Shawn Nelson
Candler,NC
You miss 100% of the shots you never take.
Wayne Gretzky
Summary
Dynamic Operations Leader with over 20 years of experience optimizing business performance, developing high-performing teams, and enhancing customer satisfaction in fast-paced, high-volume environments. Expertise in streamlining processes, improving service delivery, and significantly reducing operational costs, demonstrated by a proven track record of achieving a 30% increase in service speed within three months. Skilled in recruiting, training, and mentoring staff to achieve measurable outcomes while consistently exceeding sales targets and driving market growth through strategic planning and strong client relationships. Committed to leveraging extensive operational knowledge and customer service acumen to transition into a new industry that values strategic problem-solving and people development.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Operations Manager
Waffle House Inc
Asheville, NC
01.2021 - Current
- Streamline daily operations to maximize staff productivity, performance, and efficiency
- Recruit, coach, and develop high-performing teams, ensuring alignment with brand and operational standards
- Mentor team leads and managers, instilling a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, workforce engagement, and customer focus
- Managed inventory control processes, ensuring optimal stock levels and reducing waste
- Developed scheduling systems to ensure adequate staffing during peak hours
- Analyzed customer feedback to identify areas for service improvement and implement changes
- Managed inventory and supply chain operations to achieve timely and accurate delivery of goods and services
- Developed and maintained relationships with external vendors and suppliers
- Analyzed and reported on key performance metrics to senior management
- Identified and resolved unauthorized, unsafe, or ineffective practices.
C-Store General Manager
Enmarket
Arden, NC
01.2020 - 01.2021
- Oversaw $1M+ annual revenue operations with full accountability for P&L, compliance, staffing, and service delivery
- Improved store performance by streamlining labor scheduling, enhancing vendor partnerships, and optimizing inventory control
- Delivered consistent top-tier customer experiences by upholding cleanliness, speed of service, and operational safety standards
- Executed dynamic fuel pricing strategies, including competitive analysis and real-time adjustments
- Built and led a results-driven team, achieving performance goals through proactive leadership and coaching.
Area Sales Manager
Kurressence
Asheville, NC
01.2019 - 01.2020
- Opened four retail locations across NC and hired/trained all staff
- Strengthened operational oversight across multiple locations using Point-Of-Sale (POS) analytics and real-time inventory tracking
- Elevated customer loyalty by resolving service issues quickly and delivering consistent, high-quality engagement
- Delivered outstanding service by quickly greeting customers, determining their needs, and addressing their concerns or inquiries
- Analyzed market trends to identify opportunities for expanding product offerings and establishing competitive advantages
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment of promotional activities and customer engagement strategies
- Mentored junior sales staff, providing guidance on best practices and fostering professional development within the team
- Managed a successful sales team, consistently achieving and exceeding monthly sales targets
- Prepared sales presentations for clients showing the success and credibility of products.
Co-Owner / Retail Sales & Operations Manager
Artisan Vapor & CBD Burlington
Burlington, VT
01.2016 - 01.2019
- Directed the opening, marketing, and management of 2 new stores in VT and TX
- Skillfully developed and implemented store-level marketing strategies, including social media campaigns aligned with sales targets
- Closely monitored company inventory and sales performance using a POS System
- Trained and managed front-line staff while ensuring operational compliance and high standards of service execution.
Vice President of Operations
NRG Home Solar
Houston, TX
01.2012 - 01.2013
- Directed operations for multiple solar lease installations, integrating finance, logistics, and customer service functions
- Managed cross-functional teams and provided executive-level reporting on project performance and financial metrics
- Directed cross-functional teams to enhance operational efficiency across solar project lifecycles
- Facilitated collaboration between departments to ensure alignment with corporate objectives and operational goals
- Drove continuous improvement initiatives resulting in enhanced customer satisfaction and operational reliability
- Supported project management team for optimal performance
- Identified and qualified customer needs and negotiated and closed profitable projects with high success rate
- Assisted in recruiting, hiring, and training of team members
- Recruited, hired, and trained initial personnel, working to establish key internal functions and outline scope of positions for new organization
- Handled problematic customers and clients to assist lower-level employees and maintain excellent customer service
- Trained and guided team members to maintain high productivity and performance metrics
- Improved organizational efficiency by adopting cutting-edge technology solutions for process automation.
Senior Vice President of Lending
Gulf Credit Union
Beaumont, TX
01.2010 - 01.2012
- Streamlined loan operations and enhanced compliance standards, driving branch efficiency and consistency
- Strengthened client relationships by implementing responsive service protocols and real-time resolution strategies
- Led strategic planning initiatives to enhance operational efficiency and service delivery
- Directed cross-functional teams to implement new financial products and services
- Oversaw compliance with regulatory requirements, ensuring organizational integrity and accountability
- Established performance metrics to evaluate success of credit union programs and initiatives
- Mentored senior management team, fostering leadership development and succession planning
- Analyzed market trends to identify opportunities for growth and innovation within the organization
- Cultivated partnerships with local businesses to enhance service offerings and expand membership base
- Hired and managed employees to maximize productivity while training staff on best practices and protocols
- Developed and executed strategic initiatives to drive business growth, resulting in higher revenues and market share expansion
- Collaborated with executive leadership team members on long-term strategic planning that ensured sustainable success for the company
- Enhanced company performance by implementing new strategies and streamlining operations
- Secured vital partnerships with industry leaders, enhancing company reputation and expanding market reach
- Revamped sales strategies to increase customer acquisition rates while maintaining strong profit margins
- Oversaw business-wide changes to modernize procedures and organization
- Analyzed industry trends and tracked competitor activities to inform decision-making
- Collaborated with legal, accounting, and other professional teams to review and maintain compliance with regulations
- Communicated business performance, forecasts, and strategies to investors and shareholders
- Cultivated company-wide culture of innovation and collaboration.
