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When General Manger Rachel Borrell walks the yard with her rental coordinators at EquipmentShare’s branch in Pueblo, Colorado, she temporarily transforms into a quiz show host. Borrell thinks rental coordinators Dannelle Brown and Sarah Buehler eventually will become GMs of their own branches, and she wants them to be as prepared as possible.
“I’ll ask, ‘Why would I need a 60-foot boom?’ or, ‘What is the difference between an articulating boom and telescopic boom, and what would be the benefit of each?’” Borrell said. “I have them give me the answer the way they would give it to the customer. So when a customer comes and asks us questions or if a customer doubts us because we’re women, we can show them we know what we’re talking about.”
When Borrell opened the Pueblo branch in 2023, she wanted to create an environment where talented team members — including women, who are underrepresented in the construction industry — can grow into leadership positions. That mentorship was missing early in her own career as she spent eight years working for different auto repair and equipment rental companies in service, sales and operations roles.
“I just needed the opportunity and the tools to get where I needed to go,” she said.
She found what she was looking for at EquipmentShare. After a few months learning the basics as an assistant manager in South Denver, she took over the new branch in Pueblo.
“I was here helping do the groundwork, literally, like laying down asphalt, rolling the asphalt, cleaning up in the shop,” Borrell said. “It’s been really cool to watch the transformation of the branch from its infancy stage to where it is today. I’ve had the privilege to hire every single person on my team, and I have a heck of a crew.”
EquipmentShare encourages all its employees to maintain a healthy work-life balance. For Borrell, that means keeping up with her young son — who loves the construction equipment his mom works with — and enjoying Colorado’s natural beauty on hikes and camping trips. As a former softball player at Penn State, she is now a rather overqualified member of her slow-pitch softball league.
On the job, Borrell feels comfortable turning to her bosses, including District Operations Manager Brandon Hobbs and Regional Operations Manager Jimmy Allen, for advice on how to build a successful branch that can be a launching pad for future EquipmentShare leaders.
“It’s great to get that support and the growth I’ve been looking for,” she said. “There’s mentorship to help me be the best version of me and to grow my career. And I can help grow others’ careers on top of that.”
