In this compelling episode of Navigating the Customer Experience, we are joined by global hospitality executive, author, and social entrepreneur Carmen Vlasceanu. With over 25 years of experience in hospitality, aviation, catering, and cruise industries, Carmen shares her remarkable journey from growing up in communist Romania to becoming a transformative leader in customer experience and organizational growth. She holds advanced degrees in Revenue Management, International Business, and Marketing, and is also the founder of Angels-Wings.org, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting underprivileged children with food, clothing, and education.
Carmen’s latest endeavor is her book, Dare to C.A.R.E: Unlock Your Potential to Transform Your Life, Well-Being and Customer Experience. The book presents the C.A.R.E. Model, which stands for Connection, Authenticity, Reengineering, and Evolution. It offers a humanistic framework that empowers individuals and organizations to align purpose with service delivery—moving beyond transactional interactions to deeply meaningful customer engagement.
The conversation explores the multi-layered value of the book—both as inspirational reading and a practical workbook. Carmen explains how Dare to C.A.R.E is filled with bullet-point strategies that help individuals rediscover purpose, boost mental wellness, and reconnect with their natural strengths. For leaders and managers, it provides applicable tools to enhance team cohesion, foster authentic communication, and build a purpose-driven work culture. The goal is simple yet profound: when individuals thrive, organizations—and by extension, customers—thrive too.
While the book draws heavily from Carmen’s hospitality background, it transcends industries. Whether you're in banking, retail, pharma, or any customer-facing sector, the lessons in Dare to C.A.R.E are universal. Carmen emphasizes that customer experience today is everyone's business, not just that of the hospitality sector
When asked about a single word that organizations should focus on for the latter half of 2025, Carmen shares three: Resilience, Purpose, and Legacy. These values are the backbone of not just business success, but meaningful human impact. She quotes, “The day you plant the seed is not the day you eat the fruit,” encouraging listeners to invest long-term in values that matter.
A deeply spiritual person, Carmen credits the Bible as her most indispensable daily tool, using it for both personal inspiration and professional grounding. She believes that every act of kindness, however small, can ignite lasting change—be it for a colleague, customer, or community member.
As for books that shaped her worldview, she highlights "Soar!: Building Your Vision from the Ground Up" by T.D. Jakes, a guide that emphasizes perseverance, vision, and service to others. She believes that in a world increasingly marked by division, it's crucial to focus on shared humanity and collective growth.
Carmen also shares her excitement about her ongoing projects, including the Global Hospitality and Maritime Leaders platform—offering mentoring, coaching, and personalized training for professionals seeking growth or career pivots. In tandem, her nonprofit Angels-Wings continues to expand its impact, giving hope and practical support to vulnerable children and families.
She closes with a powerful reminder that “Daring to care” isn’t just a slogan—it’s a call to action. When we align who we are with what we do, and when organizations operate from a place of purpose, transformation happens—not just in metrics, but in lives.
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