Donald Burns

COVER STORY

WRITTEN BY ZACH COHEN | PHOTOS BY VAST MEDIA

Don Burns has always felt an affinity for real estate. Growing up, he watched his mom, Judy, become a real-estate agent beloved by her clients.  Even as a young boy, Don had a positive association with real estate, as he witnessed his mom’s success and the fulfillment she gained.

Don eventually found his way into real estate, but first, he took his own professional path.

“I’m grateful that I left [real estate] for a time and learned a lot more about servicing clients and communicating clearly. Those skills I learned on the corporate journey are what make me who I am today.”

The Path Back Home

Don’s first job out of college was in the mortgage business. He spent several years as a loan officer before moving into media production, nonprofit marketing, and the corporate world. Don worked for the largest dental products manufacturer in the world, starting as a marketing manager and working his way up to become the Global Manager of E-commerce and Digital Marketing. He oversaw digital marketing activities for 46 divisions in over 20 countries in that role.

By all accounts, Don was living the dream.

“I just had one of those moments where I had a realization. I was living the dream as far as a corporate person, climbing quickly, having success, and developing amazing teams. But I was at a crossroads,” Don reflects. “I spent over 200 nights on the road in my last year. I have an amazing wife and two boys at home, and we were in the middle of being relocated to their world headquarters in Pennsylvania. I stopped to ask myself, is it worth losing my family over? I was missing really important things in my boys’ lives. My wife was carrying the load because I was gone all the time. So I walked away from the dream job so I could actually live the dream.”

Determined to stay in Tulsa and committed to his family, Don needed another professional path. So, he set out to build something of his own.

Beginning Again

Don started a marketing consulting firm, helping clients around Tulsa expand their reach and refine their marketing strategies. His first client was McGraw Realtors, whom he helped to do a 360 brand analysis. As his consulting business grew, a trend emerged. Almost all his clients were in the real estate space — title companies, developers, and real estate brokerages. He eventually became an equity partner at Mccollough Homes, a regional homebuilding company led by Bill Mccollough. When Bill became a managing partner at McGraw, Don followed him, beginning his real estate sales career in 2017.

“I loved working with Bill, and he was a great leader. So I went and got my license and jumped into real estate full speed,” Don explains. 

Don found the transition to real estate sales to be smooth. He had industry knowledge, decades of experience in marketing, and the ability to connect with folks from all walks of life.

“Once you learn how to take care of a customer or client — to listen, hear, and value them — you can go from industry to industry. You just need to learn the language, product, and service. I already understood the client is the most important thing and knew how to communicate, so it was an easier transition than I expected. I had sold super complex things on a global scale, and when I came into real estate, it just felt like home. I knew I could really find a future in this.”

Creating Sustainability

Today, Don leads the Burns Home Team with McGraw Realtors, currently a group of six agents and an admin. Don brings his experience as a global sales leader to his team, lifting those around him to greater heights. He follows Buffini & Company’s methods, which has allowed him to build a referral-based, client-focused business model.

“Team building, leadership, and empowering people to be the best version of themselves — that's what I get to do. It’s a lot of coaching and personal development. Helping them thrive and shine is what I'm meant to do,” Don says proudly.

It’s All for Family

Don left the corporate world to be closer to his family, and they remain at the center of his world. His sons, Trevor and Wesley, are both in college studying finance. 

“Coming off the road and changing my career allowed me to re-engage with them as they were in some critical years. That has been awesome,” Don smiles. “My wife, Denise, and I feel our purpose is to give them every opportunity to be successful.”

Don and Denise are now empty nesters watching their sons fly. Having more time in his schedule has allowed Don to refocus on his relationship with his wife and pour more energy into his business. His wife is his best friend, and he’s excited to continue dreaming of their future together.

“When I think about legacy, I think more about future generations — my sons and their sons and daughters. I want them to know I worked really hard to teach them about Godly living and how to be good people in their community.”