In this episode of The Best Dam Podcast, host Jill Lagan is joined by Michaela Taylor, the current Mrs. Las Vegas America and a contestant for the upcoming Mrs. Nevada America title. Michaela pulls back the curtain on the modern pageant world, dispelling myths of "cattiness" and explaining how the competition serves as a powerful vehicle for personal growth and community leadership.

Michaela shares her journey of building resilience and her own marketing business. She discusses her platform, "Confidently You," which focuses on empowering young girls and women to step out of their comfort zones. Whether she is speaking to high school dance teams or preparing for the state stage, Michaela’s story is a testament to the power of daily, small acts of courage.

DISCUSSION

1. Pageantry Unmasked: Michaela clarifies the structure of the Mrs. America system, noting that the competition is judged on interview (50%), swimsuit (25%), and evening gown (25%), with no talent portion required for the Mrs. division.
 
2. Confidently You: Michaela explains the heart of her platform, which encourages women to rewire negative mindsets and perform daily "courage acts" to build authentic self-esteem and reach their full potential.
 
3. The Power of First Runner-Up: Reflecting on her first-ever pageant, Michaela discusses the mental shift required to turn a second-place finish into a motivating lesson in pride and persistence.
 
4. Business and Grit: As the owner of Michaela Starr Marketing, Michaela draws parallels between the discipline of pageantry and the challenges of entrepreneurship, emphasizing that both require the courage to be "seen" and the grit to never quit.
 
5. Lessons from Kansas: Michaela credits her upbringing in a family of five for her strong work ethic, specifically her parents' rule of finishing every "season" or commitment before being allowed to move on to the next thing.
 
6. A Moment in the Spotlight: Michaela shares a touching story of her 11-year-old son being moved to tears while watching her on stage, highlighting her goal of being a living example of bravery for her children.
 
7. Jailhouse Reality Check: In a humorous exchange, Michaela and Jill bond over their shared history of working in detention centers—Michaela's stint lasted less than a full shift before she realized her path lay elsewhere.
 
8. The Path to State: With the Mrs. Nevada America pageant approaching in May at the Aliante Casino, Michaela outlines her goals for the upcoming year, specifically focusing on mastering public speaking to better serve her community.

LEARN MORE

To follow Michaela’s journey to the crown and learn more about her "Confidently You" platform, follow her on social media at @michaela_s_taylor. For information on the pageant system or how to compete, visit the Mrs. Nevada America website at https://www.mrsnevadaamericapageant.com/.

KEYWORDS

Michaela Taylor, Mrs. Las Vegas America, Mrs. Nevada America, Confidently You, Pageant Life, Women's Empowerment, The Best Dam Podcast, Boulder City Chamber of Commerce

#MichaelaTaylor #MrsLasVegasAmerica #MrsNevadaAmerica #ConfidentlyYou #Pageantry #WomenInBusiness #Empowerment #TheBestDamPodcast #BoulderCity

Podcast Transcript

Jill: What a beautiful day we're having today. I wish you could all see what's happening in the best damn podcast, mobile studio, because there's a lot of beauty happening here. We have Mrs. Las Vegas, America, Michaela Taylor. Thank you Michaela for being here.

Michaela: Yeah, thank you so much for having me. I'm excited.

Jill: I cannot wait to learn more about what it's like in pageant life to learn more about what brought you to that.

But also, I am so excited to hear about your platform because you have created a very special cause and, I want to learn a little bit more about that. But before we get into that. Let's talk a little about what is pageant life like? I have not been involved. I have, only watched beautiful shows and heard a little bit more about it and understanding more about the scholarship side of it, the educational side.

And so can you share a little bit about, your journey as Mrs. Las Vegas, Nevada?

Michaela: Yeah, so last year was my first year I competed and just like you, I had no idea what pageants were. I was approached by the pageant director and she's Hey, you're so beautiful. You should, compete. And I'm like, okay, let's give it a try.

And I've never watched pageants on TV in person. I never even watched Miss. Congeniality the movie before.

Jill: Really?

Michaela:  Yes. My friends, they're like, you have to see this before you go on stage. So like a week before I went on stage, I watched Miss Congeniality and anyway, so I had no idea what pageants were and it was just a new learning experience, trying new things and I just did it even though I had no idea what I was doing.

