Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Confessions of a Pageant King

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

We were originally going to be discussing our pageant icks this episode, but with all of us being knee-deep in pageant season at the moment, let’s just say we went with it.

For me personally, I would say this is my first proper ‘pageant season’ as a coach, and all I can say is that it’s truly been a WILD ride.

--

Pageants & Tangents is an irreverential and honest take on modern-day pageantry, hosted by Adrian Kwan, Founder of The Pageant Project.Got a pageant issue or question you want us to discuss? Submit it here:

👉 https://pageantpod.com

OUR CO-HOSTS:

Morgan Morgan:

👉 https://www.instagram.com/morganmorganbonafide/

👉 https://www.morganmorganfitness.com/

Peyton Christen:

👉 https://www.instagram.com/peytonkaynec/

👉 https://www.instagram.com/missgavol/

Kenzie Hansley:

👉 https://www.instagram.com/kenziehansleyy/

👉 https://www.instagram.com/kenzieleecoachingg/

Geanna Koulouris:

👉 https://www.instagram.com/geannakoulouris/

For all media and sponsorship enquiries:

👉 info@thepageantproject.com

The Beginner's Guide to Pageantry - Everything You Need to Compete in Your First Pageant With Confidence... Even If You’re Starting From Zero:

👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645070327

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

ABOUT LYNDSEY LOCKLEAR

Lyndsey Locklear is originally from Lumberton, North Carolina, and is a proud graduate of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, where she earned both a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She now resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she works as a traveling neonatal ICU nurse. In August, Lyndsey will begin pursuing her Master’s degree to become a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, continuing her commitment to improving outcomes for infants and families.

A former Miss Lumbee, Lyndsey is currently representing the Queen City and will compete for the title of Miss North Carolina USA. As a proud member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, she hopes to become the first Indigenous woman crowned Miss North Carolina USA and to go on to represent the state at the Miss USA competition, inspiring young people to dream boldly and embrace their unique identities.

Lyndsey has been dancing since the age of two and is trained in tap dance, a lifelong passion that has shaped her creativity and discipline. Outside of her career, she enjoys cooking, playing golf, creating new coffee recipes, and spending time in the gym.

She is also deeply passionate about mental health advocacy and preserving her Indigenous culture. This passion inspired her to implement traditional Indigenous talking circles as a tool for emotional healing, creating safe spaces that encourage connection, vulnerability, and community.

FOLLOW LYNDSEY LOCKLEAR

👉 https://www.instagram.com/LyndseyLocky/

👉 https://www.tiktok.com/@LyndseyLocky

👉 https://www.facebook.com/lyndsey.locklear

The Beginner's Guide to Pageantry - Everything You Need to Compete in Your First Pageant With Confidence... Even If You’re Starting From Zero:

👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645070327

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

We are right in the middle of pageant season.

* Miss USA state pageants.

* Miss America state pageants.

* Miss Volunteer America.

* Last-minute prep.

* Last-minute panic.

* Last-minute “what if I forget everything?”

So here is the reminder I think some of you need more than another mock interview question:

Your mindset is not optional.

And I don’t mean that in the vague, fluffy, “just believe in yourself” way.

I mean mindset in the competitive sense.

Can you still perform when the pressure hits?

Because there is a very specific kind of heartbreak in pageantry.

It’s not losing.

It’s knowing you were better than what you showed.

It’s walking out of interview thinking:

I answered that so much better in practice.

It’s stepping off stage thinking:

I nailed that walk last week.

It’s getting back to your hotel room and realizing:

That wasn’t me at my best.

That feeling is awful.

And most of the time, it is not a mechanics problem.

It is a psychology problem.

Recently, I worked with a young golfer in the United States.

Not a pageant contestant.

A golfer.

I do not play golf. My entire understanding of golf is basically: hit the ball, make it go in the hole.

So no, I did not magically fix her golf swing.

But I do understand performance. I understand pressure. I understand what happens when someone has the ability to do something, but their psychology gets in the way.

When we worked together, I didn’t want another polite conversation on the couch about “confidence.”

I asked her to take me onto the golf course over video call while she was actually hitting balls.

Why?

Because that is where the real work happens.

* It’s easy to talk about mindset when nothing is happening.

* It’s easy to sound calm when you’re sitting in your house.

* It’s easy to say, “I just need to stay positive,” when there are no judges, no scorecard, no audience, no lights, no pressure.

But the breakthrough usually happens in the moment.

* When the bad shot happens.

* When the answer goes sideways.

* When your brain goes blank.

* When your body starts panicking.

For this golfer, the pattern was frustration.

She would hit one bad shot, get angry with herself, and that anger would affect the next shot.

Then the next.

Then the next.

And this is where pageant contestants need to pay attention.

The mistake is not always the problem.

Your reaction to the mistake is often the problem.

* One interview answer goes badly, and suddenly you mentally leave the room.

* One turn feels off, and suddenly you start walking like you are apologizing for existing.

* One unexpected question comes up, and suddenly you are no longer listening. You are panicking.

That is not preparation failing.

That is state failing.

With the golfer, the shift was simple.

Instead of getting angry, get curious.

Not:

I suck.I can’t believe I did that.What is wrong with me?

But:

What happened?What can I adjust?What do I need to do next?

Anger locks you into the mistake.

Curiosity moves you toward the solution.

A week later, I heard she had played her best round and lowered her personal best by six strokes over nine holes.

That is not small.

And again, I did not fix her golf mechanics.

The change was psychological.

Which brings me back to pageantry.

Most contestants spend almost all their prep time on mechanics.

* How do I structure my answer?

* How do I introduce myself?

* How do I sound less robotic?

* How do I walk?

* How do I pose?

* How do I talk about my platform?

All of those things matter.

Of course they matter.

But mechanics only help you if you can still access them under pressure.

That is the part most contestants forget.

* You can have beautiful interview answers in practice.

* You can have a great walk in rehearsal.

* You can know your platform inside out.

But when pressure hits, your nervous system takes over.

* You rush.

* You ramble.

* You freeze.

* You stop listening.

* You try to remember a rehearsed answer instead of answering the actual question.

That is why so many contestants sound robotic.

Not because they don’t care.

Usually, they care too much.

But instead of being in conversation, they are in retrieval mode.

They are searching their mental filing cabinet for the memorized answer that seems closest.

And that is a dangerous place to be in interview.

Because pageant interview is not a recital.

It is a conversation under pressure.

When I coached tennis, we had a phrase for certain players:

Practice-court players.

They looked amazing in practice.

* Beautiful strokes.

* Great timing.

* Clean technique.

* No pressure.

* No score.

* No consequences.

But put them in a match, and suddenly they became a different player.

Then there were the rare ones who seemed to get better when the pressure increased.

That is what you want to become in pageantry.

Not the contestant who is brilliant in the practice room.

Not the contestant who gives a great answer only when she knows the question is coming.

Not the contestant who looks incredible when the ballroom is empty.

The contestant who can still be present when the room is real.

* Real judges.

* Real stakes.

* Real nerves.

* Real pressure.

That is the skill.

And it is trainable.

Before an athlete competes, they warm up.

They don’t sit slumped in a chair for forty minutes, watching everyone else compete, absorbing everyone else’s anxiety, and then expect to explode into peak performance the second their name is called.

Yet that is exactly what many pageant contestants do before interview.

* They sit outside the room.

* They watch other contestants walk in.

* They watch them walk out.

* They try to decode every facial expression.

* They listen to whispers.

* They let everyone else’s energy get into their head.

Then they wonder why they feel flat, frozen, or frantic when their name is called.

You need an interview warm-up.

A real one.

* Move your body.

* Get your blood flowing.

* Stand up.

* Pace if you have to.

* Get outside into the sunlight if you can.

* Put your headphones in.

* Listen to something that gets you into the right state.

* Run a few practice questions with someone.

* Use ChatGPT voice mode if you need to.

* Get your brain answering before you enter the room.

Because if your interview is two or three minutes long, you do not have the luxury of using the first two questions to warm up.

You need to hit the ground running.

And this is where I think a lot of contestants are underprepared.

They train their body.

They train their walk.

They train their answers.

They train their styling.

But they do not train their nervous system.

Then pageant weekend arrives, pressure hits, and they expect confidence to magically appear.

It won’t.

You train confidence the same way you train anything else.

Through reps.

Through discomfort.

Through doing things that safely raise your heart rate and teach your body:

I can feel pressure and still function.

So here is one simple practice:

Do something uncomfortable every day.

Not something dangerous.

Not something reckless.

Something safe, productive, and uncomfortable.

* A cold shower at the end of your normal shower.

* Going live on Instagram for two minutes.

* Answering a question you have not prepared for.

* Filming yourself and watching it back.

* Practicing without a script.

* Asking someone to throw you questions you do not get to pre-approve.

These things work because they train the muscle most contestants avoid training:

Staying present when discomfort appears.

The more you practice discomfort, the less shocking discomfort becomes.

