Howe To Win Miss Venezuela
Howe to Win Miss Venezuela w/ Keysi Sayago
SUMMARY
Keysi Sayago is a model, mechanical engineer, and former Miss Venezuela, where she went on to place in the Top 3 at Miss Universe. In this episode, she shares her road to winning the crown, the difference of what she's noticed of the world of pageants there versus in North America. She shares insights that are applicable to anyone in any industry - how to handle criticism with grace for personal growth, the importance of self-belief and staying grounded in the face of competition.
Keysi and Lauren reflect on their experiences in pageantry, advocating for holistic judging systems and critiquing the industry's shallow beauty standards. They emphasize the need for personal and professional growth opportunities for contestants beyond titles, and share tips for managing online criticism and stress. Keysi expresses her passion for empowering young girls in the pageant industry through coaching, highlighting the importance of confidence and uniqueness.
FULL TRANSCRIPT
Keysi:
[0:00] I had kind of like categories for haters so really harsh haters blocked right away um middle haters, I will ask a question like do you really mind to say this because you don't think blah blah blah and then, based on their response I will decide if I will block or not why is that because you you just show them that you're a person, so it's like if they respond oh I'm so sorry Keysi I didn't mean to I I was just making a comment oh no worries just be mindful next time remember that I have feelings too so now you made an impact in someone and that person will not do it again, and if that person responds like yeah you look good like you don't look good blah blah blah blah right away and then I have the ones that doesn't know what they're saying you are more than what they see so just be grounded and believe, that's why you are and when you're in a competition and you see all these beautiful girls and you think you I'm not going to make it they are better than me stop that thought it's not that you're they they are better or not it's about, working and it's about your uniqueness and it's about what makes you special or what's your goal in life or what's for you in the future and yeah it's just, it's really hard with pageants but you got to get a good perspective or it's going to really get into your.Introduction to Pageants and Personal Journey
Lauren:
[1:24] Can you take a wild guess what today's episode is about yes it is how to win a Stanley Cup for the Toronto Maple Leafsno but we recently had that loss so it's clearly on the top of my mind it's about pageants and more it's less of a how-to and more diving into Keysi's specific journey of how she fell into pageants in the first place how pageants work differently in Venezuela and in Canada how the perception is even different in the public or the approach in the competition itself we dive into all of that nitty-gritty and Keysi is also casually a mechanical engineer she's brilliant she's assumed to be mama and we even dive into the question would we put our future daughters I'm not pregnant full disclosure but hypothetical into pageants. Real quick though a little call out towards the end of the conversation which is why you should always always always when you're recording have backup plans you will hear a shift in the audio because at this very moment, our mic packs died, so it then used the camera audio to pick up we've tried our best in post to make it sound the exact same but if you happen to hear that shift it's not for too long and thank you for bearing with us. Diving into Pageantry with Keysi Siago
Lauren:
[2:39] Without further Ado let's get into it this isa broader how-to with Keysi Sayago.
Keysi:
[2:51] No more maybe that.
Lauren:
[2:52] For.Breaking Down the World of Pageants
Keysi:
[2:56] Podcast so it's in English and then the only Spanish will be l.
Lauren:
[3:04] I am dead so we're we're going to have a fun conversation todayaround a number of our different worldsbut we're really going to break down the messy and fascinating world of pageants.
Keysi:
[3:18] Yes that's something that we can definitely tackle a lot about so.
Lauren:
[3:21] There is often that type cast that anyone who competes in. Pageants and we love a society to like distill people down to the 1 thing and it's like oh your pageant girl are you like Honey Boo Boo and.Unique Paths to Pageantry and Insecurities
Keysi:
[3:34] Yeah yeah yeah.
Lauren:
[3:34] Butmost of us have really strange and unique Paths of how we got there in the first placewhat was your journey.
Keysi:
[3:42] Well as everybody knows like Venezuela is all known for beauty queens and and being in the M Venezuela and living in the country like I had not accessed to International knowledge really so all I knew is I wanted to become a model and in Venezuela if you want to be a well-known model you have to go through the Mis Venezuela because yeah yeah because that was everything you will become like even if you just were there you will become a public figure, and all designers will love to work with you so I was like okay I know I have to do this blah blah blah it's in my future so as being like um super um insecure my mom was like okay let's do modeling I loved it I felt like so alright it was amazing being mean in that world so I was like perfect I don't.
