Welcome to The Manager’s Playbook, my personal newsletter where I share insights from Music Executives and Artists for aspiring and emerging music managers, executives and artists on how to navigate the music industry. This newsletter is brought to you by Mauricio Ruiz.

THE MANAGER’S PLAYBOOK PODCAST

(FEAT. J. Erving III)

I’ve met plenty of artists who say they’re independent, but what they really mean is they’re alone.

And I’ve met plenty of “managers” who think their value is being the loudest voice in the room, the main character, the decision-maker, the person with the answers.

That’s not management. That’s ego wearing a lanyard.

J. Erving put it in the cleanest language possible when we talked about RAYE:

That right there is the assignment for anyone who claims they’re here to build artists. Not steer the ship or repaint the ship. Not post a picture next to the ship like you built it with your bare hands. Your job is to make the ship faster, safer, better supplied, and impossible to sink.

And what’s interesting is that the “why” behind J championing her wasn’t some secret growth hack. It was human and it was simple: RAYE had the ingredients, the vision, and the work ethic. The move wasn’t to add noise. The move was to get out of her way and support the parts that needed support.

That’s where the whole “operate as a manager no matter the role” thing becomes real.

Management starts the moment you stop asking, “What do I get credit for?” and start asking, “What does the mission need?”

J’s framework with Human Re Sources is basically anti-vanity. It’s bespoke. Every artist needs different things, and the job is to fill gaps without over-inserting yourself. Sometimes the gap is financial. Sometimes it’s visuals. Sometimes it’s digital strategy. Sometimes it’s simply not letting the artist drown under the weight of their own momentum. That’s a manager mindset in any seat: diagnosing needs, resourcing solutions, protecting the artist’s centre of gravity.

Now let’s talk about the pain points I hear every week from artists and managers:

You can’t build a good team. The money comes in and still feels weird. The systems are duct-taped together. Content is inconsistent. Strategy is basically “we’ll figure it out when we drop.” Streams and fans feel like a mystery that only happens to other people.

Here’s the uncomfortable part: none of that is a “marketing problem.” It’s an operating problem.

And operating is management.

One of my favourite moments in the episode was when we were talking about early-stage work. J told a story about an artist who had a support slot on a tour. Fifty-seven people in the room and the person who managed the artist was sitting in a team meeting instead of being at the show.

J’s reaction was perfect: “What the f*** are you doing here? You gotta be there.” Because showing up when it’s small is literally how you prove care.

That’s supporting artists early. It’s not a hashtag. It’s a behaviour.

The industry loves to show up at 20,000 people. Everybody’s a genius when the room is already packed. The real managers show up at 57. The real managers help the artist build the reasons the room becomes 20,000. And if you’re an artist, the real artist-leaders notice who shows up before it’s cool. They notice who’s building with them, not borrowing their heat.

Which brings me to the part that’s going to sting a little: you are only as successful as your team.

The manager mindset isn’t “I do everything.” It’s “I build the machine that does everything.” And the machine is people.

Which means “who you surround yourself with” isn’t a motivational quote.

It’s math.

J put it plainly: when you surround yourself with good people, trust them, and support them. It ends up making you look smart because everybody’s wearing the same jersey.

That’s how you scale without losing yourself. That’s how you grow without burning out. That’s how you stop being the bottleneck in your own career.

And here’s the other piece that separates real teams from temporary teams:

Humility.

J talked about friendships and partnerships that last decades, and he didn’t romanticize it. He said the thing that keeps it going is humility and lack of ego, being able to check it at the door.

He also brought up his relationship with Troy Carter: being “anti-fragile,” having strong opinions loosely held, and being humble enough to listen when successful people who actually care about you push back.

That is a manager operating system right there.

Because the moment you think you’re above feedback is the moment you start managing your insecurities instead of managing the mission.

Now, for the artists and young managers who want the “real world” version: operating like a manager also means you don’t get to be a “homeboy manager.”

You have to create value.

J talked about needing to educate themselves, learning the business side with the same seriousness the artists brought to the art. That’s knowing what you’re doing before the money shows up, so you don’t fumble it when it does.

And yes, money gets fumbled. J told a story about being young, hitting a number, thinking, “I’m good forever,” then realizing taxes are real and celebrating wrong is expensive.

It was funny, but it’s also a warning: without systems and adults in the room, “success” can still turn into a mess.

So if you’re reading this and you feel like you’re behind, here’s what I want you to take from RAYE’s career and J’s philosophy.

RAYE is “captain of the ship.” She drives. That means she has a North Star, and the partners plug in where they can be helpful. That’s what artist empowerment looks like in practice. The artist leads and the team supports. The partners respect the vision. Nobody over-inserts.

Everybody executes.

Operating as a manager, no matter the role, means you show up early, you build the right people around you, you stay humble enough to keep learning, and you care in ways that can be felt.

J said it best: care is the ethos. It’s dinners, conversations, the off-season work, understanding what matters outside the music, and playing whatever role you have to play to support the human.

That’s not soft, not fluffy. That’s the job.

And if you’re wondering how this connects to growth (streams, fans, content strategy) the answer is simple: consistency is a team sport. Systems are a team sport. Great output requires great infrastructure. If you’re trying to do it all yourself, you’re not independent.

You’re under-resourced.

So here’s the question I’ll leave you with: if your career is a ship, are you trying to be the captain, the engine, the sail, and the ocean or are you finally ready to build a crew?

Because the truth is, the artist who wins on their terms isn’t the one with the most hype. It’s the one with the clearest North Star, the right people around them, and the humility to keep steering while letting the team do what they do best.

That’s management.

Even when nobody gave you the title.

Watch Episode 57 with J. Erving III LIVE NOW

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With 16 years in the music business and experience working with some of the biggest artists and executives in the world, I can share insights, strategy and ways to execute the pain points in your career as it currently stands.

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Bio

I’m Mauricio Ruiz, the host and creator of The Manager’s Playbook podcast, dedicated to demystifying the world of music management, and Founder/CEO of 8 Til Faint, an Artist Management company with over 5 billion audio streams worldwide. Our past and current clients include Grammy nominated, Juno Award winning multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter Jessie Reyez, Skratch Bastid and more.

I am also the Co-Founder of Mad Ruk Entertainment, a content agency with over 3 billion long form video streams worldwide. Our client list includes The Weeknd, Eminem, and Celine Dion, along with renowned brands like Nike, Pernod Ricard and the NBA.

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