// The Word This Week

Let's talk about the elephant in the room: that growing horde of music industry "professionals" who all want a slice of your not-yet-existent pie.

You know the type. The "manager" who's actually just someone's cousin with an Instagram account. The "publicist" whose entire strategy is sending mass emails with your name misspelled. The "booking agent" whose only industry connection is that one time they met a guy who knows a guy who once opened for Vampire Weekend.

The music industry is a master class in middlemen. People inserting themselves between you and your goals, then charging you for the privilege of standing in your way.

But here's the thing: some of these roles actually matter. Some of these people are worth every penny of that percentage they take. The trick is knowing which is which before you sign on the dotted line.

Let's break down who's who in the zoo – who you actually need, who you definitely don't, and when to bring them on board.

MANAGERS: THE MAKE-OR-BREAK RELATIONSHIP

Let me be crystal clear: a good manager is worth their weight in gold. A bad manager is worse than no manager at all.

What They SHOULD Do:

• Shape your long-term career strategy

• Filter opportunities and handle negotiations

• Manage your day-to-day business operations while you create

• Leverage their industry relationships to open doors

What Bad Ones Actually Do:

• Take 15-20% for answering occasional emails

• "Manage" multiple artists without having time for any of them

• Promise connections they don't actually have

• Confuse enthusiasm with expertise

Here's the truth bomb: most artists hire managers WAY too early.

If you're not regularly turning down opportunities because you're too busy to handle them all, you don't need a manager yet. You need hustle. You need to build enough momentum that managers are coming to YOU.

The right time to get a manager isn't when you're struggling to break through – it's when you have enough going on that you're drowning in administrative tasks and opportunity management.

And when that time comes, remember this: the manager-artist relationship is essentially a marriage. Don't rush into it. Date around. Trial periods are your friend. And for the love of all things holy, talk to their other clients before signing anything.

Red flags to run from:

• Managers asking for upfront fees (NEVER)

• Contracts longer than 1-2 years for your first management deal

• Anyone promising specific results ("I'll get you a record deal in 6 months")

• More talk about their connections than about your actual music and career

Remember: a manager works FOR YOU, not the other way around. They're not doing you a favor by representing you – they're betting their time on your potential success.

BOOKING AGENTS: WHEN YOU'RE READY TO LEVEL UP

Let me shatter an illusion: booking agents don't exist to help struggling artists get gigs. They exist to maximize the earning potential of artists who are already drawing crowds.

What They SHOULD Do:

• Secure higher-paying gigs than you could get yourself

• Negotiate better deals and terms

• Build strategic routing for efficient touring

• Get you on festivals and support slots you couldn't access directly

What Bad Ones Actually Do:

• Book you random gigs that don't build your career or audience

• Take 10-15% for doing what you could do yourself

• Fail to negotiate important details beyond just the fee

• Disappear when things get complicated

The cold hard truth: until you can consistently draw 100+ people in your home market, most legitimate agents won't look twice at you.

So what should you do instead? Book your own shows. Build relationships with local promoters. Track your draw numbers religiously. Create a spreadsheet showing your growth over time.

When you can demonstrate consistent growth and sellouts at smaller venues, that's when agents start paying attention. Because at that point, you're not asking for a favor – you're offering them a business opportunity.

And when an agent does come knocking, ask these questions:

• Who else do they represent at your level? (Not just their big clients)

• What's their plan for your growth beyond one-off shows?

• How do they handle radius clauses and routing?

• How frequently will you communicate?

A booking agent isn't just a gig-getter. They're a strategic partner in building your live career. Accept nothing less.

PUBLICISTS: THE MOST MISUNDERSTOOD ROLE

No role in the music industry is more misunderstood than the publicist. They are not magicians. They cannot make an uninteresting story interesting. They cannot guarantee press. And they certainly can't make you famous overnight.