Lauren:
[4:32] You fell into modeling because you were insecure.
Keysi:
[4:35] Yeah exactly so it was the only thing where it was the only world where I felt like it was good to be me, because otherwise Venezuela Latin American countries, all the girls have to be like you know curvy blah blah blah and I was flat and I was tall and and I was you know, always the tallest girl in the class so I never felt accepted I was always bullied and it's a different world but then when I stepped into modeling, it was perfect to be me like smiling everywhere like you know walking and blah blah blahso that's where I fall I I find my confidence and, then I knew that for being a model in the country I needed to to do something in the in the Miss Venezuela pageant but I never fell into competing like competition I felt it was too much for me but that was actually the path that brought me to the Miss Venezuela.
Lauren:
[5:36] And what's the entry point how do people actually compete to become this Venezuela.
Keysi:
[5:41] So there are a couple ways to do it it's um Mazar place for girls to be in Venezuela so you have around over 200 girls trying to get into the pageant, um you can do original page or you can do an in-person um casting at the, we call it linta Miss Venezuela it's like a mention, is a mention but miss Venezuela mentioned where you go you present yourself you do the casting they call out the castings you go there and they decide if they are going to call you back or not, so I did it when I was 18 um I got kind of like accepted but I wasn't ready I felt too immature, I like I felt like it was so much and I had a manager, and I was like no like I I just want to go through my engineering career and then after that we'll see so I decided just to, you know put that on hold and then I said you know what I don't want to do it I don't want to do anything and then um.
Lauren:
[6:43] Do it as in the competition.
Keysi:
[6:44] Yeah, and then I was like okay I went through engineering and then they open up a regional page and for Miss Venezuela on where I where I used to live in the state you I used to live, and they said Keysi where's Keysi they asked for me they like somehow saw my mom in a mall and they like they asked where is your daughter like this is going to happen she should be there, and I was uh finishing my education like I was doing my internships, and they were like she has to come for the casting and then okay I'll go for the casting and then they were like of course you have to be part of this, and then there was this time in Venezuela where all the power had to be cut because we had no power in the country and all the working hours have to be until midday, so all the companies have to work only from the morning to noon.
Keysi:
[7:42] And I was doing my internships on uh government um establishment so I had the whole afternoon free, and like it's like the universe said okay you have to do this and then in the afternoons I run to the competition, from the original pageant that was going to go for the national 1 anyways it's complicatedbut but yeah so you can either go present like to be present in the in the casting from the dimension,
Keysi:
[8:13] or you can do a vaginal python that's how you you get into that.
Lauren:
[8:17] And what was your draw to engineering as wellwhat brought you to say I wanted to yeah.
Keysi:
[8:25] I was a 6 year old helping my dad fixing whatever he had to fix at home, like the Curiosity or of understanding how machines work, was what drip me to into engineering like knowing how like yeah knowing how everything worked and how you can make it possible, and then while I was going through high school like I was the best in physics best math, and I was like yeah I have to do this and then I started doing research and I was um between industrial engineering, and and it was between that 1 and mechanical and once I stepped into mechanical it was like this is it this is mine.
Lauren:
[9:08] And contacts for anyone listening this is how Keysi and I first hit it off at Miss Universe finding out each other's an engineer and we're like oh my God you're a nerd like me.
Keysi:
[9:17] And we were the only ones yeah we were yeah we were the only Engineers knowI think so.Connecting as Engineers at Miss Universe
Lauren:
[9:23] Maybe yeah like there's plenty of other people who are stem but Engineers specificand graduated too yeahoh my God.
Keysi:
[9:29] I think it it was just us yeah I think it it was only us like and you were industrial and it was mechanical like we were even more unique.
Lauren:
[9:38] Exactly.
Keysi:
[9:39] So it was so much fun.
Lauren:
[9:40] Yeah but meanwhile it took like a couple days because, all of us were hella intimidated by talk about Venezuela being 1 of the countries at the top of the pageant totem pole Keysi walks out in rehearsal and just like strutting her stuff and we know like oh she's an engineer and she's smart and she's gorgeous and she's funny and we're like I'll go home.
Keysi:
[9:57] And it was like and it was in my head like fuck these shoes are killing meyeah.
Lauren:
[10:03] Put a smile on cuz it's not like my theater bleed.
Keysi:
[10:05] Seller you have to be blah blah blah and it was a responsibility you know.
