Inside the Playbook: J Erving III on The Skill Every Music Manager Needs

In this Manager’s Playbook clip, J. Erving unpacks a “superpower” that’s quietly responsible for most long careers in the music business: surrounding yourself with the right people, reading the room, and staying calm under pressure.

He connects it to boxing, where the real skill isn’t just throwing punches, it’s staying composed enough to see what’s happening, position yourself, and set up the next move. He shares a story about getting caught in the final seconds of sparring after letting his guard down, and how that lesson translates directly to leadership: you don’t coast because you think you’ve already won, you finish the round.

From there, we talk about the music industry’s “what have you done for me lately?” reality, especially after closing a management chapter with Troy Carter. J explains why music managers are entrepreneurs, no one is coming to hand you the next opportunity. You have to build it, create it, and keep moving.

He also speaks on staying connected to younger leaders through real, non-transactional relationships, and why rebuilding Human Re Sources required becoming a student again, learning from the independent era, the community, and the people closest to where culture is shifting next.

If you’re an independent artist, music manager, A&R, or aspiring music executive, this clip is a sharp reminder: composure, positioning, and team-building are career skills, not personality traits.

Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

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Listen to the full episode here -

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0PE3sW1MLfGpxE7cb3iMeK?si=eo75Qd0AQbSANSXHzE2uDw

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