Lead with Kindness (Michael Sherman from Feature.FM)
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Transcript:
Mike: Hey, Michael, how are you?
Michael: I'm very well, Mike. Thanks for having me. I appreciate it.
Mike: My pleasure. I'm so glad we got a chance to do this. We've been going back and forth for a while trying to make this happen, so I’m excited to finally talk to you. It was amazing learning about your story. We were just chatting before we started recording about philosophies around management. What I found really interesting is that you didn’t start out in music—you studied political science in college. Did you ever think you’d get into the music industry? What changed?
Michael: I think I always knew this was my calling—whether it would be professional or more of a hobbyist pursuit. Long before college, I was going to shows. I started going to shows when I was 11. I had very cool parents who would take me to venues like CBGBs. I'm from New York, and that whole experience shaped who I am and the way I look at the world. College was another step in that journey, but my foundation came from the New York punk and hardcore scene. That really taught me a lot.
When I got to college, there wasn’t much of a scene on campus, even though Baltimore had a great one. There was nothing institutional happening around arts and culture. Despite studying political science, I ended up booking all the talent at my school. There wasn’t a formal role for that, so I figured it out myself. I wasn’t managing bands yet, but I was unknowingly taking my first steps into that world—just figuring it out, which is a lot of what management is. I booked artists like Matt and Kim, Man Man, The Dears, J*Davey, and The Hood Internet.
Mike: That was a very different but awesome time in music.
Michael: Totally. Blogs were booming, music discovery was huge, and streaming was just starting. It was also the first time I was working directly with agents. Looking back, I now know they probably realized I was a college kid with more budget than their local venue. But I did my job, paid the artists, fulfilled contracts, and learned how the process worked—including things like riders. I didn’t know they were sometimes a joke; I took everything seriously.
Mike: So that extended your early DIY ethos into your college environment.
Michael: Exactly. I was just soaking in my environment and figuring out how to contribute in a meaningful way. I loved my studies, but nothing lit me up the way booking those shows did. Around that time, some high school friends of mine had taken a gap year to pursue their band. They eventually got traction, signed a deal, and signed with a management company. I was in Baltimore, but I came back to NYC often—we threw parties, booked shows. I was doing the same things in New York I was doing in college, just on a different scale.
I settled shows, loaded gear, and created opportunities that brought value to the band, our friends, and music fans. Eventually, that band signed to a management company, and part of the deal was that they had this "friend-ager"—me—who had the right intentions even if I didn’t know what I was doing. This was around 2007–2008.
Mike: And you just kept building from there?
Michael: Yeah. I was managing bands, interning at a management company/label called Plus One, and still studying political science. I was basically freelancing before I technically needed a job. I loved connecting dots—talking to one person, figuring out how they could help the next, and just building something.
Networking was fun when you worked with people you liked. And over time, those small connections added up. My parents were in music before I was born—my dad went into advertising, and my mom became a therapist. Honestly, perfect exits from the music industry. They used to tell me, “Don’t go into music, it won’t satisfy you.”
Mike: So they weren’t excited about you getting into the business?
Michael: Not really. They were in the industry in the '70s when it really was sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Back then, there was this perception that the music business wasn’t for the sharpest minds—it wasn’t seen as a serious career. I was a good student, and I think they hoped I’d go a more stable route. But being the punk kid I was, I said, “Let me figure it out myself.”
So I continued managing bands, interning, throwing shows, converting Plus One’s press department into a direct marketing team. I loved it. When others were going home for spring break, I was going to SXSW, touring, loading gear, sneaking into venues underage. It gave me a real feel for what artists go through.
Mike: That perspective really makes a difference. I totally agree—you understand an artist’s experience better when you’ve lived it, even just a bit.
Michael: Exactly. I spent years sleeping on floors, working for almost no money. But those years shaped how I approach artists now—with empathy. If you’ve done the Tuesday drive from San Francisco to LA, you understand how grueling it is. If you want to run a ticketing company, you should settle a show. Feel it, and you’ll build better solutions.
