Chesterfield family run business launched just before lockdown is shortlisted for prestigious awards

Karen Mosley, 48, and her brother Lee Wells, 35, did not expect great success after they launched their own business KranLee Logisitics Limited, just a month before the first Covid lockdown at the beginning of 2020.

The company, which offers bespoke international logistics solutions for Chesterfield businesses, has been now been shortlisted for Sheffield business awards in October in two categories –including the Small Business of the Year Award and the Startup organisation of the Year – an award for a company that shows an exceptional growth over three years from starting. The awards are open for any business within the S postcode – meaning any Chesterfield based business can enter the competition.

Karen said: “When I got the notification about the award, it had such a sense of warmth, it was incredible. When we first started it had been quite a scary time for us to face the challenges of a global pandemic as a fledgling startup business literally when the world went into lockdown, especially in logistics.

"We support business with export and import but lots of clients literally stopped shipping when the lockdown started. Lee and I, just left secure employment, started a business employed a couple of people and we were not sure what would happen next. But we worked very hard and the growth that we've achieved has been massive. We're currently on year seven of our plan in terms of of turnover and profits after only three and a half years of trading."

Karen who has worked in logistics for 25 years and Lee who has worked in the industry for 15 years have been able to use their experience and unique bond to brave through the challanges of the pandemics and support other Chesterfield businesses.

Thanks to their success, in October 2020 they opened a second business, KranLee Custom Brokerage to assist other businesses with the paperwork around export and import after Brexit complicated customs formalities.

Karen said: “As a brother and a sister, our skill set really complements one another. We could have used our experience in logistics to notice what is working well and what is not and start a business focused on the client and offering out-of-the-box solutions. We discuss the plan with each business individually to help them to have a more effective export and import internationally.”

But KranLee Logisitics Limited does not only help local businesses – Karen and Lee also try to give back as much to the Chesterfield community as possible. The business has been one of the sponsors for Chesterfield Pride, took part in Christmas toy and Ester egg appeals. The company also works with Chesterfield FC – KranLee Logisitics sponsored the community awards by the club in May abd has been taking part on events raising funds for the club’s academy.

Karen added: “The ethos of our business is whenever we do well, we try to pull back into the local community as much as we can. We've worked so hard and tried to give back as much as we can to the local community. Being shortlisted for the awards feels like karma and it is a reward for us and our hard work.”