Here is the rest of the article by Jennifer Yeko……Read on!

12. An artist that listens to me. I have to manage an artist that will listen to me. Take my advice and constructive criticism to heart. That’s not to say we’ll agree 100% of the time, but ideally we’ll be on the same page 99% of the time! Because, 99% of the time, I’m right!

13. An artist that isn’t naive/too trusting. There are so many sharks in the music business. In fact, I was once complaining to a friend over someone that was shady and he said, “Are they in the music/entertainment business?” and I replied, “Why yes,” and he said, “yeah, pretty much everyone in that business is shady. Watch out.” And while there are gems out there, sadly, it’s probably a very small percent (5-20%) of people in the entertainment business that are entirely trustworthy, and will have your best interests at heart. I need to work with an artist who is smart enough to walk away from anyone that pressures them into a deal, lies, cheats, and steals, or just generally overpromises. So often I hear of an artist that signed with a manager or company and said, “I don’t know about him, but I signed anyway.” Wow, what a bad idea! Follow your intuition. If it feels shady or strange, it probably is! Do your research!!! It may be as simple as asking everyone you know and doing some research on Google - and you’d be amazed how well known shady people are! People’s reputations usually precede them. Paula Deen recently appeared on TV and talked about how you should be very, very careful about anyone that approaches you in business. She said, “They will suck you dry and steal all that you’ve worked for”. A lot of people come out of the woodwork when you start making money in any way. Smart artists realize this and look out for these sharks instead of getting into business with them. And sadly, many of these people may work in “the business” for studios, labels or big, powerful, successful companies. Don’t be impressed by someone’s resume. Go with your gut instinct ALWAYS!

14. An artist willing to do whatever it takes. Again, not at the expense of their friends, family or people they do business with (like me), but an artist that is willing to do whatever it takes, whether it be playing shows with less than stellar turnouts or writing a thousand songs. The artist must be open minded, willing to try new things, and willing to fail. Because only by doing these things can one become truly successful.

15. An artist with good morals/values. Again, we all want to get ahead, but I refuse to compromise and screw over someone for the sake of making a bit more money for myself. Sure, it’s easy to make money the sleazy way, but if it takes me (and my artist/band) a bit longer to get to the top by being honest, then so be it. I want an artist on the same page as me. I don’t believe you have to screw anyone over to ‘make it’. And anyone that tells you that you need to cheat someone to get ahead is someone you should run, run, run away from! “Sometimes you need to cheat to get ahead?” Nope, I don’t think so! Only cheaters and sharks say that! Personally, I’m not impressed if someone in the business has a lot of money or appears very successful. Many people throw values and morals out the window just to get money. So don’t trust someone just because they have (or appear to have) a lot of money. How did they get it? The ethical way? Or the shady way?

16. An artist that wants me to succeed just as much as they want to succeed. At the end of the day, the more successful I am as a manager, the more successful my artists will be. I want an artist who wants to see me get paid just as much as they want to get paid for their hard work. I want an artist who will gladly pay me my commission/fee rather than be dishonest so they keep a bit more the money for themself. I want my artist to be happy when I’m written up in magazines and promoted as the more press I get as a manager, the better it is for them!

17. A unique voice/sound. Turn on your radio. I’m serious. Do it right now. I bet you can name the singer or band within a few notes, right? Most every successful artist has a very distinctive voice when you hear them on the radio. So should you.

18. An artist that treats their family and friends with honesty and respect. I often look at an artist’s relationship with their family, friends and significant other as an indicator as to what type of person they are. i.e. if they truly love, respect and are faithful to their significant other, chances are they will be like that with other people in their life, including (hopefullly) their business partners such as myself. But if they disrespect those around them, that’s a warning sign for me to stay away. If I like the artist as a person, chances are, this is someone I’d want to manage.

19. An artist with a positive attitude. You have to stay positive if you want to succeed. I meet a lot of jaded and bitter artists. It’s sad as I see these artists wasting all their time making excuses and complaining, instead of just getting out there and working hard!

20. An artist that can take criticism. It takes a special type of artist that can take (and even seek out) constructive criticism. But criticism will just make you better - a better songwriter, a better performer. If an artist is too insecure or doesn’t want to hear criticism, they are often doomed from the start. Every person has room for improvement. How good a writer would you be if your English teacher had never corrected and marked up paper you wrote? You have to take and seek out criticism to grow and become a better artist.

21. An artist who is open minded. About new opportunities. In general, successful people are open minded. You have to be willing to try something new. Thinking “out of the box” may be what breaks your career wide open.

22. An artist who is naturally lucky/has good timing. At the end of the day, no matter how hard you work (creating your own luck), random luck like just being in the right place at the right time really helps. If you’re a lucky person in general, chances are that you will also be lucky in your music career.