And it goes in with my platform, that confidence piece of building myself in that way. To be on stage in front of people for the first time ever.

Jill: Wow.

Michaela:  But yeah, pageants is just, I love being out in the community, getting to know people. You just never know who you're going to meet. Wherever you're at for whatever event you're at.

Jill: I would imagine the girls getting to know the other ladies as well, that in, and of itself is its own community and its own social structure. I would imagine you had a great experience. Was that the case?

Michaela: Yeah, like all the women were amazing.

They're like all powerhouses. I just look up to all of them. They're all doing, whether they have their own business or they're high up in a organization, like they are just, they know what they want and they go for it, and, but we're all, a lot of them were also, it was their first time also

Jill: Really,

Michaela: when they were competing. Yeah. And so we're all in the same spot. We're all trying to learn. Together. We're building each other up. There's not, there's not a lot of that cattiness that you might think there, that there is. but yeah, we're just. Supporting each other. We just want the best for each other.

Jill: Again, so back to the mis congeniality, we see that, the, the television side, the theatrical side of it, and you think, oh, someone's planting toothpaste in her makeup, or, those crazy things that might be going on in the background.

But you are finding it to be truly more of a support system and a way for you to get to know other people, other women and build confidence in yourself as well.

Michaela: Yeah, and those negative things, I just like to think of 'em if they do happen or whatever you've heard before, I feel like it's more of that person.

They're more insecure about themself and. They're worried about what that other oh, she could be better than me. She could do this. She could win this title. And that's what brings out that negativity where they just need to be more secure in themselves and not worry about what others are doing and just worry about what they're doing.

Jill: And that in sports as well? that's not, this is not just anything with a competitive edge. you could probably got that

Michaela: Yeah.

Jill: Gameplay in place. So let's understand a little bit more about the structure of Miss Las Vegas, Nevada. You are in the running, you're currently a contestant going for Mrs. Nevada America. And walk us through this path. I'm not exactly sure what that looks like.

Michaela: Yeah. So anyone in the state of Nevada can compete and they can choose their title. Wherever they live, if that title is available. So I chose Mrs. Las Vegas last year I was Mrs. Aliante. And this year I chose Mrs. Las Vegas.

So we all get together as a state and compete against each other.

Jill: Oh,

Michaela: And that's how we, win whoever wins the Mrs. Nevada America title, and then it moves on to nationals, which is all the other 50 states competing for the title of Mrs. America. And there is two titles within the state. So there's like Mrs. Nevada America and then Mrs. Nevada America.

Jill: Oh wow.

Michaela: Yeah.

Jill: And so which are they both feeders into miss America?

Michaela: Yeah. They're both going to nationals and Mrs is for the married women. And then there is Miss Nevada, which is for the women who aren't married.

Jill: Okay, very good.

Michaela: Yeah.

Jill: How exciting.

Michaela: Yeah. And you don't have to, everyone's oh, what's your talent?

You don't have to have a talent

Jill: Really.

Michaela: There's no talent. Yeah. It's just what you're being, judged on, sorry, was. Your interview, which is 50%. Swimsuit, which is 25, and then evening gown, which is 25.

Jill: Wow. I did not realize that.

Michaela: Yeah.

Jill: Oh my goodness. And so longer than Gone are the days that you had to, get up there and play musical glasses or some silly thing.

Michaela: Yeah. And that's more tailored towards like the younger women,  maybe that's like high school, just entering into college. That kind of age group.

Jill: Wow, I did not realize that. So thank you for educating us on that. And what are your aspirations? Are you looking to make it to Miss America?

Michaela: Yeah.

Jill: Oh my gosh.

Michaela: Yeah.

Jill: How exciting.

Michaela: Yeah, when I first competed, I was like, you know what? I don't care. Whatever. I don't care if I get Mrs. America or Mrs. Nevada America because it's like first and second place, what. how it's looked at and I just didn't care. But this year I'm like, no, I wanna go big. I wanna go Mrs. Nevada America, and then I wanna go to Mrs. America.

Jill: Oh my gosh, I cannot wait. And then I'm gonna say, I know her. When you win and you get that crown on and everybody's all teary-eyed and I'm sitting in the audience or watching it on TV going, oh my gosh. That's got to be such a huge, not even just a win, but just such a huge accomplishment.

