Kelly Martinez, President of ePost Global, reflects on more than two decades building ePost Global and her perspectives on leadership, entrepreneurship, and the challenges women still face in logistics in a new Supply Chain 24/7 interview. Her insights offer lessons for the next generation of supply chain leaders.
How she entered logistics
Kelly's path to logistics wasn't direct. She started in sales at Avis after working at a travel agency and observing airline representatives come through the office. What stuck with her early: a charismatic CEO who paid genuine attention to people. When she presented her first territory strategy, he listened, took interest, and later had personalized notepads made for her a small gesture that stayed with her for decades.
That early lesson about how much a leader can impact someone through personal attention still shapes how she leads today.
From corporate to entrepreneurial
Kelly moved through structured corporate environments at Avis and Deutsche Post before deciding to start her own company. The transition from structured corporate to entrepreneurial logistics taught her that things could move faster and changes could have immediate impact.
When she and her business partner launched ePost Global, they believed they could serve customers differently and more responsively. "We thought if it didn't work out, we could always go back," Kelly reflects. "But honestly, in the back of our minds, we believed we would make it work."
The lawsuit and persistence
Launching the company was complicated by a lawsuit from Deutsche Post filed in California and New Jersey. Kelly recalls the chaos: "We were sorting mail and packages during the day, putting on suits and meeting with customers, and then dealing with legal strategy and depositions at night."
An insurance policy clause covering the type of lawsuit ended up covering about $1.5 million in legal fees. They eventually settled for around $100,000—and were already profitable by the end of year one.
Long-term leadership
One of the first people Kelly hired more than 30 years ago still works with her today. That loyalty reflects her approach: identifying talented people, supporting them, and creating an environment where they feel valued and able to grow.
Kelly credits her business partner with a significant shift. About 10 years ago, she pointed out that her ideas often went unnoticed while others got credit. To his credit, he took it seriously. Now he stops people in meetings and redirects credit when her ideas are overlooked.
The current moment
Today's logistics environment is "pretty crazy," Kelly says. Things change rapidly. Europe is considering additional fees tied to SKUs and HS codes that could disrupt cross-border shipping. Every country is doing something different, and businesses are struggling to understand how that impacts costs and shipping strategies.
Her leadership style now focuses on listening to managers and employees doing the work and learning from their ideas. She travels across ePost's four U.S. facilities and stays involved in sales, marketing, customer service, and HR.
Still fighting for visibility
Despite decades of experience, Kelly still encounters moments when her ideas get overlooked in meetings. "It's hard to fathom that in 2026, this still happens," she says.
She has two daughters and worries they'll contend with the same challenges in their careers.
Read Kelly's full interview on women in supply chain at Supply Chain 24/7 →
