about who you know. Your manager should have a list of contacts that can be used to assist in reaching the goals you've set for your music. If he's been successful and legit in his prior business dealings, then people should have no problem working with him again for a new artist. Another must-have conversation between you and your potential manager focuses on the topic of... you guessed it - money. How much is this manager expecting to be paid? This unavoidable discussion should detail what percentage of the profit he's expecting to receive, and whether he's expecting money from any other avenues, such as a base salary in addition to percentages. Find out whether he has standard charges for managing an artist, or whether the contract is negotiable. The financial aspect is one of the most, if not the most, important aspect to agree upon. Please be warned: if any manager requires money upfront to represent you, run away as fast as you can. Chances are, that manager is a scam artist who's out to beat hungry artists out of their hard-earned cash. Any reputable manager knows that they receive payment from percentages of your profit after they've brought something to the table.
"Your manager can potentially have a huge impact on your career, whether it be positive or negative."
He should be someone whose opinion you can respect and whose advice you can trust. He or she should be smart, well-spoken and outgoing, and you should feel comfortable having him represent you. Ideally your manager should be one of your biggest fans because the more a persons believes in something the more passionate they become about insuring it's success. Your manager can potentially have a huge impact on your career, whether it be positive or negative. Be prepared when interviewing for this important member of your team. Knowing the right questions to ask a potential candidate can eliminate a lot of the headache down the line. Know exactly what you're looking for in a manager; have expectations but be realistic. Again, no manager can guarantee an artist's success. But with hard work and dedication, you and your team can build something great together.
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