Attending professional networking events (3 points)

                 I recently had the great honor to attend Universal Music Group 1824’s Invitationals as a new Strategic Partnerships Representative for the company. This annual conference held in Los Angeles, CA  gathers college students and early-career professionals passionate about music, media, and culture, alongside industry leaders from UMG’s 1824 division, which is focused on the label’s creative marketing and content teams. The main theme centered on storytelling, audience engagement, and how Gen Z creators are reshaping the music and entertainment industry. The conference included interactive workshops, speaker panels, and networking sessions that provided a firsthand look at how innovation and culture intersect in today’s music industry. As an attendee, we had the honor to hear from every label under their corporation.

                    One of the event’s biggest strengths was its accessibility and openness as speakers were genuinely interested in connecting with us as attendees. This made networking feel more like conversation than formality and I also appreciated how the sessions balanced creativity and business strategy, showing how marketing and community-building can all work together. However, I think the event could be improved by incorporating smaller breakout groups for attendees to practice pitching creative ideas or receiving direct feedback. That type of hands-on component would have deepened the learning experience, especially as this was my first time attending.

This experience connected directly to my Principles of Marketing course with its discussions around brand storytelling and consumer engagement. I could clearly see patterns between classroom lessons on audience behavior and the strategies music marketers use to connect with listeners. The networking portion of the experience expanded my career perspective and reaffirmed my passion for music marketing and cultural storytelling. With plans to enter the entertainment industry, I was greatly encouraged to be bolder about reaching out to professionals, viewing networking as a two-way exchange rather than a transactional interaction. The conference also reminded me that networking with my peers horizontally is equally as important. Moving forward with my career, I plan to nurture the connections I made at Invitationals, attend more industry events, and continue building my portfolio in marketing. This experience deepened my belief that my career path lies at the intersection of marketing, technology, and culture.

By Danielle Bagarli