For Stephanie Alderman, understanding artists means understanding the road. A trained classical pianist who studied at Interlochen Arts Academy before earning degrees in music performance from Michigan State and music business from Belmont, she spent her early career in artist management, publicity, and tour production. But her fascination started earlier. "I'd count production trucks outside venues as a teenager," she says. "I'd watch concert DVDs and pore over the credits. I wanted to understand the logistics, not just the show." That curiosity about how the money moves and how the pieces fit together shaped everything that came next.

Nearly two decades ago, she made the shift to business management, bringing that operational perspective into financial advisory work. For years, Stephanie built her practice around a core belief: the best financial strategy comes from understanding the mechanics of how artists actually make money - not just the deal terms, but the production realities that drive costs, the economics that determine profitability, and the industry forces that shape long-term sustainability.

In 2023, she became Partner at Farris, Self & Moore, aligning with a firm whose values matched her own. Today, FSM represents more than 60 clients behind more than 100 No. 1 songs with a 35-person team.

Stephanie advises major touring artists and award-winning songwriters, focusing on decisions that sustain careers over decades. Whether structuring tour deals, evaluating catalog strategy, or planning long-term wealth, she draws on experience across multiple sides of the business to identify opportunities and navigate complexity.

"The best financial decisions come from understanding how things work in practice, not just on paper," she says. Recognized multiple times on Billboard's Top Business Managers list, Stephanie is a member of the Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association. Originally from Lansing, Michigan, she lives in Franklin with her husband and three boys.