Artist Management: What's It All About?

I read an interview between Ryan Kuper, an artist manager from Leverage Entertainment and Entertainment Management Online magazine. In this interview the following questions were asked:

What Do You Do?
What Is A Typical Day For You?
What Education & Training Is Necessary?
What Personality or Skills are Necessary?
What's Your Career Path?
What Are Some Pros and Cons?

This interview made me think about these questions, since being an artist manager is my dream. My interview would be published as followed:

What Do You Do?

I am an artist manager who provides management, financial, contract negotiation, bookings and representation services. My firm specializes in public relations as well as artist management services. I represent entertainers in all genres of entertainment.

What Is A Typical Day For You?

Just as Ryan stated, there is no typical day. Entertainment is not a Monday- Friday, 9am to 5pm type of industry and my day consists of a constant barrage of emails, phone calls, websites, meetings, negotiations, think tanks, etc. Since there is no formula for success as an artist manager, there is no typical or usual day. As Tom Cruise, eloquently stated in "Jerry McGuire", "...it is an up at dawn, pride swallowing siege of which I will never be able to fully tell you about."

What Education and Training Is Necessary?

There are various educational and training tools that are necessary to be an artist management; and there are different ways of becoming one. You can major in psychology, law, artist management, accounting, finance or business. Or you can be gifted and work your way to the top through sheer tenacity and passion in this industry. A good understanding of contracts, negotiations and business definitely helps as well as a passion for the entertainment industry and the ability to stay abreast of things happening in the industry, since it is constantly evolving.

What Personality Or Skills Are Necessary?

First and foremost, you you must have a love for people. This industry and this position is focused on and around people. Clients, producers, directors, agents, promoters, other managers, etc. You have to be stern, but not offensive in order to succeed in this industry and have the ability to understand that everything is a negotiation of business; very rarely is any of this personal. You must be committed, dedicated, unwaivering and organized. You are handling an artist's career and must understand that they depend upon you to ensure that their career is being handled properly and successfully.

What's Your Career Path?

I plan on becoming one of the top artist managers in the industry. My firm will be reputable as a clearinghouse that launches artist careers. As the majority of our clients are talented, but unknown, my niche is to create an environment where artists who are both established and non-established entrust me with their dream.

What Are Some Pros and Cons?

Pros - I get to set my own schedule; I am only as successful as my work ethic; this industry is extremely dynamic and constantly changing; I change lives.

Cons - The work is constant; working with people who are not as tenacious and hard-working as I am; there is an amount of sheer luck that is involved, apart from my work ethic to ensure success; very little sleep.

Being an artist manager is a specialized and industry specific position. Education, experience and personality are paramount in this industry, but the reward of assisting someone in achieving their dream coupled with the excitement of the entertainment industry is well worth it!!

Artist Manager Interview