Nickolas Burns
Sioux Falls,SD
Summary
Mission-driven executive with proven success in scaling service organizations and leading distributed teams. Currently manages an 8-person team across a multi-market portfolio of over 65 units in 14 states and 24 cities, focusing on strategy, budgeting, performance reporting, and stakeholder communication. Recognized for effective leadership, setting clear expectations, and simplifying complex processes into actionable plans.
Overview
5
5
years of professional experience
Work History
Owner/Founder
Divergent Real Estate
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
08.2021 - Current
- Founded and led short-term rental co-hosting company managing 65+ properties across 14 states and 24 cities.
- Direct an 8-person operations team and vendor network to ensure consistent service quality.
- Own full P&L and operating strategy, encompassing sales, onboarding, guest experience, maintenance, pricing, and client retention.
- Drive owner profitability through dynamic pricing and listing optimization focused on seasonality and events.
- Developed and maintained SOPs for guest messaging, claims, turnovers, and issue escalation to enhance accountability.
- Implemented operational controls with SLA targets and quality gates to minimize delays in maintenance readiness.
- Produced recurring performance reports to provide insights supporting owner retention and data-driven decisions.
Owner/Founder
University Lawn Care
10.2022 - 02.2025
- Built and sold a lawn care/landscaping company (sold Feb 2025) reaching $800K annual revenue and 300+ recurring clients.
- Led a 7-person admin + field team; managed hiring, training, scheduling, and quality standards.
- Implemented routing + SOP systems that improved consistency, reduced callbacks, and increased daily capacity.
- Owned P&L, pricing, and cost controls across labor, fuel, and equipment to protect margins.
- Achieved 80 Google reviews with an average rating of 4.8 stars.
Director of Business Development
Deffenbaugh Homes
Sioux Falls, SD
12.2021 - 08.2023
- Collaborated with company owner to define business growth strategies and optimize systems.
- Implemented cost-effective marketing strategies, reducing annual expenses by $168,000 while enhancing brand visibility.
- Managed custom home sales process, achieving over 60% annual revenue growth.
- Oversaw recruitment initiatives to support business expansion, increasing staff from 13 to 26.
- Directed land development operations exceeding $60 million, ensuring coordination with city engineers and financial stakeholders.
Marketing Manager
Scheels All Sports Inc.
Sioux Falls , SD
10.2020 - 12.2021
- Created and managed budgets exceeding $170,000.
- Established cooperative relationships with community business representatives to foster collaboration.
- Directed social media and digital marketing strategies to enhance brand visibility and customer engagement.
- Managed local Scheels events, generating over $1 million in annual sales revenue, a 40% increase.
- Aligned sales strategies with market trends, exceeding sales goals and improving profitability.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Business Administration
University of Sioux Falls
2022
Associate of Arts - Marketing
University of Sioux Falls
Sioux Falls, SD2022
Skills
- Executive leadership and team development
- Strategic planning and execution
- Program operations and quality standards
- Budgeting and P&L management
- Stakeholder communication and engagement
- Community partnerships and relationship management
- Process design and SOP implementation
- Performance management systems
- Project management and coordination
- Vendor management and service delivery
- Operational reporting and analytics
- Risk management and escalation
References
Branden Hiles
- (605) 501-0697
Branden Ness
- (605) 881-2271
Timeline
Owner/Founder
University Lawn Care
10.2022 - 02.2025
Director of Business Development
Deffenbaugh Homes
12.2021 - 08.2023
Owner/Founder
Divergent Real Estate
08.2021 - Current
Marketing Manager
Scheels All Sports Inc.
10.2020 - 12.2021
Bachelor of Arts - Business Administration
University of Sioux Falls
Associate of Arts - Marketing
University of Sioux Falls