The Manager's Playbook

Most artists don’t have a content problem. They have a fan-building problem.
In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits back down with Nick Ruffalo, SVP of Audience Engagement at Big Loud, to break down the biggest mistake artists and teams are making in modern music marketing.
Nick dives into fan pages, ManyChat automation, Instagram group chats, Spotify for Artists data, retargeting ads, content testing, audience strategy, and why views alone don’t equal real fans.
This conversation is a practical playbook for artists, managers, marketers, and music executives trying to understand how to build demand, capture attention, and turn casual listeners into a real fanbase.
Whether you’re developing an artist, planning a release, building a content strategy, or trying to understand what actually moves the needle in today’s music business, this episode is packed with insights you can apply immediately.
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/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Want the full conversation? TMP Patreon members get early episodes, exclusive clips, and two live Q&As with guests every month. Join at ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheManagersPlaybook⁠

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, Asa Asika, longtime manager of Davido and co-founder of The Plug, talks about protecting the art before chasing the business.
Asa breaks down why music has to stay rooted in creativity, instinct, and purpose, even as the industry shifts toward independence, platform-driven discovery, and new ways of building global careers.
He also shares key moments from Davido’s journey, including taking risks with early DJ support, launching the “Who Is Davido?” documentary, and turning a birthday post into a major brand partnership.
A sharp conversation on creativity, independence, artist strategy, brand building, and using star power for something bigger than music.
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/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Want the full conversation? TMP Patreon members get early episodes, exclusive clips, and two live Q&As with guests every month. Join at ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheManagersPlaybook⁠ 

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, Asa Asika, longtime manager of Davido and co-founder of The Plug, breaks down how brand deals, DJs, promoters, and local culture all connect when you’re building a global artist.
Asa talks through Davido’s partnerships with brands like Martell, Puma, PlayStation, and major African phone companies, while explaining why artists have to be careful not to turn their platforms into nonstop ads.
He also gets into the shift in Lagos nightlife, why the industry needs to stop calling every African sound “Afrobeats,” and how trusted DJs, street teams, and local promoters help move records and sell tickets around the world.
A real look at brand strategy, touring, Afrobeats, Nigerian music, and how culture actually travels.
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/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Want the full conversation? TMP Patreon members get early episodes, exclusive clips, and two live Q&As with guests every month. Join at ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheManagersPlaybook⁠ 

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, Asa Asika, longtime manager of Davido and co-founder of The Plug, breaks down how Davido’s team built a real touring model across Nigeria and Africa.
Asa explains why artists need to build and protect their fanbase at home, how Davido’s Nigeria tour came together, and what it takes to make African touring work at scale from promoters and sponsors to airline partners, routing, ticketing, and infrastructure.
He also gets into why stronger live music systems across Africa are essential for the future of Afrobeats, and why global success means more when the foundation at home is strong.
A sharp look at touring, artist management, African music infrastructure, and the business behind Davido’s global movement.
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/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Want the full conversation? TMP Patreon members get early episodes, exclusive clips, and two live Q&As with guests every month. Join at ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheManagersPlaybook⁠ 

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

In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with Asa Asika, longtime manager of Davido and co-founder of The Plug, for a deep conversation on the power of Nigerian music, the global rise of Afrobeats, and what it really takes to build infrastructure around culture.
Asa breaks down how Davido became one of Africa’s biggest global stars, why Western labels often misunderstand Afrobeats, and why data alone can’t measure cultural impact. He also shares what it takes to tour across Africa, build trusted local partnerships, work with DJs and promoters, and create long-term business opportunities without losing the foundation that made the movement powerful in the first place.
The conversation also explores The Plug’s growing ecosystem across management, events, distribution, publishing, sports, and brand partnerships, along with lessons on leadership, friendship, burnout, artist development, and the next chapter of Davido’s career.
For artists, managers, executives, and anyone paying attention to the future of African music, this episode is a masterclass in global strategy, local culture, and building power the right way.
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/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Want the full conversation? TMP Patreon members get early episodes, exclusive clips, and two live Q&As with guests every month. Join at https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheManagersPlaybook 

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