Ep 168: From Boring To Buzzing: The 20-Minute Event Rule | Expert Guest Kelley Troia
What do glow-in-the-dark pickleball, paper boats, and vinyl records have to do with unforgettable business events? Kelley Troia breaks it all down.
Make your next event impossible to forget—with no one checking their watch wondering when it’s over. In this episode, Kelley Troia, Chief Astonishment Officer at Clandestine Events and Experiences, joins Sarah to unpack the secrets behind engineering high-trust, high-impact events. From executive dinners to international off-sites and even webinars, Kelley shares practical tactics for keeping energy high and attention locked in.
Takeaways
The 20-Minute Rule: Change the energy every 20 minutes to keep attendees engaged, whether it’s a cocktail hour or a virtual workshop.
Set the tone early: Your event starts the moment someone accepts the invite—use consistent, thoughtful pre-event communication.
Engineer the energy: Don’t overload attendees. Design events like a symphony—balance content, breaks, and interaction to maintain attention.
Create memory anchors: Tailor surprise elements to your audience. Think pickleball for a young team, or custom vinyl records for music lovers.
Build intentional connections: From first-timer meetups to curated guest dossiers, thoughtful connection-building enhances event outcomes.
About Kelley Troia
Kelley Troia is the Founder and Chief Astonishment Officer of Clandestine Events + Experiences, a creative agency known for designing connection-first events that make people whisper “holy sht”* before the salad hits the table.
With over 20 years of experience in marketing and event strategy—including time inside Fortune 100 boardrooms—Kelley founded Clandestine to break the beige ballroom mold. Her team has produced everything from NBA All-Star activations to high-stakes executive dinners, always with one goal in mind: create moments that stick.
She’s also the creator of the Red Thread of Connection framework, a strategic approach that helps leaders and marketers go beyond agendas to design events that spark trust, energy, and measurable ROI.
When she’s not architecting unforgettable experiences, Kelley splits her time between Austin and New Orleans—always on the hunt for her next cultural spark.
👉 Connect with Kelley on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ktroia
👉 Download the Guide to Unforgettable Events.
Related Episodes from Tiny Marketing
Ep. 165: When People Pay, They Pay Attention (Guest: Annemarie Rose) — A deep dive into how paid events and workshops outperform free ones and how to structure them to increase attendance and conversions. Podpage
Ep. 159: Relationship Rhythms — A Simple System to Grow a B2B Network Without Cold Pitching (Jessica Lackey) — Practical systems for building trust and meaningful connections — perfect listening alongside event engagement strategies. Buzzsprout
Ep. 150: These 39 Daily Habits Transformed My Business in Just 90 Days — Focuses on habits that drive consistent engagement and growth — a great companion episode on participation rhythms. Buzzsprout
Ep. 148: Your Lead Magnet Is the First Step to Filling Your Sales Pipeline — While not event-specific, this covers how to strategically capture interest and build journeys that can dovetail with event follow‑ups. Buzzsprout
Ep. 134: Launch Your Video Podcast — The Ultimate Content Flywheel for B2B Growth — Explores another kind of engagement engine — useful if you’re using recording or recap content post‑event. Buzzsprout
What next?
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— Sarah
