Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Andrew Stallings. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Andrew , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. If you’re open to it, can you talk to us about the best (or worst) investment you’ve made. What’s the backstory and the relevant context behind why you made the investment

My sports management and marketing agency continues to invest in building our greater athlete community. We believe in “community over currency,” meaning we value providing athletes with opportunities and making authentic connections over the bottom line. To do so, we’ve taken a grassroots approach to community outreach. By meeting with athletes outside of our network, we offer guidance, uncover any sports industry issues they’re facing, and align on potential opportunities. In these meetings, we’re listening, being open, and finding avenues to create an impact.

Recently, our Community Over Currency initiative led to a new relationship with international and Major League Rugby Player Christian Dyer. We initially reached out to Christian in hopes of better understanding the rugby space, his own goals, and any obstacles he’s navigating as an athlete. After our first meeting, we quickly realized Christian is just as passionate as we are about community-building and sharing athletes’ stories. Today Christian is a signed Athelo Group athlete eager to enhance our agency’s storytelling platform. We’re thrilled about what’s to come!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

After working for years in the agency world, I saw the potential to apply what I’d learned and go all-in on the rising tide of niche sports properties. I took a chance five years ago and founded Athelo Group, a sports management and marketing agency. My full-service agency prides itself on providing athletes with opportunities. Whether it’s CrossFit, NASCAR, or Olympic surfing, Athelo Group is invested in forging authentic partnerships between brands, sports properties, and athletes.

I’m most proud of our agency’s founding principles. We’re driven by 5 E’s: Educate, Enhance, Entertain, Evolve, and Empathize. Altogether they’ve become our North Star that inspires us to learn and grow as a business, to build an authentic, collaborative community, and to always remain open to opportunities. What sets us apart from other agencies is the full-service nature of our business. We leverage our comprehensive partnerships, PR, marketing, strategy, social media, and account and talent management capabilities to meet our clients’ all-encompassing needs. We take pride in what we do, and we celebrate the success of the athletes and brands we work with.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

When I first founded Athelo Group, it was only a side-hustle! I had just started working at a different marketing agency and was excited to see what I could accomplish there. Then one day, everything changed.

About three months into my new agency job, I was returning from my honeymoon. When the plane landed, I opened up my voicemail to a message sent by their HR department: “Hi Mr. Stallings, we’re here to call you about your severance package.”

The company was enacting mass layoffs.

Sitting on the tarmac at JFK, all the blood drained from my face. I turned to my glowing wife and told her, “Oh my god, I just lost my job.” This became a sink-or-swim moment. I had to put everything into Athelo Group; I had no other option. It was definitely a high-stress, pivotal moment, but I like to think it’s led me down the path I was always supposed to follow.

Fast-forward five years later, and my agency now works with 130+ different brands and properties and manages over 20 different athletes and personalities. I get to pursue my dream job of providing athletes with opportunities. Taking risks and being open to that pivot got me here, and I’m excited to see what the future holds.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

Authentic communication and collaboration is key. As a leader and manager, that means operating with vulnerability and openness. I never pretend to know all the answers, and I wouldn’t expect anyone else to, either. Everyone on my team has a unique set of skills and perspectives, and our company culture encourages everyone to share their ideas openly.

By leading authentically, I encourage others to embrace their authenticity alongside me. This creates an incredibly collaborative environment. We stop fearing failure. We are more curious and we take more risks. We become open to exploring new ideas and approaches. We work together, each person bringing different insights to the table, to reach a common goal.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.athelogroup.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/athelogroup/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AtheloGroup/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/astallings88/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/AStallings88?s=20

Image Credits
Headshot photo by Alyssa Mancini Photography