December Jeanne Bavaro Column

Jeanne Bavaro

What is a Personal Manager?

It is with great enthusiasm that I present my first communication with Vegas Community Online. It is very exciting for me to have an outlet through, "In the Wings" to share experiences, information and opinions about the behind- the-scene managers. The responsibilities and talents of these often unrecognized individuals will finally be front and center, in the spotlight, right here.

I have managed Bill Acosta, aka "Man of 1001 Voices" career for the past 17 years. I have been both blessed and cursed to have married this incredible man and talent. Blessed because he makes my job easy with his vast abilities, there is no stretching of the truth when I boast to a client about his amazing talents. Cursed, due to the fact that we are married, often removes the validation of my abilities and credits. At times the public or client views me as a supportive wife as opposed to a solid business woman in her own right. I have many business associates who share this same frustrated position. I assure you that in spite of the blurred vision we are viewed with, none of us would change what we do for a living for anything!

With that said, please allow me to share an excerpt from the National Conference of Personal Managers to clarify what it is we personal managers really do…

WHAT IS A PERSONAL MANAGER?

First, let's state what a personal manager is not. A personal manager is not an agent (whose role is to obtain employment). A personal manager is not a publicist (whose role is to generate publicity). Nor is a personal manager an attorney (whose role is to provide legal counsel). And, a personal manager is not a business manager (whose role is to provide accounting, investment, and other financial services).

A personal manager advises and counsels talent and personalities in the entertainment industry. Personal managers have the expertise to find and develop new talent and create opportunities for those artists which they represent. Personal managers act as liaison between their clients and both the public and the theatrical agents, publicists, attorneys, business managers, and other entertainment industry professionals which provide services to the personal manager's clients.

Picture a wagon wheel. At the very center is the axle. The axle is the performing artist around which everything revolves. The hub protects and supports the axle. That is the personal manager. The rim of the wheel is the artist's career which travels on what can often be a bumpy, long, winding road. Connecting the hub with the rim are many spokes which give the wheel support in different directions. These are the agents, publicists, attorneys, business managers, and other industry professionals which support an artist on the road to success. When the wheel is well constructed, the artist's journey can be smooth, speedy and successful.

A personal manager is responsible for everything and anything that enhances the development of a performing artist's career. From simple staging suggestions, to complex negotiations, to long-term career plans, a personal manager lives the artist's career every day behind the scenes. The manager's commitment to and involvement in the artist's career is one hundred per cent. The personal manager is the driving force breaking through the barriers of frustration and difficulty so often encountered in the entertainment industry. A personal manager is the person who believes in and keeps fighting for a client when all others have given up.

With responsibilities like that, it is a prerequisite that a personal manager must have the broadest of experience in the entertainment industry. Professional personal managers are also well informed on industry practices, standards, and regulations. Plus, managers are alert to the constant changes affecting the entertainment industry. Only with experience and up-to-date knowledge can a personal manager benefit clients.