Inside the Playbook: Nael Atweh and Alyce Hayek on What Great Artist Managers Actually Do

Inside the Playbook: Nael Atweh and Alyce Hayek on What Great Artist Managers Actually Do

What separates great artist managers from everyone else? In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Nael Atweh and Alyce Hayek of Grass Fed Music talk about managing artists with care, honesty, trust, and real business execution. Nael shares lessons from Sal & Co, Mike Caren, and Scooter Braun, why the song has to come first, and how Grass Fed helped build DJ Habibeats by bringing Middle Eastern music into club culture in a fresh way. They also get into working together as partners in life and business, balancing creative vision with operational structure, and what real management actually requires behind the scenes. This episode is for artists, managers, aspiring music executives, and anyone trying to understand the music business from the inside. Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap. Listen to the full episode here - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4mqdVGC0ip18qh5ZlaOVKf?si=6sl7kZnsS3eQcnhNrIbiNA Watch the Episodes On Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook [https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook]

Inside the Playbook: Nael Atweh and Alyce Hayek on Marriage and Music Business

Nael Atweh and Alyce Hayek of Grass Fed Music join The Manager’s Playbook to talk about building a music management company together as husband and wife. They share how they met, how their relationship turned into a business partnership during COVID, and how Grass Fed developed its artist services model for independent artists. Nael and Alyce get into artist development, content strategy, rollout planning, business structure, team building, and why great management needs both creative instinct and operational discipline. This episode is for artists, artist managers, aspiring music executives, and anyone trying to understand what it really takes to build artists behind the scenes. Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap. Check out Influur Pulse: https://www.influur.com/book-a-demo Listen to the full episode here - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4mqdVGC0ip18qh5ZlaOVKf?si=6sl7kZnsS3eQcnhNrIbiNA Watch the Episodes On Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook [https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook]

The Manager’s Playbook 073: Nael Atweh & Alyce Hayek - Grass Fed Music, Artist Management, Artist Development, Independent Artists & Music Business

Artist management is not just about deals, rollouts, and relationships. It’s service. In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with Nael Atweh and Alyce Hayek of Grass Fed Music for a real conversation about what it takes to build artists behind the scenes. Nael and Alyce talk about running a music management company as a married couple, developing independent artists, building trust with clients, and balancing creative instinct with business structure. They also get into the story behind Grass Fed Music, working with DJ Habibeats, the rise of Middle Eastern club sounds, lessons from Nasri Atweh, MAGIC!’s “Rude,” Justin Bieber cuts, Myspace-era hustle, mentorship, and why the song still has to come first. This episode is for artists, managers, aspiring music executives, independent artists, and anyone trying to understand what real artist management actually looks like. Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap. If you’re earning publishing income, make sure you’re collecting all of it.KOSIGN, powered by Kobalt, offers direct global publishing collections and real-time royalty transparency in a flexible, artist-friendly format. It’s highly selective, but free to apply here: https://form.typeform.com/to/JNELnGw9?utm_source=xxxxx&typeform-source=bit.ly#fbclid=xxxxx&gclid=xxxxx Want your music everywhere, properly? DistroKid is a straightforward way for independent artists to distribute globally and keep momentum moving. https://distrokid.com/ Book a 1:1 Strategy Session with Mauricio Ruiz, host of The Manager's Playbook, with over 16 years of experience for tailored advice for artists and managers. Consultation Fees Apply https://calendly.com/themanagersplaybook Watch the full episode on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook] New episodes drop Sundays @ 10am ET

Inside the Playbook: Omar Grant on The Real Reason Your Songs Aren't Getting Heard

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Omar Grant breaks down the mistake too many artists make with their music: releasing without enough quality control, strategy, or honest feedback. Omar explains why great songs still need the right artist, the right plan, and the right timing. He also gets into the pressure independent artists feel to release constantly, why the market can be a useful teacher, and when blaming the marketing is really just avoiding the harder question: was the song strong enough? A sharp conversation for independent artists, managers, A&Rs, songwriters, producers, and aspiring music executives trying to build better records and smarter release strategies. Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap. Want your music everywhere, properly? DistroKid is a straightforward way for independent artists to distribute globally and keep momentum moving. https://distrokid.com/ Listen to the full episode here - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6V9sf8DiDrf8EmOspp48OH?si=7iM5Mi76QAKBwVyzQc8zeQ Watch the Episodes On Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook [https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook]

Inside the Playbook: Omar Grant on His Rise to Roc Nation Co-President

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Omar Grant breaks down the strategy behind building a real career in the music business. Omar reflects on his rise from Bronx DJ and Columbia Records intern to Rihanna’s A&R and co-president of Roc Nation, sharing the lessons that shaped his path: patience, artist development, trust, relationships, and doing the work most people never see. He also explains what made Roc Nation different, why authentic marketing has to start with understanding the artist, and why copying another artist’s rollout is rarely a real strategy. A sharp conversation for aspiring music executives, artist managers, A&Rs, marketers, independent artists, and anyone trying to understand how long-term careers are actually built. Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap. Want your music everywhere, properly? DistroKid is a straightforward way for independent artists to distribute globally and keep momentum moving. https://distrokid.com/ Listen to the full episode here - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6V9sf8DiDrf8EmOspp48OH?si=7iM5Mi76QAKBwVyzQc8zeQ Watch the Episodes On Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook [https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook]