Career Path Of A Founder And CEO At Konnekted Coworking
Nickolaus's career path showcases adaptability and entrepreneurial spirit; after a full-time job and then working in the restaurant industry while attending college, Nickolaus transitioned through roles in security, real estate development ("I always wanted to be in the real estate sector"), and finally, launching a coworking business ("a new kind of approach to the coworking model") amidst pandemic-related financial challenges and while pursuing an MBA at UCLA. This demonstrates a willingness to pivot and build upon prior experiences to create their own opportunities.
Entrepreneurship, Real Estate, Career Pivoting, Adult Education, Overcoming Challenges
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Nickolaus Violin
Founder & CEO
Konnekted Coworking
Cal State Northridge, 2017
UCAL Anderson | MBA
Marketing
Hospitality, Restaurants & Events, Real Estate
Entrepreneurship and Business Owner
Honors Student, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Nickolaus's career path demonstrates that non-traditional routes are possible. He returned to college while working full-time, highlighting the value of continuous learning and adaptability.
2. His pivot from a corporate job into real estate development, followed by the launch of a coworking business, showcases entrepreneurship and a willingness to take calculated risks.
3. Nickolaus's diverse experiences in security, construction, and real estate, along with his MBA pursuit, illustrate the benefit of combining different skill sets and educational backgrounds to create unique career opportunities.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path? Please start with your experiences in college and any internships or jobs you had before your current role.
I went back to college a little later in life. I was already working a full-time job when I decided to return to school.
I gave up my full-time job to start working in the restaurant industry, which many college students do. I didn't do traditional internships because I was already a bit further along in my career.
Instead, I maintained my existing position and then took a part-time job that was expected to become a full-time role. Some might have considered it an internship, but it was a higher-level position given my work experience.
I worked for a security firm that handled physical security, cybersecurity, and access control. After finishing college, I worked for them full-time for a few years.
Then, I decided I wanted to build something for myself rather than for someone else. I had always wanted to be in the real estate sector, drawing on my background in construction.
I understood the foundation of the real estate industry well, including what drives supply, demand, and costs. Understanding these elements made transitioning to real estate development a natural and easy step.
In 2020, I had a great opportunity to jump into real estate development on my own. I left my corporate job and entered real estate development in the midst of the pandemic.
At the same time, I was pursuing my MBA at UCLA, working full-time in real estate development while also being a part-time student again.
We reached a point where financing became difficult due to rising interest rates. So, I decided to pivot again within real estate and launch a coworking business.
I had been developing this coworking concept since before the pandemic because my previous company was remote, and I didn't like that. I started developing a new approach to the coworking model.
Now, we are getting ready to launch our first location.