Life at Near: Sophia’s Way of Turning Convos into Connections

For many, business development is just a numbers game. 

But for our very own Sophia De Dios, it’s a people-first pursuit: one built on honest conversations, shared insights, and long-term value. As Near’s Senior Business Development Manager, she doesn’t just pitch; she listens, connects, and creates space for partnerships to grow.

With over three years at Near, Sophia has helped bring in exciting new (and cool!) accounts by taking a relationship-driven approach to prospecting. One might ask, what’s her secret? A mindset grounded in curiosity, empathy, and a refusal to settle for generic industry tactics. Whether it’s coffee, a pottery class, or wine tasting, she makes networking feel human for herself and the clients.

This is her Life at Near.

Redefining Business Development

Sophia thrives when she’s out from behind her desk, having real conversations. While she enjoys the hustle of task-based work, it’s those moments of connection that energize her and push her to think differently. Her role allows her to experiment with how Near shows up from pitch decks to in-person events and she’s embraced the agency’s culture of trying new things to get results.

That culture was especially important during the early runs of Near Marketing Crew: a networking initiative she helped develop. It was exciting, but also intimidating. Planning an event series that would bring top marketers together wasn’t just about logistics; it was about making sure it felt authentically Near and valuable for everyone in the room. It took several iterations to get it right, but the result was worth it.

Clients saw the value immediately. Many said the event gave them something they didn’t realize they needed: an easy, low-pressure way to connect with other marketers, exchange ideas, and build their own network. For Sophia, that was the real win, creating a space where collaboration and conversation sparked unexpected insights from like-minded people.

Beyond the Near Marketing Crew, Sophia also leads consultative conversations and pitches to potential partners: sessions that are less about pushing a proposal and more about unpacking and discussing real challenges they face. These convos often spark fresh ideas for scaling influencer campaigns, aligning KPIs with budgets, or building an end-to-end strategy that works across platforms.

It’s part of what makes Near’s business development approach different: a deep respect for the prospect’s needs and getting them nearer to their brand goals and vision. For Sophia, success isn't based on “just” closing deals, it’s also helping clients walk away with clarity, excitement, and a sense of being truly understood.

Building Trust Before Deals

One of Sophia’s strongest principles is helping people, even if it doesn’t lead to a deal. She walks into every conversation with the mindset of supporting someone in the long run and not just securing a client. If Near isn’t the right fit, she’s upfront about it. For her, business development is about finding the right partners and building trust, one convo at a time, and not just about short-term wins.

She also finds satisfaction in watching clients succeed in campaign outcomes and how those wins support their individual growth. If a client earns recognition or a promotion because of a great campaign? That’s a win she celebrates just as much!

Sophia’s journey at Near has been one of continuous evolution. Her role has shifted multiple times, allowing her to better align with her strengths. She credits Near’s leadership for recognizing when she needed a push and when she needed support.

Professionally, she’s become more confident representing the agency and understanding how to communicate based on who she’s speaking with. Personally, she’s developed a deeper, more productive sense of empathy which is something that’s shaped both her client relationships and her management style.

Structure has its place, but so does flexibility. She’s also let go of the need to control every detail. Learning to trust her teammates’ ideas and approaches has made her a more collaborative and adaptive leader. 

A Culture That Moves with “You”

What makes her time at Near meaningful isn’t just the wins, but also the freedom to grow. The team invests in people, not just what their job title can offer. And when someone proposes a smart idea, it gets heard. That openness has allowed Sophia to carve out a path that feels uniquely her own. She also appreciates the culture of upskilling, where everyone is encouraged to share what they know and learn from one another. In a team where everyone is an expert in something, growth is contagious.

Sophia’s advice is simple but powerful: Know your priorities. Whether it’s flexibility, compensation, or structure, understand what brings you real fulfillment. Work will always have hard days, and what matters is having something that grounds and motivates you when those days come.

For Sophia, being at Near has brought her a step nearer to clarity. She’s learned more about her strengths, her leadership style, and the kind of career she wants to build. It’s a journey that continues, one that feels intentional and aligned.

