When you talk about being in business, people will look at you with a rose-colored lens, because you are a beauty queen, they are skeptical. Are you sure you can run a business? Are you someone we can trust with our business profits and ROI? That was difficult, this switch at first was tough. Because of the beauty industry exposure, people were skeptical, so I had to work very hard to overcome those roadblocks. I want women to know that they shouldn’t be crippled by their perceived limitations. Instead, they should channel that worry into something more positive by envisioning success. At the same time, under a mentorship my coach helped me to look beyond my own circumstances get out of my comfort zone go beyond my beauty queen title and mindset and go through this 360-degree change in terms of presentation and terms of the way our brand was from beauty queen consultant to beauty queen business owner. You are the average of the five to six people that you hang out with the most, if you want to become a millionaire you must hang out with multi-millionaires because you are the average of them. Don’t dwell, because the longer you dwell, the harder it’ll be for you to take action. That's why I decided to take the leap.
PP: Do you think contestants that are exiting the Pageant Industry, should they seek the advice of a coach and what about during their time in Pageantry?
GA: During your time in pageantry, I highly recommend (within your means) to find a coach. I had coached 60 Miss & Mrs Singapore who went on to win both national and international titles. It’s about having that extra pair of eyes, and being strategic to win with a coach. When I joined the pageant industry I really didn't know I needed a coach, because I really wanted to learn, I looked for mentors for specific things. Instead of saying, I don’t have money to hire, I didn’t have the time, I didn’t have the contacts, those are resources. I wasn’t going to fail by telling myself that I didn’t have resources because resources are never the problem. I tapped into my resourcefulness, sourced for sponsorships from coaches, for one taught me how to walk on the runway, how to pose, etiquette and another on public speaking. Resourcefulness are emotional states. Our mind. Master your mind, change your destiny. Ask yourself: How will you stand out from the crowd if everyone’s doing the same thing? To enhance your winning chances, you need to choose the correct platform to represent, in terms of your key message, your image and presentation during the pageant. Most importantly, your personality, your personal beliefs, your confidence will always shine through.
For those contestants exiting, get educated, make mistakes, learn, repeat. You don’t want to be that person who regrets not doing enough for herself when you get older.
PP: If you could only offer one piece of advice to someone that is exiting pageantry and finding a new path in life, what would it be and why?
GA: For women exiting, leverage on your resourcefulness, network and be willing to hustle. Hardwork, and consistency will continue to build your personal brand in the know, like and trust factor online via social media and in person. Know that the sky is the limit and there is no storm you cannot conquer. Let failures be your guide. Sometimes you have to die a little on the inside first in order to be reborn and rise again as a stronger, smarter version of yourself. #SoulRichWoman
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