The Manager's Playbook
Hosted by Mauricio Ruiz, a music industry executive of 15 years, The Manager's Playbook is your essential podcast for insights into the music industry. Whether you're an artist, aspiring manager, music industry professional, or just passionate about the behind-the-scenes of the music business, this podcast is for you. Mauricio brings you in-depth interviews with top artist managers, entertainment lawyers, and other industry execs. Each episode is packed with valuable tips, real-world experiences, and expert advice to help you navigate the complexities of the music business.
Episodes
The Manager’s Playbook 080: Symba - Major Label Deals, Artist Development, Artist Leverage, Dr. Dre & Direct-to-Fan
In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Symba joins Mauricio Ruiz for an honest conversation about major label deals, artist development, management, leverage, and the hard lessons that come from learning the music business in real time.Symba breaks down what he experienced signing with Columbia and Atlantic, how early deals and label turnover shaped his career, and why having the right team ar
Inside the Playbook: Tom Windish on The Real Cost of Touring
Tom Windish joins The Manager’s Playbook to break down why big streaming numbers do not always translate into real ticket sales, and what it actually takes to build a long-term live career.In this clip, Tom explains why artists should not be discouraged by playing smaller rooms, why superstar artists still need independent agents, and how great booking agents help create opportunities across promo
Inside the Playbook: Tom Windish on How to Build a Music Agency
Tom Windish joins The Manager’s Playbook to talk about the business behind booking, building an agency, and what it actually takes to grow artists in the live music world.In this clip, Tom shares how he went from promoting college concerts to becoming a booking agent, building The Windish Agency, scaling the company, and eventually selling to Paradigm. He also gets into the early days of electroni
Inside the Playbook: Tom Windish on How to Build a Touring Business That Actually Scales
Tom Windish joins The Manager’s Playbook to break down why artists need to take more ownership of ticket sales in today’s touring business.In this clip, Tom explains why artists are often the best advertisers for their own shows, why promoters need real fan data, and how SMS lists, email, city-level audience insights, and presale strategy can help artists understand actual ticket demand.We also ge
Inside the Playbook: Tom Windish on How Live Music Is Changing
Tom Windish joins The Manager’s Playbook to break down what booking agents actually do and why live music still matters in a world where attention is harder to earn than ever.In this clip, Tom explains how agents help artists build touring careers, why getting fans to leave the house is more difficult now, and how managers and artists should think about live shows, content, openers, festivals, bra
The Manager’s Playbook 079: Tom Windish - Booking Agents, Touring, Ticket Sales, Artist Development & Live Music
In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, legendary booking agent Tom Windish breaks down what booking agents actually do and why your favourite artists can have streams, press, and viral moments but still struggle to sell tickets.Tom explains how agents help build an artist’s live career, from choosing the right rooms and negotiating fees to working with promoters, planning tours, developing fes
Inside the Playbook: Clinton Sparks on The Formula For A Career That Actually Lasts
Clinton Sparks breaks down how to build a music career people actually remember.In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Clinton shares his formula for winning in the music business, from powerful production and bulletproof business to aggressive visibility, real branding, and monetization.He also explains how “Get Familiar” became bigger than a tag, why independent artists have to think like the
Inside the Playbook: Clinton Sparks on Networking In the Music Industry
Clinton Sparks breaks down why networking is the piece most people misunderstand.In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Clinton shares how he built a reputation by adding value first, protecting his name, and staying authentic instead of chasing fake momentum.From working at UPS and producing music at night to breaking into radio, landing syndication, and building relationships across the East
Inside the Playbook: Clinton Sparks on Mixtape Culture
Clinton Sparks breaks down what it really means to do it for the culture.In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Clinton reflects on supporting Clipse’s We Got It For Cheap mixtape series without profiting, spending his own money to press and distribute CDs, and why protecting trust mattered more than chasing a quick win.He also talks about refusing payola, building Mixunit.com, helping DJ Drama
