The Manager's Playbook

In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with Alex Lunt, founder of Type A Management, to break down what really happens after a song explodes. Alex shares the story behind managing Dasha through the breakout of “Austin,” from viral TikTok momentum and line-dance culture to major label interest, global strategy, and the pressure of turning a hit song into a sustainable ca...

When should an artist start touring? And when is the biggest check actually the wrong move? UTA partner and music agent JBeau Lewis , who works with Bad Bunny and Karol G, joins Mauricio Ruiz on The Manager’s Playbook to break down what goes into building a successful touring career. From planning your first shows and turning listeners into paying fans to choosing the right venues, promoters, and...

What makes a top agent want to bet on an artist? UTA partner and music agent JBeau Lewis breaks down what he looks for before signing an artist, how TikTok and YouTube have changed discovery, and why talent is only one part of the equation. JBeau also shares how UTA began working with Bad Bunny , why the team saw the global potential of Latin music early, and what it takes to build a full-service...

What happens when the biggest moments of an artist’s career happen back-to-back? UTA partner and music agent JBeau Lewis takes us inside Bad Bunny’s Grammy-to-Super Bowl week and Karol G’s road to headlining Coachella . JBeau breaks down the logistics of preparing a Super Bowl halftime show in the middle of a stadium tour, what an agent actually does during a moment that big, and how Karol G’s tea...

What does it actually take to build a global superstar? UTA partner and music agent JBeau Lewis joins The Manager’s Playbook to break down the strategy, teamwork, and behind-the-scenes decisions powering some of music’s biggest careers. From Bad Bunny’s historic Grammy-to-Super Bowl week to Karol G headlining Coachella , JBeau shares what these massive moments look like from inside the team and wh...

ManyChat is making direct-to-fan marketing feel a lot more personal. In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook , Nick Ruffalo breaks down how artists and managers can use Instagram DM automation, voice memo-style messages, Lightreel research, and CRM strategy to build stronger fan relationships. Nick gets into comment-to-DM flows, tour link automation, smart delays, viral edit research, Shopify buy...

Spotify data can tell you when to spend and when to wait. In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook , Nick Ruffalo breaks down how artists and managers should think about music marketing budgets, release strategy, and scaling songs with real audience signals. Instead of throwing money at every record, Nick explains why the shape of growth matters more than the size of the budget. He gets into Spoti...

Fan pages changed music marketing. In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook , Nick Ruffalo breaks down how fan pages, edit pages, and A/B testing can help artists build demand before a song is even released. Nick explains how to test content like a marketer without losing the creative instinct: change one variable at a time, study what moves, and use the data to understand what fans actually care...

Most artists don’t have a content problem. They have a fan-building problem. In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook , Mauricio Ruiz sits back down with Nick Ruffalo , SVP of Audience Engagement at Big Loud , to break down the biggest mistake artists and teams are making in modern music marketing. Nick dives into fan pages, ManyChat automation, Instagram group chats, Spotify for Artists data, re...

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook , Asa Asika, longtime manager of Davido and co-founder of The Plug , talks about protecting the art before chasing the business. Asa breaks down why music has to stay rooted in creativity, instinct, and purpose, even as the industry shifts toward independence, platform-driven discovery, and new ways of building global careers. He also shares key moments fro...

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook , Asa Asika, longtime manager of Davido and co-founder of The Plug , breaks down how brand deals, DJs, promoters, and local culture all connect when you’re building a global artist. Asa talks through Davido’s partnerships with brands like Martell, Puma, PlayStation, and major African phone companies, while explaining why artists have to be careful not to tu...

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook , Asa Asika, longtime manager of Davido and co-founder of The Plug , breaks down how Davido’s team built a real touring model across Nigeria and Africa. Asa explains why artists need to build and protect their fanbase at home, how Davido’s Nigeria tour came together, and what it takes to make African touring work at scale from promoters and sponsors to airl...

In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook , Mauricio Ruiz sits down with Asa Asika , longtime manager of Davido and co-founder of The Plug , for a deep conversation on the power of Nigerian music, the global rise of Afrobeats, and what it really takes to build infrastructure around culture. Asa breaks down how Davido became one of Africa’s biggest global stars, why Western labels often misundersta...

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook , Joe Wiseman of Insomniac Music Group breaks down how Insomniac Records builds global dance music campaigns through live strategy, radio, DJ promo, editorial playlists, and artist-friendly licensing deals. Joe explains why Insomniac’s biggest advantage is not just the label. It is the live ecosystem around it. From festivals and stages to genre-focused lab...

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook , Joe Wiseman of Insomniac Music Group breaks down how Insomniac grew from underground LA warehouse raves into the culture-shaping festival experience behind EDC. Joe and Mauricio discuss the roots of rave culture, the rise of dance music in America, and why EDC became more than just a lineup. From stage design, art cars, rides, and immersive worlds to Pasq...

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook , Joe Wiseman of Insomniac Music Group breaks down how high-level dance artists build real careers by taking control of the business around their music. Joe and Mauricio discuss John Summit’s early approach to releases, marketing, DJ promo, budgets, and rollout strategy and why the strongest artists often think like their own managers. They also get into th...

In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook , Joe Wiseman, Head of Insomniac Music Group, joins Mauricio Ruiz to break down how dance artists really build long-term careers. Joe pulls back the curtain on the Insomniac ecosystem; from EDC and live bookings to 20+ label imprints, DJ support, Beatport momentum, radio, editorial, and global campaigns. He explains why dance music is not one audience, why...

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook , David Dollimore breaks down how major label priority really works. David and Mauricio get into what happens after a viral song starts moving, why internal champions matter inside a label, and how artists can turn one moment into a real career. They also talk release strategy, features, remixes, distribution deals, marketing support, ticket sales, and the...

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook , David Dollimore breaks down what it really takes to build a modern independent label. From funding and A&R to marketing, distribution, legal costs, partnerships, and staffing, David explains why building a label properly requires more than just taste. He also gets into Disorder Records , the partnership with The Warehouse Project , signing new talent...

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook , David Dollimore reflects on the intense culture that shaped his early years at Ministry of Sound . He breaks down what it meant to deliver under pressure, how trust and loyalty led to equity, and why Ministry had to evolve beyond dance music. David also shares stories about signing London Grammar , hearing Jessie Reyez’s “Figures” for the first time, and...

In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook , Mauricio Ruiz sits down with veteran music executive David Dollimore for a real conversation about the hidden work behind building successful artists. David shares his journey from starting as an intern at Ministry of Sound , becoming an equity holder, helping sell the company to Sony Music , running RCA UK , and later co-founding Disorder Music Group ....

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook , Wallo267 talks about building Winners Win , earning real trust with artists, and why results matter more than titles. Wallo breaks down how cultural trust is built, why every team needs doers instead of dream killers, and how learning marketing in prison helped him understand pitching, advertising, and closing opportunities. From podcast sponsorships to t...

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook , Wallo267 shares a simple blueprint for independent artists starting from zero. Wallo breaks down how to use your phone to record music, create content, build your artist identity, secure your name, make simple visuals, and post consistently until the audience starts to form. This is for artists, managers, and creators who keep waiting for more resources b...

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook , Wallo267 breaks down why the best artist managers are more than managers. They’re all-purpose partners. Wallo explains how a great song creates opportunity, why managers need to understand the full picture of an artist’s life, and how real leverage is built through results, brand deals, equity, and follow-through. This one is for artists, managers, and mu...

In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook , Mauricio Ruiz sits down with Wallo267, entrepreneur, author, speaker, and co-host of Million Dollaz Worth of Game, for a raw conversation on accountability, artist development, management, and building without excuses. Wallo breaks down why your phone is an “excuse killer,” how independent artists can start building with the tools they already have, and...