Our Story

We Believe in the Potential of People

The People Co. was founded on a simple belief: when organizations invest in their people, everyone wins. We're here to help you build workplaces where humans thrive.

The Beginning

Why We Exist

The People Co. was born from years of watching talented people struggle in workplaces that didn't support them, and watching organizations struggle because they didn't know how to support their people.

We saw a gap between what organizations said they valued and how they actually treated their employees. We saw HR departments overwhelmed and under-resourced. We saw leaders who wanted to do better but didn't know where to start.

So we decided to bridge that gap. To bring strategic HR expertise to growing organizations. To help leaders build cultures where people actually want to show up. To prove that investing in people isn't just the right thing to do. It's the smart thing to do.

"When you invest in your people, everything else follows."

The People Co.

Our Mission

Unlocking the Potential in Your People

We partner with organizations to build people strategies that attract exceptional talent, create meaningful employee experiences, and develop cultures where everyone can do their best work. Our approach is rooted in the belief that every person has potential waiting to be unlocked, and that organizations thrive when they create the conditions for that potential to flourish.

What Guides Us

Our Values

These aren't just words on a wall. They're the principles that guide every decision we make.

People First

Every decision we make starts with one question: how does this serve the humans involved?

Partnership Over Transactions

We're not vendors. We're invested partners who care deeply about your success.

Growth Mindset

We believe in the potential of every person and every organization to evolve and thrive.

Intentional Action

Thoughtful, strategic approaches that create lasting impact, not quick fixes.

The Founders

Meet the Team

The heart and soul behind The People Co.

Nicky Wallace

Co-Founder & CEO

Nicky's journey started when motherhood, corporate disillusionment, and health challenges led her to leave a high-performing sales career with no backup plan. What began as a break turned into a booming recruitment business. After selling it, she realized she wanted more meaningful impact. Now she leads The People Co., bringing her belief that no challenge is "impossible" when it comes to innovating how organizations support their people throughout the employee lifecycle.

Ali Payne

Co-Founder & Sr. Partner

Ali spent years in corporate wellness watching surface-level programs fail to address real organizational issues. After losing her job for challenging the status quo, she teamed up with Nicky to build something different. A nationally recognized expert in employee experience and wellbeing, Ali's life goal is to create spaces where people feel seen, heard, and valued. Her expertise leads The People Co.'s focus on rehumanizing workplaces for the best balance of business and employee success.

Our Extended Team

The Collective

We've built a bench of talented professionals who partner with us on projects. When you work with The People Co., you get access to our entire network of experts.

Heidi Buttolph

People Strategy & Engagement

Heidi Buttolph is a seasoned HR executive and workforce strategist with over 30 years of experience leading transformational initiatives across corporate environments. As a Collective Member of The People Co., she brings a deep commitment to organizational excellence, proactive wellbeing, and people-centered leadership. Her approach is grounded in curiosity, care, and a belief that better workplaces begin with better conversations.

Kristy VanDerWiel, SHRM-SCP, CEBS

People Strategies & Organizational Alignment

Kristy VanDerWiel is the Founder of MasterpieceHR, a consulting practice dedicated to people-centric strategies for nonprofits and small to mid-sized companies. With over 25 years of executive HR leadership, Kristy specializes in organizational alignment, executive coaching, and culture integration. As a Collective Member of The People Co., she partners with clients to design tailored people strategies that elevate engagement, retention, and leadership development.

Meredith Gallivan

Strategy & Client Success

Meredith Gallivan is the Founder & Chief People Strategist at Night Light Consulting, specializing in employee experience, internal communications, and organizational engagement. As a Collective Member of The People Co., Meredith brings a thoughtful, data-informed approach to consulting engagements, helping teams connect insight with action and build environments where people feel heard and supported.

Sheena Mahan

People Operations & Compliance

Sheena Mahan is a seasoned HR leader with experience aligning people strategies with business goals across organizations of all sizes. As a Collective Member of The People Co., Sheena brings deep expertise in employee relations, organizational design, payroll, benefits administration, succession planning and compensation strategy, helping clients build strong, scalable HR foundations.

Rebekah Brandmeyer, PMP

Operations & Program Management

Rebekah Brandmeyer is the Founder of Elevated Strategies, where she partners with organizations to lead transformational initiatives that connect strategy with people. Her work spans HR program management, strategic communications, and corporate citizenship. As a Collective Member of The People Co., Rebekah brings warmth, structure, and a collaborative spirit to every engagement.

Dr. Ryan Anderson

Corporate Training & Organizational Culture

Dr. Ryan Anderson is the Founder of No Coast Consulting and a tenured business professor with a passion for helping individuals and organizations thrive. His work spans career development coaching, corporate training, and organizational consulting. As a Collective Member of The People Co., Ryan brings a dynamic approach to engagements, blending insight with practical tools for leadership development.