And when discomfort is no longer shocking, pressure loses some of its power.

That is when you become dangerous.

Because while everyone else is spiraling, you are steady.

While everyone else is panicking because the interview is five minutes instead of three, you are adjusting.

While everyone else is trying to remember the perfect rehearsed line, you are actually listening.

That is titleholder energy.

Not because you are pretending to be calm.

Because you have trained yourself to handle pressure.

This is why I do not want you to be a practice-room contestant.

I do not want you to be the contestant who only feels confident when everything goes perfectly.

I do not want you to be the contestant who needs ideal conditions to perform.

I do not want you to be the contestant who says afterwards:

I know I could have done better.

I want you to be the contestant who walks into the room already warmed up.

The contestant who can make a mistake and stay curious.

The contestant who can feel nerves and still communicate.

The contestant who can handle a change in schedule, a weird question, a quiet judging panel, a narrow stage, a long day, a bad night of sleep, and still access her best.

Because pageantry will test your mechanics.

But pressure will test your psychology.

And very often, that is where the crown is won.

So before your next mock interview, ask yourself:

Am I practicing answers?

Or am I practicing pressure?

Adrian.

The Beginner's Guide to Pageantry - Everything You Need to Compete in Your First Pageant With Confidence... Even If You’re Starting From Zero:

👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645070327

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

ABOUT CHRISTELL FOOTE

Christell Foote is the reigning Miss Cosmo U.S. Virgin Islands and a pageant competitor who has earned Top 5 placements at three different national pageants before taking her journey to the international stage. Passionate about empowering young people through education, Christell advocates for youth to pursue their dreams and academic goals. She is currently earning her MBA while balancing a professional career and leading her footwear company, Footewear, which was founded to help women stand tall with confidence.

FOLLOW CHRISTELL FOOTE

👉 https://www.instagram.com/christell.foote/

👉 https://footewear.store/

👉 https://www.instagram.com/misscosmousvi/

The Beginner's Guide to Pageantry - Everything You Need to Compete in Your First Pageant With Confidence... Even If You’re Starting From Zero:

👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645070327

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

Most pageant fans are great. But we all know some of them cross the line from supportive to downright creepy (and then some).

In this episode we’re discussing our pageant fan horror stories, together with some pointers to make sure you don’t end up getting kicked out, dragged out, or arrested (if you know, you know).

--

Pageants & Tangents is an irreverential and honest take on modern-day pageantry, hosted by Adrian Kwan, Founder of The Pageant Project.Got a pageant issue or question you want us to discuss? Submit it here:

👉 https://pageantpod.com

OUR CO-HOSTS:

Morgan Morgan:

👉 https://www.instagram.com/morganmorganbonafide/

👉 https://www.morganmorganfitness.com/

Peyton Christen:

👉 https://www.instagram.com/peytonkaynec/

👉 https://www.instagram.com/missgavol/

Kenzie Hansley:

👉 https://www.instagram.com/kenziehansleyy/

👉 https://www.instagram.com/kenzieleecoachingg/

Geanna Koulouris:

👉 https://www.instagram.com/geannakoulouris/

For all media and sponsorship enquiries:

👉 info@thepageantproject.com

The Beginner's Guide to Pageantry - Everything You Need to Compete in Your First Pageant With Confidence... Even If You’re Starting From Zero:

👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645070327

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

ABOUT MYKALA DONLON

Mykala Donlon is a dancer, student leader, and advocate passionate about empowering young women through authenticity and service. As the founder of the “Girl in the Mirror” initiative, she encourages girls to embrace self-worth beyond appearance and social pressure.

A dedicated member and leader in HOSA, Mykala has spent her high school career volunteering through blood drives and community service projects. She will continue her education at the University of Miami, where she plans to study microbiology and immunology on the pre-med track.

Through pageantry, dance, and leadership, Mykala hopes to inspire others to lead with compassion, resilience, and purpose.

FOLLOW MYKALA DONLON

👉 https://www.instagram.com/mykaladonlon/

👉 https://www.tiktok.com/@mykaladonlon/

The Beginner's Guide to Pageantry - Everything You Need to Compete in Your First Pageant With Confidence... Even If You’re Starting From Zero:

👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645070327

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

There is a certain type of coach who likes you to believe they possess secrets.

Not experience.

Not expertise.

Secrets.

Knowledge so rare and valuable that it must be guarded carefully, lest another coach discover it and the entire competitive advantage disappear overnight.

I have encountered this mentality in tennis coaching, life coaching and now pageant coaching.

And honestly?

I don’t buy it.

That doesn’t mean every coach is equally skilled. Some coaches are considerably better than others. Nor does it mean specialised knowledge has no value.

Someone who competed in your exact pageant last year may know things about the director, schedule or judging environment that an outsider would not.

But that’s insider knowledge.

It’s not necessarily coaching ability.

And it usually has a much shorter shelf life than people care to admit.

Pageantry has changed dramatically over the past decade. Social media changed it. COVID changed it. The expectations placed on titleholders changed. The way contestants build platforms, communicate with audiences and handle public scrutiny changed.

Winning a title years ago may give someone valuable experience.

It does not automatically mean they know how to coach you.

What worked for them, may not work for you.

In this week’s video, I unpack what I believe creates those rare coaching moments where someone tells you something you genuinely had not considered before.

And it’s not because they possess some closely guarded pageant secret.

It’s because they bring together knowledge from several different worlds.

* Sport.

* Business.

* Communication.

* Psychology.

* Life experience.

Pageantry may be one piece of the puzzle, but it should not be the entire puzzle.

That matters when you are choosing a coach.

It also matters when you are developing yourself as a contestant.

Your biggest competitive advantage may not come from doing another mock interview, taking another walking lesson or memorising another “winning” answer.

It may come from building a more interesting life outside pageantry.

* Studying something difficult.

* Starting a business.

* Coaching a sport.

* Recovering from failure.

* Speaking to people whose lives look nothing like yours.

Those experiences give you something no pageant formula can manufacture.

Perspective.

I’ve said it before:

The best way to succeed in pageantry is to create an amazing life outside of it.

I believe the same principle applies to coaching.

The best coach for you may not be the person with the most impressive former title.

It may be the person who can see connections you cannot yet see for yourself.

In this week’s video, I explain why I am sceptical of anyone selling “secrets,” what past pageant success can and cannot tell you about a coach, and what I would look for instead.

Adrian.

The Beginner's Guide to Pageantry - Everything You Need to Compete in Your First Pageant With Confidence... Even If You’re Starting From Zero:

👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645070327

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

ABOUT ALAYNA WILSON

Alayna Wilson is a current PhD student, speech-language pathologist, part-time graduate teaching assistant, and a 24/7 Miss Kansas Volunteer. She is studying literacy disorders in middle/high school students and aspires to be a professor. Her SERVE initiative is “Love & Light: Giving Back, Moving Forward.” This initiative was sparked when one of Alayna’s friends, Trevor Luckey, passed away from childhood cancer seven years ago.

Since then, Alayna has written a children’s book, helped pass legislation, presented to thousands of students, founded a dance convention, and holds a variety of leadership roles all in his honor. In her downtime, Alayna is finishing up the Harry Potter series, trying new restaurants, and keeping up with her 11 nieces and nephews.

FOLLOW ALAYNA WILSON

👉 https://www.instagram.com/alaynawilsonn/

👉 https://www.instagram.com/missksvol/

The Beginner's Guide to Pageantry - Everything You Need to Compete in Your First Pageant With Confidence... Even If You’re Starting From Zero:

👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645070327

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

ABOUT HANNAH KELSEY

Hannah Kelsey is a driven biomedical engineer with a passion for advocacy, health, and empowering others through resilience. Holding both a Bachelor of Science in Engineering and a Master of Science in Engineering, she combines intelligence, compassion, and determination in every aspect of her life and career. Hannah was homeschooled growing up in order to pursue competitive tennis, where she developed the discipline, confidence, and perseverance that continue to shape her professional and personal pursuits today. In addition to her work in healthcare, she has over a decade of modeling experience, working with notable brands including Nordstrom, Living Proof, and Jovani.

Most importantly, Hannah’s perspective has been profoundly shaped by her journey as a brain tumor survivor. Her experience inspired a deep commitment to improving the future of cancer care and advocating for patients and families facing similar challenges. Recently, she traveled to Washington, D.C. to advocate for increased funding for brain tumor treatments and greater affordability and accessibility in cancer care. Her story of overcoming adversity fuels her platform of resilience, faith, and purpose. In the pageant world, Hannah proudly earned the title of first runner-up to Miss Massachusetts USA 2025, where she continues to use her voice to inspire confidence, perseverance, and the courage to pursue one’s purpose despite life’s obstacles.

FOLLOW HANNAH KELSEY

👉 https://www.instagram.com/Hannahekelsey/

👉 https://www.tiktok.com/@Thehannahkelsey

The Beginner's Guide to Pageantry - Everything You Need to Compete in Your First Pageant With Confidence... Even If You’re Starting From Zero:

👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645070327

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

Social media, particularly in the world of pageantry, can be a pretty crazy place to try to navigate at times. Forewarned is forearmed so to speak, so this week we’re discussing some of the worst and craziest things that have been said about you guys (and us too) online.