Assistant Vice President
Gesa Credit Union
Richland, WA
01.2009 - 01.2010
- Successfully improved decision turnaround times and service levels, contributing to a more loyal and satisfied member base
- Led strategic initiatives to enhance member engagement and satisfaction across multiple channels
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to streamline operations and improve service delivery efficiency
- Analyzed performance metrics to identify areas for process improvement and operational excellence
- Mentored junior staff, fostering professional development and enhancing team capabilities
- Facilitated training sessions on new products and services, ensuring staff proficiency in member assistance
- Established key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor success of strategic initiatives and operational goals
- Collaborated closely with executive leadership to align department goals with overall company objectives, resulting in stronger organizational cohesion
- Enhanced collaboration between team members by implementing innovative communication tools and fostering an open dialogue culture
- Led cross-functional teams to deliver successful projects on time and within budget, enhancing company reputation in the industry
- Oversaw change management initiatives, ensuring smooth transitions during periods of organizational restructuring or process improvements
- Established and directed successful programs focused on adult student lending
- Tracked trends and suggested enhancements to both challenge and refine company's product offerings.
Education
Master of Arts - International Relations
December 2026
PhD - Business Management & Organizational Leadership
Present
2012
Master of Science - Business Management
2008
Bachelor of Science - Business Management
2006
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Skills
- Relationship building
- Sales presentations
- Sales team supervision
- Territory management
- Competitor analysis
- New account development
- Presentations and proposals
- Consultative and relationship selling
- Territory and account management
- Sales presentation
- Rapport and relationship building
- Account monitoring
- Sales tracking
- EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
- Serv Safe Certification
Certification
Serv Safe (Manager)
Interests
COMMUNITY SERVICE & VOLUNTEER WORK
, Big Brothers / Big Sisters of America, Volunteer, Present, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
, Treasurer of the Board, Houston Congregation for Reform Judaism; 2008 – 2010
Software
Microsoft Office
Work Preference
Work Type
Full TimeContract WorkLocation Preference
On-SiteRemoteHybridImportant To Me
Career advancementCompany CulturePersonal development programs401k matchPaid time offLanguages
English
Native or Bilingual
Work Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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Timeline
Operations Manager - Waffle House Inc
01.2021 - Current
C-Store General Manager - Enmarket
01.2020 - 01.2021
Area Sales Manager - Kurressence
01.2019 - 01.2020
Co-Owner / Retail Sales & Operations Manager - Artisan Vapor & CBD Burlington
01.2016 - 01.2019
Vice President of Operations - NRG Home Solar
01.2012 - 01.2013
Senior Vice President of Lending - Gulf Credit Union
01.2010 - 01.2012
Assistant Vice President - Gesa Credit Union
01.2009 - 01.2010
Norwich University - Master of Arts, International Relations
ABD - PhD, Business Management & Organizational Leadership
University of Phoenix - Master of Science, Business Management
University of Phoenix - Bachelor of Science, Business Management
University of Phoenix - ,
Accomplishments
- Increased service efficiency by 30% in 90 days by standardizing workflows and implementing targeted training programs; Waffle House Inc
- Cut employee turnover by 20% within 6 months through a structured onboarding and leadership development initiative; Waffle House Inc
- Reduced expenses by 5% through inventory optimization and labor cost management; Waffle House Inc
- Drove a 28% increase in revenue within 6 months by optimizing sales and staff performance; Kurressence
- Designed hands-on training programs that resulted in a 20% sales lift within 90 days; Kurressence
- Increased repeat customer traffic by 70% in 3 months through personalized service initiatives and loyalty engagement; Artisan Vapor & CBD, Burlington
- Boosted positive customer reviews by 35% in 6 months by launching a feedback-driven service improvement process; Artisan Vapor & CBD, Burlington
- Raised productivity by 30% within 6 months through departmental restructuring and workforce development programs; NRG Home Solar
- Cut costs by 15% by optimizing supply chain practices and reallocating resources based on performance analytics; NRG Home Solar
- Increased ancillary revenue by 80% in 6 months by launching new lending products and cross-selling initiatives; Gulf Credit Union
- Improved team productivity by 20% and customer satisfaction by 25% through process redesign and staff development; Gulf Credit Union
- Led creation of a student loan product that expanded borrower access by 50% in 6 months; Gesa Credit Union
- Reduced delinquency by 1% through enhanced collection procedures and customer engagement practices; Gesa Credit Union
Additional Information
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/nelson-shawn/ Bold Profile
Community Involvement
Treasurer of the Board, Houston Congregation for Reform Judaism; 2008 – 2010
President of Homeowners Association 2006 - 2010
Big Brothers / Big Sisters