Have you ever thought, “There has to be more to a job than this”? If so, this interview is for you.

In this podcast episode we interview two Chief Financial Officers in homebuilding who also have a professional mentorship relationship. They talk about keys to success, why work in homebuilding is so satisfactory, and the value of mentorship in the workplace.

Cory Boydston is the CFO of Ashton Woods Homes and Audrey Lam is the CFO of Oakwood Homes.

In these two interviews, we discuss

- The satisfaction of homebuilding

- Key habits to success

- V-type personalities (volunteering)

- Finding short-term and long-term mentors

- The Women’s Housing Leadership Group

- The opportunity for women to excel in leadership

"When I started out at Solomon, I was one of three women out of seventy in a training program. There were times that it was tough, but you power through it. If you rise above then you have this massive advantage, because the world needs women in business."  - Ivy Zelman

In this interview we are honored to speak with Ivy Zelman. Ivy is founder and CEO of Zelman and Associates and is a leading voice on housing market trends. She serves as an advisor for many home builders and investors and Ivy is best known for predicting the latest housing market crash when almost no one saw it coming.

This is the second episode of our #womenwhobuild series.

In this interview, we address the question of why we need more women in this industry. You will also find our talk helpful if you are a professional looking to build your courage, fortitude, and ability to think ahead.

- Ivy’s professional career path. From going to night school to being a heavily sought out expert

- The outlook of the home building market

- Advice for would-be trade professionals

- How to be courageous when your ideas are unpopular

- And how to thrive as a woman in a male-dominated industry

Want more information on the Colorado Homebuilding Academy? Find us on http://cohomebuildingacademy.org/ 

This is our first series on the Workshop Podcast titled “Women Who Build.” We will be interviewing women who are thriving in the homebuilding and construction industry. First up is Pierrette Tierney.

Pierrette shifted from a journalism career path into homebuilding. She is now a Vice President at American Homes 4 Rent and oversaw the project The House That SHE Built.

The House that SHE Built project is a home designed, planned, and executed by women in Utah led by the Utah Professional Women in Building.

In this podcast we discuss Pierrette’s career path, reasons why homebuilding is a great industry to work in, and all of the details on The House that SHE Built project.

How do you find success in construction? Then, once you find it, what do you do with that success?

Pat Hamill, CEO of Oakwood Homes, has discovered the secret to leveraging success in the home building industry to empower others to do the same. He has three primary goals in this season of his career: affordable housing, education, and jobs. The Colorado Homebuilding Academy is one of his primary projects to accomplish this. 

This podcast unpacks

- Pat’s career journey

Want more info on the Colorado Homebuilding Academy? https://cohomebuildingacademy.org/ Contact us here: [email protected] | 720-409-0985

From snowmobiling tours to scuba diving, from physics to paramedics, Kari’s career path has been diverse.

She now has a career in construction. Right out of our Bootcamp, she’s already worked in project management and the trades. 

And, catch this, she got her start within the COVID shutdown.

Kari’s career path has been nothing but intentional. She purposefully pursued career choices that fed into her passions: knowledge, outdoors, and traveling. She also intentionally explored skills she had a hunch she would enjoy and jobs that would contribute to a more fulfilling life.

In our conversation she unpacks how she continues her career exploration. 

We hope this discussion will help you sort out your own passions and career goals and get some advice on how to explore them. 

Want more info on the Colorado Homebuilding Academy? https://cohomebuildingacademy.org/ Contact us here: [email protected] | 720-409-0985

Why is RIGHT NOW the best time to look at a career in construction? 

In this podcast, Albus Brooks tells us why. 

After sharing his fascinating career journey with us, Albus gives some great insight into the construction industry's challenges and opportunities. 

Albus has been a college football star, nonprofit leader, City Council President, and now the Vice President at Milender White.

In this podcast, Albus confronts the harsh realities of the construction industry's lack of diversity. But, the tide is changing. We are it a pivotal moment, especially for people of color. It is prime time to enter this field.

It's also prime time for the industry to change the way they hire and develop their people.. 

Want more info on the Colorado Homebuilding Academy? https://cohomebuildingacademy.org/ Contact us here: [email protected] | 720-409-0985

Chef Joshua Copland was up against a career wall. He had worked in the food and beverage industry for his whole adult life when he found himself without a job and sick with COVID.

After researching his options, he found a craigslist ad that sent him on an upward whirlwind. In no time, he went from construction training to a position with Homebuilder Taylor Morrison and then was featured on a CNBC news story. 

Joshua tells his story in this podcast and advises anyone moving from the struggling food and beverage industry into construction. 

Do you love what you do? What does that mean? What does that feel like? 

 How do you find a job like that? 

Winston Nurse has been successful in multiple careers: military, technology, management, and construction. He is now a craftsman, business owner, and instructor at the Colorado Homebuilding Academy.

He has mastered the fine art of doing what you love. I can hardly think of a better person to discuss finding what you are designed to do, doing what you love, and getting paid for it. 

Look for our video clips of this podcast on youtube.

Want more info on the Colorado Homebuilding Academy? https://cohomebuildingacademy.org/ Contact us here: [email protected] | 720-409-0985

There are lots of ways folks enter the construction field. Justin Johannes first entered this industry as a child when his father, a general contractor and cabinet maker, "used construction as a punishment."   Justin is now the Vice President of Construction with Taylor Morrison. 

In this podcast, he gives us an inside look into what is needed to succeed in this industry today.  Justin also discusses how the industry is changing and the optimism he has about the future.  

If you are hoping to ignite or reignite a passion around home building, this podcast is for you.

Look for our video version of this podcast on youtube.   Want more info on the Colorado Homebuilding Academy? https://cohomebuildingacademy.org/ Contact us here: [email protected] | 720-409-0985

New in-person Bootcamps in partnership with Taylor Morrison starting August 3rd

Meet Chante who is a young artist who while looking for the right career path was introduced to the joy of building. Take an inside look at the beginnings of her journey into construction.   

Look for our video version podcast on youtube.   Want more info on the Colorado Homebuilding Academy? https://cohomebuildingacademy.org/  Contact us here: [email protected] | 720-409-0985

New in-person Bootcamps starting July 6th!