You've dreamed of your crowning moment.
You're excited about competing in the pageant.
You know that you would be a great titleholder.
But, you've realized that you can't win by just putting on
a beautiful evening gown and learning how to walk in high heels.
You're going to need real skills and a strategy to win.
You want to impress the judges, but you've got a lot of questions with no answers. What kind of gown should you wear? What kind of headshot should you submit? And the most terrifying question of all: how should you prepare for your pageant interview?
Walking into the interview room can sometimes feel like you've entered the great unknown. You don't know what the judges will ask and you're worried that you won't know what to say. You're not sure how to stand out from the other contestants and you're praying that you don't have to answer a controversial question.
You know that you can do this...but you'd like a little help along the way.
Hi! I'm Valerie Hayes, The Pageant Coach.
I work in Pageant Land (well, that's what I call it) where
I teach pageant contestants the skills necessary to consistently place and win.
I've been helping contestants just like you for over 15 years. I've coached contestants for high school pageants, county fair pageants, local, state, national and international pageants. If you're watching a US-based pageant on TV, you're watching some of my contestants compete.
I'm best known for teaching advanced pageant interview skills and creating fully developed personal platforms.
I'm also an expert current events coach and can teach you how to easily answer controversial questions.
When I’m not coaching contestants, I hang out with my toy poodles, enjoy DIY home decorating projects, and pretend that I'm learning to knit.
Maybe I Can Help You...
First-time contestants come to me when they've signed up for a pageant and want to know exactly what they need to do to quickly develop the skills necessary to get top scores.
Experienced contestants come to me when they're feeling frustrated and totally confused about why they're not consistently placing or winning at their pageant competitions.
Pageant moms come to me when they want to support their daughter's interest in pageantry, but want it to be a self-esteem building experience that teaches important life skills.
Curious to Know More?
Here are 10 fun facts about me...
- I've lived in California, Utah, Minnesota, and Texas. Because I've lived in so many different places, I have a confusing accent that sounds wrong in any state.
- I've been featured as an expert pageant coach on CNN, MTV, NBC, and ABC's Good Morning America. I've also been featured in People magazine, The Washington Post, USA Today, The New York Daily News, and BBC News.
- Before opening my pageant coaching practice, I was a Human Resources executive with over 20-years experience working for several Fortune 500 companies. I saw a lot of bad interviews and a few good ones.
- I’ve had as many as 5 dogs at one time and currently have 3 toy poodles. They are all named after characters in Jane Austin's Sense and Sensibility: Miss Dashwood, Colonel Brandon, and Captain Margaret.
- I've turned down multiple appearance requests from Toddlers and Tiaras, Nanny 911, and the production company that produced Dance Moms. I've also canceled a show development agreement with a production company for one of the top 3 broadcast channels. Why? Because I refuse to participate in a show that portrays pageant contestants, their Moms, and the pageant industry in a negative light. Period.
- I write weekly articles on my blog with helpful advice and pageant coaching. The topics often come from everyday coaching appointments working with contestants. There’s probably something there that relates to you. You can catch up on anything you’ve missed here. If you’re always on the go, you can get articles delivered directly to your email inbox by clicking here.
- I have a degree from the University of Minnesota in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Which is just a fancy way of saying helping people to achieve success with their natural gifts and abilities.
- My two children grew up analyzing and discussing current events on a daily basis. If I can teach them, I can teach anyone.
- Contestants who work with me are surprised by how much they can learn while having fun in every appointment. Your skills will improve, you’ll feel prepared for your pageant, and your self-esteem will soar. If you have questions about how it all works, just shoot us an email, and we’ll get right back to you.
- I take a highly personalized, individualized approach to pageant coaching. I won’t let you look like anyone else, sound like anyone else, and I can help you discover your strengths as a contestant, even when you’re not sure what they are. My goal is for you to be totally fabulous!
