Building Confidence Beyond the Crown: How I’m Helping Women Step Into Their Power

By Emily Smith

When I first stepped onto a pageant stage at 13 years old, I had no idea how that moment would shape the rest of my life. What began as a spark of curiosity quickly became a lifelong journey of growth, resilience, and self-discovery. Over the years, I’ve been blessed to hold titles such as Miss Asia USA-America, Miss Hawaii Collegiate, Miss Asian Global 2nd Princess, and Miss Hawaii Jr. Teen. I’ve also received awards for Best in Interview, Best in Evening Gown, Photogenic, Community Service, the Academic Award, and more.

But beyond the crowns and trophies, what pageantry truly taught me was confidence. This was something that I had been lacking for so long. Confidence to me is the kind that comes from knowing your worth and owning your story.

Today, as the founder of Elevated Pageant Coaching, I’ve made it my mission to help other women find that same confidence within themselves. Because time and time again, I have seen one thing: so many women hold themselves back from pursuing opportunities because they themselves do not believe they are ready. And I’m here to change that narrative.

I know this to be true because I have held myself back from so many experiences because I was scared I wasn’t qualified enough, was fearful of rejection, or would procrastinate as a result of my perfectionism. As a pageant coach, I see many capable, intelligent, and compassionate women fall short of pursuing their dreams because of their own self doubt. 

But through graduating with my master’s degree at 21, starting my business from scratch, and winning multiple titles, I learned that being confident is not about having no fears. Confidence is when you still have fears but chose to be brave enough to face them and show up anyways. 

It’s these lessons that I have learned throughout my life that I bring to every coaching session. Yes, I teach essential pageant skills such as paperwork, walking and posing in heels, and nailing your interview. But my sessions go deeper than that as I am teaching women how to believe in themselves by accomplishing their wildest dreams. My goal for every client who works with me is to leave knowing that she belongs in every room she walks into, crown or no crown.

For background, in 2023, I launched Elevated Pageant Coaching because I wanted to build something that went beyond traditional pageant prep. With my background in Communications (from the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, where I graduated Summa Cum Laude) and a Master’s in Communication Management from the University of Southern California, I bring both academic and industry insight into my coaching.

That means that I don’t just teach people how to “fake it until you make it,” we build confidence and skills from the inside out. Through 1:1 coaching, group sessions, workshops, and digital resources like my Elevated Pageant Prep Workbook and Elevate Your Pageant Stage Presence Course, I help my clients strengthen their communication, leadership, and mindset skills. I believe that these skills are not just for pageants, they are for life. Believe it or not, my greatest joy does not come from clients winning crowns (although that does make me very happy), it comes from my girls telling me that they’ve aced job interviews using my formula I taught them or that they have grown their platform to impact even more communities. To me, knowing that I have made an impact in these women’s lives outside of pageantry is what truly fills my cup.

Overall, through Elevated Pageant Coaching, my ultimate goal is not to just create winners and success stories, but it’s to help women realize that they are capable and worthy of taking up space. Because whether they are stepping on that pageant stage for their first time or walking into a boardroom meeting, one thing remains constant: confidence is key. 

If you would like to bridge your own confidence gap and walk into every room like you own it, feel free to check out my pageant resources or schedule a 1:1 session with me using the link below.

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To learn more about Emily's programs, digital resources, or to book a coaching session, visit elevatedpageantcoaching.com or follow her on Instagram @elevatedpageantcoaching.