Is your manager a band member?
The role of Business Manager is a very important one, and requires someone with both a strong imagination, and a thorough, realistic knowledge of business practice within the art & entertainment industry. How can a manager set you apart from the crowd without an imagination? How can they help you create a stable income and career without business knowledge? Too often, good managerial skills are overlooked for the sake of ‘having a manager’. Young independent bands don’t know what a manager is really for.
What should you look for? Perhaps one of the greatest qualities, and the one I find most important in my own business manager, is that they could be another member of the band. They grok the band and its philosophy, they grok the humor and relationships and get along well with each member. You’ve hit the money when it wouldn’t feel right to go on tour without them.
This is reflected in your financial agreements, too. Like band members, the manager or management company receives a certain percentage of the band’s income. The manager is an equal participant in the business of being a band.
So, when you’re scouting for a manager or get a management offer, ask yourself - no matter the qualifications of that individual - if they’d be a welcome addition to the band, too.
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