The Manager's Playbook

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...

The rules of digital marketing in music have changed, and Austin Dunn has lived every version of them. In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook , Austin breaks down how music marketing has evolved from the height of COVID to where it’s heading by 2026. From the rise and fall of influencer campaigns to the dominance of TikTok and user-generated content , this is a real look at how attention actual...

Before algorithms ran the music business, Austin Dunn was already building his own. In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook , Austin breaks down the SoundCloud era, from bot networks and repost hacks to turning underground records into viral movements. He shares how those same tactics helped launch artists like 6ix9ine and Trippie Redd , and how a kid studying accounting turned his early experim...

Most artists are chasing the algorithm. Austin Dunn built systems that outsmart it. In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook Podcast , I sit down with Austin Dunn , digital strategist, cultural curator, and founder of @rnbmusic , one of the most influential community pages in music. Before most labels understood content seeding, Austin was already engineering digital ecosystems, helping artists l...

What if the key to building a real music career wasn’t luck, playlists, or connections, but how you show up online ? In this clip, Nic D breaks down how he turned content into a career. No label. No team. No shortcuts. Just strategy, discipline, and storytelling. From recording songs in a minivan during the pandemic to going viral on TikTok, Nic shares how creativity, consistency, and what he call...

What if walking away from touring wasn’t a step back, but the smartest move an artist could make? In this conversation, Nic D opens up about why he turned down major touring opportunities to focus on family, balance, and ownership. Despite the potential for fame and fast money, he chose freedom over burnout, and built one of the most successful independent artist careers in the process. We dive in...

What does financial independence really look like for an artist with no label, no manager, and no team? In this clip, Nic D breaks down the real numbers behind being an independent artist, from how much he spends on production to how he tracks every dollar to stay profitable. He shares why keeping costs low, owning your masters, and thinking like a business are the keys to longevity in music. We d...

What if success in music had less to do with talent, and everything to do with mindset? In this conversation, Nic D breaks down the discipline, self-awareness, and consistency that helped him build a thriving career with no label, no manager, and no shortcuts. He shares what artists get wrong about deals and streaming, how to stay consistent when motivation fades, and why you can’t build momentum...

What if you built a billion-stream music career, without a label, manager, or industry connections? That’s exactly what Nic D did. From Culpeper, Virginia , he turned $250-per-song releases and short-form content into a thriving independent business, all while staying self-managed and completely in control. In this episode, Nic breaks down his entire system, from how he budgets every release to ho...

Nick Jarjour shares the inside story behind Hipgnosis Songs Fund, the company that redefined how the world values music. From his work alongside Merck Mercuriadis to building one of the most innovative catalog funds in history, Nick reveals how Hipgnosis raised the music multiple, shifted the economics of creativity, and gave songwriters the recognition they’ve long deserved. He also reflects on t...

Nick Jarjour shares the story of Starrah, one of the most transformative songwriters in modern music. From crafting Rihanna’s “Needed Me” to shaping global hits for Camila Cabello and Maroon 5, Starrah’s journey is a masterclass in authenticity, creativity, and vision. In this conversation, Nick explores how she redefined the relationship between artist and songwriter, why context is king , and ho...

Nick Jarjour takes us inside the real world of music management. In this conversation, Nick breaks down what it truly means to manage artists and songwriters at the highest level: protecting their vision, aligning with their values, and helping them navigate the demands of the modern industry. He shares insights on why the best songwriters think like artists, how to build sustainable careers roote...

Nick Jarjour opens up about the making of In Whose Name, a powerful and deeply human documentary on Ye that explores the intersection of mental health, creativity, and control. In this conversation, Nick reflects on the challenges of protecting artistic truth while navigating the emotional and ethical weight of telling someone else’s story. It’s a rare look into what it means to balance creative f...

Nick Jarjour has built his career around one mission: protecting the storytellers. From managing Starrah, the songwriter behind Rihanna’s “Needed Me,” to executive producing In Whose Name , one of the highest-grossing documentaries in recent years, Nick has always stood at the intersection of creativity, leadership, and responsibility. In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook , Nick opens up abou...

What does it really take to build lasting partnerships between artists, brands, and technology? In this clip, Isabel Quinteros, SVP at Jen Music AI and former Global Music Partnerships lead at TikTok, reflects on her career journey from PR to tech, sharing lessons from campaigns with J. Cole, and Beyoncé’s Super Bowl performance. She also breaks down how to balance brand expectations with artist n...

AI is reshaping how music is created and consumed, raising new opportunities and new risks. In this clip, Isabel Quinteros, SVP at Jen Music AI and former Global Music Partnerships lead at TikTok, joins us to discuss how AI can amplify creativity while forcing the industry to confront difficult questions about monetization, ethics, and the role of human artistry. We dive into the harsh realities o...

AI is changing how music is created, discovered, and experienced. In this clip, Isabel Quinteros, SVP at Jen Music AI and former Global Music Partnerships lead at TikTok, breaks down how her team is building the future of personalized music. From their patented Style Filter technology to subscription models, marketplaces, and API integrations, we explore the new tools shaping the industry. We also...