John Acquaviva is one of dance music’s most well-known venture capitalists, so his laissez-faire approach to business may come as a surprise. The Italian DJ, producer and Plus 8 co-founder recently revealed his philosophy on such endeavors during an interview.
In a Q&A session with Deep House Amsterdam, Acquaviva discussed his duties as executive producer of last year’s mystery/horror film The Red Man. When asked about his influence on creative direction, he said:
It’s not my role to micro manage. That is something I had to learn about balancing the business person in me and the creative person. I think I can apply myself and do almost anything. It’s important we have that level of confidence but when I started traveling, I would always meet these brilliant people despite my own “brilliance.” Sometimes, you have to let those creative alpha people ride and become a team player. When I’m not the talent guy and I join a project, I have to watch and play my role. For me, that is a really important dynamic.
Although he was initially referencing the film, Acquaviva went on to point out that his sentiments apply to all of the projects he oversees. In a broader sense, he also argued that his investments should empower artists instead of restricting them, saying, “I can’t look myself in the mirror if I’m a blatant capitalist.”
John “Active Merger”
In 1990, John Acquaviva partnered with techno icon Richie Hawtin on Plus 8, a record label that played no small role in Detroit techno’s second wave. The imprint would mark the first of many joint ventures between the two. Today, Hawtin and Acquaviva run a boutique private equity firm that finances endeavors in and around electronic music.
The Red Man was written and directed by Jimmy Gonzalez, one of Acquaviva’s longtime friends. The film chronicles a successful DJ who discovers that his psychiatrist and neighbor are conspiring against the tenants of his apartment.
John Acquaviva continues his world tour with a performance at Amnesia, Ibiza on August 18th.
Source: Deep House Amsterdam
