CHICAGO — Trade Show Executive’s (TSE) celebration of the TSE Trailblazers continues with Kelley McCarthy, Senior Conference Producer – Beauty & Wellness Group, Questex.
McCarthy has transformed education in Questex’s Be+Well show portfolio into a strategic growth engine, and helped deliver stronger paid conference positioning, higher bundle adoption rates, expanded education visibility, better alignment between programming and audience acquisition, increased average class size and capacity utilization, and sustainable revenue growth.
We discussed what brought McCarthy to the events space, her current role and her keys to success.
ANDREW: What brought you to the trade show industry?
KELLEY: My background is in education, with experience spanning for-profit trade schools, nonprofit associations and Higher Ed. I was drawn to conference production to utilize that educational expertise in a more dynamic environment, one that also leveraged my strengths in project management and event planning.
Producing conferences within the trade show industry turned out to be the perfect intersection of those skills and interests.
ANDREW: What do you enjoy the most about your work?
KELLEY: What I enjoy most about my work is the people I work with, especially the wellness professionals who serve as our conference speakers. While I expected them to be creative and entrepreneurial, I am continuously struck by how service‑oriented they are.
Many come from salon and spa environments where care, listening and empathy are core to the work. That foundation shows up not only in their businesses, but in how generously they share knowledge.
Working alongside professionals who pair expertise with kindness and integrity has been humbling and deeply rewarding.
ANDREW: How have you transformed education into a growth engine?
KELLEY: At Questex, we recognized that high-quality education isn’t just a value-add, it’s a primary driver of event attendance and revenue growth.
Rather than focusing on selling individual conference sessions (which is common for the beauty & wellness industry), I led a strategic shift toward increasing full-day educational engagement by asking a critical question: How do we encourage attendees to invest in multiple sessions per day?
This mindset drove two key changes. First, we built comprehensive conference programs with clear, undeniable value to attendees.
Second, we redesigned the registration experience to make purchasing education intuitive and compelling. We introduced multi-session bundle packages, clear badge upgrade prompts and refined session filters that aligned content with attendees’ professional interests.
By prioritizing value first and the user experience second, we transformed education into a scalable growth engine, resulting in a 91% increase in conference seat sales at Be+Well New York 2025 (formerly The International Esthetics, Cosmetics & Spa Conference [IECSC] New York).
ANDREW: How do you use data for every content decision?
KELLEY: I use data to guide every content decision by intentionally removing guesswork from the process. When I began producing conferences, I relied heavily on personal knowledge, industry research and instinct to predict what would resonate with attendees.
A clear, and humbling, pattern emerged: My assumptions weren’t always correct. That realization pushed me to adopt a more disciplined, data‑driven approach.
I began by analyzing historical registration data and organizing sessions by theme to identify which topic categories consistently performed well. Once those demand patterns were clear, I built schedules that intentionally mirrored attendee behavior — adjusting content mix based on trends, regional market nuances and even time‑of‑day performance.
Quantitative data is only part of the equation. I also collect qualitative insights by consistently asking attendees and speakers a simple question: What’s missing from this program? Those conversations revealed emerging trends, unmet needs and new topic opportunities that don’t appear in spreadsheets.
By combining performance data with direct audience feedback, I’m able to make confident, responsive content decisions that reflect what our attendees actually want … rather than what we assume they should want.
ANDREW: Could you describe your work modernizing pricing and packaging strategies?
KELLEY: When I began working on our conference programs, the pricing model bundled admission to the show with the purchase of a class. I saw two challenges immediately: It unintentionally devalued the show hall experience, and it made purchasing additional classes a poor financial choice for attendees.
Related. Meet the 2026 TSE Trailblazers: Maeghan Horvath
I led a shift to unbundle education from show admission. While this made the initial class purchase more expensive, it allowed us to significantly reduce the incremental cost of adding second, third or fourth sessions, encouraging deeper educational engagement overall.
To further incentivize multiple class purchases, we tapped into the modern consumer’s buying preference, and we created education-forward bundle passes.
These three- and five-class bundles include full three-day show admission and serve not just as discounted options, but as curated recommendations for how attendees can get the most value from the event. The result was a pricing and packaging strategy that better reflected attendee behavior while driving increased participation across the conference program.
ANDREW: What has been the proudest moment of your career so far?
KELLEY: I’m proud of the work I’m doing now, and the various ways that it is being recognized — like this prestigious Trailblazer award.
For me, “winning” is not occasional big successes, but rather steady satisfaction and incremental, consistent conference growth. In my current role, my strengths, creativity and interests are all being leveraged and the result is a balance of excitement and quiet confidence that feels sustainable, scalable and satisfying.
ANDREW: What are your keys to success?
KELLEY: I firmly believe that how you do anything is how you’ll do everything. That principle guides my approach to work, applying the same high standards to every task, meeting and deadline, regardless of scale.
Consistency builds trust. When your work is thoughtful, reliable and delivered with care, colleagues know they can depend on you.
That consistency also creates a strong foundation for larger, more complex initiatives, because every stage of the project has been approached with intention.
Over time, small wins compound into momentum. That momentum builds confidence, encourages calculated risk-taking and ultimately creates the conditions for meaningful growth and impact.
ANDREW: What challenges have you encountered in your career, and how have you overcome them?
KELLEY: Everyone who works on live events knows that challenges — large and small — are everywhere!
Because events are dynamic by nature, things don’t always go according to plan, but how you respond to challenges matters far more than what goes wrong.
Invest time in preparation and scenario planning so you’re rarely caught off guard. At the same time, learn to not treat every challenge as a crisis.
Most issues are solvable, most attendees are understanding, and professionalism paired with grace goes a long way.
ANDREW: How do you stay motivated and avoid burnout?
KELLEY: I stay motivated by focusing on continuous improvement through small, intentional progress.
I often think in terms of a “10% shift” — choosing changes that are immediately actionable and sustainable rather than overwhelming. Those incremental improvements compound over time, driving meaningful evolution in both programs and processes while also keeping momentum and curiosity high.
Small wins build confidence, which naturally fuels motivation for larger, more transformative initiatives.
I avoid burnout by treating work‑life balance as a discipline, not an aspiration. I bring full focus and accountability to my work, and I’m equally intentional about unplugging and restoring outside of it.
By establishing non-negotiable habits around rest, self‑care and enjoyment, I’m able to reset daily and return to work energized. That balance makes sustained high performance possible, not just achievable in short bursts.
ANDREW: What advice would you give to an events industry up-and-comer?
KELLEY: Remember that strong events are built on relationships.
Be reliable, communicate clearly and approach every experience as an opportunity to learn. Over time, those habits earn trust — and trust is what allows you to grow your responsibilities and your impact.
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