Michaela: Yeah. And last year when I had, when I got first runner up, I was beating myself up because the whole entire time I was like, I was so confident in myself. I thought I was gonna win. Like I thought I had. I kept telling people, I'm like, you know what? My crown and sash is just down the street. 'cause it's at the Alliante Casino, that's where it's held.

And I was like, I just gotta go pick it up. It's mine. I just gotta go pick it up. And so it was. Hard to get that first runner up, but then after I had some time to think about it, I was like, okay, that was your first ever pageant that you ever did,

Jill: Right

Michaela: That you've never done before and you got first runner up.

That's really good. You should be proud of yourself, so

Jill: Absolutely. Absolutely. Be proud of yourself and what an accomplishment. And it still allows you to have a platform and to share that platform.

Michaela: Yeah.

Jill: So let's talk about that.

Michaela: Okay.

Jill: Confidently, you. Tell me more about it, please.

Michaela: It has so many facets. It's come from so many different parts of my life and it's just really about empowering and encouraging young women, girls. Young girls and women to just love themselves, believe in themselves, develop that confidence in themselves, because I know that when women can have that confidence, what they can create is going to be amazing. For not for just for themselves, but. Whoever else they impact in their lives.

Jill: So I know in my life, knowing, where I came from, why I'm here and where I'm going, makes all the difference. I would imagine having to work on building that core structure in your life. In your belief system in, understanding who and what you are, having the courage to public speak, having the courage to walk in a runway.

And I would imagine that you had to train for that though too, right? Your thought process has to be a little bit different. Your daily mind speak has to be different.

Michaela: Yeah.

Jill: So how do you, where, how do you handle those challenges,

Michaela: You know? I'm not perfect.

Jill: Yeah.

Michaela: And everyone else isn't perfect. And I know mindset is a huge thing. Like you have to believe in yourself and rewire your thoughts, that you maybe have told yourself throughout the years. I don't know if I can do this. I'm not very good at public speaking, or I'm not very good at talking to others. And being able to change that so that it can be different and prove to yourself like, oh, that's not true.

That thought is not true. I'm gonna believe something else. And, It just takes so much time and effort to do that. And the thing is you have to do the daily action ev every day. So what I do when I talk to girls or women or whatever, I tell them, okay, I want you to choose something that, whatever it is that gets you out of your comfort zone, that feels uncomfortable, it can be really small, it could be really big, whatever it is.

But I want you to do something every single day to start building that confidence. And I promise you, once you do that. You're going to do so much bigger things and it makes me think back of, when I first had kids, I struggled with postpartum depression. I struggled with the way my body looked, and I wasn't confident in myself as a person.

And I had to work on my mindset and my thoughts, and I had to eat healthier and, lose that weight that I wanted to feel a certain way. And, that built up to then I, started a small business.

Jill: Oh wow.

Michaela: And 'cause that takes courage,

Jill: Oh yeah.

Michaela: Putting it online and wondering, oh, what is someone gonna think about you by doing that?

And then it, those small little acts built up. And then when I had my business like three years ago, I was like, you know what? I should probably go to some networking events. I should probably get out there. But I was afraid because I wasn't, I felt like I wasn't good at communicating in like small settings like that and being like, hi, my name's Michaela.

How are you? This is what I do. Like I was so out of my comfort zone doing that, but I did it anyways and I was nervous each time I would go to those networking events, but then I did it anyways and I got me outta my comfort zone where now. Look at me, where I've gone to these networking events.

I'm confident in that ability to just go into a room and speak to people that I don't know, and now I'm doing that in my pageant journey. I am going out and going to these big random events, and I have to be this person that. Engages in the room and talks to people. So it just built up those little things every single day built up to where I am now and what I am creating and the goals that I want in my life.

Jill: So those little steps do create this end picture.

Michaela: Yeah.

Jill: And, a title and the tiara that I'm super jealous of. And I would imagine that you are also, as you're out public speaking. Speaking to young girls through confidently you that there's probably a little bit of reminding them too, of the service side of this because you, you do not only in your pageant path, but also just in life and, in confidently you, there is a service element.

So you're teaching these girls to go out and serve others to provide service to our community. Do you, is that a component that you, actively work in confidently you

Michaela: Yeah. I. I encourage them to do whatever, lights them up in their journey and. Hey, go do, maybe it is if the service that they wanna do out in the community, it scares 'em.

Like they've wanted to do this, but they've been afraid. go do it. Go try it. You never know what's gonna happen.

Jill: Yeah. Courage is, courage and grit there, there's just so much behind that and that does build that confidence. I would imagine though, let's talk about your first time competing.

You had to really build that courage. You now are finding it. So now this is your second time going in. You have an amazing title. It's all great. You have created new relationships with these other women. You have, gone out into the community. You've got all of that kind of behind you.

Stepping into this role again, what are you taking as lessons learned and what do you hope to accomplish in this next go around?

Michaela: My next goal is to practice my public speaking.

Jill: Okay.

Michaela: And Last time I competed, it was something that I knew I needed to do, but I was scared to do.

Jill: I get that. It scares everybody.

Michaela: It's nerve wracking. I recently just went to Mesquite and talked to the VITs. It's a high school dance team.

Jill: Yes.

Michaela: And it was like. 15 girls I think. And I spoke about the conf, my Conf You platform. And I was so nervous in front of those girls and they're like, oh, she's so confident and she knows what she's doing.

No, I'm so scared to be talking to you. And I even told them that. I'm like, I'm scared guys. I'm nervous. but I'm doing it anyways. So that's what I'm doing this year. Getting out there, public speaking, talking, that's one of my goals. And and of course, winning that Mrs. Nevada America title.

Jill: So I bet those girls were loving you and now they're gonna be watching you and hoping and cheering for you as well. So now you're creating a lot of little mini fan clubs. I love it. what is your favorite part of competing? I'm sure there's lots of different things, but is there one, one aspect that is your favorite?

Michaela: It would probably be, oh, I just love all of it. It's hard to pick which one. I love the challenge.

Jill: Ooh,

Michaela: I love the challenge of every little thing. It just, that feeling when you're competing, if you've competed before in high school or in college or whatever. Just that feeling of okay, how can I do better?

What can I do to be better next time? But also trying not to, of course beat yourself up. Be like, Ugh, I suck. I didn't do very good.

Jill: That's not can get you anywhere.

Michaela: It's not gonna get you anywhere. Yeah. But I just love that competitiveness for myself. Like, how can I become better as a person?

How can I develop myself and how can I also encourage others around me? Like the women Last year there was an, older lady that. Competed and she was struggling with walking. And so I walked her through Hey, let's do this together. I was competing against her, right? But I'm like, let's just do it together.

Like I can see that you're struggling. Let's practice together. Let me help you from what I've learned from, my pageant coach or online videos that I've seen of people walking. and there's that aspect of building each other up. So I just, I love that competitiveness, but also The group as a community Coming together.

Jill: I can imagine that, and I wouldn't, I would bet that translates in your entrepreneurship as well. So in having a small business, it's a challenge.

Michaela: Yeah.

Jill: And so if you're loving that challenge and that's something that really gets your motor running, that is awesome.

Michaela: Yeah,

Jill: That is very cool. How exciting. Okay, so I need to know a little bit more about Michaela. So Michaela, what was your first job?

Michaela: I'm trying to think back.

Jill: Did you babysit or,

Michaela: I did actually

Jill: paper out or what?

Michaela: I did, I did babysit. I am the oldest of five and so

Jill: Oh, wow.

Michaela: Babysitting was just like the first thing I think I started at 10 or 11 when I started babysitting, so that was, yeah, my first.

Jill: So family of five. Then you obviously understand needing courage and being able to handle a challenge and I bet you're solutions based and, but also love that community and support.

Michaela: Yeah.

Jill: That is awesome. And are they all cl where did you, where were you from?

Michaela: I'm originally from Kansas, Topeka, Kansas.

Jill: Oh, very fun.

Michaela: Yeah.

Jill: And are they all there, here? What brought you to Vegas?

Michaela: So my parents are there and my sister's there. And then I have a sister in Texas, a brother in Idaho, and a brother in. London in the military.

Jill: Oh, wow.

Michaela: And is now moving to Japan in a week or two.

Jill: Oh, wow.

Michaela: So we're all over the place.

Jill: You are all over the place.

Michaela: Yeah.

Jill: But I bet they're all such a huge support system for you.