As a footnote, I might add that all the above are almost all requirements. I’d add to my “wish list” an artist that is young, attractive, and already making money from their music career. In my experience, the younger the artist is, the easier they tend to be to work with (and the more they listen to me). Looks aren’t everything but it sure helps, for example, if the artist is good looking as it helps to sell CDs when you put a cute picture of a girl or guy on there (come on, admit that you’ve noticed CDs by artists you think are attractive). Solo artists are easier to work with than bands as there are less people there to manage, but I choose artists based on the music, not “are they solo vs. a 5 piece band”?

Ironically, these days, I would either take a young, attractive artist or someone that is older, more mature and more saavy about the business. An artist like this will approach their music career seriously - as a real business. And are more saavy in general.

When you manage someone, you’re really starting a business with that artist. So whether we’re running this music career or opening a taco shop, the entrepreneurial spirit and skill set needs to be there. Because you’ve picked the most competitive business of all to start up - your music career!

And lastly, it’s fifty times more work to take an artist who has made almost no money to one that is making a lot of money than to manage someone who already has the ball rolling and is pulling in income.

Well, that’s about all I can think of for now. But I’m sure I’ll have a few more criteria to add by the time you read this!

And if you think that’s a long list, well, now you might begin to understand why so few artists make it to the top - and stay there!

I hope this email gives you some ideas and challenges you to grow!

Also, please read on below to find comments from artists about management and my last email, and a good question!

Jennifer Yeko
True Talent Management
9663 Santa Monica Blvd. # 320
Beverly Hills, CA 90210

http://www.truetalentmgmt.com

“Motivation and determination are 1000 times more potent than talent alone”
-Some guy online
“Be nice to everyone. You never know if the intern will be the next president of your record company.”
-Michael Buble
QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
“People have to learn they have to juggle everything until they get lucky. They need to work a steady job, make a living and make time for the band. They need to take all the money they make from the band and throw it back into the band”
–David Draiman, Vocalist for Disturbed, interviewed in Music Connection

******

It’s amazing how many artists have no understanding of the business. I
want to thank you again for your constant advice that shows you care and
are a no nonsense person/manager. That’s professional and that’s
important and that’s why you are in the position you are. Take care.
-Tey

{Editor’s Note: Thanks Tey. I really appreciate your note and all the supportive, kind, sweet emails
others have sent me regarding this last email piece I wrote.}

*****
Question:

Hi Jennifer,

First let me say thanks for all the info ..I’ve really benefited from it.

However I do have a question.

When do you consider it a good time to solicit a manager?

Right now I sell a good number of CDs on cdbaby…and I do good on snocap & itunes as well…

I have performed out of state with some national acts…i.e. Marion Meadows, Bob Baldwin & Alex Bugnon in addition I’m on my way to the Pacific to do a USO tour for the military.

Is this enough to attract the attention of a manager?

Thanks,

Shelby

Answer:

Hmm, not sure that you read my last email.

Are managers approaching you?

Are you making any money with your music?

How many CDs have you sold?

You must have something really going on for a reputable manager to want to get involved.

When you say you’ve sold a “good amount” of CDs on CD Baby, what is that? 100? 1,000? Or 10,000?

Based on the little information you’ve told me it doesn’t sound like you’re ready.

*****
And this response came from a manager friend of mine:

Once again - I have to chime in…

There is SO much information and “how to” books available both in bookstores and on internet sites that explain this very thing (and they are all pretty much in agreement with each other) that it just flabbergasts me when people still do this.

Once again - if you get your project to a certain level on your own, you won’t HAVE to call managers or record labels: they will be calling you. The fact that someone even contacts me these days (unless it’s a straight referral - and the person referring someone to me usually calls me to set the contact up so I am prepared for the call) tells me right off the bat they are fairly clueless to how the industry works in general - especially these days.

Sounds to me like you got the typical - hey, do everything for me and make me famous fantasy type “artist” calling you, instead of the DIY result-oriented artist with a story to tell - as in, we are selling out shows like crazy, our merch is doing great, and we are on the radio and in several record stores, etc. You know - like the competition?!?

{Editor’s Note: Good point. However, I have managed 2 artists that sent me unsolicited CDs through the mail. So yeah, it doesn’t usually work that way but in their cases, it did. So never say never! And the one band I approached to manage was the laziest one of them all as they weren’t out there hustling; they were sitting around waiting for something “big” to happen.

I like artists that call or contact me because it shows they aren’t sitting at home, waiting to be discovered. They are picking up the phone, calling me. Or sending out blind CD submissions. And true, these things usually don’t work, but if you don’t try, you’ll never know, right? For 99% of artists, cold calling a management company will not get them signed. But for a few of you out there, it just might.

On the flip side, playing devil’s advocate, I know artists who are doing the DIY thing and are getting approached by shady managers that have no experience yet promise them the moon and stars. So while I agree with what the person said above, i.e. “if you build it, they will come” where “they” is a manager, record label, etc., I also believe in hustling and getting out there and doing everything you can to make your career happen.}

*****
Jennifer Yeko
True Talent Management
9663 Santa Monica Blvd. # 320
Beverly Hills, CA 90210

http://www.truetalentmgmt.com

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