How The FBA and its Student Business Project Shaped Alumna Flore Bloes’ Career Choice
“To me the SBP was really an eye opener that I enjoy this type of work; hence why I went into sports strategy consulting”
The Football Business Academy offers several opportunities to understand the ins and outs of the Football Industry. For many Candidates, their passion or goal is discovered during classes, while networking or during the internship. For Alumna Flore Bloes however, she found her passion in the program’s 4th Module while completing the Student Business Project (SBP). Thanks to a classmate and professor who recognized the joy and excitement Flore had while completing it, she accepted an interview and turned a passion into a reality.
What is a Student Business Project (SBP)
The SBP’s can be seen as a junior consulting opportunity in which groups of FBA Candidates work on a topic that is of strategic interest to one of The FBA Partners, usually a club or federation. On one hand, it allows The FBA to confirm that Candidates are ready to step into the football industry fully, whereas on the other hand, it’s a very valuable tool for their Partners to develop their needs as well, as they get to pick the brains and ideas of Candidates.
From start to finish (about 2 months), there are several touch points between each group and their Partner, resulting in a very exciting exchange that is also conducive from a networking and professional perspective.
The SBPs allow FBA Candidates to obtain valuable experience with an industry key stakeholder, thereby building their curriculum further in preparation for the job market. Some past topics have included, Internationalization Strategy, Player Loan Effectiveness, Corporate Social Responsibility and Women’s Football Strategy. Partners include Venecia FC, Atlético Ottawa, The NWSL, The K League, Olympique Lyonnais, CF Monterrey, Göztepe and more.
Flore says, “The SBP could easily be seen as a project that mirrors the work I do in my current role. The client engagement process, particularly the importance of establishing the right interaction and gathering the necessary information to structure the problem-solving approach, gave me a solid taste of what my current job entails.
Why Flore Chose The FBA
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Flore had planned to study elsewhere having just finished a graduate degree, but those plans fell through. In her home country of Belgium, like most of the world, lockdowns were taking place during the summer, and she found herself rushing to find a job. While she gained valuable insight and met some incredible people there, she was left feeling unfulfilled and was being drawn back to her passion for sports.
After exploring some local programs which were heavily educational-focused and only tied closely to the Belgium sports industry, she found The FBA. She told us, “The FBA offered a strong balance between academic learning and practical, real-world experience, thanks to the background of its lecturers complimented with a growing international network of football stakeholders. I was also attracted to the breadth of the football industry; with football being one of the largest sports sectors globally, I truly believe that a lot of the lessons, challenges, and solutions from football could be applied across other sports as well.”
How The FBA Shaped Flore’s Understanding of the Industry
The FBA offers 6 months of online courses in the first two modules of the program. Within the first module, Candidates are introduced to the football industry which provides students with a broad overview and a strong emphasis on ethics. Flore told us that it provided a historical perspective, explaining how we arrived at the current state of play in football. For example, it explores the growth of women’s football and the reasons why its development differs from one country to another. Additionally, it is strongly focused on the business aspect of the football industry. Roles and relationships of various stakeholders like clubs, agents, institutions, federation and more, rather than just results are emphasized.
What really helped in her understanding were the professors. As Flore comes from a traditional educational system in Belgium, what stood out to her was that the professors were a refreshing mix of people with practical experience on top of the strong educational backgrounds. With professors working in the industry, they even offer Candidates direct opportunities to be employed or to complete the Guaranteed Internship with them. For Flore, that’s what happened. She made an impression in class to a professor and was offered a job after graduation. For her, they were more than just lecturers; they were approachable and someone she can add to her book of business for future career development opportunities.
Outside of classes and her professors, Flore discovered the diversity of the program, especially during the SBP. She recognized the range of outputs from her classmates which highlighted just how varied the industry can be and specifically sports consulting in which she currently works. It was clear that the field offered a wide array of opportunities and challenges, depending on the type of institution or sport involved.
Lastly, building connections and having open conversations with cohort members, lecturers, and alumni is crucial. Discussing career aspirations and what you’re looking for keeps everyone alert to potential opportunities in their networks. These conversations can lead to valuable connections or even direct opportunities down the line.
Where is Flore Now?
Flore currently works as a Sports Strategy Consultant in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Here, she helps sports institutions address their strategic challenges through structured problem-solving supported by in-depth analysis leading to tailored recommendations. As mentioned earlier, this closely aligns with her SBP completed in Module 4 of the The FBAs program.
