Meet Shelby Tesio | Comedian & Actress

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shelby Tesio and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shelby, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
Passion is the universal humanity. Without it religion, history, romance and art would be useless. -Honore De Balzac

I love this quote because I can always tell when someone is passionate about something. I think being passionate about what you’re doing makes the difference. When people see me on stage I wouldn’t want them to question whether or not I love what I’m doing. It’s the driving force for my career and hopefully my future success.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?.
I think the thing that sets me apart from others is that I haven’t waited around for opportunities to come my way. I’ve created opportunities which has led me even further down the path I’m on. I have created small attainable goals within my comedy career that I celebrate! Some are big and some are as small as making it to an open mic, and if you’ve ever been to an open mic that does deserve a pat on the back!

I’ve gotten this far by believing in myself. Some days are more than others and it probably sounds super cliché to say believe in yourself, but this is an industry where so many people are rooting for you to fail. You have to brush yourself off and get back on stage even when you don’t want to. I’m never done learning. There’s always something you can take away from experiences and people, both good and bad. The moment you think you can’t learn anymore, you’re probably right and good for you! But I’m gonna continue to work hard, and learn more about the industry and my art.

You should know that chasing your dreams aren’t stupid and it’s not out of reach. I have been actively working towards my goals and my dreams for the past three years and I am incredibly proud of what I’ve accomplished already. It may not be easy but you can do anything you put your mind in to. I’ve just started my career but I see so much potential in myself to make it in this industry and that’s all that matters.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

You can find me at Piedmont Park about three days a week. There’s always something happening and it’s a perfect place to take a walk or go for a fun ride on a Bird. I also love Inman Park. Delbar is my favorite restaurant in the city and I go as much as I can! If I’m not in Inman park I’m thrifting around the city or hitting up a farmers market on Buford highway!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would have to say my family. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a strong support system and I never would have made it this far in my journey if it wasn’t for my families constant love and support. Stand up as we know is a roller coaster and they have been there through all the highs and lows. My friends and business partner deserve just as much credit though. They have seen me fail and succeed on so many different platforms. The support from my friends has made failing less scary, and somehow even make bombs feel like a win!

Website: Handup-Standup.com

Instagram: Shelbytesio

Twitter: Shelby Tesio

Facebook: Shelby Tesio

Image Credits
Lola Scott