Meet Adriane Leal Filenga | Marketing and Public Relations

We had the good fortune of connecting with Adriane Leal Filenga and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Adriane, the decisions we make often shape our story in profound ways. What was one of the most difficult decisions you’ve had to make?
A really hard decision for me was quitting my job, leaving my family and friends, my house, my car, selling everything to go after a dream. When I left my comfort zone thinking about growing, it was a risk, but I have a goal. It is not easy to dedicate all time, money, effort, to a dream and having almost no free time. I am always working and studying, pursuing an exceptional career, willing to be an outstanding professional, with an international degree and career, it is not an easy path, and it demands a lot of sacrifices.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am passionate about connections. I love connecting people to what they need and love. Connecting one person to another is always enriching personally and professionally. Each person has something valuable and amazing, that may be exactly what someone likes or need. It can be a sale, it can be a product or service recommendation, it can be a referral, but the goal is connecting solutions. Learning with the differences is precious. What drove me to where I am now is the desire to grow, and to be able to help people. I aim to be an expert in a subject because I want to be able to help someone with that subject. I don’t believe that knowledge and expertise make you better than other people, but actually, make you valuable and useful. For example, knowing another language does not make you better than anyone. But, makes it possible that you connect with people that speak that language and help them in what they need, using your skills and abilities to solve problems and bring more results. It is not easy dealing with people because not all of them want you to succeed, they want to see you down for them to feel they grew, instead of working on their own growth. Knowing the difference between real and false connections is a challenge. Especially when you are a woman, you face many preconceptions and assumptions from other people. Some people think men are better leaders or that women won’t work hard because they want to build a family. Sometimes our voice is silenced, but we should never give up. Nowadays, I am surrounded by people who believe in me and support me. Some pieces of advice: do not underestimate your capacity, you are capable, you are smart, you can do it, there are people with less knowledge doing more than you are, be happy with your achievements. On the other hand, do not stop growing, there is always something to learn and improve. Be happy for where you are but do not stop growing. Do not allow people to set your value. You are precious!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love Dallas! It is a very mixed place, for many tastes. If any friend of mine came to Dallas, I would, first of all, show him the DBU campus, where I study! It is an amazing and beautiful place, it looks like a resort. Then, I would take this person to eat in Chick-fil-a, Shake Shack, iHop, and Braums, because they are typical, I like these fast foods and we don’t have them in Brazil. I would choose an event in American Airlines Center for us to attend! I would also take this person to Fort Worth Stockyards, it is a great place to visit and get to know more about Texan life. The Six Flags park would also be on the list! And of course, I would take this person to the church I go to, First Baptist Dallas.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
A great book that I recommend is “Lean in: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead” – Sheryl Sandberg. It is really inspiring and talks about many dilemmas women live in during life and career path. I also dedicate it to all my family, friends, boyfriend, bosses, coworkers, and most of all, to God, who leads me in all seasons. I am surrounded by inspiring people who motivate and support me, I am thankful for it.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adrianelbf/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianelbf/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AdrianeLealFilenga/