The Manager's Playbook The Manager’s Playbook 048: Azad Naficy - Artist Development, Major Label Deals, Merch Strategy, Touring Realities & Building Sustainable Music Careers
Azad Naficy has lived every corner of the music business - artist, manager, A&R, label co-founder, and the architect behind Peace of Mind Studio and Avant Garden Records. In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Azad breaks down what most artists, managers, and entrepreneurs wish they learned years earlier: how the modern music industry actually works.
From artist development and music marketing to major label deals, streaming strategy, touring economics, brand building, merchandising, A&R, and catalog development, Azad shares the frameworks that helped him build sustainable careers and long-term creative infrastructure.
We unpack how he went from burnout to building a multi-million-dollar creative ecosystem, why not every artist should be independent, what makes great artist management, how to structure real partnerships, and the mindset required to build a career that lasts longer than a viral moment.
If you’re an independent artist, music manager, A&R, label operator, or someone serious about building a real music career, this is a masterclass in strategy, clarity, and long-term vision.
In this episode we dive into:
• Artist development and building real infrastructure
• What makes a major label deal actually worth it
• Ownership, equity, and the business behind the music
• Why merch and branding must be authentic
• The truth about touring and why it’s not always profitable
• Playlist strategy, editorial pitching, and streaming growth
• Managing burnout while scaling creative output
• Building Peace of Mind Studio and redefining jazz, ambient & neoclassical markets
• Financial literacy, recoupment, and long-term artist success
• The future of independent labels and creative ecosystems
Azad doesn’t talk theory. He talks execution. And this conversation is loaded with the kind of insights that reshape careers.
Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.
Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook
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