Welcome to The Manager’s Playbook, my personal newsletter where I share insights, tips, and strategies for artist managers on how to navigate through the music business.

Ruiz’s Letter:

Being that it’s a new year and all, let’s kick things off from the beginning. Let’s start from scratch.

The relationship between the emerging manager and emerging artist:

Someone who's subscribed to the TMP newsletter reached out last week, asking, "My artist is considering parting ways with me. They believe they require an experienced manager, such as yourself, to achieve significant success. Do you have any advice for me in this situation?"

Your emerging artist doesn’t need an experienced manager instead of you. They want that.

Or perhaps their perception leads them to believe so. If that's the case, have you considered if you and your artist are really operating as a unified team? 

Truth is, the established manager, despite good intentions, can't provide the emerging artist with their sole unwavering time and dedication. Loyalty commitments to their marque artist or financial health of the overall management company is the main priority. In addition, limited time together makes alignment challenging, leading to potential compromises of values, which won’t be worth it. However, there is a caveat. 

If the established manager has a solid system for developing acts and you, the ride or die/day one manager, are also part of the equation, that's an entirely different scenario definitely worth exploring. Although, that topic is for an entirely different TMP Edition of ‘Key Plays’.

My sole emphasis today is on highlighting the connection between you and your act. 

Establishing a successful dynamic between you, the artist manager and your artist is an incredibly nuanced process, and while there's no universal formula, success, at least in my experience, lies in developing a personal connection rooted in respect and trust.

It can’t be a dynamic where the manager merely takes orders or instructs and expects to get 10-20% commission and go about their business elsewhere with 10 other clients doing the same thing. Especially in the beginning of your career. First of all, that’s not management. That’s a hustle. If the manager or someone on the dedicated management team does not foster a genuine connection, it is a recipe for failure. 

This doesn’t suggest you need to to keep it absolutely blunt and harsh with your artist either. That’ll create resentment. It simply means the relationship is far more than a business one. When it is grounded in respect and collaboration it can become an authentic friendship where a remarkable level of mutual confiding and loyalty exists. The trust has to be rock-solid both ways. That is non-negotiable.

In the chaos of fame, it's crucial to safeguard and ground each other’s loyalty.

You have to create a foundation that withstand challenges and uncertainties. And trust me those challenges will come and they will test what you’ve developed as you ascend higher in your careers. Loyalty can’t be built with a transactional relationship. That only goes so far.

Here is a harsh reality..

For whatever odd reason, industry folk will always find reason in criticizing your success. No matter what level you achieve, they’ll find a way to downplay it. That comes with the territory. It’s whatever. But it becomes something nefarious when that same industry person catches your artist without you present, gives your artist unsolicited criticism about your management “inefficiencies” and tries to create conflict for personal gain. Shit happens all the time, especially as you start to garner more attention. Now, if the relationship with your artist is merely transactional, how do you think that’s going to play out for you?

The other reality is that you and your artist are not always going to get along. In fact, the more time you spend together, the higher the likelihood for disagreement. Stop me when this sounds familiar: 

You and your artist have been at odds for days about a particular subject. You can’t get them on the same page as you. Suddenly, an outsider, someone beyond your immediate circle, articulates the very point you've been trying to communicate, and it finally resonates with your artist. It can be a frustrating moment – you've been expressing the same sentiment all along, yet it takes an external voice for them to acknowledge it. It’s happened to all of us in management. Probably all of us in life lol. 

However, similar to dealing with a critical executive who questions your capabilities, even when you are genuinely proficient and passionate about the artist management role, the lasting power of the relationship between artist and management is determined by the mutual respect and care for each other.

If that shit is tight, that corny exec or that frustrating moment is laughable. There's nothing better than having that type of bond with your artist. That genuine "we're in this together" mentality will carry into the business in profound ways. The success of one becomes synonymous with the success of the other.

As the artist and manager or managers (several high profile artists have co-managers) navigate the industry's complexities, they need to be a united front, valuing & respecting each other's opinions to face challenges together.

Authenticity is not a luxury but a necessity.

Faking collaboration won't last in the cutthroat industry. All parties must approach their roles with sincerity and dedication to make it work. 

Regular, open discussions about both professional and personal aspects create a deep understanding that goes beyond the surface. Beyond the personal connection, effective communication and a shared vision are necessary. This shared vision isn't just about immediate career goals either; it's about understanding the artist's journey and growth. By aligning their aspirations, you ensure all victories are mutual ones.

Simply put, it's incredibly important for you and your artist to be on the same page, especially in high-pressured meetings with folks at labels, distributors, and others. If you're not on the same wavelength, you're opening the door for mistakes and criticism. It's not about always having the right answers or saying you're never wrong though. It's cool for partners to challenge your ideas—that means they're paying attention.

The trick is to be so in sync with your artist that you can read each other's minds and move accordingly. That unspoken telekinetic type connection that happens only when you put in real time and effort into the relationship. That’s real power. 

When you get to this stage, the realization sets in. You never needed the big manager. You just needed each other. The little secret most won’t tell you in this business.

The truth is most of these A-List artists/managers came into the business together without all the accolades. Do the Googles on some of your favourite artist/manager combos. They started from the ground up much like you. 

Now, if you’ve made it up to this point and you’re an artist reading this, you should know by now what you really need is a manager or management team who is deeply committed to your personal success, core values and well being. Where do you find that manager? 

Often times it’s a friend who doesn’t have the experience but is determined to see you succeed and you know is reliable. Sometimes, they come out of nowhere. The story of Russ, an artist based out of Atlanta, Georgia and his manager Milan Ackerman, who was based out of Winnipeg, Manitoba comes to mind. There are several ways to find successful representation that doesn’t depend on someone like myself to discover you.

Get up with those who genuinely care about you and are in it for the right reasons. That’s it. 

Now, if you’ve made it up to this point and you’re a manager reading this, you really need the same. Alignment is everything.

Have equally strong work ethic, foster collaboration and chase those dreams together. It’s a lot more fulfilling. Trust me, you will move mountains. 

-Ruiz

Bio

I’m Mauricio Ruiz, the Founder/CEO of 8 Til Faint, a talent management agency with 5+ billion audio streams worldwide. Past and current clients include Grammy nominated, Juno Award winning multi-instrumentalist and singer songwriter Jessie Reyez, Marley Bleu and more. I am also the Co-Founder of Mad Ruk Entertainment, a content agency with over 3 billion long form video streams worldwide. Clients past include Eminem, Celine Dion, The Weeknd, and more, along with renowned brands like Nike, Pernod Ricard, Canon, NBA, and others.

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