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Artist and entrepreneur Joe Cartegna, AKA Fat Joe, may not have taken the traditional founder’s path, but he knows exactly what it takes to build something from the ground up. After his 1993 hit single, Flow Joe, took off, he used his platform to launch Terror Squad — a collective of ’90s hip-hop heavyweights that included breakout stars like the late Big Pun.
“When I grew up, we didn’t have much opportunity,” the Bronx native says. “There were people who’d walk up to the playground when I was five or six years old and say, ‘He’s going to jail. He’s going to die young.’”
Instead of letting that define him, Cartegena used it as motivation to chase financial freedom — and now he’s helping others do the same through his latest venture, Policy Pulse Innovations.
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Turning workers into owners
Co-founded with entrepreneur Matt Herman, the multi-channel insurance agency helps everyday people earn their insurance licenses, build financial literacy and start their own businesses in the insurance space. Through a partnership with Family First Life, Policy Pulse connects aspiring agents with mentorship, competitive products and client leads — helping them build sustainable careers rather than rely on unstable nine-to-fives.
“For a lot of people, there’s just nothing out there for them,” Cartegena says. “You work a nine-to-five, but the boss is the one making the real money. We’re giving people a chance to be their own boss — to control their time, their schedule and their future.”
Not everyone can have the kind of career Cartenga’s had, but he believes Policy Pulse can show everyday people that financial security doesn’t have to come from a nine-to-five — or a chart-topping single. “I always tell this story,” he says. “My wife’s aunt, Amalia, worked for the same company for 30 years. Every day, she’d show up early, make coffee for everyone and take care of people. She practically helped raise the kids of the people in charge — watched them in the summers, on weekends, everything.
Then one day, those same kids — now grown up and running the company — came to her and said, ‘Amalia, you’ve got to go.’ Just like that. She couldn’t believe it. She was depressed for months.”
That story stuck with him. “You can give a company your whole life, and they can still let you go,” Cartegena says. “The only real security comes from ownership and hard work. That’s why I always emphasize the importance of building something of your own.”
From microphone to megaphone
That self-starter mentality feels especially relevant in today’s economy, where the cost of living keeps climbing and job turnover is at an all-time high. The recent government shutdown only made things worse, flooding food pantry lines with furloughed federal employees — including soldiers and police officers.
“They work hard, they serve, they protect us,” Cartegena says. “But because the government isn’t sending them a check, they have to get in line just to feed their families.”
For Cartegena, that’s exactly what Policy Pulse is about — creating a path to independence. “It’s about being an entrepreneur, being your own boss, and never having to rely on someone else for your security,” he says. “You need to be a boss, whether you’re selling policies or selling oranges.”
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Policy Pulse is the latest in a long line of business ventures for Cartegena, including Sonrisa Rum, Rewind It 10 hair dye, and the Joe and Jada podcast. He’s proven himself to be far more than just a bankroller — helping promote Rewind It 10 to become the top-selling men’s hair dye in CVS and Sally Beauty. He’s also made a conscious effort to give back with everything he does. Sonrisa Rum, for example, donates $1 from every bottle sold to mom-and-pop businesses in Puerto Rico, many of which are still recovering from Hurricane Maria.
As Cartegena slows down his artistic output, he’s become increasingly focused on the business opportunities he’s created for himself through that same platform. But one thing’s for sure — whether it’s through a rapper’s microphone or a spokesperson’s megaphone, Fat Joe knows how to make his message heard.
Artist and entrepreneur Joe Cartegna, AKA Fat Joe, may not have taken the traditional founder’s path, but he knows exactly what it takes to build something from the ground up. After his 1993 hit single, Flow Joe, took off, he used his platform to launch Terror Squad — a collective of ’90s hip-hop heavyweights that included breakout stars like the late Big Pun.
“When I grew up, we didn’t have much opportunity,” the Bronx native says. “There were people who’d walk up to the playground when I was five or six years old and say, ‘He’s going to jail. He’s going to die young.’”
Instead of letting that define him, Cartegena used it as motivation to chase financial freedom — and now he’s helping others do the same through his latest venture, Policy Pulse Innovations.
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