“Behind every title I hold—woman, daughter, sister, friend, mentor, and believer—lies the heart of a first-generation entrepreneur.”
A true entrepreneur is one who searches for change, integrates it, and develops it as an opportunity for holistic growth. Adriana Usvat, Founder and Managing Partner of FLC Group is one such key entrepreneurial personality who is on the mission to be a catalyst for positive change in people’s lives in the MENA Region & India.
Her journey is powered by boundless energy and a strong drive to challenge the norm, overcome obstacles, and embrace the continuous learning that life brings. For her, each day is a canvas, and her ambition is to paint it with strokes of excellence.
Adriana’s life is a tale infused with change and growth at its very core. Her ultimate aim is to enhance people’s lives be it through paving paths to financial independence, unlocking doors to education, or nurturing personal and professional growth.
The Beginnings
Adriana’s journey began in Romania, where her roots of resilience and dreams took hold. The pursuit of a broader horizon led her to Dubai, UAE in 2002, after a transformative period in Moscow post-graduation from the University of International Business and Economics in Romania.
Life is a continuous lesson, a belief that led Adriana to the Owner’s President Management Program at Harvard Business School. It’s here that she is reminded of the power of continuous education—fueling the mind that’s always in motion, always expanding.
With over 20 years of international experience, her passion lies in breathing life into brands—FMCG, Fashion, and Lifestyle—guiding them to thrive in their markets through Integrated Marketing Solutions.
The Birth of FLC Group
Adriana’s brainchild FLC Group was born at the peak of the 2008 economic recession, a testament to enduring hope and unyielding determination, without any financial aid. But her heart doesn’t stop there; it beats strongly for the hospitality and the real estate sectors. As an active partner in Property Management, focusing on the enchanting landscapes of Southeast Asia with Bali Villas R Us, she has seen dreams turn into destinations.
Investing in startups, and embracing new initiatives, her spirit is entrepreneurial, yet her soul is charitable. Working alongside various organizations, she seeks out sparks of potential to light up the lives of children, bringing warmth to cold corners of the world.
Each role she embodies, every challenge she embraces, is a chapter in a story that’s still being written—a story of resilience, growth, and the endless pursuit of making a difference.
Over the last decade, FLC’s journey has been nothing short of a saga of transformation and triumph. Over the past 15 years, the company has built a legacy. Its story includes partnerships with 75+ brands and the creation of over 1000 campaigns that not only met expectations but also set new benchmarks.
Today, FLC is more than a name; it’s a promise of excellence and innovation, serving a kaleidoscope of sectors from FMCG to Beauty, Luxury to Electronics, and Banking to Telecommunication, among others. Their portfolio shines with names like Nestle, P&G, Pepsi, Henkel, and many more, each a testament to its commitment to not just follow the ever-evolving marketing trends but to be ahead of them, leading the way with creativity, passion, and dedication both online and on the ground.
In every strategy, every campaign, and every success, there’s a piece of FLC’s heart, a part of its soul. The company has not just watched the industry evolve; it has been a pivotal part of that evolution, continuously setting the pace and inviting its clients into a future where their brands don’t just exist but truly live.
Virtues are Adriana’s Cornerstones of Success
In Adriana’s life, everything she does, be it from personal choices to professional choices, is guided by a few ideals.
Passion: Her life’s anthem is: ‘’Do it if you enjoy doing it. Find something else if you don’t.” It’s the passion that fuels her drive, ensuring that every step is closer to joy and fulfillment.
Being Memorable: Her aim is: “I don’t just exist. I strive to leave a mark”.
It’s about crafting a legacy, one day at a time, through dedication to quality, continuous self-enhancement, and the relentless pursuit of growth and personal satisfaction.
Integrity: Like a lighthouse guiding ships home, Adriana’s moral compass steers her towards honesty, transparency, and ethical conduct in the vast sea of her professional engagements.
Collaboration: She strongly believes in the power of working together, and it’s a fundamental part of who she is. She is all about nurturing connections, cultivating a supportive ecosystem, and creating harmony to create common goals.
Customer Centric: At the heart of her endeavors lies a profound dedication to understanding and uplifting those she serves. It’s about delivering not just services but experiences and being a catalyst in the narratives of those she collaborates with.
Being Adaptable: Life taught Adriana to embrace change with open arms and a curious heart. Innovation, ideas, and new perspectives keep moving her forward.
Continuous Learning: With a spirit that yearns for expansion, Adriana cherishes the journey of knowledge and self-evolution. Her quest is to remain a student of life, ever-growing, ever-learning, constantly updating her inner library with the wisdom of the world and the insights of experience.
