Ep: 17: Kerry Anne Kelley | Danger Den Podcast w/ Danger Foley @ SXSW

KerryAnne Kelley joins Danger Foley for a grounded and generous conversation on building a creative life that actually supports humans. From founder/CEO balance to preventing burnout, KerryAnne shares practical tools: get crystal-clear on your message, design systems that match your real life, lead from service (not ego), and use a simple framework for hard conversations—consent, an “honesty scale,” and “what do you need right now?”

We also recap a big week at SXSW: team dynamics, abundance mindset, and making space for play, rest, and real collaboration.

You’ll hear:

• Clarity, audience, and the “one song” principle
• Structure + flow: creative ops that work
• The hard-conversation framework
• Listening to intuition and the body
• Why asking for help creates magnetism

Stay in touch with KerryAnne:
website:  https://www.kakelley.com/
Meditate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrIdjVtL1u0
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kerryloveannelight/

Connect with The Danger Den:
Website: https://www.thedangerden.com
Instagram: @dangerdenco
YouTube: @TheDangerDenCO

Transcript

Hi, I’m Danger

Foley at the Danger Down house
in Austin, Texas.

And we are here for South by Southwest.

And I am here with the woman
who is responsible

for so much of the magic here this week
and at the Danger Den in general.

She is absolutely just.

I can't even begin to describe.

But this is Keryanne Kelly,
she is the COO and, just I yeah, I don't

I don't even know how to describe you,

but this is Keryanne, and she is so well
versed in so many things.

And we are here today
to wrap up the week at South

By to talk a little bit on a deeper level.

But first of all, thanks for everything
and thanks for being here.

Oh, thanks Al, I love you so much. I’m
so happy to be here.

This feels like such a special moment

in time in history, such a special mission

that you're on and such a special point
for all of us as a team.

And every trip has been so special
to Austin.

It’s been amazing. So for real.

This one feels like the cherry
on top of the cake for sure.

And they're going to keep
getting better. Totally.

So we have been working all week
pretty tirelessly, I would say, to be

hosting different musicians and thought
leaders at this beautiful home in Austin.

I don't even know

where to begin with describing
the experience behind Different My End.

But if you first of all,

even want to back up
and give a little bit of background as to

who you are and why you chose
to be involved in this mission.

Yeah, totally. Thanks.

So I started my career
as a professional speaker for ten years.

I was on the road and talked to kids

and parents all across the country
and, shared my story.

I had a really traumatic upbringing and,
really was able to provide a lot of tools

to families and kids
everywhere of just like, how to break past

tough moments and become, a
so semi successful adult and,

so that was kind of how my

career started
and I did so many different things.

I was a doctor's
assistant at a stem cell clinic.

I, consulted on psychedelics for years.

I've mentored kids for really long time.

I was an NFL cheerleader for a while.

I feel like I'm one of those people
that's done so many things.

But, for me, like,
all my work has always been

heavily mission carried of, like,
what do I really believe in?

What are the businesses, the brands like,
the causes that I believe in.

you, were so inspiring when I met you.

And just like your mission
and and what you were creating

and and I had my own experiences
being a speaker

of experiencing burnout on the road
and really having

to rework my relationship with my body
and my health and everything.

And it's such a different lifestyle.

And so it was like,

I got it, like when you told it to me
and I was like, oh, that's killer.

And I want to be a part of it.

And like, you're the easiest person
in the world to believe in.

That's very kind.

I know it's so true.

It's just like you're
the most capable human.

And so you pair that with a cause
and a mission that's really important.

And it's like,

I don't know if I'm allowed to say
it’s a fuck yes, but it's a fuck yes.

It's a fuck yes for sure.

Well, it's been such, a blast to do it

with somebody who’s also so capable
and a whole team that is so capable.

But, yeah, you have experience

with very high level folks.

Just working in various industries,
and you've seen

a lot of people
feel really under-resourced.

What what do you feel
is your bigger mission on the planet,

and how does all of this play out for you?

Yeah. Thanks so much.

I completely believe that,

we all have missions that we're on,
and you are so powerfully in yours.

And, like, I, I love getting to support
people in their missions.

It’s like part of what I love
to do in the world.

But I think on a deeper level, I help

bring people to their karma
and I help them break it.

And I do that through, coaching families.

So, I have tons of parents and kids
that I work with.

I have 20 families right now.

And I help them really see, kind of like
where the blocks are in themselves,

in their lives and in their businesses
and their relationships,

because those things play out in patterns.

And so, for me, as a human,
I think that like

supporting people
and giving them tools and resources

to reconnect with
themselves is so important

and that you can do things with intention
and inclusion and do it differently

and in a way that suits your unique needs,
because everyone's needs are different.

And so it's been so cool
building this with you because it's like,

okay, like what feels good right now?

What do you want? Like,
what do you want this to look like?

What do you want it to be

and like to help people see
the possibilities of what you can create?

Because there's always a million like.

And we sell ourselves this story that it
has to be one way or unfold a certain way.

And it's like there's
always so many possibilities.

And what's the one we want?

And like,
how can we try to make that happen?

Totally. Yeah.

And what has been a really cool,
opportunity for me and my creative flow.

And then, you know, building
this with the evolution is

having the conversations
that are more strategy focused and

having the ability to lay out a framework
of actually accomplishing things.

And something for me,
as a more creative mind,

the actual follow through
is where I get hung up.

And one of the things
that's so fascinating to me,

I forget where I heard it,
but they were saying that the brain

of a CEO and the brain of a founder
are two very different brains.

And in order for a founder
to become a CEO and successfully last

and not burn out and not

do all of the things,

there need to be other players in place
who know exactly what to do.

Totally. Totally.

The pilot's very different

than the mechanic, is very different
than the manufacturer, etc.

but they're also needed
to make the plane fly.

for people who are looking
to start their own business, especially

those creatives who might not have
a Keryanne in their life,

who will just magically appear
at such a beautiful moment.

But some early strategies
and maybe mindset shifts

for accomplishing
the first hurdles of getting started.

Yeah I think that's an amazing question.

And one of my favorite things
because I love working with creatives

because I get it because I'm a creative
myself and I have this part of me.

But it's like the masculine and feminine,
the balance.

You need the structure.

And I think most importantly it's

so essential to get really clear

on exactly what you want and who you serve
and what your magic is.

And, you know, it is a icky guy
and all of those other principles

that you can see everywhere.

But it's like

if you're really clear on your message,
it's like you're singing one song

and like it will become recognizable,
and the people that need to hear

it will hear it.

And it is that magnet magnetism, magic

that that happens when you know
your voice and you're clear on it.

So I would say, like, get clear on it
and the people will come and

ask for help along the way.

I think that's been
one of the most beautiful things.

That we've been able to receive,
especially this trip here in Austin

is so much help and resourcing
and like when you're clear on your mission

and it's so heart driven,
people want to buy in

and they want to be included
and they want to be involved.

And you can create something that gives
people the opportunity to do that so well.

And that's something that's happening
here.

And it's so cool.

It's just like it
creates more, always creates more.

Absolutely.

And so I think that, you know, get clear

on your mission, involve people
and ask for help.

And like, own
your magic, like, own exactly what it is.

That makes you feel unique.

And when you do that, like,
the right people will come

and they will see it
and just keep, keep going.

And, you know,
I also would say like Shoot so freaking

big, like you're such an example of that
and something that

I think I'm really inspired by about you
continuously is like,

you like, think of the biggest, highest,
best thing that it could be.

And you're like, let's make that happen.

And I love that
because that's a possibility.

And if that's the one you want like great,
you know?

And so it's amazing
and it's been wonderful for me to learn

from as someone that like I'm like, okay,
get shit happen, learn like that shit.

Get shit happen.

Get shit happen. Right?

Get shit done, make it happen.

but you do it in such like a clear way
at a really high level.

And so it's allowed me,
I think, to translate that

into other areas of my life.

That's been so cool.

And I will say that I completely echo
and agree with the points that you made,

having the ability to sit with yourself
in the moments

of really not loving yourself
for who you are or just not really feeling

fully confident in your body,
is one of the most challenging things.

But working through it and actually
finding the like, the mission,

exactly what you said and recognizing
that it is bigger than you is.

I think the first step,
and the only thing that I would add to,

what you said is to

make sure that it is not an ego
driven mission.

Because when you are focusing
solely on yourself

and the look at me show, it's when 
I think it's

like a repellent of magnetism almost where
if you are going into something

with the mission
to make it about other people

and make it about
just elevating a vibration.

And I mean, I'm a musician, I'm a DJ,
I use myself as a case study for what

I'm building here, but it's so much
less about, you know, the the look at me

and more about what is this actually doing
for the people in the audience.

What is what educational resources
can we offer to people.

Awareness of impact? Yeah. Absolutely.

Totally. Totally.

So, yeah, finding
what really lights you up.

Yeah.

As you were talking,
I was also thinking like,

I think something that we've gone
through and experience together with us

and, and is so important is like you said,
something like listening to your body,

like listen to your body,
listen to your intuition

because you will deal
with so many different types of people,

and you get to choose
how you interact with those people

and who you get to work with
and in what capacities.

And so it's like if there's an alarm bell
going off, listen to that and trust

that, like there's so much resource,
there's so many people that want to help.

There's so many ways things can happen.

And so I think, you know, it's something

that we continually rub up
against in business is those things, those

like limiting beliefs
that we need to shed off.

