Sam Saideman

INTRO:

Being a small fish in a big pond has been quite the challenge for Sam Saideman, but it has also paid off for him in a big way. As Co-Founder of Nashville-based Music Management firm Innovo Management, Sam has very quickly solidified himself as a leader in the creator economy, as well as an advocate for both the importance of a healthy work/life balance as a small business owner in the music industry, and as an Immigrant, the importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the workplace. In fact, he recently published an article with Entrepreneur Magazine on work/life balance and was featured in LA Weekly to discuss his journey as an immigrant to the US from the UK and how the immigrant mindset has helped shape his business as well as himself as a Co-Founder and CEO in the music industry.

Give us a brief description of your expanded role with Innovo Management?

I'm the Co-Founder & CEO of Innovo Management. I essentially steer the ship, leading the vision for the company as a whole. I also head up the music management division and am the direct manager for artists such as Sammy Adams, Danny G, YONAS, Sansol the Artist, and more. Like anyone in the industry, I have a bunch of side hustles and am always exploring new ways to work with creatives as a whole. 

Can you walk us through your rise to a Power Player and successful small business owner?

I was born in London and moved to America when I was seven almost eight. I grew up in NYC and fell in love with Hip-Hop music from a young age. I was obsessed with how fashion, dance, art, and more surrounded the genre. In high school I got really into the freestyle culture in New York and started writing songs and putting them out. After my debut full length record, I signed an independent label deal. The money never came and after consulting attorneys was told that it was essentially not worth my time (years of chasing in court + tons of money.) Through that experience (and time) I found my true passion, the business side of music.

After a year or so sharpening my general business background and then moving to Atlanta, I decided to go back to University in Nashville and start my company, Innovo Management with my business partner, Ian Rodriguez. 2014-2016, I was a student and spent most of that time throwing concerts and festivals all over Nashville under Innovo, as well as working with some more developing projects on the management side. In 2016, I dropped out of college for the third time and went to work at Sony ATV Music Publishing. During that time, I was doing Innovo in the early mornings and weekends, working a full-time job at Sony, and working at a local two thousand cap venue in the evenings. It was an exhausting time in the early days of my journey, but days that I look back on with fondness.

In 2017, after having some successful consulting projects under Innovo, I was approached to work on marketing projects at digital distributor, ONErpm. I left Sony and went there to build marketing plans for top priority clients as well as build narratives and pitch those to the DSPs. By June of 2018, Innovo was taking off and I made the jump to go full-time for myself. Flash forward to 2022, and we have a full staff which operates across four divisions (music management, project management, influencer management, and brand marketing.)

Can you share some of your biggest “Wins” with us?

It's hard sometimes to focus on one singular moment or win as every day the bar is raising and the goals are changing. Getting to work on an artist project from an artist I grew up listening to is a really surreal experience. Additionally, recently I took a client on his first nationwide tour. It was extremely exciting as I've been working with him since before a brand or a song was out. Reminding yourself to celebrate the small wins is vital in this industry!

What about your biggest challenges?

I always try to be pretty public about my challenges or failures as social media can really impact people's mental health from seeing others in the industry only winning. That's just not an accurate representation of the journey. I think for me, my biggest challenge over the years has been being a small fish in a big pond. We're always the smaller management company no matter what circle we're in. We never took an investment and built this business from a dorm room with $100 in our pocket. Over the years we've had to prove ourselves to avoid not being taken seriously. We've handled that by always striving to innovate to elevate. Agility and the ability to take chances has allowed us to be ahead of the curve.

What do you think people would be surprised to know about you?

I think a lot of people are often surprised that I'm an Immigrant. I have an American accent and have lived in the US since I was seven almost eight. I'm the first US Citizen in my family!

What do you love most about your job?

Getting to work across multiple verticals. Creating and building brands from both a music and a content creator perspective. Helping creatives and brands navigate the entertainment industry is tiring but can be extremely rewarding!

What keeps you up at night?

I have a tendency to put a lot of pressure on myself to constantly out-think or out-innovate. Often, I can get caught up in the flurry of trying to force those beautiful moments.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I play and watch soccer! I’m a die-hard Arsenal fan. COYG!

What’s the next big play for you?

Lots of irons in the fire, including recently leading a pre-seed investment round for a music tech company. Stay tuned!

Follow Sam on Instagram @SamTheManager_