Getting to know… Nina Walton

In the latest instalment of Bdaily’s Getting to know... feature, which looks at the person behind the business profile, Nina Walton, co-founder of Newcastle-based brand and marketing consultancy Transform, talks about the joy she takes from helping founders thrive, her love of storytelling and doing her grandad proud.

We know you as the co-founder of Newcastle-based brand and marketing consultancy Transform, but who is the person behind the title? Tell us a little about what makes you tick...

I’ve worked in brand and marketing since my early 20s, starting my career in media after which I spent 10 years at PwC, heading up their marketing department. 

That was an invaluable experience, which showed me how businesses operate at every level.

Today, alongside Transform co-founder Sarah McCrady, we help ambitious businesses grow with clarity, confidence and creativity.

We work with founders and entrepreneurs across the UK to help them unlock their potential and build brands that genuinely move their businesses forward. 

Their stories, drive and ambition to succeed are our ‘why’, and the reason we set up Transform. 

Did you always want to work in the brand and marketing industry?

Pretty much, yes. 

Since I was 17, I’ve always been drawn to anything creative, from writing and art to storytelling, which is why I studied English Literature at Newcastle University. 

It brought me to the region at 18, and shaped so much of what came next.

A career in marketing felt like the most natural step.

I wanted to understand how brands connect with people, why someone chooses one business over another and the techniques that help companies grow. 

Once I stepped into the industry, it just felt like home.

What’s the best bit about your job? And the worst?

The best bit is helping founders truly see the potential of their brand – that moment where everything clicks and you can almost feel their confidence lift. 

Supporting ambitious people to find clarity, direction and momentum is genuinely the most rewarding part of what we do.

The worst part? Switching off. 

When you love what you do and you're a founder, your mind doesn’t rest easily. 

I’m trying to get better at this though! 

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?

Launching and growing Transform into a business that has helped so many clients gain clarity and confidence in their brand. 

Seeing the long-term impact that has on their companies is the biggest reward and the reason Sarah and I are so proud of what we’ve built.

I founded my first business – Walton Marketing – in 2014, shortly after my dad passed away suddenly. 

I was nervous about leaving a secure job at PwC, and there were doubters that questioned if I was sure about what I was doing.

But if there was one thing I learnt from my dad’s untimely departure, it was that life was short.

I also didn’t want the word ‘fear’ to be the reason I told my children I didn’t try.

Ten years on, I’ve learnt that if you have the drive, belief, a strong network and the willingness to work very hard and navigate the inevitable bumps, you really can do anything. 

That’s why we love working with founder-led businesses. 

I’m also very passionate about supporting others in the business community and championing female entrepreneurship, which is why I’m proud to be vice chair of the Lifted Project board in Newcastle.

How do you relax outside of work?

Family and friends keep me grounded. 

I love cooking, good food, hosting and spending proper quality time with the people who matter most. 

Running is another passion, giving me headspace from the pace of founder life.

I also spend a lot of time with my teenage children Jack and Lauryn. 

Lauryn is an accomplished athlete, so a fair amount of time is spent supporting her training and taking her to competitions.

What makes the North East such a great place to live and work?

The energy, ambition and fantastic sense of community. 

People here genuinely want you to succeed. 

They collaborate, support, champion and create together. 

It’s a region full of talent, heart and possibility.

I’m proud to be an adopted Geordie; my grandad was born in Newcastle, and although I never got to meet him, I think he would have been proud I made my life here.

Tell us something about you we didn’t know…

Before my career in marketing, I spent time (alongside my school education) at a local theatre group – The Glenda Jackson Theatre – because I absolutely loved to sing. 

I took part in a number of shows growing up, and it’s so inspiring to know many of the people I trained with have gone on to have the most incredible careers.

One of them – Lynette Howell Taylor – is now an award-winning Hollywood producer, co-nominated for an Academy Award for A Star is Born and was recently elected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

It’s a reminder that people from normal backgrounds can achieve extraordinary things when they dream big and work hard.

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