Michaela: Oh yeah. Yeah. My sister's I need to come, I want to come see your pageant. When? When it happens in May. So I'm coming

Jill: Oh, in May.

Michaela: Yeah.

Jill: I was gonna ask that question. So now we know, we will be, secretly hoping and praying for you.

Michaela: Thanks.

Jill: In the background, I don't know anybody else. It's a contestant, so see, it makes it real easy for me to cheer for you, so I'll be your cheerleader.

Michaela: Okay, perfect.

Jill: All right, I think that's awesome. So what's something that people may not know about you?

Michaela: Oh, this is a hard question.

Jill: Is there something in, did you try for something in the past or something that maybe, a job or something that you did for a little while?

Michaela: Okay. So there was a job in college. There was a small college town. It was up in Rexburg, Idaho at BYU and there's a lot of students and not a lot of jobs.

So you just get whatever you can get. And. I found this job being the control center at the jail in this little town. And tried it for one day. I don't even think I lasted a whole day, honestly, the whole shift. I was like, this is not for me. I don't like this. I'm gonna leave.

Jill: So I love it. We have something in common. So not only BYU, but also I worked in a detention center for several years.

Michaela: Really?

Jill: I did. And I, I. Understand your fear, but I was not control room. I was actually down in, an area that we did intake and managed and interviewed inmates. But, I did get stuck. I got rotated into the medical unit for a little while.

Michaela: Yeah.

Jill: Not exactly my favorite

Michaela: really

Jill: being on that side, but I did like the, the outside administrative side of it and my husband's a retired co. So yes, we spent a lot of time in jail.

Michaela: Yeah.

Jill: That is awesome. I love that you tried.

Michaela: I tried. I'm like, I'm gonna try it and see and it was not for me.

Jill: Very good. I think that's awesome. So thanks for sharing. One of my favorite questions, what book are you reading right now?

Michaela: It's called Impactful Marketing. It's from Veronica Romney, and it's just a great marketing book. It like gives you a different perspective on how marketing should be like focusing on your customer or client, like who do they wanna become?

It's the main message, like who do they wanna become after working with you or after partaking of your service or product. It's just, it's really great.

Jill: That's interesting. I'm gonna have to check that one out.

Michaela: Yeah.

Jill: That kind of falls right into the world of Chambers.

Michaela: Yeah.

Jill: And, trying to make sure that we understand what those members and investors in our chamber, what they're looking for. So I absolutely can see a, a need for me to check that book out.

Michaela: Yeah. She focuses on, the. The common thing of let's buy this. It's no, let's not buy this, be this.

Jill: Ooh.

Michaela: So

Jill: I like it. Yeah, it's good. Do not buy this, be this. Ooh, we need that as a bumper sticker.

That is awesome. I love it. Okay, it sounds like you have a strong family life. So what is something that your mom or dad, or both, have taught you in your life that you still utilize today on your daily activities?

Michaela: Yeah. One of the common things was to not give up. So like whether we wanted, if there was something that we were doing and we wanted to quit or whatever, we had to follow through until it was at the end of it. So if it was a sports event, we're like, I don't like soccer anymore. We had to finish the season.

Jill: Oh, got it.

Michaela: So there was no just quitting in between in the middle, no, you had to finish it. And I think that's really helped me from where I'm at now, because in like my business, how many times have I wanted to quit every single day And I don't, I keep going.

And it's the same with the pageant. There's moments where I'm like, oh, what if I don't win this year? I don't know if I can do like there doubt. It's the doubt. It's the common thing that anyone would have in this scenario and it, I'm going to continue to go through with it and commit until the end.

Jill: I love that. That's a great thing. Your parents are very wise.

Michaela: Yeah.

Jill: Tell them thank you for creating such a, an amazing lady

Michaela: I'll,

Jill: And so I would imagine you'll be teaching that to your children as well?

Michaela: Yeah.

Jill: And how old are your kids?

Michaela: 11 and nine.

Jill: Oh, wow.

Michaela: Yeah.

Jill: So they're learning these lessons as you speak.

Michaela: Yep. My daughter, she was in gymnastics and she would, had days, she's it's too hard. I don't know. I don't know how to do this. I'm not very good at it. And I'm like, no. That's part, like everything's going to be hard. Every new thing you do is going to be hard, so you're gonna have to keep on doing it to get better.

