Her Story
About Courtney
Courtney Correa serves as a construction manager in Aurora, Colorado. She began her career in the construction industry in 2005 and has progressed to managing residential home building projects from the initial dig through to completion, including buyer orientation and closing. Currently with KB Home following seven years at Meritage Homes, she holds a master's degree in clinical mental health counseling earned in 2018. Her notable achievements include winning the fastest cycle time award for several quarters at Meritage Homes and receiving the President's Award for the fastest cycle time for Denver. She attributes her success to a strong work ethic instilled by her military family background and a drive to continually learn and improve. Correa values honesty, compassion, empathy, and active listening in her work with diverse homebuyers and trades, and she advises maintaining care to deliver quality homes while encouraging young women not to be discouraged by the male-dominated nature of the field.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Courtney
01What do you attribute your success to?
Being my father's daughter from a military family has ingrained in me to work hard at everything I do, including school and my profession. Wanting to do better, be more successful, and learn more motivates me to immerse myself in whatever I'm doing and learn as much as I can to be better at it.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Always care, because you get complacent when you stop caring. In home building, you have to continue to care to build a good product. I walk my houses regularly, communicate constantly, and deliver a good home because of my work ethic. My name is important to me, so I always have to deliver a good home.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don't get discouraged. I work in a very male-dominated industry, and sometimes it's hard as a woman because we feel like we're not as valued as men. But the world is changing, and it's a great and rewarding industry because we're delivering home ownership, something people try to achieve their whole life. It shouldn't scare people away just because it's not a normal profession for a woman.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The housing market fluctuates and is challenging, leading to ups and downs and layoffs in companies. Dealing with different types of people can be challenging, as can managing trades with language barriers. There is limited room for growth in positions beyond construction manager, though there is always room to grow as a person and worker.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I value honesty, compassion, empathy, and a good work ethic. I need to embody these because I work with many different cultures and homebuyers with different beliefs and values. Respecting theirs is important, as is listening and being open. I value being heard and listening to others rather than just responding.
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