A young serial entrepreneur is exploring the world of NFTs or non-fungible tokens to provide Filipinos with accurate information on the investment potential of cryptocurrencies and digital artworks made unique by the blockchain technology.
Miggy Azurin, 29, is a content creator and chief executive of The Mega Maxi—a web3 media company that delivers the latest news and events about cryptocurrencies, NFTs, play-to-earn gaming and Metaverse. The company recently closed an investment that will help fund its mission to bring the next one billion users to web3—the next generation of Internet revolving around the blockchain technology.
“The Mega Maxi is a web3 media company that delivers the latest news and insights about crypto, NFTs and P2E gaming. We aim to provide high-quality content to inspire and educate users. We want to guide them in their journey into the Metaverse. We recently closed an angel investment round that will go straight to funding our mission to bring the next one billion users to Web3,” Azurin says via email interview.
Serial entrepreneur
Azurin looks up to his father, Jojy Azurin, who was also very active in the startup scene in Manila. “I take after him. He gave me the exposure and insights I needed to get started in tech. It’s all I have been immersed in ever since I graduated,” he says.
He jumped into entrepreneurship right after graduating from Ateneo de Manila University with a major in Management and a minor in International Business. He started several startup companies in different industries, but none of them panned out.
“I jumped into entrepreneurship right after graduating from college. I attempted to start several startup companies in different industries, but none of them took off,” he says,
Azurin admits he used to be a “serial failure” as it took him six attempts before he finally got entrepreneurship right. He dabbled in tech, food and recruitment before he found his love for marketing, and now, he is involved in many communities in the NFT space.
He ventured into freelancing as a marketing consultant and offered free services for a month for interested clients to attract clients. He had a great start as a dozen people availed of his services.
“Before I threw in the towel and joined my peers in corporate, I ventured into freelancing and found my love in marketing. I started my career by doing marketing work for free, and then I transitioned into paying clients shortly after,” he says.
In April 2017, he decided to form his own marketing consulting company called Huskee Digital. “I remained relentless and persistent. I used my previous business failures as learning opportunities to guide me in delivering marketing services to my clients,” he says.
In 2021, he joined 4Gives as chief marketing officer. 4Gives is a fintech startup in the ‘buy now, pay later’ space. “We’re launching two products later this year to help both regular consumers and businesses manage credit better,” he says.
Rise of cryptocurrencies
His interest in crypto, web3 and NFTs sparked in early 2021 when he discovered NBA Top Shot—the official NFT project of the National Basketball Players Association. “I saw the marketing potential of NFTs and how brands can utilize the technology to reach more fans, build engagement and connect with different people on a virtual level,” he says.
“Eventually, I moved into play-to-earn games like Axie Infinity. I am also the ambassador for another blockchain mobile RPG called ‘Guild of Guardians’. To date, I am involved in many other smaller communities in the NFT space,” he says.
“In my deep dive into NFTs, I realized that there is so much information needed to digest, and I had a hard time figuring that out on my own. And with the drive to educate and share all the knowledge and experience I gathered, I feel that I am now well-placed to provide an avenue for people to consume high-quality information– and that is through The Mega Maxi,” he says.
Azurin says the last 24 months saw a surge of interest and money flowing into the NFT space, with the two biggest factors being the adaptation of cryptocurrencies in the Philippines and the rise of P2E games like Axie Infinity.
“It has been well-documented how Filipinos actively buy, sell, trade and own cryptocurrencies and NFTs,” he said.
Digital ownership
Azurin envisions The Mega Maxi to be the premier hub for the highest quality content for anything and everything about NFTs and P2E games. “I want to empower readers with the information they need to venture into crypto confidently,” he says,
Azurin describes web3 as a community and celebrating creatorship. “If brands would like to make the splash and venture into the space, I think they must first look to developing a solid online community and curating exceptional online experiences for their members,” he says.
“Big tech businesses like Apple, Facebook and Google have defined our experiences for the longest time. We had to play by their rules. But in web3, I think that most companies building in the Metaverse will be ‘community-first’. The community will have more influence over experiences, and the products brands will be building,” he says.
Azurin looks forward to having more freedom over data and digital assets. He says one of the core tenants of web3 is decentralization, giving organizations less power and allowing users to participate more actively. “The best web3 brands will be ones that give users true ownership over assets—whether that be art, collectibles, gaming items or experiences,” he says.
Web3 expansion
“Blockchain technology allows for two things—immutability and transparency. Projects will not be able to drastically change the terms of a smart contract after it is deployed, thus protecting users from any bad actors. And since the blockchain requires networks of computers to validate transactions, there will always be full transparency with what goes on in every project. This makes it difficult for leaders of projects to hide any sketchy or illegal activities,” he says,
Azurin says NFTs in entertainment, sports and music will bring in a new wave of users into the space.
NFTs have allowed new ways to communicate, organize events and socialize with other people. People buy jpegs for the financial rewards that come with speculating assets and the communities these jpegs form, he says.
At the same time, NFTs are a way for people to signal their interests, hobbies and passions. It becomes another form of social currency, thus allowing people to build communities and socialize with one another, he says.
“I believe that most people will own an NFT in some capacity one day. Brands will be looking at the technology to grow their communities, create new online and offline experiences and allow their customers to engage with their brands in a different way,” he says.
Career opportunities
He says the Metaverse provides more career opportunities for Filipino youth in web development and community management. “The art of creating and managing smart contracts will be in demand as more businesses tap the technology. People who are both social media savvy and command a deep knowledge of community building will also see countless opportunities as businesses invest in growing their online communities,” he says.
“For young graduates, I would start by attending the many networking events organized throughout the country. Plenty of passionate and intelligent people work in the tech sector here. There’s so much to learn about the space and it becomes financially and professionally rewarding to follow your curiosity,” he says.
