Jennifer Walton: Creating Movement with Movement

Jennifer Walton never imagined herself as an entrepreneur. As a little girl, she would accompany her father to work and watch women in sharp business suits walk confidently through corporate hallways, their perfume lingering in the air. That image became her dream - to be what she playfully calls a "corporate baddie," climbing the ladder at a Fortune 100 company.

For years, Jennifer lived that dream. She worked her way up through major corporations, including Nationwide and Abbott Nutrition, building an impressive marketing career. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Finance and Multinational Business Operations from Florida State University, followed by an MBA in Marketing Management and Strategy from The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business. Everything seemed to be falling perfectly into place according to her original plan.

Then the pandemic hit, and like many professionals, Jennifer found herself questioning everything. She made what seemed like a strategic career move, leaving her Fortune 100 insurance company role to become Director of Marketing for COTA, the regional transit authority serving Columbus, the 14th largest city in the country. She thought this would fulfill her desire to make a meaningful impact in the community while maintaining corporate stability.

Instead, the role left her feeling unsettled. Jennifer realized the work environment didn't align with her values or vision for her career. More importantly, she was missing precious moments with her two young daughters, who were six and four at the time. The long hours and rigid corporate structure meant she couldn't attend their school events or be present for the little moments that matter most to a mother.

During this period of uncertainty, Jennifer had what she calls a major turning point. She was having a particularly challenging day at work when it hit her that she already possessed all the skills and experience needed to create the professional life she truly wanted. The impact and flexibility she craved could only come from building something of her own.

Within two weeks of that realization, Jennifer put in her two weeks' notice and launched Sky Nile Consulting. The company name holds special meaning, combining her daughters' names. The "Sky" represents limitless possibilities, while "Nile" honors the powerful properties of water and pays homage to a memorable trip to Egypt where Jennifer and her husband discovered they were expecting their first daughter.

Those early days of entrepreneurship were terrifying, Jennifer admits freely. Every day brought new challenges and uncertainties. Fortunately, her network of mentors stepped in to help. Her very first contract came through a mentor who recommended her for a fractional VP of PR and communications role. What was supposed to be a short-term assignment lasted a full year, giving Jennifer the confidence and financial stability to build her client base.

Sky Nile Consulting quickly evolved into a full-service marketing strategy and branding firm with a unique focus on organizations looking to create impact. Jennifer describes their mission as "creating movements with movement," working primarily with nonprofits, government entities, and businesses that want to move communities forward rather than simply sell products.

Jennifer's entrepreneurial journey expanded when she co-founded GRND (Ground and Grind) with her husband, a membership-based co-working lounge and social club in Columbus's historic Olde Towne East neighborhood. The space serves as a "third place" for community members to either grind and get work done or ground themselves and connect with like-minded individuals. Coming out of the pandemic, Jennifer recognized that people needed more places to decompress, read, work, and build genuine connections.

Community building runs deeper than Jennifer's business ventures. She serves as Board Chair for Zora's House, a leadership incubator and coworking space for women of color and sits on the board of the Neighborhood Design Center Columbus and Girls Health Period, an organization fighting period poverty. She's also a member of The Links, Incorporated Twin Rivers Chapter and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Jennifer describes her community involvement as "the rent I pay to exist on this planet."

Her journey from corporate marketing executive to entrepreneur and community leader proves that sometimes the path we don't plan becomes the one that leads us exactly where we need to be. Jennifer Walton has indeed created movement with movement, building businesses that serve others while creating the flexible, impactful life she always wanted. Just not in the way she originally imagined.