Courtney Kelly MBA, PE shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Courtney, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
I was leaving home to embark on an 400-plus mile journey for an event and my check engine light came on. Last year while leaving for the same event, the garage door wouldn’t go down, so faced with this new dilemma, I couldn’t help but laugh. A trip to the dealership and three hours later I was on the road again but I took it to mean that something great was bound to happen at the event – and lots of things did!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Courtney Kelly, founder of Courtney Kelly Books, a self-publishing firm that focuses on STEM-based content for children. My two books, Celeste Saves the City and Celeste Tunnels Underground, follow the journey of a young civil engineer from New Orleans who tackles issues like flooding and traffic congestion. The books are based on my life and career as a practicing civil engineer and construction management professional. Since the release of the first book in 2022 over 5,000 copies have been sold in over 15 countries. The books are available as an audiobook, eBook, hardcover, or paperback. They’ve also been translated into French, German, and Spanish.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
When I was in college I told someone that I wanted to change to world, to which they replied that the world was already broken and couldn’t be fixed. From that day on I decided that maybe changing the whole world wasn’t possible, but if I focused on changing the parts of it that I could touch, I would make an impact. I’ve tried to do that prior to becoming an author and now that I have an opportunity to literally travel the world and touch lives, I can see the difference that I’m making.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Yes! I first wrote the manuscript for Celeste Saves the City in 2017 and after reviewing submission criteria for a number of publishing companies, I sent it off with a query letter only to be rejected about five or six times. After that, I put the idea of becoming an author on the backburner until one day when I heard a voice tell me that it was time to get the book out into the world. Fast forward to now and I’m glad I took a chance on myself and self-published.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My closest friends would say that making a difference in the lives of the people I interact with is really important to me. Whether it’s a chance encounter at an event or a lasting relationship, I try to be a bright light for those around me and spread that to the rooms that I enter.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What light inside you have you been dimming?
A lot of people have been asking about where they can get more content from my speaking engagements. I’m a bit of an introvert so I think that’s been holding me back from wanting to post more videos on social media platforms. Considering the number of requests, I think it’s time for me to let that light shine and not worry about it so much. I just launched a YouTube channel, so we’ll see what happens!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.courtneykellybooks.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtneykellybooks/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/courtneykellybooks
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/courtneykellybooks/
- Other: http://www.linkedin.com/in/courtneylynnkelly
