Brad W. Burns did not set out with a master plan to become a multisector entrepreneur. His early career began in business development at national construction and real estate firms after earning degrees from the University of Missouri and Saint Louis University. But in 2014, he was cast out of a construction firm and potential clients he was looking to onboard at that firm that didn’t fit their client criteria reached out to follow him where he landed. They asked him to aid in projects that they needed help facilitating until he found his next landing spot. That opportunity led to the founding of Wayne Contracting, a general contracting firm that now operates in 48 states.
From that first venture, Burns steadily expanded into new industries. Today, he leads Burns Holdings, LLC, which oversees a diversified portfolio of businesses. “I currently own a holdings company with five different companies, all in various verticals,” he explains. These include a signage company, a concrete and pool installation business, a seafood distribution firm, and a franchise group in the food service sector. “The contracting company has been around for about 10 years. The concrete and signage companies are going on six. The restaurant group and seafood company are just under two years.”
Process Drives Performance
Managing multiple companies in unrelated sectors may seem daunting, but Burns credits his success to a strict focus on internal systems. “I’m not an expert in any of these things,” he says. “What I did to mitigate that was partner with people who are great technicians.” Those co-founders bring deep expertise, while Burns builds the infrastructure to support them.
What ties the companies together is process. Every team follows clear procedures and workflows that allow responsibilities to be shared across roles. “We are really focused on processes and procedures,” Burns says. “It almost makes everything plug and play. If someone is out, another person can step in and understand what needs to be done and when.” This level of clarity is essential not only for operational efficiency but also for scalability across the portfolio.
Delegation Without Micromanagement
Another hallmark of Burns’s approach is trust in his team. He believes in hiring people for their strengths and giving them the autonomy to execute. “I’ve never been one to micromanage and I never will be,” he says. Instead, his philosophy is to onboard thoroughly and then step back. “We believe in pushing people into the deep end of the pool. We walk them through the process, make sure everyone’s on the same page, and then tell them to just go do it.”
This hands-off approach has helped the businesses attract and retain talented operators who thrive in independent roles. Burns focuses on strategy, long-term vision, and investing in people who align with the company’s culture. “Find amazing people who believe in what you’re trying to accomplish. That’s key.”
Innovation as a Strategic Advantage
Burns is also paying close attention to the impact of technology on business operations, especially artificial intelligence. He believes AI will transform how companies function over the next decade. “A lot of people are scared it’s going to take their job. That just means you have to upskill,” he says. “If you are doing something a basic program can replace, you need to get better at what you do.”
His companies already use AI tools to streamline content creation and improve customer engagement. “We use it for blog posts and recipes on the seafood website. Instead of spending an hour searching, we get what we need in seconds.” Burns sees this as just the beginning. He predicts automation will eventually improve nearly every aspect of business, from workflow to customer service and beyond.
Grounded in Family and Community
Behind every business success story is a personal support system, and Burns is quick to credit his. With five children and multiple ventures, time is a scarce resource. “You have to have a really strong support system at home,” he says. “My wife carries a pretty sizable load at home which makes it easier for me to focus on the business.”
He also makes time to serve on the Board of Directors for Junior Achievement and as Board Chair at Haven House, a nonprofit supporting families in medical crisis. Giving back, he says, is part of the broader purpose that guides his work. “If everything outside of work drains you, you’re not going to have anything left in the tank. And vice versa. We do budget reviews at home too.”
Burns’s journey demonstrates that building a multisector business portfolio is not about spreading thin. It is about staying disciplined in process, intentional with people, and adaptable to change. For entrepreneurs seeking to scale across industries, his path offers both a playbook and a reminder that structure and vision go hand in hand.
Connect with Brad W. Burns on social media on LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter), or visit his website for more information.
