Sash & Soul
Welcome to the "Fearlessly Authentic: Sash & Soul Podcast," the show that goes beyond the stage to prioritize mindset, wellbeing, and triumphs in the pageant journey. Each episode explores the power of embracing authenticity, sharing mindset tips, self-care strategies, and inspiring success stories to help you navigate the pageant world with confidence and resilience.
Episodes
67 episodes
#65 Miss Universe 2025: Beyond “Sit Down, Look Pretty, Be Grateful”
In this week's episode, I'm breaking down the recent Miss Universe controversy and the bigger conversation it sparks about conflict, mistreatment, and emotional maturity in pageant culture. I'm sharing my own experiences as a former titleholder...
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40:42
#64 Beyond the Crown: Alayna Wilson, Miss Kansas Volunteer 2026
Alayna Wilson, recently crowned Miss Kansas Volunteer 2026, joins me for a real, heart-forward conversation about service, healing, and growth. We trace her journey from small-town Nebraska to PhD student and state titleholder, unpacking the st...
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1:02:01
#63 Can AI Help You Win a Pageant? Let’s Talk About It.
AI in pageants? Yep, we're going there. Before you picture robots on stage or chatbots writing your paperwork, take a breath, because this conversation is all about authenticity meets innovation.In this episode, we're diving int...
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26:15
#62 When You Feel Like There’s Never Enough Time
Competition week doesn't come with a pause button... School, work, family, and life keep going, even when you’re trying to feel prepared and confident. In this episode, Raeanna gets real about what it's like to handle time pressure when your sc...
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17:08
#61 Reframing Nerves: How to Channel Adrenaline Into Confidence
This week on Sash and Soul, Raeanna dives deep into one of the most universal parts of competition: nerves. Whether it's your heart racing before interview or your stomach flipping before walking on stage, that anxious energy isn't a s...
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25:49
#60 Stop Second-Guessing: Lead With Conviction
It's officially spooky season, and we're kicking off October with a conversation so many of my clients needed this week: conviction. If you've been second-guessing your choices - taking a break from school, choosing a 2-year program over a 4-ye...
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26:11
#59 Unpopular Opinions: Pageant Edition
Episode 59 is a lighter, sassier breath of fresh air. We're diving into some unpopular opinions and pageant pet peeves. From the pressure to "build a brand" to multi-thousand dollar gowns, sponsor politics, secrecy around paperwork, and that ov...
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36:07
#58 Burnout-Free Prep: Your Local Season Game Plan
This week is a reset for anyone grinding through back-to-back locals. I break down how to treat every competition as an opportunity, not an ultimatum, using a growth-mindset lens. We walk through smart ways to study competitors without slipping...
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28:44
#57 More Than Politics: Human Dignity, Pageantry, and Perspective
This episode takes you on a journey through the sharp contrast between joy and heartbreak. It started with me celebrating my anniversary on a blissful spa weekend, only to return home and be met with the heated online debates following Miss Ame...
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38:22
#56 Turning the Page: Lessons for a New Season of Competition
This episode is a real, unfiltered look at resilience and authenticity... the kind that's forged through life's hardest seasons. In the past year, I've walked through grief, pregnancy loss, medical emergencies, and stepping into the role of car...
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Season 3
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Episode 56
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45:40
#55 Crowned & Candid: Carlehr Swanson, Miss Virginia 2024
What happens when you pursue a dream for a decade, facing rejection six times, before finally achieving it on your last possible attempt? Carlehr Swanson, Miss Virginia 2024, reveals the powerful journey that transformed her from a shy music st...
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59:50
#54 Crowned & Candid: Kalyn Melham, Miss Indiana 2024
What does it truly mean to hold a state title in the Miss America Organization? In this heart-to-heart conversation, Miss Indiana 2024 Kalyn Melham pulls back the curtain on her journey through pageantry with refreshing candor and wisdom.
