The Manager's Playbook

In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Joe Wiseman, Head of Insomniac Music Group, joins Mauricio Ruiz to break down how dance artists really build long-term careers.
Joe pulls back the curtain on the Insomniac ecosystem; from EDC and live bookings to 20+ label imprints, DJ support, Beatport momentum, radio, editorial, and global campaigns. He explains why dance music is not one audience, why artist identity matters, and how DJs can build real demand beyond streaming numbers.
We also get into non-exclusive licensing deals, how Insomniac develops artists through live strategy, the difference between TikTok hype and real club credibility, what makes a great A&R, and where dance music is heading next.
For artists, managers, DJs, and anyone trying to understand the business behind dance music, this one is full of real playbook lessons.
A conversation like this doesn’t come cheap.

Book a 1-on-1 meeting with the guests you’ve been watching. See who's available on The Manager's Marketplace: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://themanagersplaybook.com/home⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Want your music everywhere, properly? DistroKid is a straightforward way for independent artists to distribute globally and keep momentum moving. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://distrokid.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch the full episode on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
New episodes drop Sundays @ 10am ET

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, David Dollimore breaks down how major label priority really works.
David and Mauricio get into what happens after a viral song starts moving, why internal champions matter inside a label, and how artists can turn one moment into a real career. They also talk release strategy, features, remixes, distribution deals, marketing support, ticket sales, and the patience required to build an artist beyond the hype.
A practical conversation for independent artists, managers, A&Rs, and music executives trying to understand major label politics, artist development, and long-term career building.
Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

Book a 1-on-1 meeting with the guests you’ve been watching. See who's available on The Manager's Marketplace: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://themanagersplaybook.com/home⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, David Dollimore breaks down what it really takes to build a modern independent label.
From funding and A&R to marketing, distribution, legal costs, partnerships, and staffing, David explains why building a label properly requires more than just taste. He also gets into Disorder Records, the partnership with The Warehouse Project, signing new talent like Lex Armani, and using real data signals from TikTok, Reels, SoundCloud, YouTube, and streaming to find and amplify breakout records.
A practical conversation for independent artists, managers, A&Rs, and music executives trying to understand how labels are built today.
Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

Book a 1-on-1 meeting with the guests you’ve been watching. See who's available on The Manager's Marketplace: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://themanagersplaybook.com/home⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, David Dollimore reflects on the intense culture that shaped his early years at Ministry of Sound.
He breaks down what it meant to deliver under pressure, how trust and loyalty led to equity, and why Ministry had to evolve beyond dance music. David also shares stories about signing London Grammar, hearing Jessie Reyez’s “Figures” for the first time, and why getting on a plane early can make all the difference.
A sharp conversation on A&R, artist development, talent discovery, label culture, and the instincts it takes to spot something before the rest of the music business catches up.
Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

Book a 1-on-1 meeting with the guests you’ve been watching. See who's available on The Manager's Marketplace: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://themanagersplaybook.com/home⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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

In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with veteran music executive David Dollimore for a real conversation about the hidden work behind building successful artists.
David shares his journey from starting as an intern at Ministry of Sound, becoming an equity holder, helping sell the company to Sony Music, running RCA UK, and later co-founding Disorder Music Group.
Together, Mauricio and David break down what artists, managers, A&Rs, and music executives need to understand about artist development, major label politics, signing talent, funding, streaming data, marketing, and the long game of building a career.
This episode is for independent artists, aspiring artist managers, music executives, and anyone trying to understand how the music business really works behind the scenes.
A conversation like this doesn’t come cheap.

Book a 1-on-1 meeting with the guests you’ve been watching. See who's available on The Manager's Marketplace: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://themanagersplaybook.com/home⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Want your music everywhere, properly? DistroKid is a straightforward way for independent artists to distribute globally and keep momentum moving. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://distrokid.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch the full episode on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
New episodes drop Sundays @ 10am ET