The Manager's Playbook

Matt Hansen went from posting TikTok covers to building a billion-stream independent music career.
In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Matt joins Mauricio Ruiz to break down how a one-take Frank Ocean “Godspeed” cover in a parking garage took him from 500 followers to 500,000 overnight, sparked major label interest, and forced him to learn the music business fast.
Matt opens up about staying independent, finding the right managers, building a mini-label team, using distributor deals to fund growth, losing money on tour, turning opening slots into content ROI, collecting fan data, and separating CEO mode from artist mode.
This conversation is for independent artists, artist managers, music marketers, aspiring music executives, and anyone trying to understand how a viral moment can become a real career.
Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

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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

Topics include: TikTok music strategy, artist development, touring, opening slots, distributor deals, catalog ownership, fan data, songwriting, content strategy, and Matt’s debut album Orchid.

Listen to more episodes of The Manager’s Playbook wherever you get your podcasts.

How The Manager’s Playbook Became Music’s Insider Podcast
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz shares why he created the podcast and how it became a way to give music industry knowledge back to the community.
Mauricio talks about stepping away from artist management, wanting to build his own IP, and turning private “inside baseball” conversations into a public platform for artists, managers, executives, and creatives.
He also shares how the podcast started with Troy Carter as the first guest, why Toronto is at the heart of the mission, and how Erica and Mel helped build the show through trial and error.
This one is for artists, managers, aspiring music executives, and anyone trying to understand how the music business really works.
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/0EpX71F9JklAmZAEdXsRKA?si=877g60VXRImVmjV0j-ud6A

Watch the Episodes On Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook

Topics include:
The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz, Troy Carter, artist management, music business, Toronto music scene, building IP, podcasting, music executives, independent artists, publishing, content strategy, and giving back to the community.

When Is an Artist Ready for a Manager?
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz breaks down what artists and managers should understand before working together.
Mauricio talks about why management is rooted in value, trust, communication, and the ability to sell a vision. He explains how a sales background can help managers build thick skin, ask better questions, read the room, build rapport, and turn conversations into real next steps.
The conversation also covers creative ways artists can build teams when cash is limited, including offering points on masters, as well as basic music publishing concepts like songwriter share, publisher share, mechanicals, performance rights, and sync.
This one is for artists, managers, and aspiring music executives trying to understand how to build real relationships in the music business.
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/0EpX71F9JklAmZAEdXsRKA?si=877g60VXRImVmjV0j-ud6A

Watch the Episodes On Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook

Topics include:
Artist management, music business, sales skills, networking, building relationships, master points, independent artists, music publishing, songwriter share, publisher share, sync, performance royalties, and The Manager’s Playbook.

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz breaks down the early days of managing Jessie Reyez and the strategy behind her breakout single, “Figures.”
Mauricio shares what made Jessie undeniable from the beginning: her work ethic, voice, authenticity, and the team that helped build the foundation around her. He talks about the role of The Remix Project, Junia-T, Byron Wilson, Dana Meyerson, Spotify relationships, and how “Figures” gained momentum through FADER, Zane Lowe, and New Music Friday.
The conversation also gets into the major label bidding war that followed, why the team chose Island Records, and how doing a publishing deal before the label deal helped create leverage.
This one is for artists, managers, and young music executives trying to understand artist development, rollout strategy, publishing, record deals, and how to build momentum before signing.
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/0EpX71F9JklAmZAEdXsRKA?si=877g60VXRImVmjV0j-ud6A

Watch the Episodes On Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook

Topics include:
Jessie Reyez, Mauricio Ruiz, artist management, “Figures,” Spotify New Music Friday, FADER, Zane Lowe, Island Records, publishing deals, major labels, artist development, Toronto music culture, and The Manager’s Playbook.

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz breaks down how he helped build Mad Ruk Entertainment into one of Canada’s biggest music video production companies.
Mauricio reflects on the shift from million-dollar music video budgets to the digital era, where taste, storytelling, and execution started mattering more than access to massive budgets. He shares how YouTube, behind-the-scenes content, and online platforms changed the way artists could market themselves visually.
He also talks about producing videos for artists like Avicii, Nicky Romero, SonReal, Future, and The Weeknd, including the viral Reddit moment behind SonReal’s “Everywhere We Go” and his experience executive producing Future’s “Low Life” featuring The Weeknd.
This conversation is for artists, managers, directors, producers, and creatives trying to understand music videos, content strategy, artist marketing, budgeting, and the people side of production.
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/0EpX71F9JklAmZAEdXsRKA?si=877g60VXRImVmjV0j-ud6A

Watch the Episodes On Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook

Topics include:
Mad Ruk Entertainment, music videos, artist marketing, content strategy, YouTube, Reddit virality, The Weeknd, Future, Avicii, Nicky Romero, independent artists, music video budgets, and building creative teams.