Kelley Troia

Kelley Troia is the founder and Chief Astonishment Officer of Clandestine Events and Experiences, a company she started in 2012.1 With over a decade of experience in the events industry, Troia has established herself as a visionary and complex problem solver in the field of experiential marketing and event planning.4

Career Background

Before founding Clandestine, Troia had an extensive career in the corporate world:

• She began her career in New York City, working for online retail startups like Music Boulevard and CDNow.1
• Later, she moved to San Francisco and worked at Walmart.com.1
• At Walmart, she eventually became the Sr. Director of Marketing Operations in Bentonville, AR, where she built the Marketing Ops team from the ground up.1
• Troia was part of the core team that transformed the WALMART brand, including the introduction of the "Save Money. Live Better." tagline.1

Clandestine Events and Experiences

Troia founded Clandestine Events and Experiences in 2012 after her divorce, leveraging her corporate experience to build a successful event planning business.1 The company has been operating for over 10 years, surviving challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic.1

Business Philosophy and Approach

Kelley Troia's approach to business is characterized by:

1. Direct and no-nonsense communication style
2. East Coast-inspired hustle in a slower-paced environment (New Orleans)
3. Emphasis on quick responses, creativity, and collaboration
4. Focus on building trust and partnerships with clients
5. Treating people with kindness, regardless of their potential benefit to the business1

Troia believes that her corporate background gives her an edge in understanding and thinking like her clients, which has contributed to her success in the events industry.12

Recent Insights

In a recent LinkedIn post, Troia highlighted the growing trend of people prioritizing experiences over products, citing an Eventbrite study that showed 78% of Americans prefer memorable moments to material possessions.3 This aligns with her company's focus on creating unique and impactful events and experiences.

Kelley Troia continues to lead Clandestine Events and Experiences, bringing her wealth of experience and innovative approach to the events industry.