Inside the Playbook: Clinton Sparks on DJ Snake’s Rise
Clinton Sparks breaks down the real story behind DJ Snake and Lil Jon’s “Turn Down for What.”In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Clinton shares how he signed DJ Snake in 2007, introduced him to Lil Jon, and watched the record grow from an early idea into a global hit. He also talks about Lil Jon’s guerrilla approach, the behind-the-scenes tension around the song, and why DJ relationships sti
The Manager’s Playbook 078: Clinton Sparks - Artist Branding, Get Familiar, Music Marketing & Networking
In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with legendary producer, DJ, songwriter, and entrepreneur Clinton Sparks for a conversation on artist branding, music business relationships, and building a career that lasts.Clinton breaks down what it really means to become a brand, how he built “Get Familiar” into something people remembered, and why the best networking starts w
Inside the Playbook: Nick Groff on The CEO Mindset Every Artist Manager Needs
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Nick Groff breaks down why great artist managers need to think like CEOs, not just operators.Nick and Mauricio Ruiz discuss the modern manager’s role in building artist businesses, aligning teams, protecting long-term vision, and creating real growth around the artist.They also get into equity, IP, joint ventures, manager commissions, hiring for emotional
Inside the Playbook: Nick Groff on The AI Music Debate Nobody Wants to Have
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Nick Groff and Mauricio Ruiz get into the gray area of AI, creativity, and who gets to make music.They discuss whether AI can become a real creative tool for people with ideas but without formal training, while also unpacking the concerns around authorship, devalued music, bad actors, and what “human-made” music even means anymore.From Suno and AI music to
Inside the Playbook: Nick Groff on The Real Math Behind Live Music Ticketing
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Nick Groff breaks down how BUNT. turned a viral moment into a real hard-ticket fanbase.Nick and Ruiz get into the business behind live growth: merch strategy, per-head sales, market-by-market pricing, fan accessibility, Coachella storytelling, and why viral attention does not mean much if it does not turn into real fans.They also discuss how BUNT. approach
Inside the Playbook: Nick Groff on The Artist as a Media Company
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Nick Groff breaks down why modern artist management now looks more like running a media company.Nick and Ruiz get into storytelling, fan acquisition, content flywheels, post-show highlights, and why artists can’t rely on music releases alone to stay connected with their audience.They also discuss what artists can learn from streamers, how Billie Eilish’s “
The Manager’s Playbook 077: Nick Groff - BUNT., Artist Management, World-Building, Fan Acquisition & Music Business
Nick Groff returns to The Manager's Playbook, former Interscope and Geffen executive, longtime A&R, entrepreneur, and manager of BUNT.Nick breaks down the modern artist playbook: how managers can build artists like media companies, why storytelling and world-building matter, and how BUNT. went from being dropped to building a global fanbase, selling hundreds of thousands of tickets, and cr
Inside the Playbook: Charlie Rocket on The Fan-First Blueprint
Charlie Rocket breaks down why artists and managers need to stop waiting on labels, managers, or industry validation and start building fans first.In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Charlie talks about fan demand, leverage, moving faster, releasing more, and avoiding the trap of getting overwhelmed by industry knowledge before there’s an actual business to protect.He also gets into why trav
Inside the Playbook: Charlie Rocket on Building an Artist Fanbase With Zero Budget
Charlie Rocket breaks down a real artist growth playbook built on volume, virality, and in-real-life fanbase building.In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Charlie explains how he helped build Travis Porter’s momentum with no big budget, using fast music output, MySpace hustle, local marketing, and real-world events to create demand from the ground up.He gets into the nine-month blitz strategy
Inside the Playbook: Charlie Rocket on The Marketing Strategy Behind Every Superstar Brand
Charlie Rocket breaks down how artists can build a real superstar brand by giving fans something to belong to.In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Charlie explains why fan names, colors, symbols, emojis, accessories, catchphrases, and ad-libs matter more than most artists think. These are the details that turn passive listeners into real participants.He also talks about why there are no secre
