In this heartfelt and thought-provoking episode of The Workplace Therapy Podcast, host Scott Arrieta sits down with Marcia Donziger, founder and CEO of Vital Biz Consulting, to explore how workplace culture can be both a healing force and a strategic driver of business results.

Marcia shares her personal journey—from being diagnosed with ovarian cancer in her 20s to founding MyLifeLine, a nonprofit that helped cancer patients stay connected with their support networks. She later transitioned into organizational consulting, driven by her belief that care, connection, and trust are essential for people and companies to thrive.

Together, Scott and Marcia unpack:

• The Culture CARES framework (Commitment, Appreciation, Respect, Engagement, and Safety)

• Why psychological safety and trust are the foundation of high-performing teams

• How to transform culture one business unit at a time, even without executive buy-in

• The emotional and strategic impacts of mass layoffs—and how to navigate them with humanity

• Why employee experience is not a soft skill—but a business driver

• The role of leaders as culture carriers and examples of real-world impact

Listeners will walk away with a renewed sense of what's possible when organizations make care a cornerstone of their leadership strategy.