Meet the Experts: John Calcara, Business Development Manager
With more than 30 years in the fleet industry, John Calcara brings deep expertise, a relationship first philosophy, and a reputation built on trust, delivery and loyalty. As a Business Development Manager at Interleasing, John combines his technical grounding with a strong people centric approach, helping organisations navigate challenges with confidence.
What does your role entail and what excites you about it?
I’m responsible for bringing new business into Interleasing - meeting prospects, understanding their fleet needs, and nurturing that initial relationship before transitioning it into our in-life management team.
What excites me is the variety. Every opportunity is different, not because the challenges are always unique, but because the people are. Many clients feel like they’re alone with their problem, and I enjoy helping them see that we understand - and that they’re in safe hands. For me, it’s never just about winning business. It’s about building a connection.
What skills are essential in your area?
The biggest one is listening. Often, it’s not what someone says - it’s what they don’t say that matters. You learn to read the gaps, the hesitations, the unspoken pressures.
My background helps too. I started as a motor mechanic, then moved into customer facing roles. That mix of technical knowledge and people skills has served me well over the past 30 years. I’ve learned when to speak, and importantly - when not to, and how to build trust just by genuinely understanding what someone needs.
What are some of the challenges that you help solve for clients?
Across the industry, the faces and roles change, but the challenges largely stay the same: cost pressures, fleet reliability, internal constraints, service needs, and navigating change.
What I bring is experience - I’ve seen these challenges many times, so I can help clients break them down and explore solutions without overcomplicating things.
One of the most rewarding parts of my career has been building long term relationships. I’ve had customers follow me across multiple companies and generations of decision makers. That proves to me that connection and trust matter just as much as the fleet solution.
What do you see as some of the opportunities for prospects with Interleasing?
Interleasing is in a great position right now. Some of the larger players in the market have lost a bit of client confidence, particularly following acquisitions and structural changes.
We’re different. We’re big enough to deliver on major programs, but small enough to give clients the personal attention they expect. I often say we’re “big enough to cope, small enough to care” - and I genuinely believe it. Depending on a prospect’s background, our size might seem like a challenge or an advantage, but often, it becomes a real strength.
What makes Interleasing different?
Before joining Interleasing, I competed against the brand for many years. From the outside, I always saw Interleasing as steady, credible and consistent. Not flashy - but reliable. Once I joined, I quickly understood why.
We do what we say we’re going to do. The leadership walks the talk. And in a market full of slogans about trust and transparency, actually delivering on those promises makes all the difference.
What Interleasing value resonates most with you?
While MMS values like Strive for Greatness and Everyone Matters are important, the value I feel most strongly here is authentic support.
Our senior leaders are involved - not just when things go wrong, but when things go well. They back their teams, they show up for conversations, and they help create an environment where people want to deliver for their clients. That sort of leadership cascades through the business and sets the tone for how we treat customers.
What sort of future trends do you think are coming up or continuing?
I think we’re entering a period where clients will move back toward partners who deliver, not just talk. With the industry shifting, budgets tightening and fleet transition becoming more complex, organisations are looking for service consistency and genuine partnership.
Over the next five to ten years, the FMOs who succeed will be the ones who go beyond the slogans - the ones who show transparency in action and build longstanding relationships based on trust.
What inspires you outside of work?
Family is a big part of my life. At this stage in my career, I want the work I do to mean something, and I want my experience to add value.
I’m also a lifelong martial artist - a 7th dan black belt who has trained continuously since 1978. Karate has taught me discipline, resilience, patience, and the power of doing the right thing consistently, even when it’s challenging. Those lessons flow into everything I do professionally.
What was your first job?
I started out as a motor mechanic. At 15, during a work experience placement, I confidently told a workshop I could remove a differential… even though I had no idea what a “diff” was at the time! That moment taught me resourcefulness, humility and the importance of backing myself.
I spent years on the tools before moving into customer facing roles, where I realised I had a natural ability to diagnose problems and support people. That shift shaped my entire career - from the workshop to service advisor to manager, and eventually into fleet and business development.
Those early days also taught me something I still believe today:
“Even if you don’t win the deal, you can still win the relationship.” Sometimes those relationships come back years later - and have shaped some of the proudest moments of my career.