Rouba Kreidy, Founder & CEO of Create Agency: Redefining Resilience and Creativity in Times of Crisis

When the world came to a halt in 2020, paralyzed by the pandemic, shaken by Lebanon’s economic collapse, and devastated by the Beirut blast, most people put their dreams on hold. But for Rouba Kreidy, it was the spark that ignited a vision. In 2021, against all odds, she founded Create Agency with just two employees and a small office, determined to redefine the way brands tell their stories.

Today, only four years later, Create Agency has become a powerhouse of 30 full-time talents, operating from a vibrant headquarters and delivering impactful campaigns across industries.

Rouba’s success lies not only in her ability to build a thriving business amid crisis, but also in her belief that marketing should move people. For her, campaigns are not just about aesthetics, they are about sparking conversations, driving engagement, and creating meaningful connections between brands and audiences.

The Visionary Behind the Brand

Rouba’s leadership style is rooted in both strategy and creativity. She combines analytical thinking with bold intuition, ensuring every campaign is not only innovative but also delivers tangible results. As CEO, she goes beyond management: she leads and inspires multidisciplinary teams, oversees high-impact campaigns with a focus on innovation and excellence, and designs integrated marketing strategies that merge creativity with data-driven insights. At the same time, she plays a key role in fostering partnerships, expanding opportunities, and driving business growth.

Her philosophy is simple yet profound: Create doesn’t just market, we create experiences that leave a lasting impact.

Defining Success Beyond Numbers

For Rouba, success is not defined only by financial results or rapid growth. It is about building something sustainable, human-centered, and meaningful.

To her, a powerful reputation in the market is the cornerstone of success. She acknowledges that criticism or “bad mouthing” is inevitable in business, but believes that resilience and consistency ultimately shape the agency’s credibility.

Another important measure of success is maintaining a diversified portfolio of clients and industries. For Rouba, this is not only proof of the agency’s adaptability but also a reflection of the trust different sectors place in her team.

She also views success through the lens of her people. Growth within the team is essential, not just in numbers, but in the quality of talent, the leadership potential of her staff, and their ability to innovate. Under her guidance, Create has become a place where young professionals are empowered to grow and thrive.

Equally important is the wellbeing of her team. Rouba strongly believes that creativity cannot flourish without a healthy and supportive work environment. She has made it a priority to build a culture where collaboration, balance, and personal development are nurtured.

Finally, she places emphasis on constantly improving internal workflows and guidelines. For her, structure is not the enemy of creativity; it is the framework that allows ideas to flow freely and campaigns to be executed seamlessly.

Inspiration in Action

Rouba Kreidy’s journey is a story of resilience, vision, and leadership. Founding an agency during one of Lebanon’s darkest periods required courage, but scaling it into a creative hub of 40 professionals in just four years required something more: faith in people and the power of creativity.

As Create Agency continues to grow, Rouba remains grounded in her mission: to inspire, engage, and deliver campaigns that not only elevate brands but also create lasting human connections.

In the face of crisis, she proved that determination can turn obstacles into opportunities. And in doing so, she became not only a successful entrepreneur but also an inspiration for women who dare to dream, create, and lead.

Rouba Kreidy’s Vision

To know more about Rouba's perspective on different matters, we asked her how she'd define the following:

Success

Success is subjective it means something different to each person. For me, success isn’t only the big milestones; it’s every win, even the smallest one. Progress, growth, and learning from mistakes are all forms of success. I’m personally fueled by success and by the feeling of achievement, no matter the scale. Every win gives me energy to keep going, and every loss pushes me to work harder, build more resilience, and aim for the next win and the next success.

Failure

I’ve never liked failure, but over time I learned that it’s a necessary part of life. In the beginning, I used to reject failure completely, but I later understood that life is made of both wins and setbacks and that without failing, we don’t grow or improve. Failure teaches us how to succeed. Today, I try to turn every failure into a lesson. And if there’s no clear lesson, I remind myself that everything happens for a reason, even if we don’t understand it immediately.

Money

Money is important, but it’s not everything. I’ve never worked just to make money, I’ve always chosen projects I truly believe in, that I love, and that inspire and excite me. At the same time, I recognize that money matters because it solves many practical problems and supports stability. Still, money alone doesn’t define success, value, or identity. It’s not what makes you who you are.

Family

Family is my foundation. If I didn’t have the family I have today, I wouldn’t be where I am. My father has always pushed me forward and given me confidence. My mother sacrificed so much to raise us and shape the woman I am today, respectful, mature, strong, and grounded. My four sisters have been by my side at every step, serving as my inspiration, support system, and role models. And my husband has been one of the biggest pillars in my life my strongest motivation to start Create, the one who understands me, supports me through both lows and highs, and encourages me to dream bigger. With them, I feel that this is only the beginning, and I carry a real dream to build something meaningful and lasting.

Love

Love is essential to me in every form. I believe that if you don’t love yourself first, you can’t truly love others. Love is present in my relationship with my husband, my family, my friends, my team, and even my clients. I’m someone who cannot live without love, and love for what I do is what keeps me passionate and motivated. At the same time, I also understand that in some moments whether personal or professional love needs to be balanced with reason. But overall, love is a driving force in my life, and my husband remains one of the greatest loves and supports I have.

Last thought

For me, strong family, self-love, and love for others create the kind of support that makes it hard to accept failure as an endpoint. When you’re surrounded by good people and grounded in love, you work harder, rise faster, and keep moving toward success and your dreams.