FloWater

Tina Swanson is the Chief Revenue Officer at FloWater. Her years of experience at the General Electric Company in various roles shaped her experience, from where she went on to lead sales on both local and national levels in different companies. Her passion for health, wellness and sustainability has been a driving force that drew her to FloWater.

Journey and Philosophy

I’ve spent my career at the intersection of commercial growth, sustainability, and customer experience. I started my career at the General Electric Company in Human Resources. I spent 7 years in HR roles with increasing levels of responsibility before being tapped by the company CEO to lead a six-sigma transformation. I spent 3 years in a Master Black Belt Six Sigma role focused on Commercial process improvement and Customer experience. This is where I learned that I love the commercial side of business and Customer experience. From there, I moved into Sales and Marketing Leadership roles at GE and subsequent companies where I led local and national sales, account management, sales operations, sales training, Inside Sales and Marketing.

Early on, I saw how companies that aligned purpose with performance created not just financial results, but also long-lasting impact. That mindset guided me to FloWater. For me, it’s not just about selling water systems — it’s about building healthier workplaces, schools, and communities while reducing our dependence on single-use plastics.

Regional Water Quality Challenges

Water challenges look very different, depending on where you are. In North America, for example, concerns often center on contaminants, aging infrastructure, or mistrust in tap water. In other parts of the country, challenges include desalination, mineral balance, and consumer confidence in local supply. These differences shape how we scale. Our model is flexible: we adapt messaging and service models to local realities while maintaining FloWater’s core promise — purified, electrolyte-enhanced water that is consistent, reliable, and trusted wherever you are.

 Build expertise in your craft, but also stay curious about adjacent industries, customer behavior, and technology shifts. And most importantly, cultivate resilience 

Barriers to Shifting Behavior

The biggest barrier isn’t technology, it’s habit. People are used to grabbing bottled water without thinking about the cost, waste, or health impacts like the nano plastics, micro plastics and PFAFs that they are putting into their bodies. Changing that behavior requires three things - making the refill option even more convenient than bottled, educating them on the long terms impacts to their health and the planet by drinking single use bottled water, and creating a wow experience. Once someone tastes FloWater and feels the difference, it’s easier to shift them from ‘plastic bottle’ mindset to refill culture. Education, access, and experience work together to break old habits.

Building Strategic Partnerships

I look at partnerships through two lenses: scalability and shared values. We work with schools, businesses, gyms and hospitality groups because they sit at the nexus of community, wellness, and influence. For revenue, they provide scale. For social impact, they’re trusted by the people they serve. When we bring FloWater into these environments — we’re not just signing an account — we’re creating ripple effects that normalize hydration, health, and sustainability across thousands of daily interactions. FloWater aims to be present anywhere people work, rest or play.

Comparing UAE vs. North America/Europe

The UAE market is unique in its speed of adoption, government influence, and appetite for premium wellness solutions. Revenue models here tend to emphasize turnkey, full-service solutions — customers want convenience and assurance above all. In North America and Europe, adoption often leans on cost savings and sustainability ROI as key decision drivers. What stands out to me is how quickly the UAE can scale when leadership aligns around health and sustainability. It’s a market that rewards innovation paired with execution.

Advice for Future Leaders

I always tell emerging leaders: anchor yourself in purpose. Commercial growth and sustainability are not competing forces. When done right, they reinforce each other. Build expertise in your craft, but also stay curious about adjacent industries, customer behavior, and technology shifts. And most importantly, cultivate resilience. Change is constant, but if you keep your eye on creating value for both business and society, you’ll not only build a career but also make a meaningful impact.