Qualities an artiste must look for in an artiste manager.

Justin Bieber and his manager and CEO of SB Projects Scooter Braun.

Behind every successful artiste , is a hardworking, smart and talented manager.
Go through the history books in most music industries across the globe, carefully read about great artiste and you are bound to come across their managers who are or were strong pillars in their careers and successes, hence to be a successful artiste, it goes beyond just being talented, you need a manager to help you meander your way through your musical journey and below are essential qualities you must look for in an artiste manager before you agree to allow him or her manage you.

An artiste manager must be your biggest fan

Your manager must love and cherish your work even in the rough stage. One hallmark of a good artiste manager is to spot talent when it’s still in the come up stage.

Artiste manager should build relationship

Most artistic people or artistes don’t know how to mingle with people, industry gatekeepers etc. Some can’t do that out of shyness and others too, because they feel they are the stars and people should approach them not the other way around, hence the artiste manager must be the one to create relationships with industry gatekeepers like radio presenters, disc jockey ( Dj’s) entertainment and art writers, event promoters, booking agents and booking agencies, fellow artiste managers, radio and television station managers et cetera.

Artiste manager should get you exposure.

Your manager’s priority must be to project your talent to the rest of the world. Your talent is your product and your manager must play the role of a marketer who takes the product you have created with your talent and sell it to potential customers ( the fans, corporate brands et cetera ) There are various ways your manager can do that for you, talking of creating exposure for your brand. He or she should be able to get you on television shows, radio shows, a placement in a magazine or newspaper. Not just that, if there’s a party somewhere, which is attracting renowned people and influential figures , your manager can get you an invite to the event for you to get the opportunity to mingle with such personalities to help you grow your brand and that can be achieved through exposing you to people you may not get the opportunity to meet at your event or when you attend a radio or television interview.

Artiste manager should help you set and achieve your goals.

You go in for manager to help you attain your goals and that’s what your manager must do. As long as he or she has signed up to manage you, he or she must do the needful which is helping you achieve your goals. You are free to drop your manager if he or she isn’t doing that.

Your manager must be aggressive.

The world out there is no child’s play and not a playground, it’s actually a battlefield where many people want the exact thing you are after. Your manager should be aggressive when it comes to negotiating deals for you. In the boardroom with the huge brands , record labels et cetera, he or she must be your spokesperson, your promoter, your publicist, your marketer, your biggest fan to get you the best. Your manager should be bold to know when to say no to an offer and when to agree to an offer. Your progress as an artiste will always be hindered by managerial issues, if your manager lacks the aforementioned traits.

That friend committed to your dream can be your manager.

When starting out as an artiste, you bound to look for a renowned manager, a successful one who has worked with huge artistes and there’s nothing wrong with it. Don’t fix all your focus on that, sometimes look around you, in your circle of friends there’s that friend who is so much into your music, believes in you, always available when you need his or her services, look no further when you have such a character in your life. Give that person the opportunity to manage you and his or her thirst and drive will definitely make a change in your career. All you need is a committed person.

Your manager must be your best friend.

Artiste and manager relationship is akin to relationship between partners. It’s an emotional journey which requires entanglement between the two parties. The two of you should go on multiple dates to help you know yourselves better. When the whole world frowns on you, your manager must be the one to help you pick yourself up. He or she must be someone you are comfortable or will be comfortable sharing your secrets and problems with and must be someone with a listening ear.

If the person is a good babysitter, he/she can manage you.

Managers are babysitters who must have the heart to handle all the shenanigans when it comes to managing an artiste. Artistes naturally are people with ego and good managers know this and find ways to manage such egos and that is part of the babysitting. When you the manager wants to behave like the artiste with ego everywhere, you two definitely cannot work together.

Your career must be his/her priority 24/7.

If you should meet someone who wants to manage you and that person is not ready to add your life to his own, then just look elsewhere. Managing an artiste is time consuming and a manager must base his life around you the artiste, showing keen interest in your progress. He must believe in you to that, so if he doesn’t, don’t force it.