An Executive at Age 18, Josh Glodoveza Knows How Fame Works

In July 2021, Josh Glodoveza—also known by his nickname Caru—was named a top talent manager by Business Insider. By November, he was brought on by ecommerce merchandiser Fanjoy as its new vice president of talent. It was a year of rapid growth and success, perhaps standard for a mid-career professional—except Caru is only 18 years old. Hailing from the Philippines capital city of Manila, Glodoveza got his start in esports as a self-taught graphic designer, transforming a devoted following and passion for gaming into a hybrid marketing role with esports organization Sentinels in 2019, assisting with stream coordination, community moderating and talent management. Bugha—one such player Glodoveza represented—won the first annual Fortnite World Cup. Following the event, “It kind of sparked something in me,” he recalled. “I was like, 'Holy shit, I want to do this for a living. … I could help someone to be in the spotlight.'” He spent the following two years with South Korean gaming team Gen.G and metaverse marketing agency Ader Gaming, learning the ropes of the industry while moving toward an eventual stint of independent repping. By that time, he said, “The people I represented knew that I had their back, and I knew what I was doing.” Then came the gig at Fanjoy, where he helps clients understand the ins and outs of the creator economy and develop their unique brands. When choosing talent, Glodoveza looks for personality, that spark in a creator that makes people want to rally behind them. “If they have that thing that matches with my thing—that’s how I look for people that I think can really grow into more than what they are now," he said. "It’s a learning experience for me and them.” In light of recent name, image and likeness rights granted to college athletes, Fanjoy has begun partnering with NCAA members, and Glodoveza has taken to this new demographic. Many have brand sponsorships in the works with apparel, sports drinks and other CPG products, and five Fanjoy footballers have declared for the NFL draft in April. Still, for Glodoveza, being a creator is the most equalizing opportunity there is. “You don’t have to be a pro to be a creator and still enjoy and create content around the sport you like,” he said. The common thread is finding the space to be a creator within whatever niche his talent lives. Nothing excites Glodoveza more than making everyday people stars, unlocking the secrets to self-sustained success and creating connections around shared love and passion. Big mistake Glodoveza learned early on that you sometimes prolong the inevitable by working with talent whose ideals don’t align with yours. “Learn to just let go," he said. "Sometimes, you’re not the right person to bring that vision to life. And it’s OK.” Lesson learned Feeling the pressure of being constantly tapped in, Glodoveza has accepted the challenge of pushing himself to grow in tandem with the ever-changing creator economy. “You’re always, always going to have room to learn and discover something new.” How he got the gig “It was actually a conversation,” Glodoveza explained. “I know my capability, I know where I am in my life. … For me, working with such a malleable and established company like Fanjoy, it was really ideal for me to scale up my business and also find other venues and avenues to be a backbone to my creators and talent.” Pro tip “Use Twitter. That’s how you get a job.” For Glodoveza, social media is where everybody is having conversations and nobody is gatekeeping—true free access. Online communities have their ears to the ground, and if you're savvy, you can connect the dots between its niches. “When you’re so wired," he said, "it’s just second nature.”

Leadership & Talent

An Executive at Age 18, Josh Glodoveza Knows How Fame Works

The Gen Zer's journey from XP to vp at Fanjoy, the ecommerce hub of online celebrities—and now, student athletes

Will Russo

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Will Russo