Decoding Adriana’s Role
“People, Culture, Strategy & Growth, and Innovation—it is what drives me.”
Adriana is a people’s person. She is extremely fond of her team and is an ardent supporter of each of her team member’s journey. As a leader and entrepreneur, she believes that company culture isn’t just part of the business; it is the business.
When it comes to Strategy & Growth, her role involves overseeing FLC Group’s direction and making sure they are setting themselves for success, particularly across the MENA region and India. Staying ahead of market trends is crucial, but so is creating an environment where innovation and experimentation can flourish. She encourages their team to think without limits, to see beyond the conventional, and to embrace the possibilities that lie ahead.
Adriana reckons it’s all about weaving these elements together into a cohesive strategy that propels the company forward, ensuring that people, culture, strategy, and innovation are not just words but the very foundation of everything.
As an industry leader and entrepreneur, Adriana’s leadership philosophy is anchored by the core principles of leading by example, demonstrating commitment, mutual respect and understanding, effective communication and trust, empowering teamwork and team growth, collaboration, and embracing change and innovation.
These principles guide FLC’s decisions, strategies, and how they show up for each other every day. It’s through living these values that the company ensures that these are reflected throughout and enable to shape it as a dynamic, resilient, and forward-thinking organization.
Maintaining Stability and Profitability with Balanced Innovation
Fostering a culture of continuous improvement is key. FLC focuses on incremental innovation, testing, and learning without fear. It’s about making calculated moves for significant advancements while maintaining core stability.
Strategic planning is crucial, aligning short-term actions with long-term visions. The company balances bold innovation with measures for stability.
Along with innovation, FLC keeps its team on course, making sure every team member is growing, learning, and heading in the right direction. With initiatives like ‘Educational Mondays‘ and ‘Tech Tuesdays,‘ the team is always picking up new skills and perspectives which help everyone on the team chart their course, sharpen their skills, and make their mark on its collective journey.
Adriana states, “When deciding to level up its services it’s a mix of teamwork, strategy, and a lot of that gut feeling. But here’s the kicker: not every opportunity comes with flashing neon signs. Sometimes, you’ve got to trust that inner voice, that honed entrepreneurial sixth sense to make moves that might not seem obvious at first but feel right. Taking those leaps, based on intuition and experience, has often set us apart, giving us the edge to not just play the game but change it.”
Major Breakthroughs
For Adriana, awards, recognitions, or monetary gains are not real achievements. For her, it’s all about enriching people’s lives and creating a lasting impact. She adds, “Highlighting the achievements of my journey is a challenge as there are many, however, one thing is for sure. At the top of the list stands making a real impact in people’s lives. It’s those moments—encouraging words, impactful advice, assisting with salaries, or simply being there when needed. Playing a part, no matter how small, in someone’s story means the world to me.”
Then, there is her adventurous self, an Eastern European woman landing in the Middle East, rolling up her sleeves to build a company from scratch during the economic downturn. Sounds like a movie, right? But that’s been her reality, and honestly, the movie has turned out to be a blockbuster.
Talking about FLC, it kicked off in 2008 as a small promotions marketing agency with barely a three-person team. Fast forward to today, the company has grown into this powerhouse Integrated Marketing Agency with a family of over 70 members, spreading its wings across the MENA region and India. Over the years, it has been adding new business verticals, constantly growing, evolving, and adapting.
The marketing world is like a wild ocean, always changing, with consumer behaviors shifting like the tides. And FLC? It has been riding the waves, leading the charge. In the past, the big ad agencies got all the glory with the big brands, and the on-ground execution was underrated. But FLC changed the game and disrupted the market. It proved what it does isn’t just ‘work’; it’s art, it’s essential, and it’s impactful. Now, FLC is a go-to partner for some of the biggest names for integrated projects.
Adriana concludes by saying, “So, yes, when I look back at this journey, it’s these chapters that stand out making a difference, breaking barriers, and reshaping the industry landscape. That’s what keeps me going.”
Living by the Mantra
A key mantra that keeps Adriana going and growing is to never stop learning. She believes one should learn, grow, and soak up every lesson life throws, as when that moment comes, one is not just stepping up to the plate—they are knocking it out of the park.
Golden Piece of Advice for Budding Entrepreneurs
Focus on providing a solution that’s not just useful but essential. Identify a widespread problem, and offer a simple yet effective solution. The more common and relatable the problem, and the easier your solution can fix it, the better your chances of success.
Resilience and adaptability are equally crucial. Entrepreneurship comes with challenges and setbacks. It’s not just about enduring but also being flexible to pivot when necessary. Keep in mind, there might be times when the timing feels right but the universe has a different plan. Stay the course, even when the going gets tough, and believe.
