“At first, I started doing it as needed, just to help out,” says Cox. “But then we went to the 2024 Self Storage Association’s conference, and I was all in. I wanted to do this full time.” The camaraderie and sense of community that’s so prevalent in the industry were two of her reasons for pursuing full-time employment at Denny’s Storage. Just over a year later, she’s being recognized as the first runner-up for Manager of the Year, which speaks volumes about her work ethic.

“Courtney is a unique talent, as she possesses all the strength required to be a first-class self-storage manager,” says Schilling. “Her customer service skills are second to none. Within months, she had developed standard operating procedures for all sites, setting occupancy records and recording low delinquency. She’s also often the first one on site to cut a lock, repair a latch, or even move snow. She’s the most well-rounded manager and leader we have ever had the privilege to work with.”

Cox manages to do all that while establishing trusting relationships with tenants, whom she genuinely cares about. In fact, it’s important to her to make connections. “People really love to tell me what’s going on in their lives, and I really enjoy being that listening ear,” she says, pointing out that getting to know their stories and the experiences they’re navigating enables her to better serve them.

Her desire to make things better for others doesn’t stop with tenants. Cox is a board member of the Larks Community Fund, a nonprofit that promotes children’s participation in sports. “She is very active in helping underprivileged kids get opportunities in sporting events and other community activities,” says Schilling. “She really is a rising star in our community.”

Then there’s the way she handles challenges. In addition to being general manager at Denny’s Storage, she also does third-party management for another facility. “The previous managing company kept paper records of everything, and the man in charge of that management would collect payments for storage units by meeting with tenants at gas stations,” says Cox. “Sam, Kelsey, and I manually entered tenant records for 500 units into software. Half the records didn’t even match, or the tenant had moved out.”

She’s able to laugh about it now, but she admits that it was quite the situation. So far, being able to sort it all out and gain those tenants’ trust again is one of the accomplishments she’s most proud of.

If you thought that being general manager at one facility and third-party managing another was enough to keep her occupied, think again. Cox and Schilling partnered with Prairie Life Storage in Cedar Falls, Iowa, so she’s now part owner and manages the property remotely. “It’s a big learning curve, but it’s really exciting,” she says, noting that she keeps busy but loves all of it.

It’s no surprise that a person who can successfully juggle so many plates so soon after joining the industry would get noticed as an overachiever, and Sam and Harvey Schilling were both happy to nominate her for Manager of the Year. Then a call came in letting her know that she was selected as the first runner-up. “Sam answered the phone, and he came running into my office with a giant smile and clapping, and put the call on speakerphone,” she says, adding that the entire experience has been such an honor. For his part, Schilling is happy to reiterate how much she deserves the accolade. “She is an unbelievably talented friend, coworker, manager, and mother.”

When you look at the metrics, it’s clear to see why Cox rose to the top so fast. Since arriving at Denny’s Storage, they’ve reached and maintained 98 percent occupancy (increased from 80 percent when she first joined the team) and 1 percent portfolio delinquency across the five locations she oversees. She’s also brought 31 percent revenue growth and helped with the design and construction coordination of a new Denny’s Storage facility.

“I love making sure things are planned and arranged appropriately,” she says, adding that many of the skills she developed as a dialysis technician, as well as managing such a variety of other businesses, have truly come in handy. “Back then, I used to analyze medical charts and I’d train people with no medical backgrounds, leading them and delegating tasks. Here, I’m still a delegator and scheduler, and I like to look at the numbers and see where we can improve to reach financial progress.”

While Cox can certainly cite her stellar key performance indicators, she’s most proud about having good relationships with tenants. “It’s really hard to find good, human interactions in today’s world,” she says. “Everything’s automated and so surface level, and there are so many businesses where everything is so transactional, so I’m glad that we’ve been able to keep that family-owned feeling at Denny’s. I’m glad we’ve kept Diane’s legacy of genuineness and kindness going and that tenants never feel like they’re just a number.”

Speaking of relationships, Cox requested that we dedicate a portion of this article to her 8-year-old son, Noah. “He’s my right-hand man and built-in best friend,” she says. “We were recently at the Iowa facility, and he found a 5-by-5 storage locker that he loved hiding and playing in. Don’t worry. He could come in and out, and it’s climate controlled.” His enjoyment of self-storage (no pun intended) has certainly been noticed by the Schillings. “We all enjoy when Courtney brings Noah to the office after school or on holidays. She’s able to manage a rapidly growing career while handling the stresses of being a single mom. She often tells us she wants to lead by example and show him the opportunities that can come from hard work,” Schilling says, making it clear how much her dedication to everything she does is so greatly admired. “She once told us that there’s no greater joy than knowing your child is proud to have you as their mom.”

So, Noah’s proud of his mom and the Schillings are proud of their general manager and friend. “We truly believe Courtney is a generational talent and are excited to see her growth and leadership in the industry,” he says. “Every time I’m asked to describe the perfect self-storage manager, I think of Courtney.”