We built something we always wished we had…

Black and white photo of two women in business attire against a yellow gradient background

Real Talk.

Smart Strategy.

Better Work.

Heeyo!

We’re two actual work friends who’ve been side-by-side through layoffs, reorgs, promotions, good bosses, bad bosses, great teams, and every “is this normal?” moment in between. After 20+ years each leading Talent, Leadership, and Business strategy, we started Your Work Friends to make sense of all the wild stuff happening at work—and what’s coming next—so you can stay ahead without losing your mind (or your standards).

What started as late-night texts, voice memos, and a running thread of relatable work memes is now a podcast, a business, and a mission to make work better, one honest conversation at a time.

Here’s how we think work should work…

DESIGN FOR CLARITY. BUILD FOR DURABILITY. BET ON HUMANITY.

Work isn’t broken. The way we build it is.

We sit in the room with CEOs and CHROs. We listen to leaders in the middle. We hear from employees doing the work every day. We meet with experts researching how workplaces thrive, not just survive.

Different orgs, different roles, different pressures, but the same themes keep coming up:

  • Strategies stall when priorities shift faster than people can keep up.

  • Culture cracks when people can’t see how the work connects and the systems behind it don't last.

  • Leaders and teams don’t need more slides, they need a plan they can actually use on Monday morning and still trust next quarter.

That’s why our philosophy is simple:

  • Design for clarity. So everyone knows where they’re going and why it matters.

  • Build for durability. Because real advantage comes from systems that hold, not slides that fade.

  • Bet on humanity. People aren’t a cost line, they’re the differentiator. When people thrive, businesses do too.

Clear. Durable. Human. Strategy that lasts, adapts, and makes work work better for everyone.

Text on a white background with black bold font that says 'CLEAR. DURABLE. HUMAN.' framed by a thin yellow border.
Black and white portrait of Mel Plett smiling, wearing a blazer and white shirt, on a graphic professional profile card with yellow background and LinkedIn icon.

Strategic where it counts. Human where it matters.

I’ve spent two decades inside corporate (Big Law, KPMG, and Deloitte) leading talent strategy across employee experience, leadership development, talent acquisition, and talent technology. I’m certified in all the things—SHRM-SCP, Predictive Index—but what really matters? I know how to cut through noise, spot the root issue, and help people and business grow together.

That’s why I started Cordelia Consulting: to help organizations build better workplaces and help individuals lead with purpose. Its also what led me to co-create Your Work Friends with Francesca. We wanted to create a podcast where we make sense of what’s happening at work (and to work) in a way that’s honest, funny, and practical.

Clients have described me as lighthouse in the dark, shining light on what matters most. Personally? I just want work to feel a little more human. Outside of all that, you’ll find me at the beach or on ‘get lost drives’ with my husband, working in the studio on stained glass art for my loved ones, or binging true crime with a scoop of pistachio ice cream in hand.

Black and white headshot of Francesca Ranieri, a woman with long dark hair, smiling, wearing a dark shirt. The image is in a drawn frame with the text "Francesca Ranieri, Co-Founder, Your Work Friends & Founder, Frank Strategy" below. A small LinkedIn logo is in the bottom right corner, pointing to the right side.

Frank founder. People strategist. Corporate truth teller.

I’ve spent 20 years leading learning and talent at companies like Nike, Baker Tilly, and Deloitte—building internal teams that operate like rev-gen businesses.

My approach?

Practical. Honest. Impact-first. Brand-aware.

In 2024, I launched Frank to help founders, department heads and HR leaders build Employee Value Propositions that actually get used—by managers, by teams, by leadership. It’s also why I co-created Your Work Friends, with Mel. Because I want work to work for your now and your next.  

I have a reputation for making really complex things simple, “giving a damn” about the work and people and starting my sentences with, “Listen…”  And, when you come over to my house, you’ll typically find my son and my boxer, Lucy (who makes pod appearances) fighting for space in my lap. Which, I’m not going to lie, I totally love.

We’re the kind of partners who can lead executive strategy sessions in the morning and make the team laugh by lunch.

We see the big picture, get to the root of the problem, and make complex work feel clear and doable. Because trust, creativity, and collaboration aren’t just nice-to-haves—they’re the foundation of great strategy. And yes, a little fun helps get us all there faster.

An infographic titled "We Can Be Both" with a subtitle "Strategic and human. We get it done and have fun doing it." It features three photos of two women: the first photo shows two women sitting on a couch, one in white and the other in navy; the second photo shows two women drinking coffee, one with a spoon and one with a mug; the third photo shows two women in a boardroom with newspaper articles about Russia and a fighter jet. The diagram indicates that in boardroom mode, the strategic minds with better jokes are activated, while the strategic and playful actions are represented by the two women drinking coffee.

Sign up to have your work friends in your corner on a regular basis. That’s why we created the Now & Next newsletter: to help leaders and teams find clarity, build strategies that last, and keep work human by delivering extra goodness straight to your inbox each month.

When you sign up, you’ll get:

  • Quick Takes each month: one sharp insight you can put to use immediately.

  • The Download each quarter: a deeper look at the Now & Next of work.

  • Free strategy tools and bonus content you will not find anywhere else.

  • Aha’s with a side of haha’s, because work should be smart and fun.

Want even more ‘aha’s?

Get the Now & Next in Your Inbox

Don’t just keep up. Stay ahead. Join Your Work Friends today.

    We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.