Shaylyn Cullen
President
Cullen Construction Management
Chicago
As Shaylyn Cullen’s bio says, this industry veteran began her career in commercial construction with an engineering degree and a clean pair of work boots. Today? She can look back at a construction career that stretches more than 25 years, one that reached a high point 10 years ago when Cullen founded her own women-owned business, Chicago’s Cullen Construction Management.
How did Cullen not only succeed but thrive in a business still largely dominated by men? You can credit Cullen’s willingness to take risks, work hard and study her market. You can also point to her determination to let nothing stop her short of her goals.
“I truly enjoy the team-building aspect of our industry,” Cullen said. “Projects require so many different skill sets. I have learned that communication and trust strengthen relationships with industry partners. To thrive in commercial real estate, building a successful team is critical to the success of each project.”
As her biography says, Cullen has chased opportunities throughout her career. This included inspecting job sites to gain additional field experience and seeking out the most successful veterans of the construction industry to act as role models and mentors.
After earning her civil and environmental engineering degree from Marquette University and gaining the respect of her peers in the construction business, Cullen still yearned for more. She wanted to become a true entrepreneur.
To accomplish this, she spent her evenings pursuing her master’s degree in business administration at DePaul University with the goal of owning a business.
That hard work paid off. Armed with muddier boots, a dinged-up hardhat and a laptop, Cullen started Cullen Construction Management a decade ago, a business that continues to grow today. It’s little surprise that this business has succeeded, too: Cullen says that she believes in giving 100% to her work, team, peers and community. This dedication has allowed her to serve as an example and mentor to the future generation of female leaders in the construction industry and has also provided a boost to the fortunes of Cullen Construction Management.
In the last 12 months, Cullen Construction Management has opened a second office in Austin, Texas and seen its number of team members jump by 45%. Cullen CM has expanded into two new states and has seen increased growth in new markets of higher education and aviation. Today, Cullen Construction Management has active projects in 20 states.
“This industry is full of challenges, some solvable in a few hours, others that take hard work and patience,” Cullen said. “My favorite challenges are those that have brought people together and strengthened the team as they pushed to resolution.”
When not working, Cullen focuses on the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. She challenges herself through outdoor activities such as running road races or hiking a new trail. She boosts her mind by binge-reading books.
Cullen is also an avid mentor, participating in several robotic, STEM and female-empowerment clubs.
But her true passion remains building and running her successful business.
“In the commercial real estate industry, no two days are ever the same,” Cullen said. “Every project is unique and presents new challenges to solve. Each project team brings together a diverse group of talents for a common goal.”