Inside the Playbook: Charlie Rocket on This Is Why Your Artist Strategy Isn't Working
Charlie Rocket breaks down the problem with viral-first artist development and why chasing views can hurt an artist’s long-term career.In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Charlie explains why artists should not be treated like influencers, how viral trends can damage mystique, and why real fanbase building matters more than empty attention.He also shares how artists, managers, and small team
The Manager’s Playbook 076: Charlie Rocket - Fanbase Building, Law of 62, Artist Development, Viral Content & Music Business
Charlie Rocket returns to The Manager’s Playbook with a full breakdown on how artists and managers can build a real fanbase without waiting on the industry.In this episode, Charlie gets into the Law of 62, why pace matters more than slow consistency, how to create viral content without making the artist look corny, and why protecting mystique still matters in the social media era.He also breaks do
Inside the Playbook: James Beshara on Mental Wealth
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz and James Beshara reframe mental health as mental wealth.James shares the personal story that pushed him to take prevention seriously, then breaks down the five daily buckets he believes help build real resilience: sleep, diet, exercise, stress management, and exogenous compounds.They also get into consistent wake times, better sleep, alcohol
Inside the Playbook: James Beshara on The Unsexy Truth About Making It in Music
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz and James Beshara talk about focus, under-committing, and why artists need to stop trying to master everything at once.James breaks down the idea of doing very little and doing it big. For artists, managers, and music entrepreneurs, that means building skills gradually, releasing consistently, learning from feedback, and creating systems befo
Inside the Playbook: James Beshara on Why Most Music Artists Quit
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz and James Beshara talk about purpose, burnout, validation, and what it really means to build with intention.James breaks down the idea that “industry” means to persevere with purpose, and why talent alone does not mean much if you avoid the business side, the hard conversations, or the responsibility that comes with building something real.Th
Inside the Playbook: James Beshara on Why the Solo Genius Myth is Killing Your Music Career
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz and James Beshara break down why success in any creative career usually comes down to people, practices, and tools.James challenges the myth of the solo genius through Brian Eno’s idea of “scenius,” showing why artists, managers, founders, and creatives need the right scene, the right collaborators, and the right people around them.They also
The Manager’s Playbook 075: James Beshara - Silicon Valley, Artist Development, Trust, Wellness & Music Business
In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with angel investor, musician, founder, creator, and Magic Mind CEO James Beshara for a different kind of music business conversation.James brings a Silicon Valley lens to artist development, independent artists, artist management, and building a career that actually lasts. We get into why “trust and a network” are the foundation o
Inside the Playbook: Amber Grimes on The Mistake Every Music Executive Makes
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with Amber Grimes, EVP, GM, and partner at Love Renaissance (LVRN), to talk about self-advocacy, asking questions, and learning the business without pretending to know everything.Amber shares how asking for help changed the way she negotiated contracts, understood stock compensation, talked about pay, and recognized her own value in
Inside the Playbook: Amber Grimes on The Visual Strategy That Makes Artists Memorable
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with Amber Grimes, EVP, GM, and partner at Love Renaissance (LVRN), to talk about what makes artists memorable in today’s music business.Amber breaks down the importance of visual identity, distinctive perspective, consistency, mystery, and competitiveness when building an artist brand that can actually last.She uses examples like R
Inside the Playbook: Amber Grimes on The New Rules of Artist Branding
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with Amber Grimes, EVP, GM, and partner at Love Renaissance (LVRN), to talk about what artists need beyond the music.Amber breaks down the fundamentals of artist branding: authenticity, purpose, identity, community, fan access, and building something people actually believe in.She also explains how fan culture has evolved from fan c