Lauren:
[10:09] Yeah and okay so the crazy world of pageantry and then you go through uh the system you win.
Keysi:
[10:17] Fuck yes that was crazy that was insaneyeah I like I never wanted to win, I was like I was there when I got into Miss Venezuela I did it just because I knew if I wanted a modeling career I had to like be part of it and I was like okay my goal is not to win my goal will be, placing in a great position like let's say top top 10 top 5 and then you know I can just go from there.
Lauren:
[10:46] Kickstart the career.
Keysi:
[10:48] Exactly like and I have my I already have my plan of moving out of Venezuela going to maybe Canada or Australia as an engineer blah blah blah so I was like okay the worst case scenario is I win.
Keysi:
[11:02] That's where like everything will change if.
Lauren:
[11:04] Worst case scenario.
Keysi:
[11:06] It was because if I had my whole plan and then I went it means I can't do my plan, so I was like okay this is the worst case scenario and it's going to be another year okay good so but I work too hard I like it was so fuck is I created my strategy I was like I have to connect with the people they were being like, and the history of Miss Venezuela there were there was only 1 umbrunette like dark brunette girl that won Miss Venezuela, so only 1 the rest was white like yeah it's just that for you brunette is.
Lauren:
[11:45] Yeah yeah.
Keysi:
[11:45] Dark hair and that's it like it can be the skin can be white no I'm talking about my color yeahso would you say brown.
Lauren:
[11:54] Well yeah like it's it's also like grades of melanin for people where if you have a slightly darker skin tone I wouldn't necessarily say yeah exactly.
Keysi:
[12:02] ExactlyI guess what I'm trying to say is dark skin color winner like for being a Latin American country you will expect that more girls are this tone but in Venezuela it was only whites that.
Lauren:
[12:16] Do you identify yourself as having a darker skin tone relative for Venezuelans.
Keysi:
[12:19] Uh yeah like if I identify as being darker in the country know because well, it's hard to say because we had all kinds of callerswe have like yeah we have something that we call Katia we will call you Katya which is.
Lauren:
[12:37] It's like gringa.
Keysi:
[12:37] No it's that's a different 1 blonde being blonde we call kada, so it's it's having like yeah we have a many Cadiz or blonde people in the country like white people in the country because we had um a lot of influence from Europe, like a like after the second war world war um we had a lot of people from Italy Spain like of course Spain, um Portugal and yeah so definitely Venezuela is a mix, and for having a country where you have such a mix it's so funny that you couldn't see dark skin color Miss Venezuela and the history only had 1, so people connected with me so much because they said Keysi looks like me. It's like it's another 1 of us like it's all like that incredible look of being so because for us blonde people it's like whoa amazing incredible blah blah blah so it's a different thing.
Lauren:
[13:37] Percentage of the population roughly would you like I know it's a crazy number that you wouldn't know but is it a small minority that Aries.
Keysi:
[13:43] Yeah yeah yeah it's it will be like 20%, like something like that and the rest most that you can see it's more like kind of like my color or darker.
Lauren:
[13:53] Yeah yeah.
Keysi:
[13:54] So it it was just so funny to see that in the in the pageant representing the country of course don't take me wrong we have still that and and in the country but, like you want to see more more, right so anyway so when I won like people were so happy everybody liked it because of that too like they can connect with me in a different way that they connected with the previous winners, and I the only woman that I said I'm going to win this was the the interview, I told my sister I told No 1 to everybody I was like no I'm just going to have fun blah blah blah but to my sister I said I'm going to win this shit. Like that literally in Spanish will bebut it was the only moment when I decided I wanted to win and then the final night I never said anything and it happened.
Keysi:
[14:51] Just like that.Lauren:
[14:53] It's funny how, also it's sometimes people who don't necessarily have like look the whole thing is luck and we all know that if like different night different judges different winner different this and like to recognize that plays a factor but then half the time is like that's why you should enjoy the ride, because sometimes when you're actually present which. And and this is any competitive environment not just pageantry when you're actually enjoying the ride in the processyou're able to perform better.
Keysi:
[15:20] Yes I feel like you have to work hard, no matter what so if you do things right if you focus yourself because look I wasn't the prettiest at night but I I think I consider I work really really hard to be there and to win so, that's what sets you apart because oh you can have all these skills but if you don't do the work you cannot develop those skills.
