Pinay mom and Near Creative co-founder Roxi Biribicchi on building a business, modern parenting
MANILA, Philippines — Near Creative began as a daring "accidental" pitch by two best friends who simply wanted to see the world.
Roxi Biribicchi and Erika Madiñan leveraged their marketing skills to convince Cebu Pacific to send them to Japan, Taiwan and Singapore in exchange for a video series—unwittingly laying the foundation for what would become a digital powerhouse.
Today, Roxi leads that vision as CEO, steering a 32-person team from Zurich and managing global campaigns for the likes of Spotify, Dyson, and Shiseido, all while navigating a role that remains a rarity in Philippine culture: the primary breadwinner with a stay-at-home husband.
The convo that changed everything
The blueprint for Roxi’s family life wasn’t drawn up in a boardroom, but on a rooftop bar in Ho Chi Minh back in 2014. "I asked my husband back then: ‘How would you feel if I earned more than you?’" Roxi recalls.
"He told me it was always his dream to be a stay-at-home dad. He was never the 'career type.' It was never about gender roles for us; it was about helping each other reach our dreams."
That foundation of support has been Roxi’s "secret weapon." Knowing her husband has her back—and the home front covered—allows her to take the high-stakes risks required to run a Gold Anvil-winning agency.
Finding strength in chaos
Despite the high-profile clients, Roxi is refreshingly honest about the "chaos" of motherhood. She’s quick to dismiss the polished routines often sold by "productivity gurus."
"Motherhood rarely looks like a perfect routine," Roxi admits. "It’s baby tears, sleepless nights, and working within the mess. As a woman used to high productivity, the pressure I put on myself was high. But motherhood teaches you to genuinely be kind to yourself. If I kept beating myself up for not getting things done, I’d just be stuck in a cycle."
For Roxi, the traditional idea of "work-life balance" is a myth. Instead, she advocates for a "life audit"—constantly checking if today’s decisions align with the life you want in 10 or 20 years.
A message for the modern mom
This Mother’s Day, Roxi wants to release other women from the pressure of "having it all" according to social media’s standards.
"Success for me today is not having to live up to anyone else’s standards of what being a mom, founder, or wife is—except mine," she says. "Stop beating yourself up because you don't look like the 'Super Mom' you saw on your feed. Whether your goal is to build a 32-person agency or simply to have happy kids, that is enough."
As Near Creative continues to scale, Roxi remains focused on the long game. Guided by the entrepreneurial spirit of her grandfather and the daily joy of her children, she is proving that for the modern Filipina, the best roles are the ones we define for ourselves.
Editor’s Note: This press release from Near Creative is published by the Advertising Content Team that is independent from our Editorial Newsroom.
