Looking to win your next pageant interview? We hold weekly mock interview sessions on Thursday evenings at 8pm EST. Sign up at: pageantmock.com.
This was not a light session.
With Haley Poe (pictured above), Miss Earth USA 2025, joining as co-coach, this became a full dress rehearsal in every sense of the word. Not just answers, but presence, psychology, physiology, outfits, and influence.
Here’s what actually moved the needle this week:
Not shorter answers.
Not bigger words.
Not memorized talking points.
What moved the needle was:
The shift from listing facts to telling stories judges could feel
Watching a contestant realize she wasn’t “rambling”… she was finally taking up space
Catching perfectionism in real time and reframing it before it sabotaged delivery
The difference between speaking from your head and speaking to the panel
A simple storytelling prompt that instantly forced specificity
The exact moment a judge smiled and how to build on it
The repeated phrase that started distracting the room
Box breathing to reset nerves before answering
A superhero pose that physically changed energy in seconds
Owning the walk-in and the seat instead of shrinking into it
Outfit critiques that subtly elevated or softened first impressions
This wasn’t surface-level Q&A.
This was high-performance interview work.
You’ll see contestants who were hard on themselves deliver powerful answers. You’ll see how self-criticism distorts reality. You’ll see how small physical shifts affect vocal confidence. You’ll see how story changes everything.
If you are serious about mastering interview, do not skim this replay. Study it. Notice when energy shifts. Notice when a judge leans in. Notice when something lands.
Because that’s what actually moved the needle.
Adrian
If you’re looking for dedicated 1-on-1 help to work on your pageant interview, visit https://www.thepageantproject.com/p/coaching:
