Silvia Borges – License Compliance Services Manager, Brazil and Latin America
From São Vicente. Living in São Paolo.
I graduated with a degree in marketing and have worked for 20 years in various areas, such as events, digital, and brand.
In 2021, I accepted the opportunity to join BSA | The Software Alliance and lead the services area for Latin America. It was an exciting challenge, requiring me to step out of my comfort zone to manage a division and oversee a team abroad.
What/who inspired you to pursue the career you have today?
My professional background is in marketing, where I spent over 20 years primarily generating demand for sales. However, despite this experience, I still lacked a real understanding of the challenges in this area and how the process worked once demand was received. As a result, I started steering my career closer to the commercial area about seven years ago.
Joining BSA three years ago and leading relationships and member services here has allowed me to achieve my goal of better understanding how demand drives sales. This experience has given me even more awareness and a comprehensive view of the entire process. I now understand how marketing communicates and generates demand, how this demand becomes an opportunity, and how the sale is concluded. Additionally, I can focus on making this process scalable and profitable for members while ensuring the business is sustainable.
What attracted you to work at BSA?
Before BSA, I had always worked in large corporations with extensive infrastructure and diverse departments. BSA has given me the opportunity to explore diverse areas and develop various skills that I wouldn’t have been able to at larger companies. As someone who thrives on proposing change, reviewing processes, and having autonomy at work, BSA has embraced these traits, allowing me to develop further.
What advice can you give someone who just started their career/wants to pursue a similar career?
First and foremost, find purpose and pleasure in what you do. Challenges, problems, and dissatisfaction will always exist, so it’s crucial to know where you’re headed when these obstacles arise. Having a clear objective will help justify and overcome the difficulties along the way.
In college, the marketing field initially attracted me because of its creativity. However, it was working in the field that made me realize the primary goal of marketing is always to generate business. Therefore, understanding the entire process is essential. It’s not just about being innovative, but about how that innovation translates into results.
Do you have any pets, and if so, what do you have?
I have a tortoise named Zoe.
Favorite book/podcast/long-form article you recommend? What did you learn?
“On the Shortness of Life,” by Seneca, which shares that a short life is for someone who goes through it without deepening his experiences. Otherwise, it is enough. That’s what I try to do…make it enough.
And for the professional area, the book “Predictable Revenue.”
If you could have dinner with any historical figure, who would it be and why?
I don’t have anyone specific in mind, but I’m interested in connecting with someone who leads a busy and fascinating life, who I can share behind-the-scenes conversations with and explore intriguing topics.
How do you unwind after work?
During the week, I play tennis or go to the gym. Watching a good movie or spending a day at the beach also offers a moment of relaxation.
