In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, host Mauricio Ruiz and Azad Naficy break down one of the biggest questions in the music industry today:

Does every artist need a major label or can you build a successful career independently?

Azad offers a refreshingly honest look at the advantages and limitations of major label partnerships, from global reach and international infrastructure to the realities of misaligned deals and lost creative direction. He also explains why some artists thrive in the independent sector, especially when they build a strong, bespoke team that actually understands their vision.

This conversation dives deep into:
• how to evaluate a record deal and what a label can really offer
• why artist development is still the foundation of every long career
• the qualities that make a great A&R
• challenges artists face when signing too early
• what independence looks like when done intentionally
• how to build a team that supports your long-term goals

Whether you're considering a label deal, building an independent operation, or trying to understand how to scale your music career the right way, this clip delivers practical guidance you won’t hear in most industry rooms.

Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

Listen to the full episode here -

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5OEmeP3qCOLotxuji6se0j?si=IGzhU94zT2ydsy63TGkhuw

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

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz and Azad Naficy explore one of the most transformative shifts happening in the music business today: the explosive rise of ambient, instrumental, and neoclassical music and why it’s creating new financial opportunities for artists who approach it with intention.

Azad breaks down how changing conversations around mental health, peace of mind, and emotional well-being have opened the door for a new wave of artists who aren’t chasing virality, but instead building real, sustainable streaming revenue through catalog depth and consistency.
Ruiz highlights how Peace of Mind Studio has built an ecosystem where artists are already earning six-figure incomes, powered by high-quality production, smart catalog strategy, and genre innovation.

They also dive into the business mechanics behind this success:
• better deal structures,
• thoughtful recoupment models,
• smart financial literacy,
• and the intentional development that leads to long-term sustainability.

From innovative partnership models to building a multimillion-dollar operation without sacrificing artistic integrity, this conversation is a roadmap for anyone looking to understand the future of independent artist monetization, instrumental music growth, and the systems required to build a stable, fulfilling career in today’s industry.

Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

Listen to the full episode here -

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5OEmeP3qCOLotxuji6se0j?si=IGzhU94zT2ydsy63TGkhuw

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

In this clip of The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz and Azad Naficy break down the real mechanics of touring in the modern music business. Not the highlight reel, the reality.

Azad opens up about the challenges artists face when they jump into touring too early, the financial and physical toll of the road, and why developing a strong live performance strategy is essential for long-term success.

They explore how great artists build unforgettable shows through fan engagement, experience design, and intentional stage development, and why choosing the right venues, pacing your growth, and investing in your live show matters more than chasing big stages prematurely. Azad also speaks on the importance of tour economics, mastering different revenue streams, and why longevity often comes from patience, restraint, and incremental growth.

Whether you’re an independent artist, manager, or anyone navigating the touring ecosystem, this conversation offers practical insights on sustainable touring, fan-building strategy, and making smart business decisions that support your career instead of draining it.

Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

Listen to the full episode here -

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5OEmeP3qCOLotxuji6se0j?si=IGzhU94zT2ydsy63TGkhuw

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

In this episode clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with artist, executive, and Avant Garden co-founder Azad Naficy to unpack one of the most important truths in the modern music business:

The people who make the most money in music aren’t the artists, they’re the ones who own the copyright.

Azad breaks down how record labels build wealth through ownership and equity, why understanding your masters, publishing, and copyright is essential, and what artists should look for before signing any record deal.

He also shares how early collaborators like Brittany Crawford and Brando shaped his approach to artist development and why great management is always centered on people, not numbers.

Whether you’re an independent artist, aspiring music executive, manager, or someone trying to understand how real careers are built, this conversation offers clarity on:

• The real economics of the music industry
• How labels profit from ownership and catalog
• What makes effective artist development
• The mindset shift from artist to executive
• How to build the right team for long-term growth

This is a candid, strategic breakdown of how the business actually works and why artists need to understand it before they give anything away.

Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

Listen to the full episode here -

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5OEmeP3qCOLotxuji6se0j?si=IGzhU94zT2ydsy63TGkhuw

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

Azad Naficy has lived every corner of the music business - artist, manager, A&R, label co-founder, and the architect behind Peace of Mind Studio and Avant Garden Records. In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Azad breaks down what most artists, managers, and entrepreneurs wish they learned years earlier: how the modern music industry actually works.

From artist development and music marketing to major label deals, streaming strategy, touring economics, brand building, merchandising, A&R, and catalog development, Azad shares the frameworks that helped him build sustainable careers and long-term creative infrastructure.

We unpack how he went from burnout to building a multi-million-dollar creative ecosystem, why not every artist should be independent, what makes great artist management, how to structure real partnerships, and the mindset required to build a career that lasts longer than a viral moment.

If you’re an independent artist, music manager, A&R, label operator, or someone serious about building a real music career, this is a masterclass in strategy, clarity, and long-term vision.

In this episode we dive into:
• Artist development and building real infrastructure
• What makes a major label deal actually worth it
• Ownership, equity, and the business behind the music
• Why merch and branding must be authentic
• The truth about touring and why it’s not always profitable
• Playlist strategy, editorial pitching, and streaming growth
• Managing burnout while scaling creative output
• Building Peace of Mind Studio and redefining jazz, ambient & neoclassical markets
• Financial literacy, recoupment, and long-term artist success
• The future of independent labels and creative ecosystems

Azad doesn’t talk theory. He talks execution. And this conversation is loaded with the kind of insights that reshape careers.

Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

Watch the full episode on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

New episodes drop Tuesdays @ 10am ET

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Grammy-winning songwriter Theron Thomas breaks down one of the most misunderstood topics in the music industry, the myth of “selling your soul,” and why people reach for conspiracy theories when they don’t understand the real work behind success.

