In the Driver’s Seat with Lionel Holguin

When he started as a frontline agent in 2004, Lionel Holguin, Head of Customer Service and Collections, didn’t imagine he would be here twenty years later.

“It’s really a testament to the organization,” he said. “I’m incredibly grateful to the DriveTime family of brands and all my teams throughout my tenure for their continuous support.”

As Head of Customer Service and Collections, Lionel oversees all active customers and loans, and is present throughout most stages of the loan ownership process.

A Passion for Business

Born in California, Lionel spent the early years of his life in the Los Angeles area. It was his parents’ passion for entrepreneurship that moved them to Mexico, where he spent his formative years.

“I went to jr. high, high school, and graduated college in Mexico,” he shared. “All throughout that time, I was surrounded by my parents’ passion for business, for entrepreneurship.”

Lionel carried that passion and experience with him to college, where he got a degree in Computer Science, hoping to utilize his business skills in the technological industry.

After graduation, Lionel relocated to the U.S. “I wanted to branch out on my own and try something separate from my parents,” he explained.

Lionel subsequently found a role working for a BPO in Arizona that stoked his passion for business. Talking about the experience, Lionel shared, “When I got back into business, I immediately latched onto operations. I have a big passion for helping others and improving processes.”

For four years, Lionel switched between different managerial positions before receiving a call from a previous mentor that had recently begun a career at DriveTime.

“A previous manager gave me a call and recommended I look into DriveTime. I took his advice and went in for an interview. Twenty years later I’m still here, enjoying every day,” he said.

Climbing The Ladder

Lionel began his career at DriveTime as a frontline advisor, where he spent a few months experiencing customer service firsthand. Afterwards, he entered the loan manager training program.

“That role was the catalyst to my career at DriveTime. The loan manager training allowed me the opportunity to own and manage a specific site and location from the finance side.”

From there, Lionel bounced around the Phoenix area as a Portfolio Strategist, managing portfolios on a regional level.

Lionel describes his career progression as a culmination of opportunities that allowed him to grow and learn. Holding previous positions across the leadership ladder, Lionel ventured into different sides of the automotive business, including loan servicing. specialty collections, to his current role in customer service.

“The scope and scale of my roles has grown over the years,” he said, a growth he attributes to DriveTime’s innovative workplace style. “DriveTime has allowed me to be in the driver’s seat of my career.”

Changes and Familiarities

When asked what has changed throughout his leadership tenure, Lionel shared some insight on the automotive industry.

“Most of the change has happened with the technology and the growth of our organization. There are many new systems and tools that we are adapting our staff to so we can create more efficient systems,” he said.

What hasn’t changed?

“The culture,” Lionel explained. “DriveTime’s culture emphasizes having fun, values collaboration, and encourages continuous evolution to simplify the job of our employees while helping our customers.”

Lionel’s appreciation for Drive Time’s culture shows itself within his leadership style, what he describes as “servant leadership.”

“There are a lot of factors that go into great leadership. My focus as a leader has always been to empower and support my team members. I invest in my people, and they go on to invest their teams and so forth.”

This investment lifecycle is a physical manifestation of Lionel’s dedication not just to his own improvement, but to everyone else around him.

Parting Words

With twenty years of experience under his belt, and a significant portion of that time spent in leadership, Lionel’s advice for those looking to build a similar career path demonstrates that there is no big mystery behind leadership or tenure, just intention.

The most important thing is to be proactive. Being open-minded, investing your time in available resources, and truly taking charge of your role and responsibilities allows you to make an impact on your organization while also engaging with your peers.