Inside the Playbook: Amber Grimes on How LVRN Builds Artist Rollouts
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with Amber Grimes, EVP, GM, and partner at Love Renaissance (LVRN), to talk about what goes into building artist rollouts that actually connect.Amber shares the story behind 6LACK’s tour promo with a real bear, how LVRN develops creative ideas as a team, and why the best rollouts start with meaning before money.She also breaks down
The Manager’s Playbook 074: Amber Grimes - LVRN, Artist Branding, Music Rollouts, Artist Development, Fan Communities & Music Business
In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with Amber Grimes, EVP, GM, and partner at Love Renaissance (LVRN), for a real conversation about artist branding, music rollouts, and what it takes to build artists people actually believe in.Amber breaks down the rules behind lasting artist brands: authenticity, purpose, community, visual identity, consistency, mystery, competiti
Inside the Playbook: Nael Atweh and Alyce Hayek on How to Build a Music Career That Actually Works
Great music still wins.In this clip of The Manager’s Playbook, Nael Atweh and Alyce Hayek of Grass Fed Music talk about what it really takes to build a music career that lasts.They get into artist development, independent artists, major label partnerships, AI, superfans, touring, culture-building, and why exceptional ideas still matter more than tools, resources, or industry excuses.Nael and Alyce
Inside the Playbook: Nael Atweh and Alyce Hayek on Delusional Optimism in Music
What does it really take to last in the music business?In this clip of The Manager’s Playbook, Nael Atweh and Alyce Hayek of Grass Fed Music talk about the mindset behind building a meaningful career in music.Nael shares lessons from his father’s optimism, his Palestinian roots, his brother Nasri’s resilience, and the belief it takes to keep going when the business tests you.They also get into no-
Inside the Playbook: Nael Atweh and Alyce Hayek on What Great Artist Managers Actually Do
What separates great artist managers from everyone else?In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Nael Atweh and Alyce Hayek of Grass Fed Music talk about managing artists with care, honesty, trust, and real business execution.Nael shares lessons from Sal & Co, Mike Caren, and Scooter Braun, why the song has to come first, and how Grass Fed helped build DJ Habibeats by bringing Middle Eastern
Inside the Playbook: Nael Atweh and Alyce Hayek on Marriage and Music Business
Nael Atweh and Alyce Hayek of Grass Fed Music join The Manager’s Playbook to talk about building a music management company together as husband and wife.They share how they met, how their relationship turned into a business partnership during COVID, and how Grass Fed developed its artist services model for independent artists.Nael and Alyce get into artist development, content strategy, rollout pl
The Manager’s Playbook 073: Nael Atweh & Alyce Hayek - Grass Fed Music, Artist Management, Artist Development, Independent Artists & Music Business
Artist management is not just about deals, rollouts, and relationships.It’s service.In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with Nael Atweh and Alyce Hayek of Grass Fed Music for a real conversation about what it takes to build artists behind the scenes.Nael and Alyce talk about running a music management company as a married couple, developing independent artists, build
Inside the Playbook: Omar Grant on The Real Reason Your Songs Aren't Getting Heard
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Omar Grant breaks down the mistake too many artists make with their music: releasing without enough quality control, strategy, or honest feedback.Omar explains why great songs still need the right artist, the right plan, and the right timing. He also gets into the pressure independent artists feel to release constantly, why the market can be a useful teach
Inside the Playbook: Omar Grant on His Rise to Roc Nation Co-President
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Omar Grant breaks down the strategy behind building a real career in the music business.Omar reflects on his rise from Bronx DJ and Columbia Records intern to Rihanna’s A&R and co-president of Roc Nation, sharing the lessons that shaped his path: patience, artist development, trust, relationships, and doing the work most people never see.He also explai
Inside the Playbook: Omar Grant on Why Record Labels Don't Develop Artists Anymore
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Omar Grant breaks down why artist development no longer lives only inside record labels.As Rihanna’s longtime A&R, former Roc Nation co-president, and founder of Chapter A.R.T. Music Publishing, Omar has seen how real development actually happens: through time, trust, taste, honest feedback, and the right people around the artist.Omar explains why prod
