Pageant Planet

In this episode Jesse Ladoue and Steven Roddy, interview Zozibini Tunzi, Miss Universe 2019. In this interview Zozi discusses what it’s like to be quarantined in New York and her journey from South Africa to Atlanta and then to New York. After this interview you will get to understand what makes Zozibini a success. Through her stories and practical pageant advice you will come to understand why she won Miss Universe and how you can win your dream title too. Listen in on this week’s episode to discover more about Zozibini. Additional Resources: Click, Find a Pageant to discover pageants that you qualify for near you!Pageant Prep. Paid daily mentoring program compete with Mock Interviews, 1:1 coaching sessions, and access to a hidden portal.Shop fun fashion outfits for your next pageant. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode Jesse Ladoue and Steven Roddy interview Cheslie Kryst, Miss USA 2019. The interview covers a variety of topics including what’s it like being quarantined in the Miss Universe suite, most memorable and embarrassing moments as Miss USA. Additionally, Cheslie shares her best pageant tips, rubbing elbows with celebs like Oprah and how to use branding to set yourself apart and win over the judges. Listen in on this week’s episode to discover more about Cheslie. Additional Resources: Click Pageant Questions to download the questions used by Cheslie to prepare for Miss USA.Pageant Prep. Paid daily mentoring program compete with Mock Interviews, 1:1 coaching sessions, and access to a hidden portal.Shop pageant jewelry. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Sarah Bazey is identified as “One woman’s inspiring path from helicopter crash survivor to Mrs. International 2012.” She is a former pageant queen, a Harvard Business School graduate, and an accomplished business professional. You may have known this from her website www.sarahbazey.com, but we are going to learn more about her and how she became Mrs. International 2012 and the leader in manufacturing reinforced steel used in concrete paving throughout Canada and the United States.Sarah had been competing in pageants since 1983. Sarah started her pageant journey with American Pageants when it was the Miss Teen of America organization. She purchased the program in 2014 and it was rebranded to American Pageants in 2017 when she expanded it to additional age divisions. Her first pageant was Miss Teen of Minnesota which she won. This opened up many opportunities for her when she learned the true beauty of pageantry is to better yourself, the people around you and to build lasting relationships. This allo

So many pageants are moving to a digital format in light of how the COVID-19 pandemic has turned all of our lives upside down. In light of this we thought doing a podcast specific on how to compete successfully on a digital stage would be wise. So, we have done our research and put together this episode to share what to consider when competing online and highlights equipment and strategies to implement when submitting your videos and going live to compete.  Because you are interested in this episode you might also be interested in: Interested in doing a walking & posing session with Jesse Ladoue? Click hereClick Handheld Phone Stabilizer to see what Steven was talking about on the podcast. Click Free Pageant Questions to download our 233 free pageant questions.Pageant Prep Paid daily mentoring program compete with Mock Interviews, 1:1 coaching sessions, and access to a hidden portal. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Olivia Miller reigns from Delphos, Ohio and has been involved in the USA National Miss since 2015. It took Olivia four long and dedicated years to finally obtain the title. Each time coming back as a wiser and more experienced version of herself paid off! USA National Miss is an award winning national pageant organization that enriches the lives of young women just like Olivia. The national anti-bullying platform The Crown C.A.R.E.S. is very close to what Olivia has been advocating for in her personal life.Olivia created her own anti-bullying organization, called #BeTheOne, and has now become a platform to promote volunteer opportunities to students. Her message is simply to be a buddy, not a bully. She also created “Adopt a Grandparent” as a way for the youth to volunteer at nursing homes. They also collect donations for families experiencing crises related to a tornado and famine.Get this, Olivia is still only 22 years old and has her whole life ahead of her. She is majoring in business with a con

She’s an American journalist, model and beauty queen. She’s Alexandra LaForce, or Allie as she’s best known. Allie is a former Miss Ohio Teen USA 2005 and she also won the title Miss Teen USA 2005. Although this was fifteen years ago she is still making a name for herself!Allie was born and raised in Vermilion, Ohio. Allie’s parents were college athletes which trickled their talents into their three children. Her father played in two Stagg Bowls for the Wittenberg Tigers, and her mother was a tennis player and cheerleader.Allie is the oldest sibling. Growing up, Allie enjoyed being a role model to her younger brother, Jack, and sister, Aubree, and felt it was important to lead by example. Allie was able to do this by contributing to a number of charities including “Friends of Lorain Foundation”, “Day of Caring”, “Relay for Life" and “Spring Spruce Up.” Each of these organizations aim to make a difference by fundraising, bringing awareness to important issues, promoting literacy and assisting the elderly

Gracie Hunt was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. Gracie was raised by her mother, Tavia Shackles, and father, Clark Hunt. Gracie has a younger sister named Ava and a younger brother who is 17. Her and her sister share a birthday. Just two weeks ago on March 29, 2020, Gracie turned 21 and Ava turned 14. Gracie grew up in a sports-loving family. Her grandfather, Lamar Hunt, is known for founding several sports leagues and teams, including the American Football League in 1960, which eventually became the NFL. He also founded the North American Soccer League, which eventually became the MLS - Major League Soccer. Her family is also involved in the NBA and is a minority owner in the NBA team, the Chicago Bulls.Gracie’s first pageant was Miss Texas Teen International in 2016. The pageant is based on platform and community service. Gracie’s experience in sports and working with the special olympics gave her a competitive edge amongst the competition. She won her first pageant on her first try. To learn mo

This is a special edition episode where we will cover how to respond as a titleholder, contestant and business during these unique times in our shared history. Never before has a single event impacted the world so unilaterally. All industries are being impacted by the coronavirus and in this episode we cover: Ideas for digital appearancesHow to develop relationships with sponsorsSaving money strategiesGovernment funds that are available to businesses…and a whole lot more. This hour long podcast covers specific strategies to help YOU! Enjoy and pass along to those whom you know are struggling with what to do during these challenging times. Resources covered in this episode:For a limited time only book a 1:1 mock interview with a former Miss USA or Miss America for only $20! Click Celeb Sesh to book now. The link will disappear when all sessions have been booked.Pageant Prep. Paid daily mentoring program compete with Mock Interviews, 1:1 coaching sessions, and access to a hidden portal.Pageant Qu

Today we are going to be taking a look at a contestant that will be competing for Miss USA 2020, Rachel Slawson, our Miss Utah USA 2020.Rachel has gained a lot of publicity since her win at Miss Utah USA. Not only because this is her fifth time competing for a state title in the USA system, but because she is the first openly bisexual contestant to compete at Miss USA.This time competing, Rachel chose to disclose onstage her sexual preference, and looks forward to carrying her genuine and authentic self all the way to the Miss USA stage. Pageants have evolved over the years, and so has society with the growing acceptance of individuals from LGBTQ. This year is another example of how we are seeing the two grow together.Rachel is also eager to share her platform of suicide prevention and mental health by travelling to schools and youth groups across Utah. She also created the hashtag #IamWhy as a way to encourage younger individuals to take ownership of their lives and be their own reason to be alive.Rache

Born in Sincelejo, Colombia, grew up in Barranquilla. Ariadna Gutierrez was born on Christmas Day, and is 26 years old. She grew up with her parents and four older siblings. An interesting fact is that she is a cousin of Miss Universe 2014 and Miss Colombia 2013, Paulina Vega. Family is very important to Ariadna. She has 10 nieces and nephews that she loves to spoil!Ariadna Gutierrez studied at the German School of Barranquilla, and she speaks Spanish, English, and German fluently. Ariadna described her childhood as being very good because her parents were able to give their family a great life. She is known as the cat lady because she has two cats she loves very much. She is currently living in Miami, Florida. She is working as a model for Elite Miami and has most recently modeled for the 2019 Sports Illustrated "Sweet 17."Ariadna now enjoys spending her days modeling, traveling and posting videos on her youtube channel which has over 150 thousand subscribers. Some of her videos are about modeling, make

Cara Mund was born and raised in Bismarck, North Dakota. At a young age, Cara showed interest in the arts and dance. She began dancing at the age of two. This allowed her to train for four summers with the Radio City Rockettes, an iconic American dance team. Cara became well versed in many extra-curricular activities in highschool. She attended Century High School and graduated as the class valedictorian. Cara was part of the school’s Speech Team, the cheerleading team, the National Honor Society president, and the girls state and girls nation programs, to name a few.She began pageantry as a child, capturing the titles of Little Miss North Dakota, Miss Pre-Teen North Dakota, and Miss Junior Teen North Dakota.In 2010, she was Miss Red River Valley’s Outstanding Teen. She then went on to compete at Miss North Dakota’s Outstanding Teen in 2010, where she won the state title. This allowed her to compete at Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2011. She also was the 4th runner-up at the Miss North Dakota Teen

Andreia Gibau is a first-generation immigrant to the United States. She was born in Cape Verde which is a group of 10 islands on the west coast of Africa, and her family moved to Brockton, Massachusetts when she was seven years old to have a future with better opportunities. Her family settled in Brockton, Massachusetts where Andreia grew up and experienced life. She speaks four languages with Portuguese being her first. Opportunities were abundant in Andreia’s life at a young age. She began modeling and acting at the age of 12. She has modeled for designers like Helen Castillo, Mori Lee and Mac Duggal.In high school, Andreia was part of the drama club. She was introduced to pageants in high school by a teacher, but held off on this opportunity for a few years. In 2013, Andreia moved to New York City to attend St. John’s University. This is where she obtained her Public Relations degree with a minor in fashion. To hear more about the life of Andreia Gibau and her journey to becoming Miss New York US

Darcy Castro is a writer, creator, and an advocate. She is an experienced pageant queen with a heart of gold, and amongst her pageantry successes has won the Elite National American Woman of Service 2019. Darcy became quite the successful pageant competitor in her time competing as a Miss, winning several local titles. After taking time to focus on her career and her family, she returned to the pageant stage in her 40’s and won her first national title. She is a mother of four who devotes her time to her family, her work as a marketing communications consultant and professional writer, and to her community. Darcy has dedicated copious amounts of her time to serving her community in many different ways, and has received numerous awards for her efforts.Darcy is now an advocate for helping children with parents diagnosed with a brain tumour, as Darcy’s father suffered a brain tumour when she was younger. She has now written a detailed book about her experience to help children ages 7-13 years old who m

Today we are going to be talking more about Kaliegh Garris, the current Miss Teen USA 2019. In April 2019, Kaliegh Garris brought the state of Connecticut its second Miss Teen USA title after Logan West’s win in 2012. The pageant was held in Reno, Nevada.18 year-old Kaliegh is now a national titleholder, competitive dancer, model and student. All of which are even more impressive considering she is still in high school.Kaliegh has set the bar high for other teen contestants competing in pageants across America. Kaliegh volunteers at children’s hospitals, travels to New York to model and is an excellent speaker. Her life experiences made her the perfect choice for Miss Teen USA 2019.In pageantry, it is important to have a platform to represent throughout your reign, even as a teen. Kaliegh is actively promoting ‘We Are People First’ which recognizes that people with disabilities should not be, and are not defined by their disability. This platform was inspired by her sister who has multiple disabilities. 

Alayah Benavidez was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. Growing up, Alayah’s ambitions did not know any limits. Dreams of becoming a professional model, pageant queen, author and professor were never just dreams to her, they were something she could make a reality.We all know that most pageant queen success stories do not come without some sort of hardship along the way. In high school, Benavidez was diagnosed with dyslexia and was told she should switch her classes to get additional help, and that she should expect a change in her grades. While these professionals probably had good intentions with telling Alayah the reality of what her expectations should be, this simply did not fit into Alayah’s mindset.Dyslexia could have been the disability that held Alayah back, but instead to propelled her forward, stronger and more determined than ever. Her life motto then became, “work smarter and strive harder.” This helped her excel in AP and dual credit classes.Alayah knows how important reading and writing is

"Ava Hill” is a 22-year-old from Kindred, North Dakota. Ava is truly the ‘girl-next-door.’ She enjoys spending time with her family, watching Netflix, snuggling with her cat named Pringles and drinking coffee. She likes to start off each morning with a cup of coffee…. Or five.Although she has made her way to the top of the pageant world you won’t typically find her wearing heels, but you can always find her with a book or in the dance studio. She enjoys coaching her former dance team, the Kindred Vikettes. Dance is not the only thing that Ava is talented in though. At the age of 15, Ava auditioned for ‘The Voice.’ She is also a guitarist and a music writer. Ava’s artistic talents spill over into her professional life as a makeup artist. At the age of 19 she graduated from Faces etc. of Minnesota. She is now a business owner of Ava Hill Artistry. She has also won several awards as a makeup artist. Ava thinks that the most important piece of makeup is lipstick, and that a look is never complete without it!

Our Favorite Pageant Products was inspired from our Best in Pageantry Awards, which is going on right now. We decided to list our favorite pageant products of 2019 and share them with you. While the companies who made the list did not know they were being featured, some of these items can be found in our Shop. Either way we link you to the company or product page so if you’re interested you can easily contact the company or purchase the product outright. Here’s to your success!Because you are interested in this episode you might also be interested in: Shopping for Pageant Dresses233 Free Pageant Interview Questions See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Zozibini Tunzi was born in Tolso Eastern Cape located in South Africa. Here she grew up with her parents and three other sisters. She is the second oldest of her siblings. Zozi grew up close with her family and considered her parents her role models.“My mother taught me the importance of being kind and humble and always helpful to those around me and my father taught me the importance of education, hard work, and discipline.”Growing up some of Zozi’s hobbies included hiking, cooking, and watching her favourite television shows. If you’re doing these hobbies right now, maybe you can also be the next Miss Universe? Surely she didn’t know at those moments what she was destined to become.Zozi grew up truly just like any other woman might have. She loves watching Marvel movies and Game of Thrones. She attended Cape Peninsula University of Technology and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and Image Management in 2018. Zozi worked as a graduate intern in the public relations department

Betty Cantrell Maxwell was born and raised in Warner Robins, Georgia. This 25 year old beauty queen was ironically named after her Greek Grandmother, Baciliky, which means ‘Royalty’. Growing up, Betty lived the true country girl life as her and her family lives on a 675-acre farm in rural Georgia. She knows how to drive a full-sized John Deere tractor, plow and seed fields, and she can even handle a shotgun. She grew up in a strong Greek Orthodox family and attended church all her life in Macon, Georgia. Betty finds strength in her faith and carried this with her throughout her life and pageant career.Betty started taking professional vocal and stage lessons at 14. She loved to write songs but would never show anyone. In eighth grade, she got the lead role in the school play. She was never an A-student, and didn’t enjoy the sciences or math. But when it came to the arts, Betty was first place in all the poetry contests and talent shows. She studied at Mount de Sales Academy for high school and

Jackie Watson is the woman we are going to be taking a look at today, which some of you may know as the Director of the system USA National Miss.Jackie Watson is a natural leader as she spent years directing a state pageant, which she founded. Now running for 9 years, the USA National Miss Systems is one of the highest regarded national pageant scholarship systems in America. Jackie prides her brand on advocating for positive pageantry who loves God.This national pageant director started her involvement in pageantry as a pageant mom.Jackie’s daughter, Kayla, started competing in pageants when she was 7 years old and this kick started the families pageant journey. She saw the fellowship and personal development that pageants provided to young girls, like her daughter, and loved every part of it.While she enjoyed the aspects of pageantry from the stance as a pageant mom, she could not help but notice a void in the industry. She felt that pageants lacked a unique quality about them that could really help gi