ADRIANNA FIE
(MBA ’17)
City: Minneapolis Title: Global consumer insights associate, General Mills; owner, Flotsam + Fork Previous jobs: Retail positions in the specialty food industry
Why she’s among the 8 to Watch: Fie brings unique insights as a former food professional to her work at General Mills and also owns a kitchen and home goods business that specializes in imported products through a brick-and-mortar store and online. Roundabout way to an MBA: Fie earned her undergraduate degree in jewelry arts, then got a master’s in food studies. Wanting to further apply her food knowledge, she researched MBA programs and learned about WSB’s career path in consumer insights and market research. “I thought, ‘I can’t believe this is a job.’ It was exactly what I love— understanding why people eat what they eat and understanding people in general.” Big company, small company: Fie relishes the opportunity to work simultaneously at a Fortune 500 company and in her own small business, where her husband runs the dayto-day operations. “I’m constantly learning about new practices, best practices, and how to translate them into my business.” The impact of a WSB degree: A marketing strategy class provided Fie with great insight about the importance of building a brand. “It was a good reminder that your product might be similar to other products, but the way you bring it to the world can be different and that’s what brings customers to you.” Cheese as a marketing tool: While earning her MBA, Fie launched and managed a specialty cheese department at a local grocery store. It became an opportunity to do real-time market testing. “There were certain descriptors you could use about cheese and you could see people’s faces light up and they’d say, ‘Oh yeah, I’m going to buy that one.’” Advice to students and young professionals: Be flexible, even if you are passionate about your ideas. “Always look to adjust to consumer tastes, the marketplace, and the competition because things always change.”
22 | UW–Madison Wisconsin School of Business
