The bizdev life of Migs and Jessie

What does business development (BD) in tech media actually mean?

“We’re not just media, we’re not just tech, we’re not just BD. We’re kind of at the intersection of all of that,” says Miguel Ochosa, business development manager in the Tech in Asia (TIA) Studios team, after a few seconds of deep thought. “Sales is a part of it, of course, but we’re creating opportunities not just for ourselves but also for our clients.”

“We don’t just know our own offerings, we’re constantly learning about clients’ tech as well to properly customize solutions for them,” adds Jessica Florencia, a fellow BD manager.

Jessica (L) and Miguel (R), stopping to pose for a photo at TIA Jakarta Conference 2024. / Photo credit: Jessica Florencia

Miguel and Jessica are two of the younger members of TIA Studios, but you wouldn’t think that from the thoughtful responses they give to my questions, which can admittedly be a little abstract and philosophical at times.

“It’s very difficult to explain what I do to my uncles and aunties back home in the Philippines when they ask,” Miguel adds with a laugh.

A seed from home

With Miguel, family is paramount.

“When I was in college, I studied whatever I found interesting – I didn’t put much thought into what profession I wanted to pursue,” he shares. “When I realized in senior year that I didn’t know what I wanted to do for a career and started panicking a bit, my dad, who was in the marketing and media business, pointed out that I’ve always liked trying new things and managing multiple projects. ‘You can be an account manager (AM),’ he said. And that stuck with me as I graduated.”

Miguel with his mum and dad. / Photo credit: Miguel Ochosa

That’s right – Miguel’s TIA stint began in account management. He credits this time for helping him learn about the tech industry as well as appreciate the role that TIA takes on in nurturing and supporting the scene, offering content and events that connect and uplift players of all sizes.

“I realized that I really enjoyed speaking to clients and understanding their business. It started to become the best part of the day, just learning about what they’re doing to solve the problems they’re facing,” he says.

This meant that he didn’t want to just serve as a project concierge anymore – he wanted to directly propose solutions for them, prompting a shift to BD after a year and a half in account management. And while there were some growing pains – particularly in picking up and sharpening his prospecting and pitching skills – Miguel got what he wanted: the chance to talk to interesting people doing interesting things, and figuring out how he can help them.

He also asks questions outside of client calls. / Photo credit: Tech in Asia

“Nothing’s changed; I enjoy my job for the same reasons I wanted to make the shift to begin with,” he affirms.

Brass tacks

Jessica agrees with this need to really get the client. The flexibility and customizability of TIA Studios’ solutions means that she always strives to put together a proposal that suits a specific client’s needs.

“Sincerity and thoughtfulness are key,” she offers. “Also, practicality. At the end of the day, I’m helping my points of contact solve their problems as well as their companies’ problems. With that in mind, my goal is to be as clear as possible about how what I’m proposing can address their pain points.”

Initially, Jessica expected that selling event sponsorships would be the easier part of her job since she has prior experience with events. Meanwhile, she believed that selling content would have a steep learning curve.

Post-Conference vibes. / Photo credit: Jessica Florencia

Or so she thought – Jessica says that content’s actually what she’s most comfortable selling now.

“It somehow came naturally to me, and I was quite amazed that it turned out like this,” she adds. “I found it to be quite enjoyable and interesting.”

Jessica says the holistic nature of the Studios team has helped a lot in this regard, highlighting an internal Slack channel known as the “Creative Help Center.” In it, BDs and AMs tap into the knowledge and expertise of the creative team, and everyone works together to come up with innovative and engaging content campaign proposals.

“Our proposals have been getting better and better, and on the personal front, working across teams like this really gives me new perspectives,” she explains. “Together, we dispel blind spots, which gives me even more confidence when I talk to clients.”

Heart and soul

Even though business development is a role that’s strongly tied to key performance indicators and metrics, it’s the intangible things that fuel Miguel and Jessica.

While TIA has yet to put on any major events in the Philippines, Miguel has his home constantly on his mind. He regularly speaks to startup and tech leaders in the country and drives interest and awareness for these players.

His efforts culminated in getting to know Ernest Cu, the president and CEO of Globe Telecom, a leading telecommunications company in the Philippines. Cu has been pivotal in driving financial inclusion across the country through its fintech arm Mynt and its GCash e-wallet. Eventually, this connection led to Cu speaking at TIA’s Jakarta Conference last year – something Miguel hopes is just the first big step in shining more of the spotlight on his homeland.

Miguel (second from right) with Ernest Cu (third from right). Hopefully, this is just the first step to greater things. / Photo credit: Miguel Ochosa

“I grew up knowing Globe as one of the biggest companies in the Philippines, and so to be able to know him personally, it’s like a huge, fulfilling moment,” Miguel says, the pride plain to see.

For Jessica, fulfillment comes from when she’s unable to touch base with her clients at TIA events and conferences, precisely because they’re swamped speaking to one attendee after another.

“When my sponsors are super busy, that’s a good thing,” she says with a laugh. “I also feel really satisfied when it’s really lively at a client’s event that we helped to promote with our content solutions.”

Sneaking in a quick pic with a client. / Photo credit: Tech in Asia

2025 and beyond

Looking ahead, both Miguel and Jessica point out that new possibilities abound in the wake of TIA’s partnership with The Business Times.

“Not only are we trying to sell new solutions, but we’re also experimenting with new systems of selling,” Jessica says, adding that this applies to both events and content. “I’m the kind of person who has to believe in what I’m selling if I’m to be successful, and I’m very confident in what we’re working on.”

A group photo of the Commercial team at SYNC 2024. / Photo credit: Tech in Asia

Miguel concurs, and adds that he’s working toward a long-term goal.

“I would love for there to be a Tech in Asia Conference Philippines one day, hopefully during my tenure with the company,” he says.

To be clear, there aren’t any solid plans of the sort at the moment, but it’s in the “never say never” realm of things. Certainly, with what he has achieved so far, Miguel is well within his rights to aim high and dream big.

“At Tech in Asia, you’ve just got to keep doing what you have to do each day. And then, you look back and you realize how much you’ve grown from just a month ago, or a year ago,” he adds.

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