Theron speaks candidly about his journey in music, the challenges he’s faced, the deals he’s navigated, and the moments that forced him to grow. He talks about maintaining integrity in an industry that tests it constantly, and why gratitude, accountability, and work ethic matter more than anything people think is happening behind the scenes.

Ruiz and Theron dive into the truth about music business relationships, publishing deals, career setbacks, artist development, and the pressure that comes with real success. They also unpack the emotional and psychological side of building a long-term career, the part that never gets seen, but determines everything.

This conversation is a grounded, honest look at what it really takes to succeed as an artist, songwriter, producer, manager, or executive. No shortcuts. No secrets. Just the truth:
Winners aren’t selling their souls. They’re working harder, staying disciplined, and learning from every mistake.

If you’re navigating the creative world or building a career in music, this is one you’ll feel in your chest.

Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

Listen to the full episode here -

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ep3gakdSoW33fD99LShrd?si=OUWDoPF-R0-bFJ3jE1dYkQ

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

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Grammy-winning songwriter Theron Thomas breaks down the real stories and strategy behind some of the biggest hit records of the last decade. From writing for Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj, Enrique Iglesias, and Akon, Theron shares how hit songs really come together, the collaboration, the competition, the timing, and the cultural instincts that make a record explode.

Theron and Ruiz dive into the creative process behind songs like We Can’t Stop, Pour It Up, and 23, revealing the decisions, pressure, and moments of clarity that separate a good record from a global one. They talk about the role of songwriters, producers, and artist identity, and how understanding culture is just as important as understanding melody.

The conversation also explores the competitive nature of the music industry, the emotional and strategic work that goes into staying relevant, and why timing can make or break a career. Theron explains how certain ideas arrive at the perfect cultural moment, and why even the best-written songs can fail without the right release strategy.

If you’re a songwriter, producer, artist, manager, or music executive, this clip is a masterclass in hitmaking, artist development, music business strategy, and creative leadership, straight from one of the greatest pens of our era.

Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

Listen to the full episode here -

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ep3gakdSoW33fD99LShrd?si=OUWDoPF-R0-bFJ3jE1dYkQ

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

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Theron Thomas opens up about the part of the music industry that rarely makes headlines: the grind, the pressure, and the personal history that shapes real artists and leaders.

Theron talks about growing up in poverty, navigating adversity, and how the responsibility of providing for family became the foundation of his success in the world of songwriting, artist development, and the music business. He shares how staying grounded, staying coachable, and staying focused kept him from slipping into the negativity that comes with both online criticism and industry politics.

This conversation touches on everything from the emotional weight of family, to surviving the early stages of a music career, to understanding authenticity, identity, and leadership in creative spaces. Theron also reflects on how life in Atlanta vs. Los Angeles shaped his growth, not just as a hit songwriter, but as a human being.

At its core, this episode is about resilience, responsibility, and the mindset required to build a long-term career in a business that is anything but predictable. It’s a reminder, especially for artists, managers, producers and creatives, that:

Winners don’t hate.
They stay accountable.
They keep building.

If you work in music or are building a creative career from the ground up, this is one you’ll feel in your chest.

Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

Listen to the full episode here -

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ep3gakdSoW33fD99LShrd?si=OUWDoPF-R0-bFJ3jE1dYkQ

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

In this episode clip, Grammy-winning songwriter Theron Thomas dives into one of the biggest truths in today’s music industry: the entire business is built on the backs of songwriters, yet they’re still the last ones to get paid.

Theron breaks down the real economics behind the hits that turned artists like Rihanna, Jay-Z, and Kanye West into global moguls, and why the people who wrote those records are still fighting for fair publishing, royalties, and ownership.

We get into the science of hit songwriting, the math and structure behind songs that travel, and the mindset required to create consistently at a high level. Theron also speaks on the fear of success he sees in so many new artists, and why some creatives get uncomfortable when their work actually starts to break.

Ruiz and Theron discuss the imbalance between master points and publishing, the ethics of artist–songwriter relationships, and why the industry has conditioned creators to accept less than they deserve. This is an honest look at the challenges songwriters face, from exploitation to lack of leverage, and why systemic change is long overdue.

If you’re an artist, songwriter, manager, producer, or music executive, this is essential listening, a candid breakdown of the industry from one of the most important pens of our era.

Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

Listen to the full episode here -

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ep3gakdSoW33fD99LShrd?si=OUWDoPF-R0-bFJ3jE1dYkQ

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

Most people talk about hit songs.
Theron Thomas writes the ones that define entire eras.

In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, I sit down with one of the most influential songwriters in modern music, Theron Thomas, the 2nd recipient ever to win GRAMMY Songwriter of the Year and the pen behind hits for Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, Lizzo, Usher, Nicki Minaj, Justin Timberlake, and so many more.

This isn’t a highlight reel.
This is the part of the music industry the public rarely hears: the truth from the person who actually writes the songs the whole business is built on.

Theron breaks down the real economics of songwriting, how hit records follow patterns, why so-called “bad music” still wins, how marketing shapes culture, and why topliners remain the most undervalued creators in the entire system.

We explore the realities of publishing, royalties, producer vs. songwriter splits, the myth of “genre limitations,” the role of artist development, and the emotional and cultural weight that comes with writing for the world’s biggest artists.

This conversation is a masterclass in:

• how to think about hitmaking
• how to build a sustainable career in music
• how to stay grounded as a creative
• and why artists, managers, and executives must rethink how they treat the people who create the product everyone profits from

If you’re an artist, songwriter, producer, A&R, manager, or anyone building a real career in music, this episode offers clarity, strategy, and perspective you won’t hear anywhere else.

Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

Watch the full episode on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

New episodes drop Tuesdays @ 10am ET