What They SHOULD Do:

• Craft your story into compelling angles for media

• Leverage their relationships with journalists and outlets

• Create comprehensive press campaigns around releases

• Secure coverage that reaches your target audience

What Bad Ones Actually Do:

• Send mass, impersonal emails to outdated press lists

• Promise coverage they can't deliver

• Focus on vanity metrics instead of meaningful results

• Disappear halfway through your campaign when something shinier comes along

Here's what everyone gets wrong about PR: it's a long game. The ROI isn't immediate. One-month campaigns are practically useless. Real results come from sustained effort and relationship building.

But unlike managers and booking agents, you might need a publicist earlier than you think. Why? Because a good publicist shapes your story before anyone else has heard it. They help define how the world sees you from day one.

When hiring a publicist, prioritize:

• Someone who genuinely connects with your music

• Realistic expectations and transparent communication

• A proven track record with artists at your level (not just their big success stories)

• A clear, specific plan for your campaign (not vague promises)

And perhaps most importantly: understand that PR isn't about overnight success. It's about building a foundation of credibility and visibility that compounds over time.

THE REST OF THE CAST: LAWYERS, DISTRIBUTORS, AND MORE

Music Lawyers

When you need one: Before signing ANYTHING that affects your rights or income. What they're worth: Every damn penny for contracts review. This isn't where you cut corners. Red flags: Lawyers who also want to manage you or who seem more interested in their fee than your protection.

Distributors

When you need one: When you're ready to get your music on streaming platforms. What they're worth: Mostly just the basic service fee. Be wary of distributors taking percentages unless they're offering serious added value. Red flags: Long-term exclusive deals, high upfront costs, or vague promises about playlist placement.

Radio Promoters

When you need one: Honestly? Almost never at the indie level anymore. What they're worth: Very little unless you're targeting specific niche markets with active radio communities. Red flags: Anyone promising commercial radio adds for indie artists without major backing.

Social Media Managers

When you need one: When you're busy enough that consistent posting is impossible, AND your audience is large enough to justify the investment. What they're worth: A reasonable monthly fee for scheduled content, not a percentage of anything. Red flags: Anyone who can't explain exactly what metrics they're trying to improve and how.

THE GOLDEN RULE OF TEAM BUILDING

Here it is, the single most important rule for building your team:

Only bring on people who can open doors that are currently closed to you.

That's it. That's the rule.

If they're not opening new doors – whether that's to venues, media, opportunities, or income streams – then what exactly are you paying them for?

This industry is full of people who want to ride your wave once you've built momentum. They'll happily take credit (and a percentage) for success you would have achieved anyway.

Don't let them.

Build your team strategically, with clear expectations and deliverables. Be willing to part ways when someone isn't adding value. And remember that in the early stages, the most valuable team member is often... you.

THE LAST WORD (FOR NOW)

Building your team is one of the most consequential decisions you'll make in your career. The right people at the right time can elevate you beyond what you could achieve alone. The wrong people can drain your resources, steal your momentum, and leave you questioning why you got into this mess in the first place.

So be picky. Be strategic. And don't rush.

Because at the end of the day, the music industry isn't about who you know – it's about who's willing to put in real work to help you succeed.

If you want a deeper dive into building your team, vetting potential partners, and knowing exactly when to bring each role into your career, grab my book "Build Your Foundation" at v13.store/products/build-your-foundation.

And if you know another artist who's being circled by the industry "vultures," forward this to them. We're all stronger when we share knowledge.

Until next time, choose your team wisely.

—Lance

P.S. Next week: The money talk. Not just how to make it, but how to keep it. Because nothing's sadder than an artist who blew through their first big payday and has nothing to show for it but some fancy sneakers and a concerning credit card bill.

If you want to join our community and learn from us in real-time, check out our V1LLAG3 Discord server. Ask questions about music, the industry, promotion, and anything else your heart desires. Just don’t ask us to write your essay (Lance might actually do it)