Interview | Paolo Tuveri and Finn Doherty

ICMP Music Business and Entrepreneurship alumni Paolo Tuveri and Finn Doherty are the latest recipients of the Ace Accelerator@Bureau initiative. 

Their new business has been born out of Finn's artist project and aims to bring together young creatives and businesses looking for talent to facilitate opportunities. 

Winning the backing will enable them to base their venture out of the Bureau in London's Design District, a new work hub for the creative industries. By working from here, Paolo and Finn should be able to take advantage of opportunities to forge connections, network and take their business ambitions to the next level.

Congratulations to the pair on receiving the support and read our interview on how their business ambitions came into focus through their time at ICMP.

Well done on winning the backing! How will receiving this help your business/career? 

Paolo Tuveri (PT): This is going to be a real game-changer in many ways. For example, it’s going to enhance my overall business experience. There are plenty of things that can only be learned through hands-on experience, not from textbooks. I'm pretty confident about this because during my three years at ICMP, juggling studies and managing Finn, I've realized how much you only really understand by diving in.

Could you talk a little about your business venture? What is it all about? 

Finn Doherty (FD): Something I’ve noticed in the last few years is just how many amazing artists are coming out of uni and not being able to sustain themselves with their work.

So that’s really a big part of what we’re trying do. We’re still in the early stages of putting this all together, and conversations are starting to be had about officially building a ‘roster’, but essentially right now it’s just our friends, and friends of friends working with me on my work on a very casual basis, we’re still a while off being ready to launch this. I’ve been working with loads of really cool people over the last few years - I have to shout out Atkin, Elif Gonen, Georgia Winter, there are too many to mention right now. 

PT:

Our business venture is essentially a hub for creative minds. I love collaborating with them because they've got these amazing ideas that can actually shape cultures."

So, our mission is to fully support them for a long-term run. And then, of course, there's the whole sales aspect, where it’s all about product management.

Which creatives are on your roster? Are there any artists you're working with you'd like to shout out? 

PT: At the moment, we don't have an official roster as we're still in the incubation phase. Over the past couple of years, we've been working with friends and friends of friends - that's our approach. We're all about building meaningful connections with the people we work with, folks who share our vision and really grasp the vibe of social culture, art, and music. We've had the chance to team up with a bunch of really cool individuals recently - I'd also like to mention Atkin, Elif Gonen, and Georgia Winter, and honestly, the list goes on.

What led you to ICMP in the first place?  How were your experiences studying with us? What have been the most important things you’ve learned while with us? 

PT: My journey to ICMP was driven by my curiosity and the desire to get serious in the music industry. It's not that what I did before wasn't important, but I felt a bit lost and needed direction. Thanks to the music business course, it gave me a solid grasp of the music business landscape. Now, I feel more professionally and personally prepared to handle the dynamics of the music industry.  

What have been the biggest challenges you’ve faced so far?  

PT: Figuring out what really matters and balancing time around it. I'm in this transitional phase where I'm trying to step away from my hospitality job and fully commit to my ventures, aiming for stability. But it's a long journey, and time seems to play tricks because new projects keep popping up almost every week. Each of these projects could potentially provide the stability I'm after, but they require time, and I still need to serve tables to pay my bills.

FD: Just the realisation that things take time. Like so much time. I I always want stuff to happen immediately, I’m crazy impatient. But I’m trying to get better at adjusting to this. 

Are there any things you wish you’d known before you set out on your own business journey? 

PT: Not really, I prefer to approach things in a more laid-back way. It's an adventure, and that's what makes it exciting, you know?

When challenges or new things come up, you learn as you go. Of course, it's good to have a plan and make strategic moves, but at the core, there's got to be a strong emotional desire and faith in what you're doing."

FD: Honestly, not really. I think through being an artist you learn a lot of lessons that apply to business. Like, you get a lot of nos, a lot of bullshit, a lot of people trying to take credit for your ideas. I think it’s all just a massive learning curve whenever you get into something new. I think one of the thing’s that’s great about what we’re planning to do at the Design District is that it already encompasses so much of what we’re doing day-to-day. 

Do you have any advice for aspiring creatives? 

FD: Start doing it now. The biggest barrier to entry is yourself, and honestly the best thing to do is just start doing it now. It’s the same mentality I have with songwriting. Start working now, figure it out later. 

Well done again to Finn and Paolo and good luck at the Design District!