When it comes to your options online, remember (in order of increasing severity):

* Mute

* Restrict

* Unfollow

* Block

We may live in a free speech world, but it’s your social media. You get to decide the rules.

--Pageants & Tangents is an irreverential and honest take on modern-day pageantry, hosted by Adrian Kwan, Founder of The Pageant Project.Got a pageant issue or question you want us to discuss? Submit it here:

👉 https://pageantpod.com

OUR CO-HOSTS:

Morgan Morgan:

👉 https://www.instagram.com/morganmorganbonafide/

👉 https://www.morganmorganfitness.com/

Peyton Christen:

👉 https://www.instagram.com/peytonkaynec/

👉 https://www.instagram.com/missgavol/

Kenzie Hansley:

👉 https://www.instagram.com/kenziehansleyy/

👉 https://www.instagram.com/kenzieleecoachingg/

Geanna Koulouris:

👉 https://www.instagram.com/geannakoulouris/

For all media and sponsorship enquiries:

👉 info@thepageantproject.com

The Beginner's Guide to Pageantry - Everything You Need to Compete in Your First Pageant With Confidence... Even If You’re Starting From Zero:

👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645070327

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

ABOUT VICTORIA TREADWELL

Fresh off the Miss Connecticut USA stage, Victoria is using pageantry as a platform for purpose. As an overdose survivor and advocate for mental health, substance abuse awareness, and personal growth, she is committed to sharing her story to inspire hope, resilience, and transformation.

Through speaking openly about her journey, she works to break the stigma surrounding addiction and mental health while encouraging others to believe that their setbacks do not define their future. Passionate about empowering others to take charge of their lives, she uses pageantry as both a personal challenge and an outlet to create meaningful impact in her community and beyond.

FOLLOW VICTORIA TREADWELL

👉 https://www.instagram.com/victreaddd/

👉 https://www.tiktok.com/@victreaddd

The Beginner's Guide to Pageantry - Everything You Need to Compete in Your First Pageant With Confidence... Even If You’re Starting From Zero:

👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645070327

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

ABOUT MYKALA GREEN

Mykala is a 24 year old paralegal working in family law. With an interest in serving at-risk children, she aspires to one day become a family attorney. She graduated from Providence College in 2023 with her degree in Psychology and received her Masters in Child Policy from Boston University.

After losing her best friend Nikki in 2025, Mykala started an internship program for high school and college students in New England to help them learn more about careers centered around Child Advocacy and engage in meaningful mentorship opportunities. After navigating her own experience with loss, Mykala began volunteering to help facilitate support groups for grieving children. In 2023, she co-founded a chapter of It’s On Us at Providence College to assist students impacted by interpersonal violence.

Mykala has competed in pageants since she was 14 years old and has been a long time competitor with the Miss USA Organization. She is the former captain of her collegiate figure skating team, models with Monster Energy, and enjoys playing golf and trying new coffee combinations.

FOLLOW MYKALA GREEN

👉 https://www.instagram.com/mykalagreen/

👉 https://www.tiktok.com/@mykalagreen

The Beginner's Guide to Pageantry - Everything You Need to Compete in Your First Pageant With Confidence... Even If You’re Starting From Zero:

👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645070327

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

One of the most dreaded questions in pageant interview is some version of:

“What makes you unique?”

Or its slightly more terrifying cousin:

“Why should we pick you?”

And the reason it feels so uncomfortable is because, deep down, you know the obvious answers probably aren’t enough.

* “I’ve worked really hard.”

* “I care deeply about my community.”

* “I’ve been preparing for this role all year.”

* “I have a unique story.”

None of those answers are necessarily wrong.

The problem is that most of the other contestants could say something very similar.

That’s where I think a lot of contestants get stuck. They assume the answer must be found in their story. Their background. Their hardship. Their platform. Their life experience.

And yes, your story matters.

But your story alone is not what makes you unique.

Because everyone has a story.

What matters is what your story created in you.

That is the part judges are actually trying to understand.

* Not just what happened to you.

* Not just what you’ve been through.

* Not just what you care about.

But what those experiences shaped in you that would make you the right person for the job.

In today’s video, I talk through a framework I’m still refining, but I think it’s a very useful starting point for contestants heading into pageant season.

I believe your uniqueness sits at the intersection of three things:

* Your beliefs.

* Your gifts.

* Your values.

Your beliefs are the things you hold so deeply that you almost don’t question them.

Not vision-board beliefs. Not cute affirmations. Not things you wish were true.

I mean the things you genuinely assume about yourself because life has proven them to you again and again.

Maybe you believe you can find a way through anything.

Maybe you believe you are at your best under pressure.

Maybe you believe that if someone else has achieved something, you can learn from them, model them, and grow faster because of it.

Those kinds of beliefs matter, because they shape how you show up when things are difficult.

Then there are your gifts.

These may be natural talents, learned skills, or some combination of both.

Maybe you read people well.

Maybe you learn quickly.

Maybe you make people feel safe.

Maybe you are unusually good at simplifying complex ideas.

Maybe you are the person who can walk into chaos and immediately see what needs to happen next.

Again, the point is not just to list something impressive.

The point is to understand how that gift would actually make you a stronger titleholder.

Then there are your values.

And this is where things get interesting.

Because two people can have similar stories, similar skills, and even similar goals, but if their values are different, they will not lead the same way.

What do you prioritize when there is a cost?

What would you refuse to compromise?

What do you want people to feel after they spend time with you?

What do you want to be remembered for?

Those questions go much deeper than, “Tell us something interesting about yourself.”

They start to reveal who you actually are.

And that is why “I have a unique story” is not enough.

A story is only powerful when you can explain what it taught you, what it changed in you, what it strengthened in you, and how it now shapes the way you would serve.

That is the difference between an answer that sounds like a biography and an answer that sounds like a titleholder.

So before your next pageant interview, don’t just ask:

“What makes my story different?”

Ask:

“What did my story create in me?”

* What belief did it give you?

* What gift did it reveal or develop?

* What value did it make non-negotiable?

That is where your answer starts to become much stronger.

In the full video, I talk through this using examples from my own coaching journey, including why I don’t believe uniqueness is simply about having a story no one else has heard before.

Because honestly, after hundreds of pageant interviews, I can tell you: even a powerful story can fall flat if the contestant has not done the deeper work of understanding what that story means.

But when you can connect your lived experience to your beliefs, gifts, and values?

That’s when your answer stops sounding rehearsed.

That’s when it starts sounding like you.

Adrian.

The Beginner's Guide to Pageantry - Everything You Need to Compete in Your First Pageant With Confidence... Even If You’re Starting From Zero:

👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645070327

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

ABOUT THE HELLO QUEEN APP

Hello Queen is a women-focused marketplace designed for buying and selling pre-owned formalwear, including pageant gowns, prom dresses, talent costumes, interview attire, appearance wear, special event looks, and more. Founded by a mother–daughter duo, the app combines fashion, sustainability, and community. Empowering women to shop affordably, give garments a second life, and support one another through a safe, confidence-driven platform.

DOWNLOAD HELLO QUEEN

👉 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/hello-queen/id6755137018

FOLLOW HELLO QUEEN

👉 https://www.instagram.com/helloqueenapp/

👉 https://www.tiktok.com/@helloqueenapp_

👉 https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578735639044

The Beginner's Guide to Pageantry - Everything You Need to Compete in Your First Pageant With Confidence... Even If You’re Starting From Zero:

👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645070327

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

In this episode we’re sending off our Georgia peach Peyton Christen to Miss Volunteer America, and we get deep into the weeds about some pageant coaches and trainers taking way too much credit for their clients’ successes. Also, it’s open call season for Miss and Teen USA - do you need a state title to succeed?

--

Pageants & Tangents is an irreverential and honest take on modern-day pageantry, hosted by Adrian Kwan, Founder of The Pageant Project.Got a pageant issue or question you want us to discuss? Submit it here:

👉 https://pageantpod.com

OUR CO-HOSTS:

Morgan Morgan:

👉 https://www.instagram.com/morganmorganbonafide/

👉 https://www.morganmorganfitness.com/

Peyton Christen:

👉 https://www.instagram.com/peytonkaynec/

👉 https://www.instagram.com/missgavol/

Kenzie Hansley:

👉 https://www.instagram.com/kenziehansleyy/

👉 https://www.instagram.com/kenzieleecoachingg/

For all media and sponsorship enquiries:

👉 info@thepageantproject.com

The Beginner's Guide to Pageantry - Everything You Need to Compete in Your First Pageant With Confidence... Even If You’re Starting From Zero:

👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645070327

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

ABOUT TIO HOFHUIZEN

Tio Hofhuizen is a 22-year-old international model based in the Netherlands. Born in Jakarta, Indonesia, and raised in the south of the Netherlands, Tio has always valued creativity and leadership.

