It’s one of the most vital roles in a musicians’ team: the manager. If you’ve got a great one, it can help immensely. If you have an awful one, it can hurt you. And if you don’t have one at all, you probably LONG for the day when you can have someone help you.
I read/hear the following question all the time: “When should I get a manager?” The most common answer I see given is that you should do everything yourself for as long as you can, and then bring on someone to relieve you of those duties. Heck, I’ve even said this myself in the past, and I totally get the financial reasons behind this. After further thought, though, I consider this to be only PARTLY true, for two main reasons.
First off, it implies that the only benefit to having a manager is time relief. Or, to put it another way, that the only resource that a manager can provide is time. That’s false. Remember, you’re hiring a manager, not an assistant. Managers bring all sorts of things to the table, such as connections & industry knowledge. More importantly, though, a good manager can (or should) bring the skills that your band members (or you) don’t have, such as the ability to sell, a keen eye for opportunities, and prioritization. If you try and do those things on your own, you might be OK at them, but it’s much more likely that a good manager will be able to take you further because they excel at these so-called ‘soft skills.’
As an example, let’s say you wanted to build a house. You COULD do a bit of research, and then start laying a foundation, building walls, installing plumbing, etc., and then when you couldn’t figure out what to do next or got too busy, bring in an expert. But what if you’ve done things totally wrong, and actually caused more damage than good? What if you have to start over again? The point is that, sure, there may be SOME things that you can do yourself, but if you suck at plumbing and you have to hire someone to re-do it, where’s the advantage?
Secondly, it also suggests that finding a manager is a linear path. It’s not. You can’t work and work and work until you decide that you need a manager, and then go to the ‘manager store’ and pick one up. Management should (and usually does) happen organically, and the truth is that most artists are found by management, not the other way around. The key is to be prepared for when that DOES happen, so you have a clear idea of what your manager can do for you, as well as what to expect from him/her.
I talk a lot about DIY and how important I think it is, but it’s important to keep everything in balance. Sure, you can do a LOT of things on your own if you do tonnes of research, and I think you should. But if someone comes along and it makes sense to bring them on to your team, don’t discount it because you want to be an island or because you think you’re not ready. EVERY situation is different. Again, the key is to be prepared and know what you want and need.
The DIY mentality isn’t only about doing everything yourself. It’s about being educated enough to make the right decisions about you and your team. So when it comes to adding a manager, yes, it should be about capacity. But, it should also be about filling in the skill gaps that you and your band mates simply don’t have.
After all… don’t you want to build the best house possible?
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What do you think? Should you add a manager early? Late? Never? Would love to hear from artists and managers alike!