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59:00
#53 Crowned & Candid: Bridget O'Brien, Miss Maryland 2024
From a driven competitor who placed as runner-up six times to the confident woman wearing the Miss Maryland crown, Bridget O'Brien's journey exemplifies the power of resilience and authenticity in pageantry and life. Her refreshing candor about...
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1:04:09
#52 Crowned & Candid: Paris Matthews, Miss Utah 2024
What happens when you refuse to give up on a dream, even after 13 straight losses? Paris Matthews, Miss Utah 2024, reveals the extraordinary journey that led her from wearing "evening gowns from Ross" at her first pageant to representing Utah o...
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1:02:49
#51 Crowned & Candid: Carrie Everett, Miss North Carolina 2024
What does it truly mean to wear the crown for 365 days? Behind the polished Instagram posts and stage performances lies a journey filled with grit, growth, and occasional tears. In this revealing conversation, Miss North Carolina 2024, Carrie E...
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57:08
#50 Crowned & Candid: Kiersten Khoury, Miss Massachusetts 2024
Kirsten Corey, Miss Massachusetts 2024, pulls back the curtain on her remarkable 20-year journey through the pageant world in this candid, eye-opening conversation. After competing since childhood and experiencing far more losses than wins, Kir...
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1:07:49
#49 Crowned & Candid: Jordan Naylor, Miss Alaska 2024
What happens when your dream comes true? For Jordan Naylor, Miss Alaska 2024, claiming the crown was just the beginning of a transformative journey – one that followed directly after her reign as Miss Alaska USA. With less than a week between t...
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1:42:07
#48 Crowned & Candid: Hayley Cheyney Kane, Miss Hawaii 2024
Authenticity beats perfection every time. That's the powerful message from Miss Hawaii 2024 Hayley Cheyney Kane, who joins us for a transformative conversation about wellness, identity, and the healing power of being unapologetically yourself.<...
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58:54
#47 Crowned & Candid: Stephanie Finoti, Miss Ohio 2024
What does it truly mean to wear a state crown when life's hardest moments don't pause for your title? In this deeply moving conversation, Miss Ohio 2024 Stephanie Finoti reveals the raw, unfiltered reality behind the sparkle.As a biomed...
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1:13:09
#46 Crowned & Candid: Raechel Warren, Miss Nebraska 2024
What happens when you've aged out twice, moved to a new state, and decide to give your pageant dream one last shot? For Raechel Warren, Miss Nebraska 2024, that final attempt led to the crown and a transformative year of service that's coming t...
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1:02:38
#45 Crowned & Candid: Kaylee Wolfensberger, Miss Montana 2024
What really happens after the crown goes on and the cameras stop? In this brand new series, Crowned & Candid, I’m sitting down with Kaylee Wolfensberger, Miss Montana 2024, to talk about the realities of state tit...
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1:02:06
#44 Battling Burnout: Why High Achievers Struggle & How to Heal
Feeling drained by pageant prep? Been there. If you're finding yourself pushing harder but enjoying it less, you're not alone. Burnout shows up in sneaky ways - not just physical exhaustion, but emotional depletion, constant comparison, and tha...
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32:28
#43 Strategic Partnerships: Taking Your Platform from Volunteering to Impact
It's time to zoom out and focus on the big picture: What does it actually mean to be the titleholder? Beyond the wardrobe, the prep, and the preliminary jitters lies a powerful opportunity to create real impact and build the f...
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47:20
#42 Beyond the Crown: Miss Iowa 2017, Chelsea Constantino (Dubczak)
Former Miss Iowa Chelsea Constantino redefines nutrition by blending biblical wisdom with modern health science in this insightful episode. Inspired by her pageant experience, Chelsea shares how she developed a sustainable, faith-aligned approa...
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1:08:17
#41 From First Runner-Up to...?: Overcoming the Fear of ‘Backsliding’ in Competition
Fear of "backsliding" in pageant placement haunts even the most accomplished contestants. That nagging anxiety—what if I don't do as well as last year? What will people think if I was first runner-up and don't even make top five this time? As a...
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33:47