In 2023, she stepped into leadership by founding Miss Teen Nederland, becoming the youngest national director in the country and guiding young women toward confidence and international success.

At the same time, Tio has always believed in leading by example. That belief led her to compete internationally, earning the title of Super Model Universe Netherlands 2023 and placing as 2nd Runner-Up.

Today, Tio is competing in Miss Eleganza 2026, on the road to Miss Globe, where she brings not only experience, but a message close to her heart.

Growing up with an addicted parent, and losing him in 2024, made her realize how important it is to speak up in time. She now uses her voice to raise awareness around addiction and illness, to help break cycles, and to ensure that no one feels unheard or unseen.

Her mission is to reduce the damage passed on to the next generation.

FOLLOW TIO HOFHUIZEN

👉 https://www.instagram.com/tiohofhuizen/

The Beginner's Guide to Pageantry - Everything You Need to Compete in Your First Pageant With Confidence... Even If You’re Starting From Zero:

👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645070327

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

ABOUT KAITLYN HUMPHREY

Kaitlyn is the current Miss Tempe USA on the road to Miss Arizona USA.

Music has been part of Kaitlyn’s life since she was 6 years old; leading her to open for famous artists and even audition for American Idol. Now, as a registered musician with Musicians on Call, she brings the healing power of music to patients across the country.

After graduating from Arizona State University with a BA in Journalism and Mass Communication, she jumped into a career as a talk show host before growing a social media community of over 70,000 women through beauty, lifestyle, and motivational content.

No matter the environment, Kaitlyn strives to use her talents to show others that their own gifts and dreams are not just worthy, but powerful.

FOLLOW KAITLYN HUMPHREY

👉 https://www.instagram.com/kaitlyn.humphrey/

The Beginner's Guide to Pageantry - Everything You Need to Compete in Your First Pageant With Confidence... Even If You’re Starting From Zero:

👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645070327

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

A lot of contestants are about to film pageant videos.

* Open call videos.

* Platform videos.

* Optional competition videos.

* “Tell us why you should be selected” videos.

And here’s the thing:

A good pageant video does not need to look like a Hollywood production.

In fact, depending on the purpose, that might actually work against you.

But it also cannot look like you grabbed your phone, hit record, panicked for 60 seconds, and hoped for the best.

There is a middle ground.

That middle ground is where most contestants need to live.

* You need to sound natural, but not rambling.

* You need to look polished, but not overproduced.

* You need to feel authentic, but still intentional.

That’s why the little things matter more than people think.

* Read your script out loud before you film it. What looks good on paper may sound stiff, awkward, or impossible to say naturally.

* Use natural lighting where possible. A ring light can help, but it rarely beats actual sunlight.

* Keep your audio consistent. If every clip sounds like it was recorded on a different planet, people notice.

* Stop holding the lapel mic directly under your mouth. You do not need to swallow the microphone for it to work.

* Use captions when appropriate. Not decorative, unreadable captions. Simple ones that help people actually understand you.

* Frame yourself like you’re having a conversation with someone, not like you’re either trapped in their personal space or hiding across the room.

* And if you use music, keep it instrumental, rights-free, and quiet.

The goal is not to show off your editing skills.

The goal is to make it easier for people to connect with you.

Because that’s what a pageant video is really doing.

It is not just showing what you look like on camera.

It is showing whether you can communicate clearly, warmly, and confidently when no one is feeding you the next question.

Watch the full video for the complete breakdown, especially before you film anything important.

And if you’re working on an open call video, platform video, or competition submission and you’re unsure what to do, reply to this email or leave a comment.

Adrian.

The Beginner's Guide to Pageantry - Everything You Need to Compete in Your First Pageant With Confidence... Even If You’re Starting From Zero:

👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645070327

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

Sometimes it can feel like there’s a new pageant system cropping up every five seconds, so how can you tell which one is the best fit for you?

--

Pageants & Tangents is an irreverential and honest take on modern-day pageantry, hosted by Adrian Kwan, Founder of The Pageant Project.

Got a pageant issue or question you want us to discuss? Submit it here:

👉 https://pageantpod.com

OUR CO-HOSTS:

Geanna Koulouris:

👉 https://www.instagram.com/geannakoulouris/

Victoria Vredevoogd:

👉 https://www.instagram.com/victoriavredevoogd/

Danielle Latimer:

👉 https://www.instagram.com/danilatimer/

Morgan Morgan:

👉 https://www.instagram.com/morganmorganbonafide/

👉 https://www.morganmorganfitness.com/

Peyton Christen:

👉 https://www.instagram.com/peytonkaynec/

👉 https://www.instagram.com/missgavol/

Kenzie Hansley:

👉 https://www.instagram.com/kenziehansleyy/

👉 https://www.instagram.com/kenzieleecoachingg/

For all media and sponsorship enquiries:

👉 info@thepageantproject.com

The Beginner's Guide to Pageantry - Everything You Need to Compete in Your First Pageant With Confidence... Even If You’re Starting From Zero:

👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645070327

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

--

What’s the worst thing that could happen?

Not in a vague, motivational-poster kind of way.

Actually answer the question.

You submit a headshot and don’t make it through?Okay. At least you tried.

You make it through one round and get cut later?Still, you gave it a go.

You make it all the way through and get picked?Then suddenly you’re preparing for Miss USA or Miss Teen USA in Miami during the 75th anniversary year.

That is not exactly a tragic outcome.

The bigger issue, in my opinion, is that a lot of contestants are trying to make this decision without first getting clear on what they actually want.

* Do you want to win your specific state title?

* Do you want to compete on the Miss USA stage?

* Do you want more “at bats” before you age out?

* Do you want the clean, traditional route, or do you want the opportunity that exists in front of you right now?

Those are not always the same thing.

And when contestants feel stuck, it’s usually because two values are colliding: loyalty, tradition, opportunity, timing, identity, public perception, fear of judgment, unfinished dreams.

That’s why this isn’t just a pageant logistics conversation. It’s a values conversation.

In this week’s video, I break down:

* Why I’d tell most contestants to apply

* The one major exception

* Why Texas is the trickiest situation

* The difference between your dream and your “blueprint”

* Why waiting for the perfect path can quietly cost you opportunities

* And why “what will people say?” is a terrible way to make life decisions

Because the sentence that keeps people up at night usually isn’t:

“I tried and it didn’t work.”

It’s:

“I wonder what would have happened if I had.”

Watch the full video above. Especially if you’re sitting on the fence.

Adrian.

--

The Beginner's Guide to Pageantry - Everything You Need to Compete in Your First Pageant With Confidence... Even If You’re Starting From Zero:

👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645070327

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

👑 ABOUT EDEN RAINEY

Eden Rainey is a graduate of Union University, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology, and is a licensed cosmetologist specializing in pageant hair and makeup. Through her professional experience, she has had the opportunity to mentor young women, helping them build confidence and discover their true sense of self-worth.

She currently holds the title of Miss West Tennessee Volunteer, where she actively serves through her platform, Empowerment Garden: Cultivating Healthy Lives and Building Strong Foundations by Planting Seeds of Change. Her platform focuses on empowering individuals through education as a foundation for success, while also supporting those in need by providing essential resources that equip them to thrive.

With a unique blend of experience in science, beauty, leadership, and service, Eden is deeply committed to empowering others, promoting education, and making a meaningful impact in her community.

👉 FOLLOW EDEN RAINEY

https://www.instagram.com/misswesttnvolunteer/

Looking to win your next pageant interview? We hold weekly mock interview sessions on Thursday evenings at 8pm ET. Sign up at:

👉 https://pageantmock.com

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

We asked you to share your pageant horror stories, and you guys delivered.

From wardrobe malfunctions to prison sentences, this episode really does have it all.--Pageants & Tangents is an irreverential and honest take on modern-day pageantry, hosted by Adrian Kwan, Founder of The Pageant Project.Got a pageant issue or question you want us to discuss?

Submit it here:

👉 https://pageantpod.com

OUR CO-HOSTS:

Morgan Morgan:

👉 https://www.instagram.com/morganmorganbonafide/

👉 https://www.morganmorganfitness.com/

Peyton Christen:

👉 https://www.instagram.com/peytonkaynec/

👉 https://www.instagram.com/missgavol/

Kenzie Hansley:

👉 https://www.instagram.com/kenziehansleyy/

👉 https://www.instagram.com/kenzieleecoachingg/

For all media and sponsorship enquiries:

👉 info@thepageantproject.com

The Beginner's Guide to Pageantry - Everything You Need to Compete in Your First Pageant With Confidence... Even If You’re Starting From Zero:

👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645070327

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works.

Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com

It’s almost a guarantee that, at some point during your pageant journey, you’ll need to make a decision on whether to stand up for yourself, or to keep your head down and continue to roll with the punches. And it can be difficult to decide when to take Option A, and when to take Option B.

