Cody Burch Jumps In to Help On-Site Teams Achieve Success
Cody Burch is a recent addition to the Campus Advantage team but has already made a huge impact with his work during this year’s turn season. As a Traveling Operations Specialist, he works alongside community teams to ensure business objectives are being met, oversee day-to-day operations, and create a positive living and learning experience for residents of the community. Cody leverages his resourceful nature and problem-solving skills to achieve positive results with a personal touch — and makes sure those he comes into contact with feel as valued as he has. Read on to learn more about Cody’s favorite moments with CA so far, the core value that best represents him, and the organization he’s passionate about outside of work.
Tell us a little bit about your current role.
My role is technically corporate, but recently, I’ve been helping out a lot at The Rowan in Columbia, South Carolina. I like to think of my position as essentially a problem-solver. I travel to our focus sites, make sure operations are up to date, and ensure that if the team needs support, we are providing that in any way possible and making the on-site teams feel valued and appreciated.
What first attracted you to work for Campus Advantage?
I’ve been in property management for about 10 years total. I took a break from traveling last year and then was just reintroduced back into it with Campus Advantage. I was really excited about the growth the company has had within the past few years. And when I came on board, everybody who I had come into contact with during the interview stages reached out to make sure that I was doing OK! I still have solid relationships with those individuals who helped me succeed throughout the communities that I’ve been at so far.
What three words best describe you (inside or outside of work)?
Proactive – I would rather get ahead of something than have to deal with the downfalls of it later.
Resourceful – Sometimes in this role, you walk into a community and you don’t have everything you need — or you’re up against a problem you haven’t faced before. You have to be resourceful and make sure things get accomplished with what you have. If a community doesn’t succeed with what it has, then you just got to get it what it needs.
Engaged – I like to make sure that if I am at a community, the staff knows that I’m not just there to watch; I’m there to help them. I’m going to get down and dirty with them. The same thing is true outside of work. If there’s anything I am passionate about, I’m always looking for a way to get involved.
How would you describe the Campus Advantage culture?
I would say dedicated and supportive. Anytime I need help, there’s always people who are there following up with me. They’re making sure it’s not just me feeling one way, they’re making sure that things get done and if I ever need help, I get some. I would also use the word “growing.” If someone doesn’t have an answer for something right away, they don’t say, “Oh, we’ll figure that out later.” There’s a mindset of constantly growing to make sure that if something comes up, we are prepared for it next time.
What is one of your favorite moments with Campus Advantage so far?
The first is just the people that I’ve had a chance to work with. Like I said, everybody reached out to me whenever I was interviewing, and then followed up after I was hired as far as making sure my first week was off to a good start. I’m still in contact with the people at the first community I worked with, and we are always checking in with each other, making sure they have everything they need at their communities.
Another would be working with The Rowan. They had a rough turn last year and had a ton of complaints. However, this year, with the help of some amazing on-site and corporate team members, we were able to turn that reputation around. We got a pretty positive result and are looking forward to seeing some more changes there. I just really enjoy seeing the improvement that a community can have when somebody puts some faith into it.
If you had to choose one core value that best represents you, what would it be and why?
I’d probably have to say Mojo and Intelligence. I am a little bit of a nerd, so I like to make sure I know everything that’s going on. I like knowing that if there is a problem, I know how to correct it and all the resources that are available. But at the same time, we are in a position where we deal with people’s housing. They’re the ones there 24/7. If they are angry or upset, you just kind of have to have that mojo to understand where they’re coming from and give them a personal experience.
What motivates you to get up for work every day?
Mostly just seeing the changes that have happened or that can happen. I can get pretty invested in things — helping The Rowan have a great turn is a good example. Just seeing how, if you put your head to the grindstone, you can see changes happen, make the residents happy, make the community a better place — things like that. I also want to make sure that wherever I am, I’m seeing growth professionally and personally. I’m motivated to make the best out of each day and get whatever I can out of it.
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
I enjoy going on runs with my dog and getting out to see the city. I’ve also recently been working with a charity for senior dogs. I put my corgi down last year, so since then, my fiance and I have been helping out with an organization that helps disabled corgis and other small breeds get wheelchairs.
If your life had a soundtrack, name some songs that would be on it?
Either “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees or “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor — just because in my role, I visit a lot of our focus sites as Campus Advantage. The first day you’re walking in, you can be faced with a lot of challenges, but you just handle them and move on. Same thing in life. If something happens you don’t like, you just got to deal with it and make the next day better. You can’t change the past, so why focus on it?