The Manager's Playbook

In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with legendary producer, DJ, songwriter, and entrepreneur Clinton Sparks for a conversation on artist branding, music business relationships, and building a career that lasts.
Clinton breaks down what it really means to become a brand, how he built “Get Familiar” into something people remembered, and why the best networking starts with adding value before asking for access.
He also shares the story behind working with DJ Snake years before “Turn Down for What,” his role in mixtape culture, the importance of reputation, and why authenticity still matters in an industry full of fake momentum.
A must-listen for artists, managers, producers, music executives, and independent creatives trying to build leverage, trust, visibility, and a brand people actually believe in.
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

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Nick Groff breaks down why great artist managers need to think like CEOs, not just operators.
Nick and Mauricio Ruiz discuss the modern manager’s role in building artist businesses, aligning teams, protecting long-term vision, and creating real growth around the artist.
They also get into equity, IP, joint ventures, manager commissions, hiring for emotional intelligence, building scalable teams, and why instinct is often just experience with better timing.
A sharp listen for artists, managers, aspiring music executives, and anyone trying to understand what artist management really looks like today.
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/2WkHm0XSp9TX4hbyUCRGxC?si=yepnZQe2QAq1dSPZ0-H66w⁠⁠⁠⁠

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

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Nick Groff and Mauricio Ruiz get into the gray area of AI, creativity, and who gets to make music.
They discuss whether AI can become a real creative tool for people with ideas but without formal training, while also unpacking the concerns around authorship, devalued music, bad actors, and what “human-made” music even means anymore.
From Suno and AI music tools to Timbaland, record labels, the Grammys, Napster, and the future of the music business, this is a sharp conversation about where creativity may be heading next.
A must-listen for artists, producers, managers, music executives, and anyone trying to understand AI’s impact on music.
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/2WkHm0XSp9TX4hbyUCRGxC?si=yepnZQe2QAq1dSPZ0-H66w⁠⁠⁠⁠

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

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Nick Groff breaks down how BUNT. turned a viral moment into a real hard-ticket fanbase.
Nick and Ruiz get into the business behind live growth: merch strategy, per-head sales, market-by-market pricing, fan accessibility, Coachella storytelling, and why viral attention does not mean much if it does not turn into real fans.
They also discuss how BUNT. approached merch like a brand, priced Mexico City with the local fan in mind, treated Argentina differently as a market, and used intentional live moments to create momentum beyond the algorithm.
A sharp listen for artists, managers, music marketers, and aspiring music executives trying to understand touring, fanbase building, and modern artist development.
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/2WkHm0XSp9TX4hbyUCRGxC?si=yepnZQe2QAq1dSPZ0-H66w⁠⁠⁠

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

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Nick Groff breaks down why modern artist management now looks more like running a media company.
Nick and Ruiz get into storytelling, fan acquisition, content flywheels, post-show highlights, and why artists can’t rely on music releases alone to stay connected with their audience.
They also discuss what artists can learn from streamers, how Billie Eilish’s “Ocean Eyes” proves the power of context, and how BUNT built its world around clear brand pillars like smile, sweat, squad, and soccer.
A sharp listen for artists, managers, music marketers, and aspiring music executives trying to understand how attention works in today’s 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/2WkHm0XSp9TX4hbyUCRGxC?si=yepnZQe2QAq1dSPZ0-H66w⁠⁠

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