For those who don’t know better, it might seem simpler than that - just do what’s expected of you, do the right thing, and everything will work out… right?

Unfortunately, learning to navigate the world of pageantry often involves navigating around certain unspoken taboos, and running aground on them can derail your pageant career faster than a broken heel.

--

Pageants & Tangents is an irreverential and honest take on modern-day pageantry, hosted by Adrian Kwan, Founder of The Pageant Project.

Got a pageant issue or question you want us to discuss? Submit it here:

👉 https://pageantpod.com

OUR CO-HOSTS:

Morgan Morgan:

* https://www.instagram.com/morganmorganbonafide/

* https://www.morganmorganfitness.com/

Peyton Christen:

* https://www.instagram.com/peytonkaynec/

* https://www.instagram.com/missgavol/

Kenzie Hansley:

* https://www.instagram.com/kenziehansleyy/

* https://www.instagram.com/kenzieleecoachingg/

Geanna Koulouris:

* https://www.instagram.com/geannakoulouris/

For all media and sponsorship enquiries:

👉 info@thepageantproject.com

The Beginner's Guide to Pageantry - Everything You Need to Compete in Your First Pageant With Confidence... Even If You’re Starting From Zero:

👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645070327

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

👑 ABOUT RACHEL BETTERLEY

Rachel Betterley is a multifaceted artist, award winning art educator, and influential voice in creative leadership. A Minnesota Teacher of the Year finalist, Rachel champions inclusive, choice based pedagogy and builds innovative programs, presentations, and coaching that inspire students and communities to create, connect, and grow.

Driven by childhood adversity, she founded Sketchbooks for Kids — a healing arts project that has delivered sketchbook sets to thousands of youth across 25+ U.S. states and 12 countries. By equipping children facing trauma, abuse, financial hardship, or mental health challenges with tools to express themselves, Rachel and her partners foster emotional wellness, resilience, and hope through art.

Rachel also leverages the pageant stage to amplify the transformative power of creative expression. Her “art of pageantry” mindset celebrates authenticity, confidence, community, and female led artistry — a journey that earned her multiple titles and most recently 1st Runner Up, Miss Minnesota USA 2025. Through storytelling filled with resilience, humor, and relatability, she reaches audiences across news outlets, podcasts, and social platforms.

👉 FOLLOW RACHEL BETTERLEY

* https://www.instagram.com/rachelbetterley/

* https://www.instagram.com/sketchbooksforkids/

The Beginner's Guide to Pageantry - Everything You Need to Compete in Your First Pageant With Confidence... Even If You’re Starting From Zero:

👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645070327

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

👑 ABOUT PAIGE GONOR

Paige Gonor is currently Miss Southern California All American and a rising junior at the University of San Diego studying Communication with a minor in Real Estate. She is passionate about media, connecting with people, and using her voice to make a meaningful impact.She began competing in pageants at just eight years old, growing up in an environment that shaped her confidence, discipline, and sense of self. Over the years, pageantry has played a huge role in helping her find her voice and step into leadership in her own way.Paige is also the founder of Turning the Paige, a platform focused on empowering the next generation of young female leaders to think different, be different, and act different so they can create change in their communities. Through school visits, mentorship, and empowerment seminars she shares mindset tools that help young women build confidence and believe in themselves.Outside of pageantry, Paige works in luxury hospitality, where she has developed a strong foundation in high level service and professionalism. She also has experience in runway, print, and promotional modeling. She has a passion for fitness, spending much of her time staying active or in the gym and focusing on a healthy lifestyle. As a certified Lagree instructor, she loves helping others feel strong and confident. Paige aspires to pursue a career in sports broadcasting, with the goal of becoming a sideline reporter.

👉 FOLLOW PAIGE GONOR

https://www.instagram.com/paigegonor/

The Beginner's Guide to Pageantry - Everything You Need to Compete in Your First Pageant With Confidence... Even If You’re Starting From Zero:

👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645070327

The Beginner's Guide to Pageantry - Everything You Need to Compete in Your First Pageant With Confidence... Even If You’re Starting From Zero:

👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645070327

--

In this week’s video, I talked about a phenomenon I’ve been noticing more and more in pageantry over the last decade: crown inflation.

Ten years ago, it would’ve been unthinkable for a single state pageant to crown five separate titleholders in one night.

Today, it’s becoming normal.

More systems. More appointed titles. More international crowns.

But if the industry is shrinking… why are there suddenly more titles than ever?

And perhaps more importantly:

If everyone can win a crown, what actually still holds value?

In this video, I break down:

* What “crown inflation” is

* Why I think it’s happening and

* Why contestants need to become more selective than ever about the systems they enter

Until next week.

Adrian.

--

Looking to win your next pageant interview? We hold weekly mock interview sessions on Thursday evenings at 8pm ET. Sign up at:

👉 https://pageantmock.com

The Beginner's Guide to Pageantry - Everything You Need to Compete in Your First Pageant With Confidence... Even If You’re Starting From Zero:

👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645070327

Must be pageant paperwork season.

Recently, I’ve been getting so many requests from my private coaching clients asking me to take a look at their paperwork, I think they’ve all started blending into one.

(Quick note: there’s a noticeable trend toward using introduction videos or sizzle reels to either complement or replace traditional pageant paperwork. The 3 Edicts we’re discussing here apply to both a video script and the more traditional paperwork.)

Before you start working on any aspect of your pageant preparation or ask any external party for feedback, it’s a good idea to remind yourself of what your end goal is.

The simplest example is the talent section.

Many of you fall into the trap of thinking that the end goal of talent is to perform flawlessly, whereas I would argue that a better goal would be to get a standing ovation. The former is based on your need for perfection. The latter is based on forming an emotional connection with the audience.

The former doesn’t affect your score. The latter very much does.

In a similar vein, many of you think the goal of your paperwork or your introductory video is to impress. You cram in as many qualifications, achievements, miles travelled, dollars raised, and appearances made as possible into the meager word limit you’re allowed.

Let me give you a different possibility.

The goal of your paperwork should be to control your interview.

Specifically, you know your paperwork is doing its job properly when you get asked the perfect questions in interview. That doesn’t mean you get asked easy questions by the way, it means that you get asked the perfect setup questions to show the judges why you’re their absolute best pick to be the next titleholder.

Without further ado, here are The 3 Edicts of great pageant paperwork:

* Only include things you’re excited to talk about.

* Remove everything you’re NOT excited to talk about.

* If there’s anything you DO want to talk about that’s not currently on your paperwork, find a way to include it!

Most of you already have great paperwork that’s free from spelling and grammatical errors. That won’t win you a damn thing.

But if you make just a few minor tweaks based on The 3 Edicts, you just might be surprised at how well your next interview goes, and that could win you the whole shebang.

Until next week.

Adrian.

Looking to win your next pageant interview? We hold weekly mock interview sessions on Thursday evenings at 8pm ET. Sign up at:

👉 https://pageantmock.com

The Beginner's Guide to Pageantry - Everything You Need to Compete in Your First Pageant With Confidence... Even If You’re Starting From Zero:

👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645070327

What happens when your partner doesn’t “get” pageants?

I remember the first few pageants I attended. It was always easy to spot the pageant partners. They were the ones standing around awkwardly in ill-fitting suits, usually to be found milling around the bar.

But here’s the thing.

Understanding and support are two separate things.

I met a pageant dad last year at Miss Volunteer America who didn’t understand pageants at all.

While his wife and daughter were inside loving it, he was sitting in the car listening to the radio.

And honestly?

I respected that.

He showed up. He didn’t interfere. He supported in his own way.

And that’s enough.

Support doesn’t mean you understand everything.

But it does mean making things easier, not harder.

At the same time, this goes both ways.

If you want someone to respect what you’re doing, you also need to respect what matters to them. Even if you don’t get it.

But here’s something to consider.

Pageantry has a way of changing you. It’s a journey of self-growth and self-discovery.

You learn what you DO want.

You also learn what you do NOT want.

And sometimes, that leads to a simple question:

Are you and your partner growing together… or growing apart?

That’s what we’re talking about in this week’s video.

Adrian.

Looking to win your next pageant interview? We hold weekly mock interview sessions on Thursday evenings at 8pm ET. Sign up at:

👉 https://pageantmock.com

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

Some of the biggest lessons you’ll learn from your time in pageantry are the life lessons, not just the pageant ones. In this episode, the Pageants & Tangents crew discuss some of their biggest life takeaways from their collective time in pageantry so far.

--

Pageants & Tangents is an irreverential and honest take on modern-day pageantry, hosted by Adrian Kwan, Founder of The Pageant Project (https://thepageantproject.com).

Got a pageant issue or question you want us to discuss? Submit it here:

👉 https://pageantpod.com

OUR CO-HOSTS:

Morgan Morgan:

* https://www.instagram.com/morganmorganbonafide/

* https://www.morganmorganfitness.com/

Peyton Christen:

* https://www.instagram.com/peytonkaynec/

* https://www.instagram.com/missgavol/

Haley Poe:

* https://www.instagram.com/haleygracepoe/

* https://www.youtube.com/@haleygracepoe

For all media and sponsorship enquiries:

👉 info@thepageantproject.com

The Beginner's Guide to Pageantry - Everything You Need to Compete in Your First Pageant With Confidence... Even If You’re Starting From Zero:

👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645070327

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

👑 ABOUT LAUREN SALIMBENE

Lauren Salimbene is the reigning Miss Volunteer America 2026, recognized for her commitment to service, leadership, and academic excellence. A former Miss Utah Volunteer, she earned over $50,000 in scholarships on her way to the national title.

She is a 4.0 student double majoring in finance and accounting at Westminster University and is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, earning the Utah Seal of Biliteracy. A lifelong dancer with over 18 years of experience, in which she has also earned multiple state and national titles.

During her year of service, Lauren has traveled over 80,000 miles as a national brand ambassador for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and The Salvation Army, while coaching with the Special Olympics and sharing her message: “movement has no limits; neither do you.”

👉 FOLLOW LAUREN SALIMBENE

* https://www.instagram.com/laurensalimbene/

* https://www.instagram.com/missvolunteeramericapag/

Looking to win your next pageant interview? We hold weekly mock interview sessions on Thursday evenings at 8pm ET. Sign up at:

👉 https://pageantmock.com

The Beginner’s Guide to Pageantry - Everything You Need to Compete in Your First Pageant With Confidence... Even If You’re Starting From Zero:

👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0645070327

--

I’m heading to Miss Universe USA!

If you’re going to be there, or if you have any recommendations for things to do whilst in Miami, send me a DM or email and let me know!

The real moral of the story though can be summed up in one word.

Persistence.

When I started this journey a decade ago, I had no idea it would lead me here.

More importantly, pageantry is just like life. It has its shares of ups and downs. And sometimes, when you feel like you do things for the ‘right reasons’, it can be easy to feel discouraged at times.

I feel you on that one.

Here are three things that I think have helped me:

* Persistence

* Purpose (knowing my why)

* Doing things for the right reasons (even when it’s tough)

Maybe, occasionally, delulu really can be the solulu.

Adrian.

--

Looking to win your next pageant interview? We hold weekly mock interview sessions on Thursday evenings at 8pm ET. Sign up at:

👉 https://pageantmock.com

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

--

Looking for advice as a newcomer to pageants? We got you covered in this episode!

--

Pageants & Tangents is an irreverential and honest take on modern-day pageantry, hosted by Adrian Kwan, Founder of The Pageant Project (https://thepageantproject.com).

Got a pageant issue or question you want us to discuss? Submit it here:

👉 https://pageantpod.com

OUR CO-HOSTS:

Morgan Morgan:

* https://www.instagram.com/morganmorganbonafide/

* https://www.morganmorganfitness.com/

Peyton Christen:

* https://www.instagram.com/peytonkaynec/

* https://www.instagram.com/missgavol/

Haley Poe:

* https://www.instagram.com/haleygracepoe/

* https://www.youtube.com/@haleygracepoe

For all media and sponsorship enquiries:👉 info@thepageantproject.com

--

Looking to win your next pageant interview? We hold weekly mock interview sessions on Thursday evenings at 8pm ET. Sign up at:

👉 https://pageantmock.com

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

How do you stay mentally healthy, confident, and resilient before the pageant, during the pageant, AND after the pageant?

--

Pageants & Tangents is an irreverential and honest take on modern-day pageantry, hosted by Adrian Kwan, Founder of The Pageant Project (https://thepageantproject.com).

Got a pageant issue or question you want us to discuss? Submit it here:

👉 https://pageantpod.com

OUR CO-HOSTS:

Morgan Morgan:

* https://www.instagram.com/morganmorganbonafide/

* https://www.morganmorganfitness.com/

Peyton Christen:

* https://www.instagram.com/peytonkaynec/

* https://www.instagram.com/missgavol/

Haley Poe:

* https://www.instagram.com/haleygracepoe/

* https://www.youtube.com/@haleygracepoe

SPECIAL GUEST CO-HOST:

Elleana Garcia:

* https://www.instagram.com/ellleanaa/

For all media and sponsorship enquiries:

👉 info@thepageantproject.com

Looking to win your next pageant interview? We hold weekly mock interview sessions on Thursday evenings at 8pm ET. Sign up at:

👉 https://pageantmock.com

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

--

Not all pageants are built the same. So how do you find your perfect pageant soulmate?

--

Pageants & Tangents is an irreverential and honest take on modern-day pageantry, hosted by Adrian Kwan, Founder of The Pageant Project.

Got a pageant issue or question you want us to discuss? Submit it here:

👉 https://pageantpod.com

OUR CO-HOSTS:

Morgan Morgan:

* https://www.instagram.com/morganmorganbonafide/

* https://www.morganmorganfitness.com/

Peyton Christen:

* https://www.instagram.com/peytonkaynec/

* https://www.instagram.com/missgavol/

Haley Poe:

* https://www.instagram.com/haleygracepoe/

* https://www.youtube.com/@haleygracepoe

For all media and sponsorship enquiries:

👉 info@thepageantproject.com

--

Looking to win your next pageant interview? We hold weekly mock interview sessions on Thursday evenings at 8pm ET. Sign up at:

👉 https://pageantmock.com

Looking to win your next pageant interview? We hold weekly mock interview sessions on Thursday evenings at 8pm ET. Sign up at:

👉 https://pageantmock.com

--

This week, I had a breakthrough with one of my private clients that completely changed the way she’s preparing for her upcoming pageant.

Like a lot of contestants, she had a simple to-do list.

One of the items said:

Practice piano.

Nothing wrong with that.

But it was answering the wrong question.

A to-do list answers: What do I have to do today?

That’s useful, but it almost always prioritizes what feels urgent over what’s actually important.

And in pageantry, that’s where contestants quietly fall behind.

Because the things that separate winners are rarely the loudest things on your list.

They’re the important things that don’t feel urgent yet:

* finalizing your talent cut

* defining your brand

* locking in your interview stories

* choosing the right gown direction

* building a social media narrative

* clarifying your platform plan

These are the things that never scream for your attention.

Until it’s pageant week.

Instead of asking what do I need to do today?, I want you to ask:

What result do I want this week?

When I asked my client that question, her thinking changed immediately.

The result wasn’t “practice piano.”

The result was:

Win talent.

Now the strategy changes.

Winning talent is not just about getting the notes right.

It’s about:

* showmanship

* crowd connection

* emotional pacing

* music cuts

* creating a standing ovation moment

The real breakthrough?

She realized the first step wasn’t practicing at all.

It was getting the cut of the piece right, so every rehearsal was preparing the exact competition version.

That never would have made it onto a normal to-do list.

But it became obvious once the result was clear.

This week, I want you to break your prep into categories:

* interview

* gown

* swim/fitness

* talent

* branding

* social media

* platform

* mindset

Then ask:

What result do I want in this category this week?

That one question will instantly make your prep more strategic.

You’ll stop feeling busy.

You’ll stop feeling overwhelmed.

And most importantly, you’ll start building momentum in the areas that actually win crowns.

Busy feels frazzled.

Productive feels powerful.

This week, stop managing tasks.

Start managing outcomes.

Adrian.

--

I offer a limited number of private coaching sessions for contestants who are serious about taking home the crown. Find out more:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/coaching

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

--

👑 ABOUT THOM BRODEUR

Thom Brodeur is an American businessman, brand builder, and philanthropist with deep roots in the pageant world. In 2025, he stepped into the role of CEO of Miss USA and Miss Teen USA.

👉 FOLLOW THOM BRODEUR

* https://www.instagram.com/officialthombrodeur/

* https://www.instagram.com/missusa/

* https://www.instagram.com/themissteenusa/

--

Looking to win your next pageant interview? We hold weekly mock interview sessions on Thursday evenings at 8pm ET. Sign up at:

👉 https://pageantmock.com

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com

👑 ABOUT GEANNA KOULOURIS

Geanna Koulouris is an educator, author, and community advocate from Long Island, New York. She holds a Master’s degree in Teaching English and Teaching Students with Disabilities from NYU and currently works in education supporting diverse learners. As a first generation Greek-American, she also teaches Greek dance across Long Island to students of all ages and abilities, passing on cultural traditions to the next generation.

Passionate about creating inclusive spaces, Geanna also founded EmpowerEd, a platform dedicated to helping young people feel confident, capable, and supported in their education and communities. Geanna uses her platform EmpowerEd to uplift young people through education, confidence building, and leadership opportunities. Through pageantry, education, and community service, Geanna is committed to using her voice to inspire other young women to lead with purpose and compassion.

👉 FOLLOW GEANNA KOULOURIS

https://www.instagram.com/geannakoulouris/

📖 GET GEANNA’S BOOK

https://www.amazon.com/Team-Room-Everyone-Geanna-Koulouris/dp/B0GS9NLG6X/

Looking to win your next pageant interview? We hold weekly mock interview sessions on Thursday evenings at 8pm ET. Sign up at:

👉 pageantmock.com

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

--

Most contestants don’t have a talent problem.

They have a coaching problem.

And they usually don’t realise it until they’ve already spent months, sometimes years, doing everything they were told…

Only to step on stage sounding exactly like everyone else.

This week, I broke down 7 red flags to watch for in a pageant coach.

This came off the back of a conversation I had with Ashley Gonor, where we went deep into what’s broken in pageant coaching and what actually needs to change.

If you want the full interview, you can watch it here:

👉 Watch the full interview with Ashley Gonor

But here’s the short version.

👀 The Pattern I Keep Seeing

A contestant comes to me and says:

“I feel like I sound too pageant.”“I feel like I’m saying the same thing as everyone else.”“I’ve been doing everything my coach said… and I’m not improving.”

And within minutes, it’s obvious why.

They’ve been taught:

* The same opening lines

* The same structure

* The same “safe” answers

Different girl. Same script.

🚩 The 7 Red Flags

If you’re working with a coach right now, or thinking about hiring one, watch for these:

1. They rely on outdated credentials Coaches who trade on having won a state title “5,000 years ago” or being a “sponsored/official coach” without showing how their methods have evolved. The world changed dramatically even just since COVID — if their coaching hasn’t, that’s a problem.

2. They teach a formula that can’t possibly work The “do A and you win” model is logically flawed. If you teach 10 contestants the same formula, only one can win. A coach selling certainty of outcome is selling something they can’t deliver.

3. Their entire toolkit is “think positive and be yourself” That’s not coaching — that’s a bumper sticker. If a coach can’t go deeper than surface-level positivity, they’re not equipped to help a contestant at a meaningful level.

4. They bring their client down instead of elevating them When a contestant outgrows a coach or challenges them, a bad coach turns it around on the girl — calling her “too pushy” or “expecting too much” rather than acknowledging the fit isn’t right.

5. They answer for the contestant Your example of the mom coaching answers during a mock interview session is a version of this. Any coach who doesn’t protect the contestant’s voice and authentic expression is doing damage, not development.

6. They focus entirely on strategy and ignore mindset Walk technique, interview scripts, stage routines — these are strategy. A coach obsessed with strategy while ignoring state and story is only ever going to get 10–20% of the result they could.

7. They don’t know when to refer out or let go A good coach admits when they’re not the right fit. A red flag coach holds on to clients they can’t serve, or worse, holds them back.

🙈 The Uncomfortable Truth

A lot of contestants don’t need more coaching.

They need to unlearn what they’ve been taught.

Because if you’ve been trained to:

* Follow the same structure

* Use the same phrases

* Deliver the same polished answers

You’re not being prepared to stand out.

You’re being prepared to blend in.

🎯 What Actually Matters

Not more scripts.

Not more memorisation.

What matters is:

* Your state: how you show up under pressure

* Your story: what you believe about yourself

* Your strategy: yes, it matters, but it’s not the driver

If your coach isn’t working on all three, you’re leaving results on the table.

✅ A Better Question to Ask

Instead of asking:

“Is this a good coach?”

Ask:

“Is this making me more me… or more like everyone else?”

Because if you want to win, you don’t need to do what everyone else is doing.

You need to do what they’re not.

If you want the deeper breakdown, including the full conversation that sparked this, watch the interview with Ashley here:

👉 Watch the full interview with Ashley Gonor

Then take a hard look at who you’re learning from.

It matters more than you think.

Adrian.

--

Looking to win your next pageant interview? We hold weekly mock interview sessions on Thursday evenings at 8pm ET. Sign up at:

👉 pageantmock.com

Looking to win your next pageant interview? We hold weekly mock interview sessions on Thursday evenings at 8pm ET. Sign up at:

👉 pageantmock.com

--

I’ve been working with a lot of clients on branding and strategy recently.

These are words that are thrown around far too often in pageantry, usually by coaches who have no idea what they mean.

I’m not talking about your ‘branding kit’ - fonts, hex colors, headshots etc. I’m talking about who you are, what you stand for, and how people remember you.

If they remember you at all.

* Nike =Just do it

* Apple = Think different

* FedEx = When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight

* The Pageant Project (me) = The best way to succeed in pageantry is to create an amazing life outside of it

A client asked me for help with content creation, but that’s rarely a problem unto itself. The bigger problem is you have no idea WHY you’re posting in the first place, plus you’re unclear as to what your brand or core message is.

In this week’s video, I walk you through the 3 content creation questions you need to be able to answer.

Plus, I’ll show you how to use ChatGPT to replace me (partially).

Adrian.

--

I offer a limited number of private coaching sessions for contestants who are serious about taking home the crown. Find out more:

👉 thepageantproject.com/coaching

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

-

Who's the pageant GOAT (Greatest of All Time)? The Pageants & Tangents crew discuss their picks - who's yours?

-

Pageants & Tangents is an irreverential and honest take on modern-day pageantry, hosted by Adrian Kwan, Founder of The Pageant Project.Got a pageant issue or question you want us to discuss? Submit it here:

👉 https://pageantpod.com

OUR CO-HOSTS:

Morgan Morgan:

* https://www.instagram.com/morganmorganbonafide/

* https://www.morganmorganfitness.com/

Peyton Christen:

* https://www.instagram.com/peytonkaynec/

* https://www.instagram.com/missgavol/

Haley Poe:

* https://www.instagram.com/haleygracepoe/

* https://www.youtube.com/@haleygracepoe

For all media and sponsorship enquiries:

👉 info@thepageantproject.com

Looking to win your next pageant interview? We hold weekly mock interview sessions on Thursday evenings at 8pm EST. Sign up at pageantmock.com.

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com

--

👑 ABOUT ADRIAN KWAN

Adrian Kwan is the founder of The Pageant Project and a pageant interview coach known for helping contestants perform at their best when it matters most. Based in Sydney, Australia, Adrian began his journey in the pageant world as an interviewer after working as a tennis coach at an all-girls school, where he saw firsthand the challenges young women were facing around confidence and mental health. What started as a simple idea to interview inspiring women soon evolved into one of the largest interview archives in pageantry, with more than 350 interviews on The Pageant Project alone and over 500 long-form conversations across podcasts and other platforms.

Today, Adrian focuses on high-performance coaching for pageant contestants, drawing on his background in sport, psychology, and interviewing to help women develop the self-awareness, communication skills, and strategic thinking needed to succeed in interview. Through The Pageant Project, he works with contestants from major systems including Miss USA, Miss America, and Miss Volunteer America, offering coaching, mock interviews, and educational content designed to elevate both performance and personal growth. His broader mission is simple: to help contestants become not just stronger competitors, but stronger women who use pageantry as a platform for growth, leadership, and impact.

👉 FOLLOW ADRIAN KWAN

* https://www.thepageantproject.com/

* https://www.instagram.com/thepageantproject/

--

Looking to win your next pageant interview? We hold weekly mock interview sessions on Thursday evenings at 8pm ET. Sign up at:

👉 pageantmock.com

Looking to win your next pageant interview? We hold weekly mock interview sessions on Thursday evenings at 8pm ET. Sign up at:

👉 pageantmock.com

This week I’m taking you back to a live webinar I did with Miss Georgia Teen USA Isabella Bloedorn.

Georgia is in incredibly competitive pageant state, and Isabella managed to win her title despite it being her first-ever time entering a pageant, and she credits her interview as a huge reason.

Many of you have big pageants coming up, and you might be asking yourself:

“How can I stand out?”

The answer is deceptively simple.

Think different → Be different → Act different → Get different results

Pageant success always starts with how you think. How you plan. How you strategize.

Your goal should be to outthink and outsmart your competitors at every turn. Avoid cliches at all cost. And be the one playing chess when everyone else is playing checkers.

In this webinar replay, one thing will be very clear: the strategic way Isabella reverse-engineered her pageant success.

Your mind may never work in quite the same way as Isabella’s does, but even a little strategic thinking goes a long way.

Best,

Adrian.

I offer a limited number of private coaching sessions for contestants who are serious about taking home the crown. Find out more:

👉 thepageantproject.com/coaching

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com

--

Pageants & Tangents is an irreverential and honest take on modern-day pageantry, hosted by Adrian Kwan, Founder of The Pageant Project.

Got a pageant issue or question you want us to discuss? Submit it here:

👉 https://pageantpod.com

OUR CO-HOSTS:

Morgan Morgan:

* https://www.instagram.com/morganmorganbonafide/

* https://www.morganmorganfitness.com/

Peyton Christen:

* https://www.instagram.com/peytonkaynec/

* https://www.instagram.com/missgavol/

Haley Poe:

* https://www.instagram.com/haleygracepoe/

* https://www.youtube.com/@haleygracepoe

GUEST CO-HOST:

Geanna Koulouris:

* https://www.instagram.com/geannakoulouris/

For all media and sponsorship enquiries:

👉 info@thepageantproject.com

--

Looking to win your next pageant interview? We hold weekly mock interview sessions on Thursday evenings at 8pm EST. Sign up at:

👉 pageantmock.com

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 thepageantproject.com

--

👑 ABOUT BAILEY GODFREY

Originally from a small town in rural Indiana, Bailey Godfrey now calls Philadelphia, Pennsylvania home. A biochemistry and molecular biology graduate and Division 1 athlete from Wake Forest University, she is an aspiring physician currently applying to medical school and working as a researcher at one of the best children’s hospitals in the United States studying gene therapy cures for sickle cell disease.

