner to help her drive the business forward. Enter stage left Kelly’s brother, Rob Marshall, with a background in financial services and compliance from the NatWest Group.
The timing could not have been better – Rob joined the business as co-owner and operations director in 2015, just as the broking world was stepping up its compliance. On working with her brother, Kelly says their skills complement each other and make them a great team – she remarked:
‘It’s fairly unusual to work alongside your sibling. We trust and back each other, which I think is incredibly important in business.’
In terms of women in broking, Kelly says her focus has always been on ‘the right person for the right job’. However, she was also clear from the start that she didn’t want to end up with females predominantly in customer service and barely represented in sales – the old norm for some brokers.
Today Gateway2Lease has a fairly even gender split, and Kelly is proud that some of her team members have been with her since she started the business. However, Kelly vividly recalls the lack of women in the industry when she first started:
‘I remember attending conferences where sometimes I felt like the only female – but importantly I always felt I deserved my place, and I was always proud to be there. I’m delighted to say that things have moved on and there are now more women leaders in our industry.’
Kelly clearly hasn’t looked back since she took the plunge to start Gateway2Lease. Her advice for women looking to get into broking is:
Don’t be phased by the fact that women business leaders are in the minority – be proud of it and use that fire in your belly to drive you forwards. My experience of setting up a brokerage is that it is a lot of hard work, especially to start with. You need to take the bull by the horns, have a robust plan and trust that you’ll get there. Back yourself, be bold and stay true to what you believe in.
About Gateway2Lease
Gateway2Lease is one of the UK’s leading leasing companies offering car and commercial vehicle leasing solutions for both personal and business customers. The family business aims to provide excellent customer service along with competitive, tailored funding options along with simple and easy processes – from initial enquiry to new vehicle delivery.
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Laura is a writer and Head of Marketing for Broker News, with extensive automotive experience from senior marketing roles with RBS/Nat West, Lombard Vehicle Management and Unipart. She is also a self-confessed petrol-head.
