Marketing magic: JoCo mom earns praise of athletes with her talent management agency

On a sunny autumn afternoon, Amanda Carlo sits down for a moment at a favorite coffee shop to enjoy a latte and a sweet treat. But she doesn’t relax until she knows her 6-year-old son, Henry, who’s running a slight fever, and 4-year-old daughter, Charlotte, are in good hands while she steals a moment for herself.

This Prairie Village mom rarely takes time out of her busy day, but Carlo is engrossed in a conversation about her entrepreneurial adventure: Gold Griff Athlete Agency.

Opened in 2022, Gold Griff is a talent management agency that works with some of the top names in sports and entertainment through appearances, events and endorsements.

Gold Griff’s stable of stars from the Kansas City Chiefs include long snapper James Winchester, tight end Blake Bell, lineman Nick Allegretti and punter Tommy Townsend, as well as former Chiefs players Priest Holmes, Dante Hall, Jamaal Charles and Derrick Johnson. Others on the talent roster include Sporting KC’s Matt Besler, broadcaster Nate Bukaty and former Kansas City Royals third baseman George Brett.

“I work with them to align their values and interests with marketing opportunities that are meaningful to them,” Carlo said.

And her clients sing her praises.

“Amanda has great energy and enthusiasm toward her work and does a great job finding me opportunities to take advantage of my platform professionally and philanthropically,” said Chiefs offensive lineman Nick Allegretti said. “She really cares about what her clients are interested in.”

Gold Griff matches clients with finance, tax, medical and other companies, as well as various nonprofit organizations. Gold Griff is a solo operation, but Carlo employs several independent contractors to help.

With her clients in high demand, Carlo’s days are busy.

“It’s like the inside of a cyclone,” Carlo said. “I am constantly pounding the pavement for the people I represent, whether it is marketing opportunities, speaking engagements, signings or events. I want to highlight the incredible people that they are, and that comes with supporting causes they are associated with, as well as hosting events they are associated with.”

The agency’s name comes from two sources. “Griff” comes from her maiden name, Griffin. The word “gold” is based on the story “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill.

“The story’s message is don’t quit when you’re defeated because something incredible is just around the corner,” she said.

Carlo comes with a strong background in marketing, much of it rooted in sports. Carlo, who graduated from Liberty High School, grew up with an athletic younger brother and sister.

“We always joke that I was the unathletic one of the family, but I always enjoyed being able to talk about sports,” she said. “I liked learning about the individual.”

When she was 10, she became fascinated with quarterback Joe Montana.

“I didn’t care so much about his stats on the field but what he was like, what his hobbies were and who he was at the core,” Carlo said.

After graduating from Missouri State University with a degree in public relations, Carlo went to work for an ad agency, picking up work others didn’t care to do.

“It built a lot of humility,” Carlo said. “You quickly learn that PR is not glamorous.”

In Boston with her then-fiance, Ben Carlo, she took several marketing jobs, including one with Cape Air airline.

After marriage and a few additional moves, the couple moved back to the metro area, landing in Prairie Village. Children came next.

When Henry was just 3 weeks old, Carlo spotted an advertisement for director of community outreach and alumni relations with the Kansas City Chiefs. She applied and landed the position in 2017. She started when Henry was 12 weeks old.

It was Carlo’s first taste of navigating the delicate balance of family and work.

”In the back of my mind I wanted my kid to see me at my best, and for me, working and being a mom is my best self,” she said. “You figure it out but it was hard.”

Connections helped her go solo

Through her job, Carlos met not only players, but their partners, coaches and marketing agents.

“I loved getting to know their individual personalities and how they would light up when doing charitable things and marketing,” she said. “I loved seeing them in their elements.”

Her dream was to have more autonomy and work more closely with the people in those circles. Many current and former players told her she should go out on her own.

“They sparked the idea and I thought about it for a long time. I knew that it made sense. I had to find the courage to do it.”

After many conversations with her husband, Carlo left the Chiefs in June 2022 and started Gold Griff. Starting the business, she says, has often been less than all glamorous, entailing duties like creating spreadsheets and proposals, learning tax law and being a “utility infielder” for her clients. But no matter how hectic her job is, she enjoys being the the person who makes the decisions.

Carlo’s clients appreciate her talent in helping them take the spotlight.

“She finds meaningful and fun opportunities for her clients and always shows up on-site to make sure the event goes as planned,” said former Chiefs wide receiver Dante Hall. “Her ability to juggle mommy obligations, wife obligations as well as running a successful company, is inspiring.”

Mike Kafka, formerly with the Chiefs and now offensive coordinator with the New York Giants, is also part of Gold Griff.

“We chose to work with Amanda because she trusts and believes in us as much as we trust and believe in her,” Kafka said. “Amanda’s knowledge of social media, community engagement, and the NFL made her an easy choice. She understands what our family needs.”

Carlo’s biggest fan is her husband.

“She is an amazing networker and has an uncanny ability to create connections anywhere she goes,” Ben Carlo said. “She also has been very successful at navigating a very male-dominated industry.”

Juggling job and home

Ben Carlo said he is in awe of his wife’s ability balance what’s best for herself, her family and her clients.

Finding that balance is a constant challenge for the business owner.

“There’s taking a conference call when dropping kids off at daycare,” Carlo said. “Every single day there is guilt. I have always wanted to have a job and a home that can have all of me when I am there.”

Her all-in approach to her business has created a success, she said. And it’s a job that continues to allow her to grow.

“I wish I could fail faster so then I could learn all things,” said Carlo with a laugh. “I learn more from failure than achievement. It’s finding ways of efficiency.”

Carlo said she’s learned to successfully navigate a male-dominated business with a touch of thoughtfulness.

With women in business, “kindness is often confused as weakness,” she said.

“I am working to find a way to assert myself and be a decision maker and a thought leader to speak about the things I know I’m an expert in,” she said. “I feel lucky to have figured that out.”