Meet Tom Kelly

We were lucky to catch up with Tom Kelly recently and have shared our conversation below.

Tom, thank you so much for making time for us. We’ve always admired your ability to take risks and so maybe we can kick things off with a discussion around how you developed your ability to take and bear risk?

Calculated risk taking came to me at a very early age. I was never afraid to try new things and take chances if I could envision a positive outcome. At the age of 10 I decided I wanted to start a newsletter that served our local neighborhood. With a friend helping to write, reproduce and sell the newsletter to neighbors. I did not make much money but it kept me busy and reinforced my self confidence with praise from the neighborhood. My belief in my ability to accomplish anything I tried grew over the years. There were successes and failures. I never blamed anyone else for setbacks. I recognized that all the outcomes were the result of my own decisions. I analyzed results and learned where my missteps were in hopes of not repeating them.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

Now retired from a career serving Broadcast Radio and the Music Industry, I turned my skills toward helping my community. I engineered the launch of large community festivals that include live music, artisans, crafters, Kids Zones, and beer gardens. These events attract from 5,000 to 15,000 people each and all are FREE to attend. After 3 years I launched a 501c3 non-profit with the intention to raise money to purchase a venue and create a music, arts and community space. We opened the Kelly Center for Music, Arts and Community in 2019 only to be shut down in 2020 by the pandemic. We pivoted, started live-streaming and remained relevant through a very difficult time. We are still thriving and celebrating our 5th Anniversary in 2024.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Self-confidence, Willingness to take risks, Learn from mistakes.
I encourage young people to believe in themselves. They need to understand their strengths and weakness. Take calculated risk and don’t be afraid to fail occasionally. Try to avoid huge risk to avoid failure that will cause irreparable harm.

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?

Succession plan. At 66 years old I am seeing the need to plan for eventually stepping away from the day to day responsibilities. The challenge is to find a qualified leader with enough passion to take the reigns and continue the growth.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Joel Perlish Photography

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