Lauren:
[15:44] This now starts getting into like some of the the Messier elements of pageantry right there's so likeI will never regret,
Lauren:
[15:54] doing thembecause of the skills the abilities that I gained friendships things that have like there's nothing I I would personally say you know I wish I never did that.
Keysi:
[16:07] Would you do it againlike would you repeat that.
Lauren:
[16:12] In I don't I don't know if I would repeat it but I do question if I had a daughter in the future if I would ever want her going through the same experience.
Keysi:
[16:23] Oh I would love toyeah I think like look I wouldn't do it again like, from now on I want to like because now with the rules change we could do it again.
Keysi:
[16:33] But I I definitely wouldn't do any Pyon again but if I was there again I will take the same decisions of going through the process because I feel like I went through engineering 5 years, and I learned so much like not only education but as a person I grow so much I became, uh like more mature that I would have been if I wouldn't go through that specific career just because of the challenges, and then when I went through Miss Venezuela I'm like I was so grateful I had that background and then I learned so much about myself about all the things I was capable of doing and not all the challenges that I had to face in a more mental, mental games like you have a month it's not like Canada like we have a month off competition, and you got to be there and you got to be happy and you got to be performed and it doesn't matter what's happening I remember 1 morning they like you know insecurity in Venezuela.
Keysi:
[17:36] Um we got uh we were going to the kinta to the mansion and it's so funny saying mentioned I imagine it I feel like it's not that big but anyway um we were going and a motorcycle like a guy in a motorcycle just hit the glass give me the phones with a gun blah blah blah and then I got to the, to my daily routine like as an contestant for Miss Venezuela and I had to pretend like everything was fine after just going through.
Lauren:
[18:07] Sir you got mugged on the way.
Keysi:
[18:09] Yeahyeah.
Lauren:
[18:12] Everything's fine there's literally the definition of that memeif it's fine.
Keysi:
[18:15] Exactly well the thing that you have to have in your mind is I'm alive you know, at least I'm alive so anyway so you have to go through all of these things and you still have to perform and still you have to be smart enough because everything is a mind game. So it's freaking crazy I feel like that yeah helped me so much in today's world that's why I will definitely have no problem doing it again or having a daughter that will do it again.
Lauren:
[18:42] Yeah I the experiences and the skills we learn.
Lauren:
[18:47] I absolutely agree withI think for me it's the subjective nature of. Howe we are defining Beauty like I actually I I used to love and when you're in the competition you like you believe everything and the the confidently beautiful statement. A great statement in theory and the part that I can't get over iswe still assign a number to someone walking on a stage and subjectively go yes no I like them or not. AndI don't know how you change that in a scoring system.
Keysi:
[19:24] But you can't because that's what it actually is it's like so the way I see it is because you were still a number for example if you go to a job interview for a position I don't know as an engineer you're still a number it's the same score system you go to an interview with this person and you dress up with the suit you bring your curriculum your experiences blah blah blah and you try to present and sell yourselves so you get the job it's exactly the same thing but for women to represent a new organization.
Lauren:
[19:57] I agree when the judging system stays as what it's supposed to be where the judges get to know every single girl as a person in an interview process what happened to us at Miss Universe I was not okay with, when they replaced all the judges that speak spoke to us and then all of a sudden we're like okay so we're walking on a stage and you're actually judging me on the way I look in a bikini.
Keysi:
[20:19] Mhmexactly.
Lauren:
[20:22] That that was the part that really for lack of better terms like.
Keysi:
[20:24] It was yeah it was different because they changed it but for example something that I really like from um because now the pageant system is like it's crazy how much is changing not only Miss Universe but for example Miss Grand International um it brings, it brought so much freshness to the competitions now and they have this rule that I love they scored the girls, every day The Shopper owns have a system where they score the girls because they spend the most of the days with them um.
Lauren:
[20:57] And that's also on skills and abilities of like are you polite are.
Keysi:
[21:00] Exactly.
Lauren:
[21:01] Like that I'm okay with because it's how are you acting to these quantifiable measures.
Keysi:
[21:05] So I feel like the the idea of having a judging system that it's not part of the organization that's, that's too old I do agree that sometimes you need a little bit of, objective point of view but you definitely have to have a meeting with these objective uh judge, panel and give all the information that you have gathered the past month of pageant and bring that up because, for us yeah for us was just so crazy that that happened.
