Sash & Soul

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to another episode of Sash & Soul.  In this episode, Raeanna shares the story of how her brother Tyler's passing influenced her community service work in pageantry. We'll explore five crucial steps for building a meaningful community service platform and gain practical insights and tips for creating initiatives that resonate with your own experiences. Buildin...

Send us Fan Mail It's crunch time for local, state, and national competitions this summer. Common questions we get from women include how to best prepare in the few weeks leading up and what to do during competition.  This week, we're walking through what you need to keep a helpful mindset and how to prepare mentally for a major goal. Most importantly, strategies for maintaining mental w...

Send us Fan Mail On this week's episode of Sash and Soul, we're delving into what you need to know for pageant interviews. Learn how to shift from feeling intimidated by a panel of judges to genuinely enjoying the process, and find out why the right mindset can be a game-changer in any interview scenario.  These are our basic do's and don'ts of any interview to get you ready fo...

Send us Fan Mail Rachel Betterley, Mrs. Petite USA and former Miss Minnesota shares her journey in art healing, education, and pageantry. As a visual arts teacher and successful pageant competitor, she talks about her experiences from Miss America to Mrs. America, and now Mrs. Universal Petite, finding herself, and her story along the way. Rachel is a 2024 Minnesota Teacher of the Year finalist wh...

Send us Fan Mail Rachel Betterley, Mrs. Petite USA and former Miss Minnesota 2015, joins us with this exclusive conversation -- an extension of our main interview. Hear about Rachel's wants and opinions for changes needed in the pageant industry to move towards genuine empowerment and support for women's well-being. Our conversation dives into the pressures, outdated expectations, and co...

Send us Fan Mail The pageant world is often seen as a place of glam and grace, but with the recent resignation of both Miss USA and Miss Teen USA, it's time to talk about what many of us have experienced behind closed doors.  While there is the mental health crisis we have started talking more about, the reasons behind those struggles are often misunderstood.  With over 25+ years of combined...

Send us Fan Mail The pageant world is often seen as a place of glam and grace, but with the recent resignation of both Miss USA and Miss Teen USA, it's time to talk about what many of us have experienced behind closed doors.  While there is the mental health crisis we have started talking more about, the reasons behind those struggles are often misunderstood.  With over 25+ years of combined...

Send us Fan Mail Annie Jorgensen, former Miss Georgia and Miss High School America, joins us with candid conversation from navigating the pageant world to influencer marketing in New York City. Hear about her pageant journey and Miss Georgia reign during a notable time for the Miss America organization. She also shares how she coped with pressure while still making an impact on young women through...

Send us Fan Mail This episode of Sash and Soul is a do's and don'ts guide for supporters through the highs and lows of competition week, preparing for competition, and life as a titleholder.   We unravel the rollercoaster of emotions during competition week, from preliminaries to post-final show. The need for a comforting support system is crucial. This conversation is a must-listen for...

Send us Fan Mail This episode centers around conflict resolution, boundary setting, and collaboration. We talk about the essential skills for success in high-pressure situations, whether on stage or in everyday life.   We say often that this journey isn't solely about pageants; it's a guide to genuine connections and networking in life. We discuss the importance of emotional regulation a...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we discuss the difference between mental health and mindset. Most importantly, distinguishing between a healthy mindset and the need for mental health care.  Both are crucial when one can't reach its full potential without the other.  Topics include: life after pageants, facing identity shifts and financial challenges. We highlight the role of therapy and coa...

Send us Fan Mail Money -- a  topic often at the forefront of competition, pageantry and life, yet often uncomfortable to discuss or confront.  In this episode, we talk all things mindset when it comes to investing in yourself, your experiences, your passions, and how they can profoundly impact personal development and success. We discuss the financial and emotional support from families and how th...

Send us Fan Mail Sometimes you can pour your heart into a passion, only to feel the sting of criticism from those who just don't get it. In this episode we tackle the haters and the empowerment behind owning your reactions. We're getting real about the impact of opinions and how they can challenge our core values. But here’s the clincher: we’ve got strategies to help you stay centered, e...

Send us Fan Mail From active duty Air Force Officer, to Harvard Graduate student, to pancreatic cancer advocate, to Miss Colorado to Miss America 2024, Madison Marsh shares the grit and behind the scenes of successful leadership and personal growth. She opens up about her advocacy for her mother's legacy, her time in the Air Force Academy, navigating a relationship, the journey through pagean...

Send us Fan Mail Trials of life and life in pageantry often guide us on the path to self-discovery. This episode of Sash and Soul showcases co-hosts Lila Szyryj and Raeanna Johnson's personal revelations and stories that celebrate the grit behind the glamour. They peel back the curtain on our pageant journeys, emphasizing that the true victory often lies beyond the crown and that the 'wi...

Send us Fan Mail Lila Szyryj shares her journey competing at Miss America with co-host Raeanna Johnson, delving into the emotional rollercoaster behind the glitz and glamour. Lila's personal stories offer a glimpse into the unseen aspects of Miss America, from sponsored events to weathering storms. Their conversation dives into the importance of mental resilience amidst the intense competitio...

Send us Fan Mail Join Lila Szyryj and Raeanna Johnson on an insightful journey into the world of pageantry. Gain valuable insights on setting priorities, wardrobe essentials, and self-care routines tailored to your strengths. Discover the art of authentic self-presentation and effective communication, including mastering nonverbal cues and extemporaneous speaking. Drawing from our own experiences,...

Send us Fan Mail Embarking on a journey through the world of pageantry might seem like a pursuit of perfection, but for us, Lila Szyryj and Raeanna Johnson, it's been a path of profound self-discovery and authenticity. Join us as we peel back the curtain on our experiences as former Miss Wisconsin titleholders, and dive into how staying true to ourselves became our superpower in the competiti...