Shelly Washington is a true renaissance woman – able to excel simultaneously in art, education, and business. Most know her as Shelly Says So, the spoken word poet who inspires audiences across the country with healthy helpings of feminine sass, curvy confidence, and thought-provoking audacity. At home in Baltimore, she hosts BE FREE Fridays, the city’s longest-running monthly open mic series. She earned the title of ‘Poet of the Year’ at the 2013 Baltimore Crown Awards, after the release of her spoken word album, That’s What Shelly Said. She has toured nationally with The Punany Poets, The Sweet Spot, and the Come On Son! poetry collective.
Outside of entertainment, Shelly followed her dual careers as a Fortune 500 Marketing Executive and a college professor with the founding of her own company – The Advisory Store. Through consulting and education, The Advisory Store helps individuals and entrepreneurs build wealth via financial literacy, career coaching, and business and marketing strategy. Shelly’s expertise has been tapped by media outlets such at The Huffington Post, ABC7 (Washington, DC), and Black Enterprise. In 2014, Shelly was selected as the very first Miss Maryland Plus USA, blazing a trail for the recognition of plus size women and bringing further attention to her platform of Financial Literacy.
Shelly has a Bachelor’s in Advertising from Temple University, an MBA from University of Maryland, and is currently pursuing her PhD at University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Keep up with her via ShellySaysSo.com, on Twitter @MissShellySays, and everywhere else @ShellySaysSo.
For bookings, email booking@shellysaysso.com or call 410-914-POET.