Kelton McMains: “I appreciate how clearly 'good work' is defined at Nua Group”

Years have a way of flying by when you’re doing work you care about, with people you enjoy working with. It’s hard to believe that it’s been four years since Kelton McMains joined the Nua team. It feels like yesterday we were chatting about his work as an ocean lifeguard on a busy beach in San Clemente, and a couple of years later, how becoming a father changed how he works with clients.

As Kelton marks his fourth anniversary at Nua Group, we caught up with him to reflect on the moments, lessons, and perspectives that have shaped both his work and his life over the past few years.

You’ve been part of Nua for four years now. What’s a moment (big or small) that captures what these years have meant to you?

Becoming a dad while at Nua is the moment that always comes to mind. Not because it was dramatic, but because it was handled with such understanding. There was never a question of whether I could step away when I needed to, or whether my priorities were respected - it was just assumed.

That flexibility, and the genuine support from my colleagues, made it possible for me to be fully present for my family without feeling like I was stepping back professionally. That balance says a lot about who we are and what we value.

Coming from a larger firm into a smaller, collaborative team, what has building a long-term career in a boutique environment taught you about consulting?

It’s taught me that the best consulting isn’t about having the fastest answer - it’s about having the right one. In our environment, we are close enough to our clients to really understand their business, their constraints, and their people. That proximity requires a level of care and attention to detail that you simply cannot fake. You can’t rely on off-the-shelf solutions; you have to question, analyze, adapt, and build something that actually fits. Over time, this approach fosters deeper trust and better outcomes - and, frankly, more satisfying work.

Nua has a core group of people who have grown through multiple seasons of life together. What does that sense of continuity and shared history mean to you?

It means there’s a level of trust and shared understanding that you can’t manufacture. When you’ve worked together across different seasons - good years, hard projects, personal milestones - you build a shorthand. You spend less time aligning on intent and more time actually solving problems. That continuity makes it easier to challenge each other directly, make decisions faster, and do better work, because there’s confidence in the people around the table and the history behind how you got there.

Think about the Kelton who joined Nua and the Kelton you are today. What would each of them say they appreciate most about the culture here?

The Kelton who joined Nua would say he appreciated the confidence the firm places in its people - the trust to do good work without unnecessary guardrails. The Kelton today would say he appreciates how clearly “good work” is defined here. It’s not about volume or visibility; it’s about impact, thoughtfulness, and outcomes. That clarity has helped me grow more confident in my judgment and more intentional about where I spend my time and energy.

You’re an outdoors person and a home chef, and both of these require patience, creativity, and trusting your instinct. Do you see any parallels between those parts of your life and how you approach your work?

Absolutely. Whether you’re on a long bike ride or working through a new recipe, you have to pay attention, adjust as you go, and trust your instincts when conditions change.

That’s very similar to how I approach client work. You can have a plan, but the best results come from staying present, listening closely, and being willing to adapt rather than forcing a predefined outcome.

You’ve supported companies through some big shifts recently. What’s one insight you wish more organizations understood about taking care of their people during change?

I wish more organizations paused to ask whether the business, systems, and timing are actually aligned to support the change they’re pursuing. Too often, change becomes reactive rather than strategic. Taking care of people during change isn’t just about messaging - it’s about being honest about readiness, constraints, and tradeoffs. When leaders slow down enough to get that right, the change is not only more humane, it’s more likely to stick.

You’re someone clients trust when things feel complex or unclear. Can you share a recent client moment where you felt proud of the way you helped move things forward?

Recently, I supported a team that was navigating a major structural change while day-to-day work still had to get done. People were anxious, leaders were fielding hard questions, and there was a strong temptation to solve everything at once. What felt most meaningful was helping the organization focus on sequencing - being clear about what needed to change now versus what could wait.

We spent time grounding decisions in how people actually experience their work, not just how it looked on paper. By simplifying the choices in front of them and translating complexity into clear, practical steps, leaders were able to communicate with more confidence and empathy. That clarity didn’t remove the challenge, but it gave people a sense of direction and trust - and helped the organization move forward without losing momentum or credibility along the way.

What’s your idea of a perfect, soul-filling day, the kind that leaves you recharged? 

A perfect day starts with a long bike ride on a beautiful day - nothing scheduled, just time and space to think. It ends at home, cooking something slowly and intentionally. Lately, that’s meant working my way through Yiayia: Time-perfected Recipes from Greece’s Grandmothers. The recipes are simple, patient, and deeply human - which, now that I think about it, feels like a pretty good metaphor for the kind of work I try to do, too.

Four years in, Kelton continues to bring the same calm, thoughtful energy to his work — helping clients make sense of complexity and move forward with confidence, without losing sight of the people involved. If you’d like to work with Kelton and the Nua team, get in touch - we’d love to talk.