Recently crowned Miss Berks County 2026 in the Miss America Organization, Bailey uses her platform as a megaphone to share her story of growing up in a low-income household plagued by addiction and abuse. Through her advocacy, she focuses on addiction awareness and prevention while also serving as a mentor for youth who feel limited by their life circumstances like she once did.

👉 FOLLOW BAILEY GODFREY

https://www.instagram.com/baileygodfrey7/

--

Looking to win your next pageant interview? We hold weekly mock interview sessions on Thursday evenings at 8pm ET. Sign up at:

👉 pageantmock.com

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

--

This is not for the girl who’s just happy to be there.

This is for the one who would smile as first runner-up… and then go home and tear her prep apart.

If that’s you, listen carefully.

You’re not losing because you’re lazy.

You’re losing because you love being busy.

And being busy makes you feel significant.

It feeds your achiever identity. It makes you feel disciplined. Driven. Different.

It feels powerful to:

* Train twice a day

* Stack your calendar

* Say no to everything except prep

* Be exhausted

It feels like proof that you want it more.

But busy without direction is the beginning of delusion.

Because effort is not the differentiator at the top level.

Strategy is.

Here’s the shift most competitive contestants never make.

They start with themselves.

* My platform

* My talent

* My wardrobe

* My workout plan

That’s backwards.

Killers start with the system.

They ask:

* What is this pageant actually trying to produce?

* Is it growing?

* Is it rebranding?

* Is it chasing visibility?

* Is it building scholarship credibility?

* What kind of titleholder makes the director’s life easier?

If you haven’t reverse-engineered the system, you’re guessing.

And guessing does not win major pageants.

Think of an old-school Venn diagram. There are two circles:

* What the pageant wants.

* What you bring to the table.

Your job is to expand the overlap.

If the overlap is small, you have work to do.

If there’s no overlap, you either chose wrong or you need to evolve.

And if you’re truly competitive, evolution should excite you.

But here’s another uncomfortable truth.

Most of you over-invest in your strengths.

* You polish the walk you’re already confident in.

* You refine the talent you already enjoy.

* You keep rehearsing what makes you feel capable.

Meanwhile, the component that could cost you the crown stays underdeveloped.

That’s not discipline. That’s ego protection.

Because achiever types don’t like uncertainty.

Stop training skills in isolation. Start training outcomes.

Instead of asking:

* How do I perfect my walk?

Ask:

* What wins runway in this venue?

Instead of:

* How do I tighten my answers?

Ask:

* What makes them see me as the inevitable titleholder?

Instead of:

* What talent should I perform?

Ask:

* What dominates in this room?

There is a difference between looking prepared and being inevitable.

That difference is strategic thinking.

That’s what this week’s video is about.

In it, I break down:

* The real mistake hyper-competitive contestants make every year

* Why “just be yourself” is weak advice if you actually want to win

* How new and rebranding systems change the strategy completely

* Why being busy feels productive but often isn’t

* And how to think about every component through a strategic lens

This is not a tactics video.

It’s a mindset and positioning video.

This is you playing chess whilst everyone else is playing checkers.

If you’re serious about winning, this is upstream work.

Most contestants will never think this way.

That’s why most contestants never win.

If this made you uncomfortable, good.

Now go watch the video.

Then get to work.

Adrian.

--

Looking to win your next pageant interview? We hold weekly mock interview sessions on Thursday evenings at 8pm ET. Sign up at:

👉 pageantmock.com

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

--

👑 About Audrey

Audrey Whisman was crowned Miss Pennsylvania Volunteer back in October, and has been living her dream life ever since! She has already travelled over 17,500 miles and attended over 50 appearances, and is still just getting started! Join as she discusses her year so far, her experiences overcoming Selective Mutism which led to the creation of her SERVE Initiative: Beyond the Silence, and much more! She’s currently preparing to represent Pennsylvania at the Miss Volunteer America national competition this June, and is launching National Drop-Off Day in collaboration with The Salvation Army to inspire service nationwide. Audrey believes your biggest struggle can become your greatest strength, and she’s living proof.

👉 Follow Audrey:

https://www.instagram.com/misspavol/

https://www.instagram.com/audreywhismanofficial/

--

Looking to win your next pageant interview? We hold weekly mock interview sessions on Thursday evenings at 8pm ET. Sign up at:

👉 pageantmock.com

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

--

Pageants & Tangents is an irreverential and honest take on modern-day pageantry, hosted by Adrian Kwan, Founder of The Pageant Project.

Got a pageant issue or question you want us to discuss? Submit it here:

👉 https://pageantpod.com

OUR CO-HOSTS:

Morgan Morgan:

* https://www.instagram.com/morganmorganbonafide/

* https://www.morganmorganfitness.com/

Peyton Christen:

* https://www.instagram.com/peytonkaynec/

* https://www.instagram.com/missgavol/

Haley Poe:

* https://www.instagram.com/haleygracepoe/

* https://www.youtube.com/@haleygracepoe

For all media and sponsorship enquiries:

👉 info@thepageantproject.com

--

Looking to win your next pageant interview? We hold weekly mock interview sessions on Thursday evenings at 8pm ET. Sign up at:

👉 pageantmock.com

Looking to win your next pageant interview? We hold weekly mock interview sessions on Thursday evenings at 8pm EST. Sign up at:

👉 pageantmock.com

--

Let me break pageant interview into three levels.

Interview 101: Can you walk into the room and speak in coherent sentences without falling apart?

For most of you, that doesn’t take long to master.

Then comes:

Interview 201: Talking points. Stories. Structure. Keeping your answers tight. Sounding polished.

That’s where almost everyone stops.

* You improve.

* You feel sharper.

* You stop rambling.

And then you plateau.

Because there’s a third level.

Interview 301: Persuasion. Influence. Reading the room.Not just answering questions, but moving people.

Most pageant contestants are practicing Interview 201 skills over and over again, then wondering why they are not breaking through.

If you’ve felt stuck, this might be why.

In this week’s video, I explain what Interview 301 actually looks like and how to start building it.

Because good answers do not win pageant interviews.

Influence does.

Adrian.

--

I offer a limited number of private coaching sessions for contestants who are serious about taking home the crown. Find out more:

👉 thepageantproject.com/coaching

Pageants & Tangents is an irreverential and honest take on modern-day pageantry, hosted by Adrian Kwan, Founder of The Pageant Project (https://thepageantproject.com).

Got a pageant issue or question you want us to discuss? Submit it here:

👉 https://pageantpod.com

OUR CO-HOSTS:

Morgan Morgan:

* https://www.instagram.com/morganmorganbonafide/

* https://www.morganmorganfitness.com/

Peyton Christen:

* https://www.instagram.com/peytonkaynec/

* https://www.instagram.com/missgavol/

Haley Poe:

* https://www.instagram.com/haleygracepoe/

* https://www.youtube.com/@haleygracepoe

For all media and sponsorship enquiries:

👉 info@thepageantproject.com

--

High-performance pageant coaching, shared weekly. Trusted by 350+ titleholders in Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America, and beyond. This isn’t theory. It’s what works. Start your journey for free:

👉 https://thepageantproject.com/subscribe

Looking to win your next pageant interview? We hold weekly mock interview sessions on Thursday evenings at 8pm EST. Sign up at:

👉 pageantmock.com

-

Most of you are getting better at interview.

* Your answers are clearer.

* More structured.

* Less filler.

* More polished.

And you’re still not winning.

Here’s why.

You’re practicing answers. But judges (and humans in general) make decisions emotionally.

By the time you sit down, they already have a feeling about you.

* Confident or unsure

* Magnetic or flat

* Titleholder material or not

And then your answers either confirm that feeling… or struggle to overcome it.

Interview isn’t a memorization contest.

It’s persuasion.

It’s presence.

* It’s how you walk in.

* How you sit.

* How you make eye contact.

* How you make them feel.

Logic matters.

But emotion comes first.

In this week’s video, I break down:

* Why 80% of the decision happens before you even open your mouth

* The soft skills most contestants never train and never know about

* And how to start working on the part of interview that actually wins

Watch it with one question in mind:

When I walk out of the room, will the judges think of me as the best and only logical decision to be their next titleholder?

That’s where interview is won. Or lost.

Until next week.

Adrian.

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I offer a limited number of private coaching sessions for contestants who are serious about taking home the crown. Find out more:

👉 thepageantproject.com/coaching