Inside the Playbook: Omar Grant on the Bar for Rihanna’s Next Album
Rihanna’s next album isn’t just another release. It comes with the weight of everything she’s already done.In this episode, A&R executive Omar Grant breaks down the pressure behind new Rihanna music, why following records like “We Found Love,” “Diamonds,” “Work,” and Anti is so difficult, and what it takes to make songs that actually last.Omar talks about global writing camps, creative briefs,
The Manager’s Playbook 072: Omar Grant - Rihanna, A&R, Roc Nation, Artist Development, Songwriting, Music Publishing & AI
In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with Omar Grant, Rihanna’s longtime A&R, former Roc Nation co-president, and founder of Chapter A.R.T. Music Publishing.Omar breaks down what real A&R looks like today, why great records feel harder to find, and how Rihanna’s creative instincts continue to raise the bar for the entire music industry. He shares how global wr
Inside the Playbook: Lecrae on the Business Behind Reach Records
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Lecrae breaks down the business behind Reach Records and what it really takes to run an independent label.He explains how Reach operates with a 20-person staff, 11 artists, multiple departments, and four studios in Atlanta, while also sharing how he balances being both Artist Lecrae and CEO Lecrae.Lecrae also gets into marketing budgets, recoupment, expens
Inside the Playbook: Lecrae on How Christian Radio Really Works
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Lecrae breaks down how Christian radio really works and why gospel, Christian music, and mainstream radio operate in very different ways.He explains the cultural divide between gospel and contemporary Christian music, how artists get boxed into categories, and how Christian radio can connect records to major touring opportunities like K-Love and Winter Jam
Inside the Playbook: Lecrae on the Hidden Business of Christian Music
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Lecrae breaks down the hidden business behind Christian music and why the niche is much bigger than most people realize.He explains how independent Christian labels built real revenue before major-label partnerships, how church licensing through CCLI can become a major income stream, and why Christian hip-hop developed its own touring power through live sh
Inside the Playbook: Lecrae on Why He Stayed an Independent Artist
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Lecrae breaks down how he built independently after major hip-hop labels said his music was “too Christian” and gospel labels said it was “too hip-hop.”Lecrae talks about being both authentically hip-hop and authentically Christian, the business influence of Texas trunk-sale culture, and how Reach Records became a fully independent label without a major-la
The Manager’s Playbook 071: Lecrae - Christian Hip-Hop, Reach Records, Independence, Faith, Artist Development & Music Business
In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with Lecrae for a conversation about faith, hip-hop, independence, and what it really means to build when the industry doesn’t know where to put you.Lecrae breaks down how he navigated the divide between mainstream hip-hop and Christian music, why Reach Records had to become fully independent, and how community, touring, and direct
Inside the Playbook: Veikko Fuhrmann on The Touring Business Behind Latin Music’s Global Rise
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz talks with Peso Pluma’s Tour Director, Veikko Fuhrmann, about the business behind Latin touring across the U.S., Canada, and Latin America.Veikko breaks down how touring deals differ by market, from flat promoter packages in Latin America to U.S. and Canadian models built around splits, overages, settlements, taxes, union fees, and visas.They
Inside the Playbook: Veikko Fuhrmann on What a Tour Director Really Does
In this clip of The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with Peso Pluma’s Tour Director, Veikko Fuhrmann, to break down what a tour director actually does on a music tour.Veikko explains why the job is so much more than logistics. It’s cash flow, startup costs, payroll, vendor payments, credit card spend, delayed settlements, promoter advances, and making sure the tour can keep moving with
Inside the Playbook: Veikko Fuhrmann on The Hidden Tour Expenses Artists Don’t Understand
In this clip of The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with live touring specialist and Peso Pluma Tour Director Veikko Fuhrmann to explain why a tour guarantee does not always mean an artist is making money.Veikko breaks down how tour offers are built, what guarantees and overages actually mean, how promoter splits work, and why every expense matters once a show moves past the guarantee.
