What does it really take to build a boutique talent agency that works with pro athletes, creators, and major brands—without selling out or scaling too fast? In this episode of The Disruption Podcast, hosts Ludwig Araujo and Ankur Garg sit down with Maxx Lepselter and Alec Scazafave of Maxx MGMT, the agency rewriting the playbook on modern talent representation.

Maxx was born into the world of athlete management—his father represented NFL legends like Lawrence Taylor and Tiki Barber. But rather than inherit the legacy, Maxx built his own. In 2018, he launched Maxx MGMT, a boutique agency focused on athlete marketing, content strategy, and long-term brand building. His goal? Represent talent with a deeper sense of strategy, purpose, and trust.

Enter Alec Scazafave, a longtime friend turned business partner. Alec brings years of experience from Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and the NFL League Office, where he worked on digital talent, brand campaigns, and player marketing. Their partnership started over dinner and turned into a shared vision for building something smarter, more personal, and more adaptable than the big agencies dominating the space.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why Maxx MGMT refuses to chase scale for the sake of clout

• How Alec’s background in CAA digital became an unlikely advantage in today’s creator economy

• The difference between signing big names and building meaningful brand fit

• Why community > follower count is the real metric for influence

• How to identify creators or athletes ready for long-term representation

• The cost of early mistakes—including four bad hires and two premature expansions

• Why exclusivity matters—and how to navigate it in a saturated talent market

From NFL legends to micro-creators, Maxx and Alec have a clear POV: it’s not about chasing the loudest name. It’s about building the right foundation for sustainable, long-term brand value. They break down how they navigate client fit, negotiate with brands, and manage expectations for both sides of the table.

Also in this episode:

• What makes Maxx MGMT stand out in a crowded agency market

• Why most brands still don’t know how to brief a talent team properly

• The rise of experiential marketing—and how it’s changing creator deals

• How Alec’s time at the NFL gave him an inside look at what really drives athlete branding

• Their honest take on talent “poaching,” collaboration, and knowing when to take a shot

This is more than a conversation about agency life—it’s a tactical breakdown of how to actually build value for both talent and brands. Maxx and Alec share how they support their roster beyond one-off deals, including content ideation, platform strategy, brand development, and sponsorship alignment.

They also talk through:

• Their vision for a “creator combine” to qualify talent for brand partnerships

• The problem with talent rosters that are too bloated to manage effectively

• How they balance being boutique with competing against major firms

• Why they’re betting big on deeper talent discovery in 2026

• How work-life balance, team culture, and client alignment shape their growth

Whether you’re an agent, a brand builder, or a content creator trying to figure out what representation really looks like—you’ll walk away from this one with clearer insights, smarter questions, and maybe even a few answers you didn’t expect.

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Connect with the hosts:

• Ludwig Araujo on Instagram and LinkedIn

• Ankur Garg on Twitter and Instagram

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