In honor of Women’s History Month, Atwood Magazine has invited artists to participate in a series of essays reflecting on identity, music, culture, inclusion, and more.

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Today, Ashlee Merritt, co-founder of Reply All Agency, shares a special essay about trusting yourself to make the pivot and taking the first step into a new season, for Atwood Magazine’s Women’s History Month series!

Raised in Prince George’s County, MD, enriched with a decade in New York and now based in Los Angeles, Ashlee Merritt is a marketing professional with over 10 years of experience in music entertainment. Having worked with industry leaders such as Universal Music Group, Def Jam Recordings, and Artist Partner Group. Having worked with artists such as Lay Bankz, Jhené Aiko, Kaash Paige, 070 Shake, Madonna and Jason Derulo, Ashlee specializes in marketing strategy, project management, and brand development. Known for fostering artist partnerships and delivering impactful results. Ashlee leads with empathy and compassion leveraging creativity, industry insights, and collaboration to drive cultural relevance and business growth.

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BE READY, BE PATIENT, AND LET IT ALL UNFOLD

by Ashlee Merritt

I never thought entrepreneurship would be a journey of mine.

I’ve always worked in corporate structures for great companies and was used to having a role and doing it to the best of my ability with a goal of leaving things better than where they started. It wasn’t until around a year or so ago I started experiencing recurring thoughts of pivoting in my career and wondering “what if.” I tried to bury those thoughts for a while by telling myself, “This is what you worked hard for to have a career working in music at a record label” – something my younger self always aspired to do and being very blessed and fortunate enough to actually make those dreams a reality. But I still felt the tug on my spirit of wanting to venture out and explore the “what if” and what a new season of growth both personally and professionally could look like for me.

After leaving my last job, I felt a rush of many emotions, excitement of not knowing what the unknown will be for me and where it could take me, but also having feelings of angst of what the hell I am going to do now?! I knew that I wanted to venture into consulting, but wasn’t sure how I would get started which sparked anxiety and good ole imposter syndrome like, can I really do this on my own to turn into lucrative work?!

In the midst of it all, I had a heartfelt catch up with a friend and now business partner who ultimately encouraged me to step out on faith and follow what I was desiring which was trying out working for myself. This conversation birthed the newly founded reply all agency that I started with that same friend, where we work with artists offering marketing consulting services focusing on digital and streaming strategy. It feels very surreal that I am on this very new journey of working for myself, and it’s been an eye-opening experience in the best ways! Really trusting yourself and stepping out on faith to make your visions a reality.

It’s exciting to be able to do something that I once thought I wouldn’t be able to do or felt intimated by. It feels truly empowering as a Black woman to trust yourself, your knowledge and experience to follow a desire or calling of yours, even if you can’t see or fully understand the full picture but trusting enough to take the first step of putting yourself out there. At times we feel boxed in by society and the pressures of following the “rules” to reach success but more and more I realize that these “rules” are fake and you are on your own timeline and no one else’s.

I know that I can’t fail because God is with and within me leading the way. My purpose is to listen and follow while using my life experiences as a testimony to help and inspire others to follow whatever they feel called to. To make that pivot, take a leap of faith, try something new and do it scared even if you fail, having the courage to get up and try again…Truly know that what is meant for you can’t be taken away.

It’s a cliché saying, but we really only have one go around in life, and we can create the life we see for ourselves through our choices.

It’s definitely much easier said than done, but the more and more you realize that power you have it makes it less challenging to face and allows you to think and act more freely.

My life motto has always been, “be ready, but be patient, and let it all unfold.” – Ashlee Merritt

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:: connect with Ashlee Merritt here ::

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