Many artists working in the music industry ask the question; “how do I know, when it is time to get a band manager?” In order to answer this question, you have to look at several important factors. Until this point, you have been taking care of business yourself. You have been busy writing music, booking shows, performing, and trying to advertise your talents to others by using a variety of methods. You have always enjoyed this type of work, but maybe you are starting to feel the pressure a bit, and all these extra chores have become mundane. When this occurs, it may be time to find a band manager for you and your band members.

A band manager can help you get organized and take some of the load off your back, when it comes to booking shows and finding the right sponsor people. However, in order to get a manager for you band, you have to have enough money to pay one. A band manager will take a percentage of your income for the work he or she does, and this can be a costly expense in the beginning. Hooking up with a band manager early on may not be feasible. It might be better to start off with a helping hand from a friend or family member. Many individuals have had a close friend or a relative assist them in the beginning until the band was able to get on their feet and hire a band manager.

Another indication of it being time to get a band manager is when you feel like your music has become your life. In other words, once you are completely confident in your ability to produce quality music and have made the decision to devote your life to it, then it is probably a good time to start looking. Your confidence has helped you out to this point, and you are beginning to see your music take off in the right direction. A few doors have begun to open, and you are starting to see that your music really stands out from the crowd. This augments your existing confidence and allows you to expand on your options throughout the music industry, including hiring a band manager.

Finally, you have to be willing to sacrifice a bit, when you hire a band manager. You are turning over a great deal of responsibility to this individual, and unless you are ready to do this, then there is no need to start looking for a band manager. A band manager promotes your artwork and tries to sell it to others. Many artists cannot work both sides of the fence, so they usually try to hire someone to help take them to the next level. Be cautious here. Hiring a band manager is one thing, but you don’t want to bring someone on, who is going to be a control freak! Remember, you hired the manager and technically you still have primary control over everything. The band manager is working for you; so don’t let chain of command work in reverse. It’s o.k. to sacrifice a bit, when you bring on a band manager, but don’t ever sacrifice without say. If something is on your mind bring it up, otherwise you are handing over power to the band manager, who might use it to become a domineering force in your universe.

 Updated: October 1, 2007

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