Mike: You mentioned there wasn’t any institutional support for booking talent on campus, but the university still gave you a budget. How did you pull that off?
Michael: I had to petition the student government—every year. I didn’t make it easy for them to say no. I had to work cross-functionally with campus departments like public safety. I had no playbook. I wasn’t sure if I needed the money before confirming the artist or vice versa. But each year, I learned more.
Agents supported me too, even if they charged more. But there was no talent on campus, and I wasn’t going to wait for someone else to fix it. So I bulldozed my way in and just made it happen. That’s been my approach ever since—curiosity, tenacity, and a desire to build community.
Mike: There’s something special about learning the hard way. People say to avoid mistakes, but those mistakes are often where the best lessons come from.
Michael: Exactly. I didn’t even know failing could be useful. In artist management, if something failed, you had nothing to show for it. But once I moved into music tech—places like Eventbrite and UnitedMasters—I learned that failing fast can actually be a strategy. Fail fast, iterate, and learn quicker.
That mindset shift helped me go from managing individual artists to solving bigger systemic problems. When people ask how to get into management, I say: if there’s someone you care about, just start helping them. Get in early. Build with them. Share the wins and losses. You’ll learn more than any guidebook could teach you.
Mike: That really resonates. I feel the same way. Even after all the heartbreak and hard work, we keep coming back. It’s a wonderful curse.
Michael: Yeah. I’ve been to shows where I had to hide in the back and hold back tears because I was so proud of an artist I helped. It’s not about me—it’s about creating moments. Like seeing people cry in an audience because a song touched them. That’s what keeps me going.
Mike: That’s powerful. Let’s fast forward to your current role—tell us about Feature.fm.
Michael: Feature.fm is a digital marketing toolkit built for artists, managers, and labels to understand and grow their fan base. Think of it like a Swiss Army knife: smart links, pre-save tools, fan data collection, tour links, ad targeting—you only use what you need, but it’s all there when you do.
Before Feature.fm, I was at UnitedMasters doing business development. We noticed that 1% of artists made 99% of the revenue. So I started asking: what about the other 99%? What value can we still unlock? The answer was clear: data. Who are these fans? Where are they? How do we help artists build and grow their own audiences?
That led me back to Feature.fm, which I had first met back when they were called EQuala. We ended up partnering with them at UnitedMasters, and when I saw how powerful the tools were, I jumped ship. I’ve been helping scale their offering ever since.
Mike: And you just launched Future Save, right?
Michael: Yes! It’s a simple button that allows fans to subscribe to all future releases from an artist. No more pestering people to pre-save every single time. It’s better for fans, better for artists, and it gives you valuable insight into who’s in it for the long haul.
Mike: That’s huge. Before we wrap, I have a couple of fun questions. First—what was your first concert?
Michael: Technically, it was Huey Lewis & The News. But the one that changed my life was The Offspring, The Living End, and Zolof the Rock & Roll Destroyer at Roseland Ballroom in New York. I was 11. It was a game changer.
Mike: Love that. And what’s on your playlist these days?
Michael: Lately I’ve been listening to artists from my label—Cornelia Murr and Flora Hibberd. Both records have really moved me. I’ve also been diving into new hardcore, weird post-Americana, and vintage soul. I’m fascinated by the lowrider soul scene in L.A.—tough guys listening to Sam Cooke, it’s beautiful.
Mike: Final question—if you could give one piece of advice to anyone in this industry, what would it be?
Michael: Don’t be an asshole. Seriously. People remember how you made them feel more than anything else. Be kind. Be open. Share your network. That generosity will come back in spades.
Mike: 100%. Michael, thank you so much for doing this. I really appreciate your time.
Michael: Thanks for having me, Mike. And thanks for creating a space for conversations like this. It matters.