That's how you get better. And if you wanna quit, that's fine, but you have to wait until we have finished.

Jill: The season.

Michaela: Yes.

Jill: The session.

Michaela: Yeah.

Jill: The whatever.

Michaela: Yeah.

Jill: Love it.

Michaela: Because I don't wanna force anyone to like, do anything that they don't want,

Jill: No, I agree with that because there's so many choices nowadays and kids are so involved and so engaged to almost to the point where we're running ragged trying to get them to everything.

Yes, I love the fact that you're giving them choice, but then also asking for accountability.

Michaela: Yeah. Yeah.

Jill: That responsibility is important and so are they so proud of you.

Michaela: Yeah, my, after I finished my last, competition, they're like, mom, are you gonna do it again? And then this was when I was on the fence.

I didn't know if I was going to, I'm like, I don't know. I'm thinking about it. My, both my daughter and my son are like, oh, you have to do it. You have to do it. They were the biggest support system. They actually told me they were out, they were in the audience. And, my son who was 11, started crying when he saw me on stage.

And it just like. That's awesome. like that being that, example to them.

Jill: Yeah.

Michaela: Do the things that are hard, That you wanna do, like you can do anything.

Jill: You can do hard things.

Michaela: Yeah,

Jill: I love that. That is great. And so you had said that the last, pageant was at Aliante.

Michaela: Yeah. The casino.

Jill: And so where will this one be?

Michaela: At the same, yeah, same.

Jill: And they must sponsor the pageant, obviously.

Michaela: Yeah.

Jill: That is awesome. And so who produces these? Is there a production company that produces these or,

Michaela: I think it's the ante casino that helps with the whole lighting and the stage and the way we do things on stage. But that is Jackie McKenna is the pageant director.

Jill: Okay.

Michaela: And so she's the one that also is in charge of all of that.

Jill: And so then she must have a corporation that produces the event.

Michaela: Yeah.

Jill: Doesn't, no.

Michaela: Yeah. I don't know how exactly that works.

Michaela: She kind of does it. She's in charge of the event. I mean there's different, like America systems throughout.

Of course, you know the US and they all do their. Show different way differently. It's all the same though, but they just maybe do it at different locations or whatever. But she's in charge of how it all goes

Jill: And so she must have a website. How do people find out about being a contestant or somehow supporting the system?

Michaela: Yeah, so they can go to the Mrs. Nevada America website. Jackie McKenna is also on Facebook and she would be happy to talk to anyone who's interested in competing. Yeah.

Jill: Is she a former contestant?

Michaela: Yeah.

Jill: Oh, so that's how she knows this life?

Michaela: Yeah.

Jill: Oh, how exciting is that? She must be, she could be a very inspirational,

Michaela: Yeah, she was a former Mrs. Nevada America in 91, I believe.

Jill: Oh, wow.

Michaela: Yeah.

Jill: I bet she's beautiful.

Michaela: Yes.

Jill: And would you, is positively you, your actual company? Is that your business? You keep referencing a business? What is it?

Michaela: Oh, marketing. Oh, I just do marketing. Yeah.

Jill: Oh, very good.

Michaela:  Yeah.

Jill: I love that. And so for independent companies,

Michaela: It's for like smaller businesses. Like coaches. Oh, like in the online space, whether it's like a health coach or a mindset coach or a business coach or whatever type of coach there is out there.

Jill: Okay.

Michaela: Mostly like in the social media realm.

Jill: Okay. And what's your that business called?

Michaela: It's just Mikayla Star Marketing. I don't have a specific, like a marketing name, which is like me, my name Mikayla Starr.

Yeah.

Jill: I love that. That is very cool.

Michaela: It's my middle name.

Jill: Okay. So Michaela, how do they find out more about confidently you?

Michaela: So you can just follow me on my social media, which is Michaela s Taylor, and that's just my personal page and that's where I share all about confidently you, Platform.

Jill: Okay. Very good.

Michaela: Yeah

Jill: I think people will love to learn more about you. I have really enjoyed getting to know you, meet you and understand a little bit more about the pageant system. You are beautiful inside and out, and thank you. I can't wait to be your newest cheerleader.

Michaela: Yay. Thank you.

Jill: Thank you for being on the show today.

Michaela: Yeah. Thank you so much.