Feeling like you missed your shot,
or feeling like.

There’s not enough.

If you don't take this one opportunity,
something else isn't going to happen,

right? Like there's so much.

And so listen to your intuition.

If something doesn't feel right, pivot and
trust, that like, there's so much more.

Absolutely. Yeah.

And the other part of listen to
your body is when you're.

Abundance mindset.

Yes. For sure.

The other part of listen to your body
is recognize when you are under resourced

and figure out when it is time to work
your ass off and push it when it's time

to party and celebrate, and also
when it's time to just chill out and rest.

And I'm still learning.
That’s different for every person, right?

Like we have such different

human design types
and we work so differently

and so that like, there's no comparison
or no competition in that.

It's like you work very differently
than I work, and that's great.

And we both show up
and it's like, it's magic, you know.

I'll take the night shift.

I’ll take the morning, and that's that's
a song that we're working on right now.

So. Remix coming in the fall.

Is that a real song?

I mean, right now, yeah.

I was like, but yeah, I work nights

and I, I'm actually trying to be better
about my sleep schedule.

But at the same time, I'm also just
recognizing that I am who I am.

And, you know, sometimes your brain
doesn't want to turn on until 9 p.m..

And the beautiful thing
about finding people to work with you

because they fit in with your style is
Keryanne will take the morning

and she wakes up at the crack of dawn,
which is crazy to me,

but she takes the hand off
of all of the things

that I accomplished at night,
and can roll with that during the day.

I've got Ryan Nelly here who is phenomenal
behind the camera with the sound.

He's a savant.

I would not want to trade places with him
and be

responsible for all of this equipment
if my life depended on it.

Yeah, no,

but he also said that he

would rather do anything else
than interview in front of a camera.

And so let's get the cameras on him and,

no, but yeah, the point is, is that

when you find out
what is your thing, what you said,

find your magic and roll with it,
because you can't have every lane.

Like it's physically impossible
to do everything well.

And the beauty of this experience for me

as a founder is finding
that it is so much more productive.

And it's also just so much more fun
when you get to do it with other people.

Yeah, and people you love and respect
and believe in the cause and.

Yeah.

And your people are out there for sure,
no matter what your thing is, could be.

It could be the weirdest thing.

There's at least one other person
that's into that.

And like, the beauty of the digital age
is being able to find your people.

I will keep preaching that.

I, you know,
I have my opinions on social media,

and I think it could be done
so much better.

But for what it is, we have a real
opportunity to shout as loud as we can.

And this is just as much advice for me
as it is for anybody else,

but to be shying away

for the sake of
just not wanting to be heard,

but still feeling really lonely
that there's a way to do it.

And so hopefully we're finding the ways
to do it,

you know, in a way that is just real.

Yeah.

And I think like,

you have such a platform that you empower
other people to use their voice,

and it can be a really scary thing
for so many people right now in this day

and age, because you're immediately
exposed to a lot of people

having opinions about that
and sending energy to you, you know?

And it's all about
how we choose to use it, right?

And what we choose to do with that energy
and how firm we are in ourselves.

And you do such a great job of embodying
that and giving things platform for that.

And, it's really important right now
because our voices are really needed and,

the voices of love and positivity
and what's possible and wellness

and collective, you know, generation
of new creative ideas and resource.

And there's so much good.

And so I really appreciate you creating
a space for that and a platform for that.

Yeah, absolutely.

And it
it feels really good to, to give people

an opportunity to speak eloquently
on the things that matter to them.

As opposed
to trying to take a selfie video

and put their caption in something
that they're just trying to say something.

Well, and say it in a way
that doesn't piss people off.

And, you know, there's no context.

And so it makes us all kind of hate
each other by default.

And so finding real ways
to intelligently,

you know, speak about sometimes
difficult things.

And that's another thing
that I wanted to just talk with you

about because, it's
something that you're really good at.

It's the quick tips on

how to have a hard conversation
with somebody that you really care about.

You know, I've had to have
a few conversations just over the last

few months, you know, relating
to business, relating to personal matters.

And, the way that I have been able
to kind of model

the approach has been really impactful
on my relationships.

And so I wanted to give you
the opportunity to just share

what you do with the kids that you mentor
with their parents.

And, 
yeah. Cool, thanks. I appreciate that

also total

caveat, which I know,
you know, every conversation

and every person is so different
and there are

so many different personality types and,

you know, dynamics
that you're working within.

And so I really believe, like everybody
needs something unique in that moment.

And you kind of have to be agile enough
to feel into that,

but the the things I like to try
and think of are one.

I like to check in with people before
I ask them something like

if they're available for something like,
are you open to having a conversation?

Can I sit and talk with you?

Like,
can I want your agreement first? Right?

And then if it's something that's
challenging to share, I also love to ask,

on a scale of 1 to 10,
how honest do you want me to be right now?

