Her Boots

Being bullied in Middle School and most of my High School years was pretty damning on my self-worth. Sometimes I think that maybe if the other children knew I was dealing with an abusive step-father in the early years, having to move in with my grandmother for some time, or even living on my own later on in High School they may have been more kind. The truth of that matter is though, what’s done is done, and I have always promised myself to not hold grudges or hold onto the past so that it completely fails my future.

I can’t 100 percent tell you why I have always found beauty, glamour, and excitement in pageants. I just, for years, felt I didn’t have the potential or was not ‘’worthy” to compete. That is, until two years ago. I had come across Scott and Jodi Cessna and the Pennsylvania International pageant system. They run an amazing system and I will forever be grateful for the two years I competed. They also brought me to a talented pageant coach, who I now consider my life coach and friend.

When I first met Sarah, I really didn’t have a plan or a clue what I was doing. There were many sessions with her in my first year and my second that resulted in me crying over what some may see as minute details of my life, but hold significant importance to me. She honed in on that and taught me that sometimes what we view as our own weakness, is actually our greatest strengths.

I can’t tell you how important it is, and how acceptable it is, to hire a coach. It doesn’t even need to be a pageant coach; however as you read below – if you are entering a pageant, I would highly recommend one. Still, a coach can see what you cannot. They can bring further perspective to your thoughts, ideas, and hard work. I would argue, it can even be therapeutic. I sometimes tell Sarah, she is like my therapist.

 I created this blog to tell the story of women. Who we are. What we have overcome. What we continue to still see as struggles. Our triumphs, whether small or big. Our story – your story, my story; we all are one in the same. 

 If you have ever, even in the slightest, considered entering a pageant. GO FOR IT! I can’t tell you enough how it has opened doors, in my mind, body, and soul, and physically speaking. It is such a rewarding experience and one that you can have unmarried, married, divorced, with children, without children, with talents, or without. There are soooo many different systems out there.

I want to introduce you to Sarah Wall-Beckman. I have worked with her for two years and finally have been able to ask her some questions and opinions in regards to her pageant experience, Miss International reign, and coaching business. Many that know and work with Sarah excel in their personal life, pageant life, and career. She really is amazing! She owns her own business and has been able to successfully navigate that business virtually and nationwide while being a mom of three, a wife, and student. I hope, by reading Her Story, you will come to the realization that we all have difficulties that we can conquer and still achieve our dreams! I would also invite any of you that are entering a pageant to hire her, for she is pageant gold.

Can you tell me a little bit about how you came to pageantry?

I entered my first pageant on a dare.

One of my best friends in college, Caroline Hayden, who has since become a successful couture designer, at the time was competing in Wisconsin’s Miss America Org local pageants. I came to watch her compete one evening and later she asked me, “What did you think?” “I told her it didn’t look all that hard compared to figure skating competitions. (I had been a competitive skater in highschool.) It’s like a performance without the jumps.” And so, she playfully said, “Well then, I dare you to enter a pageant.” I did. And I won that first one! And, then went on to totally flop at the state level.

What has made you become a certified coach?

My best abilities are strategic-development, intuition and empathy…and I believe exquisite taste! LOL

There is nothing so addictive for me than seeing a client break through something they didn’t think they could do, or be. For me, this is the height of happiness.

I wanted to learn how to ask better questions so that my clients can lead themselves to breakthroughs.

The certification process took me about 2 years to complete and 16 observed coaching hours. I received my certification through Leader Breakthru and recommend this program to everyone: https://www.leaderbreakthru.com

What has been the hardest point in your life that you had to overcome something?

Due to my dyslexia, school was an arduous task. I was unable to keep up with peers in kindergarten and 1st grade. I’m not sure I could read even in 2nd grade. I carried a lot of shame, feeling dumb and not knowing why learning was so easy for my friends. I would shake with anxiety if I was asked to read a portion of the bible out loud in Sunday School.  

But, my mom advocated for me. She had me tested for dyslexia at the Dyslexia Institute of MN and arranged a reading tutor, Mrs. Bauman. Mom also home schooled me for many years. I’m proud to say that I went on to earn my B.S. degree in Apparel Design & Manufacturing, Minor in Retail Merchandising, from the University of Wisconsin-Stout, Magna Cum Laude.

Success is a mix of gritty hard work and who you have in your corner.

What do you consider to be the biggest threat or hindrance to women that you see in your pageant coaching?

What I see time and time again as a coach is the struggle to “stay in your own lane” and not compare ourselves to others. And I want women to know that to struggle with this is common and normal.

But when you feel the urge to compare yourself, go back and double-down on YOU. Go back to YOUR story, YOUR charm, YOUR dreams, YOUR accomplishments, the cries of YOUR heart. My coach, Cheri Kennedy, always said, “Copies never win. Only orriginals do.”

If you could give any guidance to a girl in her teens or early 20’s what advice would you give her?

Judges fall in love with contestants who talk about what they love.

When your eyes are alive with passion or fire or glittering from laughter, this is when you are winning interviews, and truly winning at LIFE.

My advice is to be unapologetic about what makes you come alive. Even if your inner circle does not get it, do it anyway. Plunge into what gives you great energy – this is your calling, planned intentionally by the Lord. Trust it, and go!

If you could change one thing in pageantry, what would that be?

I would like to see Miss pageants extend their age ranges. I would like to see Miss/Ms. categories welcome women who have had a baby, or have been divorced, or have been incarcerated. These life experiences are blocking great spokewomen from holding pageant titles where they could broadcast incredibly impactful messages.

What advice would you give to women that may be considering entering a pageant?

• Research! Go on youtube and watch recent pageants. Go to the pageant planet and read lots of articles and listen to their podcasts.
• Find a coach even if you can only see them once or twice. If you are brand new to the pageant world, a good coach will offer all their experience to you and fast forward you to becoming an expert in your particular pageant.
• Spend the bulk of your money on coaching, a killer gown, and a pageant pro hair & makeup artist for pageant weekend. Don’t tell anyone in the industry I said this, but for your first pageants have a friend with a good camera mimic a pro headshot, buy all your wardrobe pre-owned, make your own ad pages with canva, buy glue on nails, ect. Spend the majority of your money on the portions that will actually be judged.
• Pick a cause that you believe in and get to work championing that cause BEFORE the pageant and have charitable goals set for the state and national level to tell the judges in your private interview.
• Be unapologetically yourself. That confidence is magnetic.

 

Amanda

#pageants #pageantcoach #herstory #queen #goals #neverquitdreaming