The Manager's Playbook

Hosted by Mauricio Ruiz, a music industry executive of 15 years, The Manager's Playbook is your essential podcast for insights into the music industry. Whether you're an artist, aspiring manager, music industry professional, or just passionate about the behind-the-scenes of the music business, this podcast is for you. Mauricio brings you in-depth interviews with top artist managers, entertainment lawyers, and other industry execs. Each episode is packed with valuable tips, real-world experiences, and expert advice to help you navigate the complexities of the music business.

The Manager's Playbook is a music podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 349 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts The Manager's Playbook, a music show with 349 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  The Manager's Playbook

  Inside the Playbook: Tom Windish on How to Build a Music Agency

  Aug 21, 202617 min

  Tom Windish joins The Manager’s Playbook to talk about the business behind booking, building an agency, and what it actually takes to grow artists in the live music world. In this clip, Tom shares how he went from promoting college concerts to becoming a booking agent, building The Windish Agency, scaling the company, and eventually selling to Paradigm. He also gets into the early days of electronic music booking, promoter-agent relationships, artist services, and the hard reality of management. For artists, managers, agents, and aspiring music executives, this is a real look at how live music careers and music agencies get built from the ground up. Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap. Book a 1-on-1 meeting with the guests you’ve been watching. See who's available on The Manager's Marketplace: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://themanagersplaybook.com/home⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Listen to the full episode here - Spotify: ⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/episode/4iOGoCNraEzW4SV2QbtZAU?si=w8RtcXRkSDWxRj8iXiOIdg⁠⁠ Watch the Episodes On Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook

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  The Manager's Playbook

  Inside the Playbook: Tom Windish on How to Build a Touring Business That Actually Scales

  Aug 20, 202612 min

  Tom Windish joins The Manager’s Playbook to break down why artists need to take more ownership of ticket sales in today’s touring business. In this clip, Tom explains why artists are often the best advertisers for their own shows, why promoters need real fan data, and how SMS lists, email, city-level audience insights, and presale strategy can help artists understand actual ticket demand. We also get into when it makes sense to skip steps in touring, how to choose the right room size, and why the music business still needs better direct-to-fan systems. For artists, managers, booking agents, promoters, and aspiring music executives, this is a practical look at how touring strategy, fan data, and ticket sales actually work. Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap. Book a 1-on-1 meeting with the guests you’ve been watching. See who's available on The Manager's Marketplace: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://themanagersplaybook.com/home⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Listen to the full episode here - Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/episode/4iOGoCNraEzW4SV2QbtZAU?si=w8RtcXRkSDWxRj8iXiOIdg⁠ Watch the Episodes On Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook

  ListenShow Notes
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  The Manager's Playbook

  Inside the Playbook: Tom Windish on How Live Music Is Changing

  Aug 19, 202625 min

  Tom Windish joins The Manager’s Playbook to break down what booking agents actually do and why live music still matters in a world where attention is harder to earn than ever. In this clip, Tom explains how agents help artists build touring careers, why getting fans to leave the house is more difficult now, and how managers and artists should think about live shows, content, openers, festivals, brand deals, and long-term artist development. We also get into the difference between online attention and real fan connection, why patience matters early, and what it actually takes to build a career beyond streams. For artists, managers, agents, and aspiring music executives, this is a real look at the live music business from one of the best to ever do it. Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap. Want your music everywhere, properly? DistroKid is a straightforward way for independent artists to distribute globally and keep momentum moving. ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://distrokid.com/⁠⁠⁠ Listen to the full episode here - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4iOGoCNraEzW4SV2QbtZAU?si=w8RtcXRkSDWxRj8iXiOIdg Watch the Episodes On Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook

  ListenShow Notes
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  Episode #79

  The Manager’s Playbook 079: Tom Windish - Booking Agents, Touring, Ticket Sales, Artist Development & Live Music

  Aug 16, 20261h 36m

  In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, legendary booking agent Tom Windish breaks down what booking agents actually do and why your favourite artists can have streams, press, and viral moments but still struggle to sell tickets. Tom explains how agents help build an artist’s live career, from choosing the right rooms and negotiating fees to working with promoters, planning tours, developing festival opportunities, and turning online attention into real-world demand. We also get into why artist development takes longer now, why managers and artists need more patience, how direct-to-fan data like emails, phone numbers, and ZIP codes can change a touring strategy, and why the artist is often the most important marketer for their own shows. For independent artists, managers, agents, and aspiring music executives, this episode is a real look at the touring business and what it actually takes to build a live career that lasts. A conversation like this doesn’t come cheap. Book a 1-on-1 meeting with the guests you’ve been watching. See who's available on The Manager's Marketplace: ⁠⁠⁠https://themanagersplaybook.com/home⁠⁠⁠ Get 20% of Magic Mind with code TMP20 ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://magicmind.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Want your music everywhere, properly? DistroKid is a straightforward way for independent artists to distribute globally and keep momentum moving. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://distrokid.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Watch the full episode on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ New episodes drop Sundays @ 10am ET

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  The Manager's Playbook

  Inside the Playbook: Clinton Sparks on The Formula For A Career That Actually Lasts

  Aug 15, 202621 min

  Clinton Sparks breaks down how to build a music career people actually remember. In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Clinton shares his formula for winning in the music business, from powerful production and bulletproof business to aggressive visibility, real branding, and monetization. He also explains how “Get Familiar” became bigger than a tag, why independent artists have to think like their own label, and why copying trends usually leads to short-lived careers. A sharp lesson for artists, managers, producers, and music executives on branding, marketing, independence, authenticity, and building something that lasts. Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap. Book a 1-on-1 meeting with the guests you’ve been watching. See who's available on The Manager's Marketplace: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://themanagersplaybook.com/home⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Listen to the full episode here - Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/episode/60xO3CvAdGfeyyFikLsISg?si=yH1urO5uQquBCrTcW0YoJw⁠ Watch the Episodes On Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook

  ListenShow Notes

Recent guests on The Manager's Playbook. Study who booked and why before you pitch.

Based on semantic analysis of episode topics and host coverage, this show is a strong guest fit for executives in:

Industry fit is computed by PitchCentric using vector embeddings of the show's episode catalog.