Because.

A two.

We’re not always open to that.

Exactly.

But then you take ownership of the fact.

That you're not open for it,
because sometimes it is like, I'm not,

I don't care, I just want to be heard
in health space right now.

I think that's like between men and women.

A lot of times, like women,
we just want to be heard.

Men are like,
how can I help? How can I fix you know.

What is the problem?

And like, tell me the exact problem.

And so I can find a perfect solution.
Totally.

To fit in this.

One for us, this is a wave of feelings.

Yeah, yeah.

And I need to
just have you recognize the fact.

Ride it with me. Yeah.

Well.
And acknowledge that it's valid.

Totally,, 100%, 100%.

So I think those things are important,

you know, are you open to 
me sharing my opinion?

Are you open to having a check in
or just a immediate consent.

And then how honest are you willing,
you know, wanting me to be.

And then what do you need right now.

Yeah. Like how can I support you?

What do you need right now?

Because sometimes I think we can jump
into, you know, fixing, problem solving.

I was a big rescuer for a long time.

And that was something this past year
I really let go of.

Of like, it's not my job to fix.

It's not my job to whatever. Like,
what do you need?

What do you need directly right
now, in this moment?

I don't know, I can assume,
but I don't really know.

So you tell me, you know,
I think in relationship,

something I've done that has worked
so well for me

is once a week I do a quick check in of
what's going well for you,

what do you need more of,
and how can I best support you this week?

And it's like if you do
those three things, it's like, great,

this is going amazing. Let's celebrate it.

This is what you need more of.

Maybe it's more space,
maybe it's more trust.

Maybe like it could be
a bunch of different things.

And then like, how can I support you?

You're giving me an action plan
for the week, you know?

Amazing. Great. Totally.

You know, and it's like everyone
just being in communication and agreement.

So yeah, I think the communication
is everything.

Totally. Yeah. Yeah.

As we've been rocking through this week,
we've learned that it is.

Totally. The biggest piece.

We're living in a house together
it’s the first time as a team.

This is like a real world episode.

Yeah it is. Yippee Ki yay, Austin.

Well, Keryanne it's

just been working with
you has just been so educational for me.

And, I continue to learn more every day,
and I am so excited

for the chance
to come back to Austin in the fall.

But we have a lot of other really cool
things coming up.

Do you want to just share a little bit
about the cool stuff

that's going to be coming up
at Danger Den?

And we can get excited about.

Totally, so we're going to sleds and kegs
in a few days.

Yeah.

A few days playing a couple
shows up there in Crested Butte.

So I do not know
when this episode will air,

but it might be might be a memory,
but it's going to be really exciting.

First one on the stop.

Second one we are going to
Miami Music week for...

I have a single that we will be releasing.

It is called season of the sun with Roland
Clark and Ryan Nelly was the legend

behind the production and sound design,
and it's, it’s, I'm really proud of it.

And so that is coming out on Danger
Den Records.

And, we will also be hosting The Danger
Den down in Miami.

So it's going to be very cool. Yeah.

And then we've got, something pretty
special happening for Bicycle Day as well.

You're you're like,
this is a tag team hype.

That's so exciting.

Yeah, yeah. Why yes we do.

Yeah. I'm playing with L.P.

Giobbi and Reggie Watts
and some other amazing artists.

At Meow Wolf.

Yeah. It's gonna be really cool.
It's going to be amazing.

So that's just like the next few weeks.

Honestly, there's so much more ahead.

We've got some more summer festivals.

We'll be back down here in the fall.

But this is literally her running

through my schedule with me
so that I can also get excited

because I can't even keep my head
straight.

This week. It's just been crazy.

Keeping the balance
of grinding and celebration and.

Yes. Receiving and

all of it.

So it's so exciting.

Yeah, we have a lot of, 
amazing opportunities that have come

from this week, a lot of wonderful
collaborations, new friendships,

and a shitload of podcast episodes
that I can't wait for everybody to see.

It's going to be awesome.

It’s going to be great. Talked
to some really cool people this week.

Yeah we did, amazingly people.

I think we nourished a lot of,
of artists.

Yeah. That was really cool. Totally.

That sounds. Does that sound weird?

How I just said that?

No, no.

Love the new friends.

For real, and we've decided that, Danger
Den activations

will now be known as Danger Den elevations
because our intention

is to not just activate and have it
be a standard thing, but this is meant to.

Raise the vibration. Lift it up. Yeah.

So we're wrapping up South By.

It's been so great.

It’s been so great.

Austin,
you're always good to us. Everytime.

Classic Austin.

Classic. We’ll be back.

We will be back, and thank you
for joining us throughout this awesome

South By series,
and we will see you in Miami.

Ooh, baby. See you. Bye.