Inside the Playbook: Veikko Fuhrmann on Tour Money for Artists and Managers
In this clip of The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with live touring specialist Veikko Fuhrmann of We Are Live to break down how artists lose money on tour and how the right team can fix it.Veikko explains why tour management is really about protecting the artist’s money, from club-level P&Ls and merch sales to promoter expenses, cash flow, insurance, touring LLCs, and upfront cos
The Manager’s Playbook 070: Veikko Fuhrmann - Music Touring, Tour Management, Live Business, Artist Expenses, Tour Budgets & Global Touring
In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with live touring specialist Veikko Fuhrmann of We Are Live for a deep breakdown of how music touring actually works.Veikko shares his journey from working event security in Germany to joining Ricky Martin’s team and building a career across global tours, arenas, stadiums, and the live music business.This conversation covers the re
Inside the Playbook: Muyiwa Awoniyi on Building a Company Around the Artist
Tems’ manager Muyiwa Awoniyi joins The Manager’s Playbook to break down how to build a real company around an artist.In this clip, Muyiwa explains why Tems’ long-term vision goes beyond music into business, philanthropy, investing, ownership, and company-building. He also shares how non-transactional relationships, delegation, team structure, artist development, admin deals, distribution, YouTube
Inside the Playbook: Muyiwa Awoniyi on The Truth About Afrobeats Going Global
Tems’ manager Muyiwa Awoniyi joins The Manager’s Playbook to break down the truth about Afrobeats going global and what African artists need to understand before chasing the American music market.In this clip, Muyiwa explains why artists need to build real leverage at home first, how cultural ripple effects shape global crossover, and why labels must invest in African music infrastructure instead
Inside the Playbook: Muyiwa Awoniyi on How to Build Beyond the Music
Tems’ manager Muyiwa Awoniyi joins The Manager’s Playbook to break down how Tems’ team built a business beyond the music.In this clip, Muyiwa explains why The Leading Vibe treats expenses as investments, how they built an ecosystem around Tems, and why ownership, valuation, team culture, fan engagement, and business literacy matter for long-term success.He also talks about Tems as both artist and
Inside the Playbook: Muyiwa Awoniyi on The Business Behind Tems
Tems’ manager Muyiwa Awoniyi joins The Manager’s Playbook to explain why real artist management starts with protecting the person before the music.In this clip, Muyiwa breaks down his people-first approach to managing Tems, why mental, spiritual, and physical well-being come before strategy, and how shared vision shapes the team’s decisions.He also gets into Tems’ RCA license deal, music ownership
The Manager’s Playbook 069: Muyiwa Awoniyi - Tems, Afrobeats, Artist Management, Music Ownership, Global Strategy & Partnerships
Tems’ manager and partner Muyiwa Awoniyi joins The Manager’s Playbook to break down the strategy behind building Tems into a global music star.Muyiwa shares his people-first approach to artist management, why Tems’ team prioritized ownership over quick checks, how they structured their RCA license deal, and what it takes to build an artist career that can grow beyond music.This conversation covers
Inside the Playbook: Matt Hansen on Artist Mode vs CEO Mode
Matt Hansen joins Mauricio Ruiz on The Manager’s Playbook to talk about the balance between being the artist and being the CEO of your music career.Matt explains why thinking about ROI, TikTok hits, or business strategy while writing can hurt the song and why he has learned to separate the creative process from the business side.He also breaks down testing songs on TikTok, revisiting hooks, prepar
Inside the Playbook: Matt Hansen on TikTok Hooks That Drive Streams
Matt Hansen joins Mauricio Ruiz on The Manager’s Playbook to break down how independent artists can make content that actually moves the music.Matt explains how he built a short-form content system around TikTok hooks, emotional targeting, teaser windows, and fan data, including writing 15 hooks per song with his managers and focusing on the first 2-3 seconds of every video.He also shares how he b
Inside the Playbook: Matt Hansen on the ROI of Opening Slots
Matt Hansen joins Mauricio Ruiz on The Manager’s Playbook to break down the real business behind touring as an independent artist.Matt explains how he used short-term distribution deals to fund touring and releases, why he kept ownership of his earlier songs, and how opening for artists like Train, Teddy Swims, Alec Benjamin, and Lauv helped grow his audience.He also talks about losing up to $140K
Inside the Playbook: Matt Hansen on What Happens After Going Viral
