We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Maddisen V. a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Maddisen, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

Before the pandemic, back in 2020, I was working in the music industry. I loved my job as a social media manager and content creator, and worked with a wedding band, and several small artists as a freelancer. I felt stable, and happy.

Sadly, when the pandemic became more prevalent, many industries suffered and shut down, including the music industry. I waited patiently for the industry to come back to life, eagerly wanting my old life back, but as unemployment benefits came to an end, and with the music industry still struggling to get going, I was faced with the difficult reality of having to change industries. I was sad, but excited to start something new.

Starting in August of 2021, I began working as a photographer in the metaphysical industry, which starting out was amazing, but quickly lost its luster for me as the role took a toll on my mental health. I wasn’t happy, and was constantly wishing that I was working for myself as a freelancer. Again, I was faced with a choice, but this time I had three different options.

I could stay in my position, as it was a stable paycheck and kept me afloat, but was really unfulfilling.
I could find another 9-5 job as a social media manager, but knew I would still feel unfulfilled being stuck in an office for eight hours a day, and only working with one brand.
Or, I could take the risk to freelance full time, knowing it would be difficult and unstable, but far more fulfilling.

After much contemplation, I decided to take the risk and start freelancing full time. I rebranded my businesses as a Social Media Management and Photography Agency with a focus on the Body, Mind, Spirit industry, and have been doing that for about three months now as of June 2022. Although freelancing is extremely challenging, it was well worth the risk. I am so much more fulfilled as I get to choose when and where I work, and am able to work with so many different brands, businesses, and individuals.

Maddisen, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’ve been a social media manager and photographer for five years. I started in the music industry back in 2019, but have since moved to the Body, Mind, Spirit community.

I started on my spiritual journey because I wanted to improve my overall quality of life. After starting on this journey, my life has completely changed for the better, and I want to help connect others to this community, so that they can also heal and grow.
I began with an interest in the metaphysical realm with crystals and tarot, which lead me to an interest in energy healing and holistic health/alternative medicine. Now, I’m ready to use my passion for these topics and my knowledge of social media marketing to help this community gain the growth it deserves.

I help my clients with my photography services by capturing the magic of the moment. Whether that is capturing the perfect portrait to use for an album cover, capturing the love and intimacy between two partners during their engagement session, or helping make your products desirable during a product shoot…the possibilities are endless. Our mission at Maddisen V. Media is planning, executing, and capturing your magic, leaving you with memories that will last a lifetime.

I help my clients with my social media services by growing each brand’s online presence and helping them navigate the ever-changing world of social media. Growing your social media presence can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be. I work with brands to create a strategy that works for them, collaborating and coaching them along the way. Maddisen V. Media offers a unique social media management experience for businesses in the Mind, Body, Spirit industry by providing the creative and authentic guidance needed to enhance your online presence. Maddisen V. Media is dedicated to the highest quality of social media management. In our perfect world, your focus is on what you love.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being creative in your experience?

There are so many rewarding aspects to being a creative. It’s really hard to narrow it down to just one, but here are my top 3.

First, the ability to do something that you love every single day. I think growing up in a society that tells you what path you’re supposed to take was really frustrating for me. I’ve watched people around me be miserable in careers that they chose at 18, and are now stuck in because of their degrees, retirement benefits, or whatever it may be, and I don’t think that’s any way to live life. I wanted to pursue a career in something that was fulfilling for me, regardless of how much money I made doing it. I have a skill, a talent, that is unique to me. I want to use every day of my life getting better at that skill and sharing it with the world. I want to be happy, and, as a creative, I am.

Another rewarding aspect of being a creative is working with other creatives and seeing visions come to life. It’s so incredible to come up with an idea, start planning it all out on paper, and then watch it come to life before your very eyes. When I started my new photo series, an astrology based series focusing on each zodiac sign, I came up with the concept and had no idea how to pull it together. Slowly, I started to piece together each concept, started connecting with other creatives such as models, makeup artists, and photo stylists, and together we made this vision a reality. We have now completed four out of the twelve signs for this series, and watching it come together each time is the most amazing feeling in the world.

Finally, I think the lifestyle is so rewarding. More so than just being happy, it’s a far more balanced lifestyle. When I say balanced, that’s not to say that freelancers don’t have long hours or days, or have to sacrifice things to make it in their prospective industry. However, when you freelance, you aren’t confined to the same routine every single day. You aren’t tied to a desk for eight hours of your day, unless you choose to be. You aren’t making an hour commute to and from your job on a daily basis. Essentially, your life isn’t dictated by your job. If you want to work from your bed, you can do that. If you want to take a break in the middle of your day to go hit the gym, you can do that. If you want to work in your pajamas with the TV on while eating snacks, you can do that. If you want to work from Hawaii or Europe, you can do that! Overall, as stressful as freelancing can be sometimes in terms of financial stability, it’s also so freeing. I feel a different sense of stability, in the sense that I can live my life the way that I choose to, and that is incredibly rewarding.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Being a creative in general takes a lot of resilience. Creatives have a lot of obstacles to face before reaching success.

My story is definitely one full of twists, turns, and unexpected obstacles. As I’ve mentioned before, I started in the music industry. That experience was fairly stable, fun, and something I thought I would be doing for a very long time. When the pandemic hit, it was really hard for me to let go of that path. Music was something that I was so passionate about, and there are very few things that make me as happy as music does. I really wasn’t sure what to do at that point in my life. I was running out of money, as the unemployment benefits had ceased, and the clients I was working with weren’t able to hire me back at that time. I was frustrated, scared, and sad to leave something that made me so happy.

So, I thought to myself, what other industry am I interested in? What can I do next that will still make me happy, but will be more stable in the long run? I ended up in the metaphysical realm working as a photographer. It was a dream position, and I was incredibly excited to start this journey. Soon after starting at this job, I realized it wasn’t the position for me. I was having a really hard time figuring out what my boss’s vision for the brand and business were. It seemed like no matter what I tried, it fell short in the eyes of my boss. This was a really hard reality for me, as I had never disappointed a client in this way before.

What started as harsh criticism, quickly turned to harassment as the critiques became less about my work, and more about my character. I was dreading going into work everyday, and my mental health had drastically declined. At first, it made me second guess my abilities as a photographer, wondering if this really was something I should pursue, or if I should be doing something else with my life. I was grateful for my coworkers in this situation, as they were extremely supportive and encouraging, pushing me to continue doing my photography and social media management, and encouraging me to lean more into freelance work.

Having your confidence destroyed is hard. It’s something that I feel every creative person goes through at least once in their journey. For me, unfortunately, it was something I had to deal with on a daily basis for an extended period of time, but it’s an experience that pushed me to pursue freelance photography and social media management, and without it, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I think it was the push I needed to genuinely see my own value, and to trust in my abilities. Now, I have my own business, and am able to do something that I am passionate about, and help other brands and businesses grow.

My advice for everyone, but especially creatives, is to trust yourself. Not everyone is going to like you. Not everyone is going to like your art. That doesn’t mean you aren’t amazing at what you do. Learn from each experience, and keep going.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.maddisenvmedia.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maddisenvmedia/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maddisenv.media
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maddisen-ferger/

Image Credits
Personal Photo: Credit to Therese Marie Photo All other photos: Credit to Maddisen V. Media