The Golden Rules

On episode 7 of The Golden Rules, Partner of Hard 8 Working Group Management, Dirk Hemsath talks about entrepreneurship, risk, reward, leadership and his golden rules for life and business.
- How he got into the music business
- The risk he took to scale his businesses
- His golden rules for success in life and business
- Figuring it out
#QOTD "Empower Your team"
#Knowledge
- Roll over barriers
- Stay fascinated with your business
- The details matter
- Stay hungry for knowledge
- Be patient
- Be an optimist
For those not in the music industry, an artist manager, also known as a "band manager", is in charge of the business side of being in a band. Often, band members are great at the creative side of things but aren't so great at promoting themselves, booking their own gigs, or negotiating deals. In a very general sense, the task of a manager is to take care of the day to day running of the band's career and business so the band or artist can focus on the creative side of things
Dirk is a 30-year music industry veteran and serial entrepreneur that started his first record label at the age of 17. Over his incredible career, he's gained experience in distribution, media, merchandise, A&R, record labels and now artist management.
As a young record label founder, Dirk found himself acting as the CEO (Chief Everything Officer) at the beginning overseeing all artist recruitment, design, distribution, sales, and operations.
The year was 1988 when Dirk founded Dog House Records and over the past 30 years, the label has built a catalog of over 150 releases while also discovering and developing artists that have sold millions of albums and songs. All in all artists under the Doghouse name have sold almost 6 million albums and more than 15 million songs worldwide. The largest is the artist with Billboard’s biggest song of 2009, the All-American Rejects. Other artists like Get Up Kids and Say Anything have also sold hundreds of thousands of albums and songs.
While serving as CEO of his record label Dirk also purchased a music distribution company, Lumberjack, out of the Carolinas. He had no previous experience running a distribution company but through dedication, sheer will to succeed, and a willingness to figure it out he was able to scale the company from a business doing $300,000 annually to over $7,000,000. He literally drove a 27-foot truck from his Ohio home and packed every aspect of the business by himself into the moving truck and got started.
Lumberjack went on to absorb a competitor in the space morphing into Lumberjack Mordam Music Group in 2005 becoming one of the most successful punk rock distribution companies to ever exist.
After shuttering the company Dirk went on to consult at The Warner Music Group in New York City in the areas of A&R for 5 years working alongside longtime music industry executive, Lyor Cohen and other amazing music leaders.
Over his life Dirk has mentored dozens of up and coming entrepreneurs, young executives and future A&R persons. When ask, Dirk says he's pulled to do it because he never had anyone to help him learn the path forward. Starting businesses at such a young age, he was always the boss and still is today.
Dirk is currently a partner at Hard 8 Working Group - a newly formed artist management firm developed from a merger if Working Group management where Dirk was the founder and CEO and Hard 8. The company oversees more than twenty music artists, including Cheat codes, Brantley Gilbert, Dashboard Confessional, R.LUM.R, Michelle Branch, Anberlin, and producers, and writers that have worked with artists such as Taylor Swift, Pink, Florence + The Machine, Lanco, Dierks Bently, Allen Ston

On episode 08 of The Golden Rules, co-owner of the artist management firm Big Show Music CO. and Director of Operations of Ask4 Entertainment Al Mcmanus talks about about his golden rules for the life and business.
- How he got into the music business
- How to really communicate
- Learning everyday
- Being present and accountable
#QOTD "The real music business is the artist and the artist real business is the show"
#QOTD "Don't worry about the hours you're putting in, in the beginning, how early or late you work, just do your absolute best"
#Knowledge
- Be Patient, Show Up, Give a shit
- Take your lumps
- Make the most out of each opportunity
- Work as hard as you can
- Learn something new every day
- Follow Up and Follow Through
- Believe in yourself
Al is a 22-year music industry veteran who has worn nearly every hat in the music business. His two-decade career includes experience in record label negotiations, artist development, tour management, artist manager, tour routing, tour press, entrepreneurship, event promotion and now operations.
Al currently serves as the Director of Operations at Ask 4 Entertainment. A4E experiences include the Ship-Hop Cruise, Ship-Rocked Cruise, Motörhead's Motörboat and currently the Crimson Tide Cruise. Artists and performers include Sevendust, Vanilla Ice, Five Finger Death Punch, Korn, Salt N Pepa, Seether, Buckcherry, Naughty by Nature, POD, Godsmack, Blackstreet, and more.
Over his career, he’s worked alongside artists that have sold over 44 Million albums, generated 53 #1 singles and won CMA, ACM, Americana, ASCAP, and Grammy awards. Among those artists also include members of the Grand Ole Opry and the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Al's knowledge of music doesn't stop on the business side of things. He is a music lover, musician and guitar player. In addition, McManus is also a father, husband, friend, mentor, and one of the best I’ve ever seen when it comes to connecting with people.
Over the years that I've known Al, he has always shown himself to be responsible, detail oriented, selfless, passionate, easygoing, and thoughtful.
It's because of Al and his business partner and lifelong friend Jeff that I am where I am today. Together, they taught me that you can be serious, work hard, be passionate and have fun while doing it. They taught me about building and maintaining real relationships in the music industry, not being afraid to pick up the phone, showing up early and staying late, being willing to learn and try new things, giving my all while helping the next generation up and thoughtful/real communication.
I think we can all learn about hustling, communication, real human engagement, and accountability from leaders like Al and hope you all get something out of this episode.

