As I am writing this article, I have no idea what the future holds for me or my music industry career.
In case you're new here, hi! I’m Alethea Freidberg, and one of the many cards up my sleeve is running this digital publication. A lot of new developments have happened in my career since then, and while it took some time away from writing new pieces for the blog during Q4 of last year, I’m picking up the pen again to kick off 2025 the right way.
One of my new year’s resolutions is to advocate for myself more in my professional life. When I was in college, it felt much easier to be in situations that allowed for my career to advance. Even as an intern, I felt less afraid to put myself out there. I felt so confident about who I was professionally and my career aspirations in the music industry.
While I still hold those same aspirations today, the feeling of dejection that I have felt during the post-grad job search has impacted how I navigate networking in this industry. I can no longer fall back on the “student” title that I’ve held since I was a child, yet I am not at the point in my career in which people actively want to get to know me for my title.
My fear of rejection has been something I’ve always struggled with. Arguably one of my most impactful fears in my day-to-day life, I went from the girl who would try out for the lead to get ensemble, not even having second thoughts about putting herself out there, to me writing this article about it at this point in my career. I’ve even contemplated writing a #AskAlethea about this, but it feels contradictory to preach how to handle rejection to the choir, as I am someone who would be singing alongside it.
Yet 2025 is the wake-up call I need to take matters into my own hands and prioritize standing up for myself in my career first. After all, I should be my own biggest career cheerleader: I shouldn’t be afraid to make moves. (This is coming from someone who made the first move in her relationship.)
The job search is a lot like dating in 2025: sometimes it might take over 50 job applications or 50 first dates to find your future partner. Sometimes you might get really lucky and find your person without having to endure the vicious cycle that is dating apps. Sometimes you might be the perfect fit for a job or someone yet they go with another candidate. Sometimes you might even get ghosted. And sometimes you might have to wait and be patient until you meet someone or a company that aligns with your values and future. While that analogy is cliché, making moves is the way you advance your career by networking and showing off what you truly are capable of doing. If I can make the first move on someone, why can’t I make the first move on my career?
I might be trying to emulate Carrie Bradshaw with those insights (even though I am striving to embody Charlotte York), yet there is truth to the benefits of putting yourself there in your career, dating, and personal life to achieve your goals. One way I’ve tried to mitigate my fear of rejection is affirming to myself “the worst that they can say is no.” The worst thing that could happen is that the “no” door might be closed, but there is the right door for you waiting for you to open it. One of my She Is The Music teammates Bria told me the most impactful saying with rejection “a no is a delayed yes”, and ever since she told me that, it resonated with me in a way that altered the way I perceive rejection. Instead of wallowing on every “no” I received, which was quite often during that time, I decided to set my focus on the delayed yes that was to come.
On the “what’s to come” note: I don’t exactly know right now. Maybe I’ll know in the next few weeks, but in a few months at the latest. (by the time I cross the finish line for my upcoming half marathon) I’m going to hop right back on the Industry Plant saddle and get my writing juices flowing, albeit with a rejuvenated approach, focusing more on creating quality pieces rather than trying to churn out as many articles as I can. I’m going to continue to do what I’ve been doing, but more importantly, I’m going to advocate for myself in the spaces I am currently in. I do know that 2025 is going to a breakthrough year in my career: I already feel it.
Here are some other goals of mine for this year, related and unrelated to my professional life:
Outside of advocating for myself professionally, my biggest new year’s resolution is to be better at time management. It is always a good thing to improve upon my personal and professional goals.
Another one of mine is to get a full-time job. As much as I’ve appreciated the freelance grind for what it is, I believe that a more full-time role would serve my career goals more. I also miss having some structure in my professional endeavors and a set schedule, even though no two days are the same working in music.
On an unrelated note, I have very ambitious yet realistic goals with my running. While I initially picked it back up to de-stress with the job search, I left 2024 with 4 concrete running goals I expect to achieve in 2025:
A sub 2 hour half marathon - I am running the NYC Half Marathon in March and debuting at this distance (longest I’ve run as of writing this is 10 miles), and I am also running it for Team For Kids, an organization that provides free events for kids in NYC! A big focus of my Q1 besides training will be fundraising for this race. Please donate if you can - anything helps!
A sub 50 minute 10k - I am planning to attempt this at the Mini 10K in June.
A sub 6:30 mile - I was training for this for 5th Avenue Mile last year, and fell flat on this goal because I went out way too fast at the start of the race. This is ironically the most realistic of the 3 as I already should’ve been able to do it in a race.
The successful completion of the 9+1 program for entry into the 2026 NYC Marathon! (Which as of writing this, I should be able to do as long as race signups aren't like the most recent ones)
Another goal of mine is to take social media more seriously. Whether that is more focused on my personal channels (and a potential podcast), or with Industry Plant, I can’t wait to see what I achieve with this.
And lastly, I want to spend more time in NYC! There is a side of me that thrives in the city, whether it be New York or LA, and I want to take advantage of all it has to offer, especially in the music industry.
I hope this answers the question of “what’s next”, and although I do not know exactly what the future holds, I know that this is the year that I bet on myself. Here’s to the future!
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