S03E04 Building a Culture of Resilience & Perseverance, One Mountaintop at a Time, with Seth Casden

Rethink Culture

"If you're not happy and you're not enjoying your environment, it's going to be hard to feel fulfilled… I tried a few different things, and they didn't work out… I think that really helped build my resilience and helped teach me that maybe the world judges successes and failures based on outcome. But it helped me create a deeper meaning for myself of what, actually, success looks like. And for me, it's really following my beliefs and having that clarity and focus and passion."

S03E04 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Seth Casden, the CEO and founder of Hologenix. As the force behind CELLIANT—a groundbreaking infrared textile technology that boosts local circulation, enhancing performance, recovery, and sleep—Seth shares how Hologenix’s culture has been instrumental in its recognition as one of Inc.’s top 5000 fastest-growing U.S. companies for three consecutive years.

In this episode, Seth shares his 20-year ascent in cultivating an empowering, resilient culture within Hologenix, drawing on the endurance and strategic thinking required in mountaineering. He highlights the importance of prioritizing people and fostering self-awareness and open communication, all essential to navigating challenging terrain in business. He discusses the value of a supportive environment where employees feel safe to grow, reflect, and collaborate. Seth also shares stories of mentors who influenced his leadership style, approaches for navigating conflict with empathy, and how these values create a meaningful workplace aligned with his broader definition of success.

The podcast is produced by Rethink Culture (rethinkculture.co). Our Culture Health Check helps you turn your culture into a competitive advantage, with data.

Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.

Listen to this episode to discover:
• How a culture built on perseverance and learning from failure enables teams to navigate challenges and grow.
• Why prioritizing people and cultivating a positive, servant-led workplace drive greater alignment and success.
• How resilience and emotional detachment empower teams to handle criticism and build confidence.
• Why redefining success to include time freedom for meaningful activities enhances gratitude and fulfilment at work and in life.
• What active listening can achieve in deepening understanding and connection across teams.
• How mentorship and living abroad shaped Seth’s approach to fostering a resilient, empowered culture.
• Why Seth uses fear as an indicator to identify workplace conflicts that might otherwise go unspoken.
• How Seth's leadership style prioritizes empathy, empowerment, communication, and self-awareness over micromanagement.

Further resources:
• Seth Casden on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethcasden/
• CELLIANT website: https://celliant.com/