On episode 09 of The Golden Rules, power agent and talent booker Joe Atamian with Paradigm Talent Agency shares his path to success and his golden rules for life and business.
- How he got into the #musicbusiness
- How is finds, signs, and develops artists careers
- How he batches his day for success
- How he thinks through decisions
#QOTD "Be the dumbest person in the room"
#QOTD "Time is the only trading currency we have, use it wisely"
#Knowledge
- Work hard
- Be a sponge
- Unplug totally when you unplug
- Don't be an asshole
- Don't be reactionary
- Follow Up
- Emails can wait a few days
Joe is an 11-year music industry veteran who has been listed to Billboard's Power Player list, been awarded Pollstar's Third Coast Agent of the Year, the is agent side of the super successful tumbler account Agent Vs. Promoter, and a talent agent at Paradigm Talent Agency.
He currently oversees the touring careers of some of today's hottest and most successful bands and musicians including Grammy award-winning artist like Sturgil Simpson, The Lumineers, Anderson East, Cherub, Big Gigantic and many more.
Over his career, Joe has moved across the country building his career starting in College. Over the last 11 years, he has continually developed as a leader in the music industry and within his Agency. he has proven that he has the magic ear and the know how to break artists.
From the day I met Joe he has always been open, kind, and willing to make time. Agents like Joe are just one of the reasons I love the music industry. His passion for artists and music runs deep and his ability to take an artist to a new level is nearly unmatched.

On episode 06 of The Golden Rules, the National Director of Promotion for Big Machine Label Group Records, Michelle Tigard Kammerer shares how she 10x's everything and her golden rules for life and business.
- How she got into the music business
- How she 10x's everything
- Her golden rules for success in life and business
#QOTD: Make sure your work and conduct, speak for itself
#Knowledge
- Play chess, not checkers
- Treat people with respect
- Bloom where you are planted
- Never eat lunch alone
- Stay true to you
- Be the best you can fro the people around you
- Chase joy
- Follow your morals for big decisions
- Spread Joy
Michelle Tigard Kammerer, is 14 years music industry vet with music industry experience in booking, management, strategic partnerships, label operations and radio.
As a booking agent, she has booked shows in Arenas, Coliseums, Amphitheaters, Fairs and Festivals throughout the entire US and Canada for mega-agency CAA, Creative Artist Agency.
After 6 years at the agency, she transitioned to CRB (Country Radio Broadcasters and Country Radio Seminar) as the Director of Brand Marketing and Strategic Partnerships working with brands like Coca-Cola, Loews Hotels, and Virgin America Airlines. Michelle had the opportunity to begin working with, the force of nature, Big Machine Records after a few years at CRB in Nashville.
She currently serves as the National Director of Promotion for BMLG Records - Big Machine Label Group, where she has worked with incredible artists including Florida Georgia Line, Lady Antebellum, Steven Tyler, Justin Moore, Montgomery Gentry, Billy Currington, Brett young, Maddie and Tae to name a few.
She has worked with artists and teams earning dozens and dozens of number one hits and millions of albums sold and streamed. Been mentioned and featured in Billboard, music row magazine, all access, and every other major music industry publication you can think of. And she has done it all the right way.
MTK's relentless drive, passion for music, and the ability to build relationships are unparalleled. She holds herself and those around her to a high standard of effort and truth. It's infectious. When you around her you want to do better and be better because she is the type of leader and person that pulls that out of you. She will be one of the few that lead Nashville and the music industry one day, and we will all follow, happily.

On episode 10 of The Golden Rules, President of Red 11 Talent Agency Jon Folk shares how he build his agency and his golden rules for life and business.
#musicbuisness
- How he got into the music industry
- How he became successful
- His golden rules for success in life and business
#QOTD: "It's not a job, it's a lifestyle"
#QOTD: "If you need to cut out at 5 or 6 o'clock every night to go home and turn off it's not the right industry for you"
#Knowledge
- Fall in love with the day to day
- Treat people with respect
- Never wake up not wanting to go to work
- If you chase the money you could lose the career, if you chase the career the money will come
- Work harder
- Do what you love and do it well
- It takes time and you will know when the tie is right
- Take advantage of opportunities
- Make an impact
- Become invaluable
- Build relationships
- You have to really want it
Jon is a 22 Year music industry veteran, booking agent, and entrepreneur, who got his start interning at the booking agency World Class Talent. He then transitioned over to an agency which at the time was one of the largest most successful independent booking agencies in the country, Buddy Lee Attractions. There he began working with artists such as Dixie Chicks, Tracy Lawrence, John Michael Montgomery, Jeff Foxworthy, Mark Chesnutt, Miranda Lambert, Jason Aldean, Ronnie Milsap and Bill Monroe. Over the next 15 years, Jon worked his way up to Vice President of the agency alongside other incredible leaders and agents.
Jon then pivoted toward entrepreneurship and followed his heart to begin working with artists he felt extremely passionate about. He founded the booking agency Red 11 Music which is currently located in Texas and Tennessee. Red 11 is home to a great team of agents and an amazing artist roster that includes Turnpike Troubadours, Charlie Crockett, Travis Meadows, Ole 97's, Jonathan Tyler, Cody Canada, Jack Ingram, Shooter Jennings, and more.
Jon is a passionate leader and truly loves the music. For him, the song comes first and is closely followed by the live side of the business. His golden rules include falling in love with the day to day, building the audience and the rest will come later, letting the artist be the artist, working harder, making your songs great, being what you've always wanted to be, and building a great life. When you live by golden rules like that, it's no surprise that he's had the success he has over the last two decades.