Founder
Conscious Business Cultures is the result of almost 20 years of working with socially responsible companies. It is the consulting practice of Cherie Strain, a longtime, independent consultant, and a small team of specialists in related areas.
Cherie’s career has been dedicated to increasing revenue and market share. Prior to starting Conscious Business Cultures, she specialized in sales and marketing, public perception and strategic messaging . Originally, she worked with Fortune 100 and Global 500 companies in the high-tech, finance, pharmaceutical and telecom industries. Based in NYC, she sold to some of the biggest companies in the world.
However, raised by a minister who became a businessman, she was also molded by the idea that whatever we do, we should do it justly.
Almost 20 years ago, she decided to focus her considerable talent on innovative, alert and responsible executives and entrepreneurs. These companies now have a label: conscious companies. They provide their goods or services while simultaneously improving the state of the world and the lives of their employees. It is the future of business.
Conscious Companies
Conscious companies and their products elicit great customer loyalty and, generally, higher price points. They appeal to the spirit of educated and discriminating customers who are able and willing to spend more.
As more people travel the world, various subjects capture their interest and passion. They think and talk about these subjects. When companies align with those principles, they make people’s consumer and professional choices more than transactions; these choices are the way that educated people are demonstrating and supporting their values.
I appreciate the positive energy you bring to our office. I feel it even as you walk by.
Tapping that passion is sheer opportunity. Companies are identifying the areas to which they too want to contribute. Then, customer, client, consumer and businesses are all working together to improve the human experience.
Cherie is one of these people. Educated, successful, traveled and principled.
She has lived in four countries and six of the United States since entering adulthood and the workforce. She studied communications and philosophy in college. Initially she was a business reporter, then parlayed her communication savvy and understanding of people into a long career in sales and marketing.
In spite of being a linear, logical, type-A person with a relentless focus on efficiently and results, she was also driven to understand what makes people think and act in various ways. She layered philosophy and cultural studies at university with decades of investigating the world’s spiritual traditions, namely Christianity, Judaism, Zen Buddhism, Toltec wisdom, Western Mysticism, the Tao Te Ching, and Sanatana Dharma (ancient Indian spiritual science).
I should have you call me every morning and spread some sunshine.
For the last eight years, Cherie Strain has rigorously studied and practiced yoga science. She spent six months traveling to India to study meditation and Ayurveda medicine. She didn’t travel the country and didn’t sightsee; she learned high level self-mastery techniques from the best teachers she could find.
Strategic Partners
Beth Waterman
For 24 years, Beth served as a VP and then Chief Improvement Officer at HealthPartners — a 12,000-employee company that has led its industry and region with excellence since the 1950s. Prior to that, she was at Ernst & Young. She specializes in leading operational and transformational change and building internal and external collaborative relationships to accomplish organizational goals. She helped the company win the AMGA Acclaim Award for Triple Aim 2.0 and contributed to a book on the same topic by the CEO of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. HealthPartner is recognized for a management team balanced by female and male leaders.
Christine Watkins
Christine was an occupational therapist for 16 years, working in the Denver school system and mental health department. She pivoted to focus on corporate clients, with a clear, determined mission to achieve apparent and visible results. She is trained extensively in the Enneagram and Brené Brown’s courage and vulnerability programs, so our clients start working together with more understanding, authenticity and accountability. Christine is also a Power of Extended Philanthropy member of The Women's Foundation of Colorado, because investing in female leadership increases the health of our communities and drives economic stability.
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Jessica Bauer
Jessica has been called the Rogue Nutritionist for her practical and un-hyped approach to nutrition. She educates professionals and communities about commonsense wellness practices. Inherently non-dogmatic about health, she helps people cut through the whirlwind of trends and helps them become excited by their control over their own wellbeing. With a personal dedication to sustainability, she ties this education to a parallel understanding of how our food choices affect the planet. Jessica has a Master of Science degree in Functional Medicine and Human Nutrition, and is certified by the American Nutrition Association.
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Some of the social programs that Conscious Business Cultures supports:
