The Manager's Playbook

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook , Nima Nasseri breaks down what it really takes for artists to succeed in today’s digital-first music industry. Nima explains why talent alone isn’t enough anymore and why artists have to rethink how they show up, market themselves, and build momentum. Success today comes from mindset, consistency, and understanding how content and platforms actually work ....

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook , Nima Nasseri breaks down one of the biggest misconceptions in the modern music industry: virality . This isn’t about chasing trends or hoping the algorithm saves you. It’s about why consistency, authenticity, and understanding content systems are what actually create momentum for artists and creators today. Nima shares the real-life story of Norris Willia...

In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook , I sit down with Nima Nasseri, artist manager for Hit-Boy , former VP of A&R Strategy at Universal Music Group , and one of the clearest thinkers in the modern music business. This conversation is about the shift most artists and managers are still resisting. We’re no longer in a talent-first industry. We’re in a content-led, motion-driven business wh...

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook , host Mauricio Ruiz and Azad Naficy break down one of the biggest questions in the music industry today: Does every artist need a major label or can you build a successful career independently? Azad offers a refreshingly honest look at the advantages and limitations of major label partnerships , from global reach and international infrastructure to the rea...

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook , Mauricio Ruiz and Azad Naficy explore one of the most transformative shifts happening in the music business today: the explosive rise of ambient , instrumental , and neoclassical music and why it’s creating new financial opportunities for artists who approach it with intention. Azad breaks down how changing conversations around mental health , peace of mi...

In this clip of The Manager’s Playbook , Mauricio Ruiz and Azad Naficy break down the real mechanics of touring in the modern music business . Not the highlight reel, the reality. Azad opens up about the challenges artists face when they jump into touring too early, the financial and physical toll of the road, and why developing a strong live performance strategy is essential for long-term success...

In this episode clip from The Manager’s Playbook , Mauricio Ruiz sits down with artist, executive, and Avant Garden co-founder Azad Naficy to unpack one of the most important truths in the modern music business : The people who make the most money in music aren’t the artists, they’re the ones who own the copyright. Azad breaks down how record labels build wealth through ownership and equity , why...

Azad Naficy has lived every corner of the music business - artist, manager, A&R, label co-founder, and the architect behind Peace of Mind Studio and Avant Garden Records. In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook , Azad breaks down what most artists, managers, and entrepreneurs wish they learned years earlier: how the modern music industry actually works. From artist development and music mark...

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook , Grammy-winning songwriter Theron Thomas breaks down one of the most misunderstood topics in the music industry, the myth of “selling your soul,” and why people reach for conspiracy theories when they don’t understand the real work behind success. Theron speaks candidly about his journey in music, the challenges he’s faced, the deals he’s navigated, and th...

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook , Grammy-winning songwriter Theron Thomas breaks down the real stories and strategy behind some of the biggest hit records of the last decade. From writing for Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj, Enrique Iglesias , and Akon , Theron shares how hit songs really come together, the collaboration, the competition, the timing, and the cultural instincts that make...

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook , Theron Thomas opens up about the part of the music industry that rarely makes headlines: the grind, the pressure, and the personal history that shapes real artists and leaders. Theron talks about growing up in poverty , navigating adversity, and how the responsibility of providing for family became the foundation of his success in the world of songwriting...

In this episode clip, Grammy-winning songwriter Theron Thomas dives into one of the biggest truths in today’s music industry : the entire business is built on the backs of songwriters , yet they’re still the last ones to get paid. Theron breaks down the real economics behind the hits that turned artists like Rihanna, Jay-Z, and Kanye West into global moguls, and why the people who wrote those reco...

Most people talk about hit songs. Theron Thomas writes the ones that define entire eras. In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook , I sit down with one of the most influential songwriters in modern music, Theron Thomas, the 2nd recipient ever to win GRAMMY Songwriter of the Year and the pen behind hits for Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, Lizzo, Usher, Nicki Minaj, Justin Timberlake , and so many more. This...

In this conversation, Machel Montano opens up about what truly goes into crafting a great live performance, not just the music, but the presence, discipline, and attention needed to make a crowd feel something real. He talks about reading the room, trusting spontaneity, and treating every show like a conversation with the audience. Che Kothari adds the structure behind it all, the systems, rehears...

In this conversation, we dig into one of the most important parts of an artist’s journey: learning how to invest in yourself long before the world believes in you. Machel Montano and Che Kothari break down what that looked like inside the Caribbean music ecosystem, the risks, the reinvestment, the discipline, and the vision it takes to build something that lasts. They talk about the lessons they l...

In this conversation, we dive into one of the most demanding parts of the Caribbean music ecosystem: the race to create a Road March hit for Carnival. Machel Montano and Che Kothari walk through the pressure artists face every season, from recording music in October to delivering multiple festival-ready hits by February. It’s a nonstop grind. Endless studio sessions, back-to-back fetes, live shows...

In this conversation, we unpack one of the biggest turning points in Machel Montano’s career, choosing the right partner to help him grow, evolve, and carry the weight of being the King of Soca. Machel reflects on the early years of being managed by his parents, navigating major-label expectations, and the moment he realized he needed someone who understood both the music and the mission. That per...

For over 40 years, Machel Montano has been the heartbeat of Soca and one of the most influential voices in Caribbean music. But behind the longevity, the reinvention, and the cultural leadership is a deeper story, one of discipline, purpose, spiritual growth, and the right partner beside him. In this episode, I sit down with Machel Montano and his manager and long-time collaborator Che Kothari to...

Snow Tha Product has been building on YouTube long before most artists realized how powerful the platform could be. In this clip, she breaks down what it’s really like to juggle multiple channels, understand social media trends, and keep showing up for an audience that’s been with her since the CD-on-the-street days. We talk about the evolution from hand-to-hand hustle to navigating YouTube, Short...

In this clip, Snow Tha Product opens up about what it really takes to stay ahead in the music industry, and why being early isn’t always as glamorous as it looks from the outside. We get into the pressure artists feel to constantly innovate, the expectations managers are juggling behind the scenes, and the sheer amount of work required to make content feel fun, spontaneous, and authentic. Snow bre...

Snow Tha Product has one of the most unique creative processes in the game, and in this episode she walks us through all of it, from building songs completely from scratch to blending genres in ways that only she can pull off. What’s wild is how often her rough previews go viral before she’s even decided the record is finished. That says a lot about her instinct and the connection she has with her...

Snow Tha Product has lived through parts of the music industry most artists never talk about publicly. In this episode, she opens up about what it felt like to be shelved by a major label, to have music you can’t release, and to navigate a system that didn’t understand who she was or how to move her forward. Instead of hiding the struggle, Snow chose transparency. She let her fans into the reality...

Snow Tha Product is one of the clearest examples of what real independence looks like in today’s music industry, not the aesthetic, but the infrastructure . In this conversation, Snow opens up about the reality of being a fully independent artist: building her career without a label, operating her business with family, creating her own systems, and turning her fanbase into a real community that su...

Victoria Monét didn’t just have a viral moment, she built one. In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook , Austin Dunn breaks down how Victoria’s journey from songwriter to star was powered by smart storytelling, community-driven marketing, and a deep understanding of what fans actually connect with. He shares how leveraging her work with Ariana Grande , using faceless pages , and focusing on low-...

The way artists connect with fans is evolving, and Austin Dunn has been studying the shift in real time. In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook , Austin breaks down the new rules of content in the music business: why vertical video wins , how authentic storytelling builds audience trust, and what it really means to stay “cool” online. Using examples from artists like Jessie Reyez and Sasha Keab...