Choosing the Unfamiliar, Building the Possible

Christopher Marchetti

Founder & CEO

EventConnect Tech LLC DBA KneesUp™ Venues

Choosing the Unfamiliar, Building the Possible

Christopher Marchetti

Founder & CEO

EventConnect Tech LLC DBA KneesUp™ Venues

Christopher Marchetti-40 Under 40 USA 2026

Business growth rarely begins with having the perfect market in front of you; it begins by recognising a problem others have learned to work around. Christopher Marchetti has built his career finding those gaps, understanding how businesses operate, and turning overlooked opportunities into scalable growth. His path has taken him through CRM, advanced manufacturing, and wealth management before bringing those experiences together as Founder and CEO of EventConnect Tech LLC, DBA KneesUp™ Venues. The platform helps venues modernise private-event operations while creating a practical connection between technology, transactions, and revenue. Christopher’s leadership has been shaped by getting close to problems, whether on a manufacturing job site or while building a new venture. In a conversation with TradeFlock, Christopher reflects on the experiences that shape how he builds.

What was the first career decision that changed how you understood business growth?

Leaving a strong path in CRM and cloud technology to join All Weather Insulated Panels was the “yes” that changed my trajectory. AWIP was an early-stage manufacturer in an industry I barely knew. The experience taught me how to create a market, not simply manage one. I immersed myself in the product, customers, job-site realities, and adoption economics. As the company expanded, I helped build the marketing function while leading strategic partnerships. Reporting directly to the CEO also gave me early exposure to companywide growth decisions. AWIP grew about 20% annually, surpassed $160 million in sales, and launched OneDek®, which generated $80 million in its first 18 months. Beyond numbers, the experience showed me how people, strategy, and execution connect to create growth at scale.

What led you to build KneesUp Venues around a problem others were overlooking?

The opportunity became clear after seeing the same contradiction repeatedly. Private events can be a venue’s most profitable revenue stream, yet many operators still manage them through disconnected emails, spreadsheets, phone calls, and calendars. Existing platforms often add another subscription without solving the central problem of converting demand into booked, profitable events. Venues need to showcase spaces, manage inquiries, take deposits, and coordinate details. KneesUp Venues was designed around that reality. The core platform is free, and revenue comes from transactions that create value. This model removes a major adoption obstacle because we make money when our customers generate revenue. The goal is to give venues greater ownership of their booking process, protect revenue, and build a stronger private-events business.

What has building relationships taught you about creating lasting opportunities?

Real relationships are built long before there is anything to gain. Mentors taught me that reputation comes from listening, solving problems, and keeping commitments. That lesson has followed me across manufacturing, wealth management, consulting, and now KneesUp Venues. I try to understand what success looks like for the other person, promise only what I can deliver, and add value beyond the transaction. People do not invest only in ideas; they invest in the person behind them. Follow-through has become an equally important habit—tracking what I own, setting deadlines, and closing the loop. Curiosity keeps me learning, while dependability gives people confidence that they can count on me. Temporary credibility fades, but trust earned over years creates durable opportunity.

What did working close to the problem teach you about a better leader?

Startups taught me that there is nowhere to hide behind a job description. Strategy, product, finance, and operations collide every day, forcing you to understand how the whole business works. AWIP gave me an early lesson in what that means. I was once sent to a job site to help repair thermal blistering on insulated panels. I had read about the issue but had never performed the repair or operated the lift required to reach it. Seven hours beside the field team taught me more about the product failure and its consequences than any technical memo could. That experience stayed with me because it changed how I approach problems. Getting closer to the work creates understanding, while respecting the people doing it creates trust. Larger organisations later taught me governance and scaling discipline, but startups taught me ownership, speed, and resourcefulness. Strong leadership requires both perspectives.

If you could return to 22, what would you tell yourself about building a career?

I would tell myself to spend less energy trying to prove I was ready and more energy becoming indispensable by mastering what was in front of me. I would ask better questions sooner, document what I learned, and choose mentors carefully. Business school strengthened my financial judgment, but founding KneesUp taught me that execution, emotional discipline, and sound decisions made with incomplete information matter far more than having the perfect idea. I would still take unconventional paths and leave a familiar technology career to learn a new industry where I could own outcomes. The difference would be approaching each opportunity with greater curiosity about the customer and the economics. Setbacks are simply tuition.