Make Your Own Brand, Set Boundaries & Never Give Up - The Best Tips To Succeed As A Music Manager

The Association of Artist Managers (AAM) is running its hugely popular Manager Mentor Program for the fourth time this year, which aims to match mid-tier and emerging Aussie artist managers with established managers for a 12-month mentorship. 

Applications for the latest round are now open until COB this Thursday which sees AAM team with industry conference Face The Music to deliver workshops and opportunities for applicants. 

Successful mentees will get the opportunity to be flown to Melbourne from anywhere in the country to meet their mentor and undergo a management workshop (as well as three nights accommodation in town) and attend The Age Victoria Awards and Face The Music.

For details on how to apply, click here.

To give you just a taste of what to expect from the Manager Mentor Program, Greg Carey, co-director of Umbrella (The Rubens, Elisabeth Rose), has given his best tips on how to succeed as an artist manager.

hot management tips

• Set boundaries with your artists. Whilst it's an unorthodox line of work, you need to have a life outside of management or you will go insane. If you want your band to call you at 1am in the morning talking about their new song, maybe reconsider that
• Learn how to write grants
• Concentrate on your management brand and business, not just your artists. Remember you're running a business too
• Seek out great professional opportunities like the AAM Mentoring Program, The Seed, Control and other workshops
• Get the following: 

         - Good set of noise cancelling headphones

         - Ear plugs for gigs

         - Spare portal phone charger

         - A Virgin Velocity membership

• Don't give up. In the early days, it's quite overwhelming with everything you need to do. If you start a trade, you don't become a professional/expert from the start. It takes time to learn the ins and outs of artist management and the broader music industry 
• If you're starting out, try and link up with other managers who are just starting out. Form a group and meet up and discuss things you're learning. Share resources and build a strong network
• Get a good accountant and lawyer
• Take a holiday (like normal people)