Read anything that resonates with you? You can explore our open roles and discover your next step: nearcreative.co/careers

Life at Near: Ella’s Mindset on Customer Satisfaction

When people think about customer satisfaction, they usually picture spreadsheets, KPIs, or templated emails. But for Ella, it’s something deeper. As Near’s Senior Campaign and Client Services Manager (and Employee #1, if you ask) she’s helped define what customer satisfaction really looks like in a modern digital marketing agency: empathy, grit, and a whole lot of heart.

In the fast-paced world of marketing and client servicing, Ella has created a space where relationship-building, execution excellence, and team growth go hand in hand. 

This is her Life at Near.

Starting from Sales, Growing into Campaigns and Mentorship

Ella’s Near story didn’t begin in client services. Surprisingly, she started in Business Development at the height of the pandemic: her first foray into sales, at a time when brands were slashing budgets.

It wasn’t the easiest starting point, but it helped her build the skills that now define her leadership style. According to Ella, her time in business development taught her a lot about strategy and nurturing relationships which is the foundation that proved essential as she transitioned to account and project management: where she discovered her natural strengths.

Today, what drives Ella is twofold: the high of seeing campaigns succeed and the quiet pride of mentoring her team. “I love meeting and connecting with our clients and seeing our campaigns come to life and drive real business impact,” she says. She also enjoys mentoring Near campaign managers, watching them grow both personally and professionally by overcoming challenges which fills her with so much pride and fulfillment.

One of her proudest milestones? Leading Spotify Wrapped 2024 in the Philippines. It was the biggest campaign Ella ever managed. Despite a limited budget, they exceeded engagement targets because of their strategic planning and execution. She felt incredible to be part of something that iconic.

At the core of Ella’s leadership is grit and resilience. She still admits to getting scared, worried and anxious, even making mistakes. But she doesn’t give up. That mindset has helped her lead the team through setbacks and to keep moving forward.

But reflecting on her early doubts in Sales, Ella recalls a key moment: “I told Roxi [Near’s CEO] I wasn’t confident in my skills. I’m more of a listener than a talker. She said, ‘What you think is a weakness might actually be your strength.’ and for Ella? That reframed everything.

That deep listening, paired with empathy, became her superpower in helping her understand client needs and guide her team with intuition. This is one of the core skills they nurture in the Accounts team, so that all clients feel seen, heard, and taken care of.

The Culture that Builds You

Ask Ella what makes Near different, and she points to one thing: the people. For her, it’s a privilege to work alongside some of the smartest, most hardworking, and genuinely kind individuals she’s ever met. The company’s culture: built on trust, transparency, and open communication, is what she believes keeps the team strong.

That culture, she says, has shaped not just her professional growth but her personal development as well. Over the years, she’s had the chance to work on campaigns with global brands like Spotify, Dyson, and Dolce & Gabbana. But more than that, her experience at Near has helped her become a better communicator, listener, and leader.

For the Ones Looking for What’s Next

For those seeking a job or their first step in the industry, Ella has two big pieces of advice:

1. Find a good mentor: People get caught up on the company name and perks, but having a great mentor can change everything. Ella went from “unemployed and unskilled in 2019” to where she is today because she knew her bosses believed in her and helped her grow.

2. Be picky about company culture: Ask yourself if the company’s values align with yours because there is a difference between dreading your job and finding a job that uplifts you.
   

And if she had to sum up her life at Near in one word, it would be growth. Near helped Ella get closer to her dream of traveling the world. With the agency’s hybrid setup and results-oriented culture, she’s had the freedom to work from anywhere. Since 2023, she’s spent part of each year working remotely from Bali. She’s also joined team trips to Bohol, Tokyo, Bangkok, and more, where they blended work with meaningful experiences beyond the usual office setup.

Her mindset on customer satisfaction? It’s never just about metrics. It’s about people: clients, teammates, and the self you're becoming while doing the work.

And if you’re thinking of taking a step nearer to work that challenges and fulfills you, explore opportunities to grow with us here: nearcreative.co/careers