Manager vs agent vs business manager vs lawyer: who does what
The manager runs the whole career. The agent books the work. The business manager handles the money. The lawyer handles the contracts. The manager is the only one looking at the full picture, and the only one paid on everything the talent earns.
The manager
The manager owns the career: the strategy, the team, the deals, the money, looking out for the talent. They’re paid a commission, usually 15–20%, on everything the talent earns, because they touch everything. Everyone else handles one part; the manager handles all of it. See what a manager does.
The agent
The agent books work. For a musician or comedian that’s a booking agent putting together shows and tours. For a creator or model it’s a talent agent landing campaigns and bookings. They earn a commission, often around 10%, on the work they book – and only that work. An agent’s job is access: they have the relationships and the pipeline.
The business manager
The business manager handles the money once there’s enough of it to need a specialist: accounting, taxes, paying the band or crew, investments. It’s the cash, not the career. On a smaller act the manager usually handles this themselves until the numbers justify bringing someone in.
The lawyer
The lawyer handles the contracts: the wording, the rights, any disputes. They’re usually paid hourly or a percentage on specific deals, not an ongoing cut of everything. You bring in a lawyer when a deal is big enough, or complex enough, that the wording matters as much as the number.
Who you need and when
Early on, the manager often does all 4 jobs – booking the work, handling the money, reading the contracts. As the income grows, you bring in specialists: an agent when there’s enough work to book, a lawyer when the deals get serious, a business manager when the money does. The order is up to you; the manager is the constant. More on building the team in how to become a manager and the full role guide.
Common questions
- What's the difference between a manager and an agent?
- A manager runs the whole career – strategy, team, money, looking out for the talent – and is paid on everything the talent earns. An agent books specific work (shows, campaigns, bookings) and is paid on the work they book. Plenty of talent have both.
- Does a creator need an agent or a manager?
- Usually a manager first. Agents are built around booking specific work, and a creator's income is spread across brand deals, platform payouts and appearances, which is the manager's job. A talent agent can come later for specific bookings.
- What does a business manager do?
- A business manager handles the money once there's enough of it to need a specialist – accounting, taxes, bills, investments. It's a different job from the manager, who runs the career. Smaller acts usually have the manager covering both until the numbers justify a specialist.