Every serious artist needs three people before the money gets real. A manager, a lawyer, and a publicist. They do completely different jobs, and hiring one to do another’s job is how artists get played. The manager runs your business day to day. The lawyer protects you on paper. The publicist controls your story in the press. Know the lanes or the lanes will run you.
The manager is your business partner and your filter. They take the calls you should not take, negotiate the deals you should not negotiate yourself, and keep your calendar pointed at money and growth. A good manager earns their percentage by making you more than you could make alone. They do not make you famous. They make your fame organized and profitable.
The lawyer is the only person in the room whose job is to say no to protect you. Never sign anything, from a single to a distribution deal, without an entertainment lawyer reading it first. Not your cousin, not a general lawyer, an entertainment lawyer who does music deals every week. One bad signature can cost you your masters, your publishing, and years of your life.
The publicist shapes how the world talks about you. They pitch your story to press, book your interviews, and manage the narrative when things go sideways. You hire a publicist when you have a story worth telling and a release worth covering. Until then, your social media is your publicist. Build the three roles in the right order, pay them fairly, and your career has a foundation that can hold weight.
Start lean and add roles as the career demands them. Many independent artists begin with just a lawyer for contracts and add a manager when the workload justifies it. Hire for the problems you actually have, not the ones you hope to have.
About the Author – Ruben Burgos: Ruben Burgos brings over 25 years of music expertise and more than 15 years of model guidance to the table. He is the indie major pinnacle to retaining credits for musicians and helping them navigate this wicked industry without the fuckery.