What we do
At Culture + Strategy Lab, we dig into the heart of your business and shine a light onto your culture. And we work with you to discover a unique strategy that sparkles with your unique energy and purpose.
How we do it
Our lab is a workshop-based experience where we develop a culture strategy that works seamlessly with your business strategy. With us, you get custom-designed top-notch leadership training, coaching, and employee engagement strategies to set your plans into action. And the data to show progress along the way.
We help you build a business where you and your best talent love to work and want to stay!
We partner with bold leaders and businesses who know that culture is more than a buzzword—it’s a powerful driver of business.
Our clients often include:
Visionary Founders and CEOs: Who see the big picture and understand that people and strategy are the foundation for their success.
Innovative HR Leaders: Ready to craft cultures that spark innovation, connection, and measurable results.
Mission-Driven Executives: From healthcare to tech to government, we love partnering with leaders in world-changing industries fueled by passion and purpose.
At Culture + Strategy Lab, we don’t do band-aid fixes or one-size-fits-all solutions. Our creative, collaborative approach empowers your team to co-create a culture that’s as unique as your business, reflects your values, and drives results that last.
Our favorite clients
What our clients say
Our Founder
Michelle Aronson, CHRO + CEO
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I learned early that leadership and care go hand in hand.
It all started in a hospital bed—my first time as a patient—where I was shocked to find that not everyone caring for me was kind or comforting.
This experience ignited a passion for creating workplaces where human kindness and excellence coexist.
Later, as a People Experience Officer, I owned both employee and customer experience metrics tied to 50% of the leadership bonus, including the CEO’s. That work made one thing clear: culture is not decoration. It shapes behavior, decisions, customer experience, and business results.
I quickly realized that to hit these ambitious targets, we couldn’t rely on Band-Aid fixes. We had to address the culture driving those experiences at its core. Year after year, we delivered measurable results, proving that culture isn’t just a support system; it’s a strategic driver.
Now, I help leaders see those patterns earlier, solve the right problems, and measure what changes.
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Play. Life is too short for grind culture. We love to work hard but often forget to play hard!
I believe serious work does not have to feel heavy.
Whether I’m teaching strategy through Mr. Potato Head, leading a team exercise with Tinker Toys, or helping executives talk honestly about hard things, I design work that helps people think clearly, participate fully, and remember what matters.
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Trusted by leaders and teams from organizations including:
University of Chicago
Chief
EMD Serono
Oliver Wyman
Azul 3D
Polsky Center for Innovation
Deloitte
American Society of Gastroenterology
Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods
Benefis Health Systems
Booth School of Business
Each partnership has deepened my belief that the right culture can transform teams, strategies, and results.
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I’m passionate about helping leaders connect strategy to culture in ways that drive real results. Through Innovation Labs, I create immersive, hands-on experiences that inspire leaders to:
Align strategy with leadership and team dynamics.
Build measurable connections between innovation, engagement, and impact.
Take their insights back to their teams for sustainable change.
Each lab is part strategy workshop, part creative experiment—and always transformative.
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As an HR executive, I had a front-row seat to see how leadership shapes culture. From engagement and turnover metrics to the more nuanced magic of employee and customer experiences, I learned how to turn feedback into actionable change.
One of my most memorable lessons came when I asked my CEO whose opinion mattered most about our work. His answer? “The customers.” That moment solidified my approach to leadership: measure what matters, align strategy to values, and never stop innovating.
Now, I teach these principles to MBA students, HR leaders, and executives who want to connect strategy and culture in measurable ways. It’s a privilege to share these tools with the leaders and change-makers.
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Adventure fuels my spirit—whether it’s traveling to new places, taking a class (academic or active), or pushing myself (and those around me) out of comfort zones. I believe growth happens just beyond the edge. From stand-up comedy to exploring a new city, or even tackling an extreme pottery class, I live for the thrill of life just slightly out-of-bounds.
I keep a bucket list filled with amazing (and occasionally terrifying) things I want to achieve personally and professionally. Each year, I make it a priority to check off a few more items from that list!
As a self-proclaimed nerd, you’ll often find me on vacation with a business book in hand or scribbling down ideas for my podcast and blog.
My favorite part of HR? The people. The stories. The magic that happens when people share their gifts and inspire each other to shine.
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I started my journey at The George Washington University, where I became curious about people and purpose.
A lightbulb moment in a Business Strategy elective during my Master’s in Public Health program (University of Illinois, Chicago) led me to pivot into business, where I completed an MBA in Entrepreneurship.
At heart, I’m a lifelong learner who thrives on connecting theory to action—and helping leaders do the same.
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To create a world where work is more than a place to go, it’s a place to grow.
Where leaders create cultures that reflect their best, inspire connection, and empower the best talent to work and stay.
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We partner with leaders and companies to change the world (of work) by helping them see and solve the biggest challenges holding back their culture and success.
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Be Human + Kind: We lead with empathy, humanity, and kindness in everything we do.
Stay Curious: We’re not only experts, we’re innovators. Every workplace needs its own solution, and that’s what we help you discover.
Play Hard: With us, great solutions always come with a great time.
Drive impact: We let the data drive decisions and speak for itself, helping you connect the dots to create measurable, lasting results.
What sparks our culture?
Our certifications
Our favorite tools