The projects she works on are three-dimensional (type of client; type of sports and type of topics), often involving a variety of sports institutions such as commercial entities, federations, ministries, and clubs. They also span different sports (e.g., golf, football, aquatics) and cover a wide range of strategic questions, from events and customer engagement to economic contribution, infrastructure, governance, and more. These projects are very enjoyable for her, always offering a new skill to her tool belt and expanding her knowledge.
As previously mentioned, the journey to sports consulting started during the SBP. A close friend, Faris who was in her Edition as a Candidate, and now someone she considers a big brother, saw how she worked during the SBP and the joy she got out of it. He recommended she pursue a career in sports consulting. Ebru Koksal, a lecturer in the 4th Module, also echoed this sentiment, introduced Flore to a contact, and eventually she went through an interview process and received a job offer. The FBA is not just about the theoretical knowledge gained in the football industry. Flore is a perfect example that networking, connecting and building relationships is key to success as well.
Navigating the Football Industry as a Woman in Saudi Arabia
When Saudi Arabia was first offered to Flore as a potential job location, she was still in Portugal with the FBA. Initially, she had applied for the London office—her mind was fully set on that path. Then suddenly, Saudi entered the equation. As someone who had never been to the Middle East before, and admittedly didn’t know much about the region beyond what’s portrayed in the media or passed down through her family assumptions, she naturally jumped to conclusions.
She said, “That’s a common mistake many of us make—the Middle East is often misunderstood, with beliefs and lifestyles that are very different from what we’re used to in the western world. Faced with ambiguity, your mind fills in the blanks with what you’ve been told—often inaccurately.” However, this was quickly clarified thanks to her friend Faris , who is half Kuwaiti, and was able to clarify the misconceptions. Flore also took an extra step to speak with many expats who had lived and worked there. This helped clear any doubts and allowed her to accept a position that she may have otherwise turned down just because of a bias. Now, she always encourages people considering expat life to speak directly to locals and those that have experience and not let what the media may portray affect your judgement and live in fear with assumptions.
However, as a woman, it took adjusting to. There are not many Western young women in Riyadh, and being from Europe, she found that the city wasn’t as walkable as she was used to, along with a few other aspects. But being a part of expat life, she knew this would take time. The Football Industry is a global sport, and reaching your dream job may not be in the exact location you pictured for yourself. There are cultural norms one may need to adjust too. Understanding culture, means engaging with it. In Flores words, “It means listening, sharing, and finding mutual respect—even when you agree to disagree. You won’t truly understand until you start those conversations. And that’s what has made this experience so exciting—challenging at times, yes, but incredibly rewarding in the end.” While she may not have her walk in the park with a coffee in hand, she has made great friends through local sporting activities allowing her to have meaningful conversation and understand that everyone is different.
Why Flore Thinks The FBA is an Excellent Choice for Prospective Candidates
While she jokes around with her partner that The FBA kind of sounds like a cult, Flore says truly everyone literally has your best interest at heart. Everyone is willing to share experiences, support one another, and be an advocate.
“The program is structured in a way that fosters inclusivity, making it accessible to anyone around the world. With the first two modules being remote, it allows for global participation, which adds tremendous value. It was inspiring to see everyone share real-world examples from their home countries, creating a truly global perspective on football.”
She also felt extreme excitement leading up to the 4th Module in Lisbon, Portugal, as she finally got to meet her peers, The FBA Staff and professors in person. Nothing felt forced once everyone was together and while the main goal of the in-person experience is to complete classes and the SBP, there were many memorable team building moments, like playing padel, dinners in the evening and night outings.
Even now, almost 3 years after graduation, she keeps in touch with her cohort, as well as other alumni, offering kudos for their achievements and being supportive whenever she can. She also stays open to share her experiences with applicants or those currently in the program. Looking ahead, she wants to continue advocating for the program and support future internship opportunities at any sports organization she’s working at. She’s always mindful of how to create room for someone to have their first opportunity in football or sports, ensuring that she contributes to their professional growth.
If you would like to speak to Flore, or any of our Alumni, you can find all of the LinkedIn pages on our website. Applications for the September 2025 and March 2026 Edition are open. Apply today and turn your dream into a reality.