Matt Hansen went viral overnight after posting a one-take Frank Ocean “Godspeed” cover in a parking garage.In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Matt joins Mauricio Ruiz to talk about what happened after the viral moment: going from 500 TikTok followers to 500,000 overnight, getting immediate major label interest, taking meetings alone while still at UCLA, and learning how to protect his lever
The Manager’s Playbook 068: Matt Hansen - 1 Billion Streams, TikTok Covers, Independent Artist Strategy, Touring ROI & Orchid
Matt Hansen went from posting TikTok covers to building a billion-stream independent music career.In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Matt joins Mauricio Ruiz to break down how a one-take Frank Ocean “Godspeed” cover in a parking garage took him from 500 followers to 500,000 overnight, sparked major label interest, and forced him to learn the music business fast.Matt opens up about staying
Inside the Playbook: Mauricio Ruiz on Why He Started The Manager’s Playbook
How The Manager’s Playbook Became Music’s Insider PodcastIn this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz shares why he created the podcast and how it became a way to give music industry knowledge back to the community.Mauricio talks about stepping away from artist management, wanting to build his own IP, and turning private “inside baseball” conversations into a public platform for artists
Inside the Playbook: Mauricio Ruiz on The Artist Manager Skills Nobody Talks About
When Is an Artist Ready for a Manager?In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz breaks down what artists and managers should understand before working together.Mauricio talks about why management is rooted in value, trust, communication, and the ability to sell a vision. He explains how a sales background can help managers build thick skin, ask better questions, read the room, build
Inside the Playbook: Mauricio Ruiz on How Jessie Reyez’s First Song Sparked a Label Bidding War
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz breaks down the early days of managing Jessie Reyez and the strategy behind her breakout single, “Figures.”Mauricio shares what made Jessie undeniable from the beginning: her work ethic, voice, authenticity, and the team that helped build the foundation around her. He talks about the role of The Remix Project, Junia-T, Byron Wilson, Dana Meye
Inside the Playbook: Mauricio Ruiz on How He Built Canada’s Biggest Music Video Company
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz breaks down how he helped build Mad Ruk Entertainment into one of Canada’s biggest music video production companies.Mauricio reflects on the shift from million-dollar music video budgets to the digital era, where taste, storytelling, and execution started mattering more than access to massive budgets. He shares how YouTube, behind-the-scenes
The Manager’s Playbook 067: Mauricio Ruiz - Jessie Reyez, Mad Ruk, Artist Management, Music Business & Building The Playbook
How did Mauricio Ruiz go from managing artists to building one of the music industry’s most trusted insider podcasts?In this live, in-person episode of The Manager’s Playbook, the script gets flipped. Mauricio Ruiz sits on the other side of the interview to talk through his journey from film, door-to-door sales, and co-founding Mad Ruk Entertainment to managing Jessie Reyez and eventually building
Inside the Playbook: Bryan Johnson on How Spotify Editors Find Music
How do artists get discovered on Spotify today?In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz and Bryan Johnson from Spotify talk about the future of music discovery, editorial playlists, algorithmic recommendations, and what artists should understand about Spotify for Artists.Bryan explains why both editorial and algorithmic playlists still matter, how active listening signals like searc
Inside the Playbook: Bryan Johnson on How Streaming Changed Artist Power
Getting dropped by a record label used to feel like the end.In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz and Bryan Johnson from Spotify talk about how streaming changed the path for artists after a label deal ends.Bryan shares his own experience as a musician, from self-releasing music and touring in bands to getting dropped by a label and later moving into the industry through PRS and
Inside the Playbook: Bryan Johnson on AI Music, Fraud & Royalties
How is Spotify handling AI music, fake streams, and artist impersonation?In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz and Bryan Johnson from Spotify discuss how AI is changing the music business and what it means for artists, songwriters, rights holders, and listeners.Bryan breaks down Spotify’s approach to AI music, including spam filters, impersonation policies, AI credits, artificial
Inside the Playbook: Bryan Johnson on Spotify's $11B Artist Payout
Spotify paid $11B to music rights holders in 2025 but who actually gets the money?In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz and Bryan Johnson from Spotify break down what the Loud & Clear report really means for artists, managers, songwriters, and the wider music business.They get into how Spotify royalties work, why payments go to rights holders first, what stream-share means, w
