We are excited to introduce our new series: Manager Spotlight. This is a way to get a small insight into the heads of incredible managers. This week in the spotlight is Amanda Maxwell, Manager of Ellie Prohan. 

How long have you worked in Management? 
For a year and a half.

Who do you manage now? 
Ellie Prohan a DJ, Radio and TV host.

Where did you find your first client and what inspired you to take them on?

We met at an international womens day event with She Said So and Flexx at Shoreditch House. Ellie was one of the DJs playing and I thought she was sick!Eventually we got talking at the event and we explained what each other did and wanted to do with our careers. We went for a cuppa and had a conversation around management and how we could work together.

Ellie inspired me with her passion and hard working ethic which I felt mirrored mine and her enthusiasm for life all of which have not depleted since then! It’s the way we discussed defining our working relationship and the changes we wanted to make in life and our industry that I knew this was going to be the start of something special.

What’s a good/bad day at work look like for you? 

A bad day is one full of learnings on varying scales. I try not to look at things so black and white it would be too much of a seesaw effect. That’s one that’s  not good for anybody’s mental health as there are always going to be challenges in life just how we chose to accept them. A good day is much the same mentality but when everything runs on time, a meeting is with the right people who understand the journey you are on and want to support it or you get that offer from a festival or global brand that approach and want to work with you then that’s a great day. I generally try to remain positive across all that we work on and trust the process every win we get is huge to us!

What has been the highlight of your management career to date?

There has been many with Ellie from playing at all major UK festivals last year such as Glastonbury, Reading, Lovebox and Wireless. To being the headline DJ for Spotify Who We Be Manchester to joining the Apple Music family as a Beats 1 presenter.

What do you think are the big challenges for a manager in 2020?

I think the big challenges are people underestimating the hard work and dedication that goes into being an independent team 24/7 as opposed to a team with all the mechanics nuts and bolts. We’ve worked exceptionally hard to reach this point and excited to keep building from here.

The industry would benefit from following a more of a similar mind set to the American friends we have made – always willing to help and introduce which speaks volumes there is enough room for everybody to succeed and the more we remind ourselves of this and to be more human the easier the industry could be.

What music are you currently listening to?

I’m listening to Ellie on The Beats 1 List show on Apple Music. The show brings Apple Music’s The Beats 1 List playlist to life and showcases the world’s best new music. As well as her every day Foundation FM Happy Hour show https://foundation.fm 5-7pm the first female lead radio station.