Kazz Laidlaw and more Discuss the Work Behind Managing Artists at More In Music Conference
The music industry is unpredictable and finding your exact place in it rarely goes as planned. At the recent More In Music conference a panel of seasoned executives gathered to break down the gritty reality of artist management. Moderator Crystal guided an honest conversation featuring Sammy Seaver from Mutual Friends alongside Michael Bingham of Culture Wave and Kazz Laidlaw from EQT. These industry veterans stripped away the fake glamour to reveal a world built strictly on relentless problem solving and constant communication. They made it clear that guiding a creative visionary to the top requires immense daily patience.
Finding your way into an executive role usually happens completely by accident while simply trying to help your friends succeed. Crystal tripped into her position by utilizing her live event connections from Goldenvoice to book local shows for her peers. Michael echoed this sentiment by explaining how he learned the ropes while booking independent tours for his own punk bands.
He absorbed the skills of an agent and a manager purely out of necessity because his group desperately needed the logistical support. Taking on those responsibilities organically turned his fake email company into a legitimate operation that major agencies eventually wanted to absorb.
Even those who take a slightly more traditional route quickly learn that the daily grind remains absolutely chaotic. Sammy started as an assistant at a larger company before working his way up to signing his own roster of artists. He noted that modern managers essentially act as a giant safety net trying to plug endless holes in a sinking boat. Executives wake up early to a flooded inbox and immediately spend their entire day putting out random fires across different time zones. Despite the intense pressure the panelists all agreed that helping a creator achieve their wildest dreams makes the chaos worthwhile.
Grassroots Foundation
Rising artists always think they need a manager immediately but the panel advised creatives to hold off as long as possible. Sammy warned against rushing to build a massive team the second a song catches a little bit of viral heat. He believes that independent musicians need to grind entirely on their own to truly understand the fundamental mechanics of the music business. Knowing how the industry operates internally gives an artist immense power and leverage before they ever sit down at a negotiating table. A young manager or a dedicated friend is usually the only collaborator a rising star actually needs during their initial developmental phase.
Proving that you have a real physical audience is the absolute best way to attract executive talent to your movement. Michael kept it direct when he stated that artists must figure out how to sell out a hundred capacity room by themselves. He explained that a manager is really just a scaling tool meant to amplify a vision that already has undeniable traction. Once an artist masters the marketing required to pack a tiny local venue a professional team can step in to multiply that exact same energy. Showing up with a proven fan base tells potential representatives that you have the true work ethic necessary to survive the journey.
Choosing where to build that initial fan base is another critical decision that heavily dictates the trajectory of an independent career. Kazz spoke on the necessity of developing regional infrastructure rather than chasing major city clout. He actively chose to keep his operations deeply rooted in the Washington DC area while building out rosters that included major rap names like GoldLink Wale and Smino. By staying home they fostered a genuine creative community that provided a solid foundation of local support before they ever expanded nationally. Developing decades of regional hits and local studio talent completely changes the cultural ecosystem of an overlooked city.
Surviving The Trenches
Securing a spot in the industry is hard but surviving the endless cycle of failure requires an entirely different level of mental toughness. Michael stated that the most important quality a manager can possess is the ability to get dunked on constantly. Executives routinely watch massive deals fall apart and they regularly lose huge sums of projected income without any warning. The truly successful players simply absorb those heavy punches and show up to work the very next morning ready to execute. Treating the music game like an absolute marathon instead of a rapid sprint is the only real way to maintain your sanity.
The modern promotional landscape also shifts so violently that managers can never comfortably rely on their previous marketing victories. Sammy pointed out that promotional strategies that worked perfectly two years ago are completely useless in the current digital climate. Instead of relying on random algorithms pushing content true success requires human curated strategies that adapt to how fans actually consume media.
The panel entirely agreed that nobody in this business actually knows everything because the rules of engagement are rewritten practically every week. Staying open to new tactics and keeping your ear to the streets is the only way to keep a campaign alive.
Trying to balance this relentless professional hustle with an actual personal life is basically an impossible task for most industry insiders. Crystal dismissed the concept of a balanced lifestyle and argued that executives merely get better at setting strict boundaries over time. Taking intentional moments to hit the gym or completely disconnect from the music world helps maintain a sense of internal peace. Finding those quiet pockets of rest is essential to keep the creative engine running without completely burning out. The panel admitted that they often lean heavily into grueling promotional sprints before allowing themselves a chance to finally breathe.
Despite all the brutal setbacks and the complete lack of sleep the ultimate payoff moments make every sacrifice entirely worthwhile. For Sammy the validation comes from standing in a packed venue watching Tiffany Day command a completely sold out world tour. Michael finds his absolute joy in seeing his rock artists hit the stage wearing the exact Stone Island gear they always dreamed about. Kazz noted that the real reward is feeling the impact on the community like when a fan dedicated their tour attendance to a friend who had passed away. These legendary cultural moments prove that dedicated teamwork can transform a wild independent vision into an undeniable physical reality.
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