The Manager’s Playbook 066: Bryan Johnson - Spotify Royalties, Independent Artists, AI Music & The Future of Streaming
In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with Bryan Johnson, Spotify’s Head of Artist and Industry Partnerships, International, for a rare inside look at how Spotify is shaping the modern music business.Bryan breaks down Spotify’s 2025 Loud & Clear report, including the $11B paid to rights holders, the growth of independent artists, the rise of the artist middle class
Inside the Playbook: Chris Anokute on How the Next Superstars Will Be Built
What does the future of artist development actually look like in a democratized music business? In this clip, Chris Anokute breaks down why younger artists, managers, and executives are building their own systems, skipping old gatekeepers, and using new tools to break artists faster than previous generations.He also explains why superstar careers are still possible, why artist development now requ
Inside the Playbook: Chris Anokute on How Disrespect Costs Record Labels Great Artists
What makes an artist worth backing before the data shows up? In this clip, Chris Anokute breaks down why real artist development starts with belief, desire, point of view, and trust; not just streams, looks, or momentum.He also reflects on the Jessie Reyez story, what major labels often miss because of red tape, why disrespect can cost companies great artists, and how timing, leverage, and real re
Inside the Playbook: Chris Anokute on Why Artists Can’t Ignore AI Music Anymore
AI is already changing the music business, and artists can’t afford to ignore it. In this clip, Chris Anokute breaks down why AI is not a passing trend, how the industry may respond the same way it did with streaming, and why artists need to start paying closer attention to rights, royalties, and how their work could be used in the future.He also gets into why producers are quietly using tools lik
Inside the Playbook: Chris Anokute on Why Artists Don’t Need Record Labels But Still Want Them
Why do artists still sign record deals if they don’t actually need them? In this clip, Chris Anokute breaks down the real value of record labels, why there’s no such thing as a universally “good” or “bad” deal, and what artists need to understand about rights, leverage, and ownership in today’s music business.He also explains why recouping even a small investment is harder than most people think,
The Manager’s Playbook 065: Chris Anokute - AI Music, Artist Development, Record Deals, A&R & The Future of the Music Business
In the part II of this Manager’s Playbook convo, Mauricio Ruiz sits back down with former EPIC Records executive Chris Anokute to talk about what AI means for artists, how Suno is already being used in music, and why the future of the music business will belong to people who know how to adapt.Chris breaks down the truth about record deals, why no deal is simply “good” or “bad,” and how artists can
Inside the Playbook: Khris Riddick-Tynes on What Every Producer Must Know About the Music Business
What does every producer need to know about the music business beyond making great records? In this clip, Khris Riddick-Tynes gets into the side of the game a lot of creatives learn too late, publishing structures, deal terms, mentorship, discipline, and why studying the greats still matters.He also breaks down how an old MDRC publishing deal became difficult once the business shifted to streaming
Inside the Playbook: Khris Riddick-Tynes on Why “Folded” Worked
Why did Kehlani’s “Folded” work the way it did? In this clip, Khris Riddick-Tynes breaks down how the record came together, why it needed more emotional nuance than a standard breakup song, and how trusting the feeling of a record can lead to something bigger.He also gets into how to motivate artists without forcing them, why substance matters more than technique, how he knew “Folded” was special,
Inside the Playbook: Khris Riddick-Tynes on The Long Game Behind Music Success
Why do some artists last while others fade after one breakout moment? In this clip, Khris Riddick-Tynes breaks down the mindset behind real music career longevity, from resilience and studying your wins to avoiding short-term money traps and building demand the right way.He gets into why you have to watch the tape after a hit, why touring still matters, and how artists, managers, and producers can
Inside the Playbook: Khris Riddick-Tynes on Why the Song Still Comes First
Why do some songs fade fast while others last for years? In this clip, Khris Riddick-Tynes breaks down why the song still comes first; not the trend, not the moment, not the hype. He gets into why lyrics, melody, and emotional truth are what give records real staying power, and why track-first songs often burn out fast.The conversation also covers how SZA’s “Snooze” came together, why mentorship m
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