Lauren:
[21:38] Yeah well and and it happens and that's where it's you know you have different systems different owners the importance of who owns what competition transparency and. Where it doesn't swing so far like what I I came to recognize after I was leaving. As I used to say it's like oh no it's so much more than a beauty pageant it's more about more than Beautyand then coming out of it I was like oh no Beauty still plays A Part.
Keysi:
[22:01] Yeah of course.
Lauren:
[22:02] But I didn't I didn't think that.
Keysi:
[22:04] Okay okay.
Lauren:
[22:05] Right so in my head it was like oh grappling with this idea of how Beauty actually does play A Part the beauty is subjectiveand all the different ways it can be shown. As long as you have the right judging system that does not make that purely about the way someone looks.
Keysi:
[22:23] Howe you look yeahbut if you like if you take a look of how Python 3 was before until it's not.
Lauren:
[22:29] Yeahoh my God wait I want to find some of the.
Keysi:
[22:32] Before was I don't care how you talk.
Lauren:
[22:39] Yeah exactly.
Keysi:
[22:40] Like even the walking the wrong way was so different like.
Lauren:
[22:44] Dude they measured skullscircumference of a skull.
Keysi:
[22:48] Well it was created by a bikini company yes Google it.
Lauren:
[22:50] Was it reallycome on.
Keysi:
[22:52] It was created by a bikini company and that's how they start the competition Miss Universe was all about swimwear, yeah and then you went like it about it should have been.
Lauren:
[23:04] To like golden showers eventually but.
Keysi:
[23:06] If all because we were like the contestants were able to wear more clothes meaning a gown competition.
Lauren:
[23:16] Let's let's make the women look smart by putting them in an evening gal.
Keysi:
[23:20] Yeah yeah yeah and make them whack oh man.
Lauren:
[23:24] Dance so but I I do want to point out the difference because you have people who will say why do pageants existand. Where do pageant standin the difference that you see having your Venezuelan you grew up Venezuela you live in Canada now like what's the difference of perspectives of from the outside looking in of what a pageant means.
Keysi:
[23:51] Well it's interesting because 1 of the things like just going in that notelike being in Venezuela like if you, take a look and you literally go Google and and type, what is the country that had that holds the most titles internationally and it's going to go Venezuela Venezuela has won so many titles over the years and back home we take it seriously, people like the whole country takes it seriously we don't think that girls are just empty, we think that for you to be in a pageant you have you have to be really smart and you have to work really really hard of course there are cases but the country really takes it seriously and then when I move out Venezuela with this idea in my head and then I came to Canadathings are perceived in a really different way, and I'm like so no 1 really watches this universe Canada it's not in National TV like the the country doesn't stop, just because this is happening like many things were so different.
Lauren:
[24:59] Is it that much of a to watch the country's competition to watch Mis like Universe Venezuelais like a major television event.
Keysi:
[25:08] Yes everybody like everything stops and at the same the next day you see in all the newspapers, the new phase of Miss Venezuela Miss Universe Venezuela it's crazy and you have Miss Earth you have Miss World you have no none of them are Miss Venezuela, Ms Venezuela is the 1 that goes to Miss Universe.
Lauren:
[25:30] What do you think it is about Society seeing it so differently like why why is that the cover story on Miss Universe or for um for Miss Venezuela and for take specifically the countries that we are affiliated with Canada, why is it so different.
Keysi:
[25:46] Well in North America a lot of things happen you have mayor artists like the like the like let's say the mayor leagues are really high, when you have celebrities that level let's say Justin Bieber Drake whatever that's a different scale of um what Wellness I can know, wealthyeahso.
Lauren:
[26:08] Wellness too because you can afford a lot.
Keysi:
[26:09] Well yeah so when you compare that with a pageant 3 like for sure it seems like a small thing and also we have like the recognition of winning so much internationally so it definitely creates something in the community like yeah we're going to win we're good at this we're doing like you know so when you come like it's Canada with the Olympic. Olympic team like you guys are really good right.
Lauren:
[26:36] YeahI mean like every country is good at specifics.
Keysi:
[26:40] But I mean exactly so so it's that like you you own what you know you're good for, so I guess that's something that it doesn't go the same in every country but I definitely feel like um Canada being a first world country I feel like, I I want to see more of of the pageantry industry I would like to talk to someone around and and ask, um and receive a different response like oh they still do that and I'm like what so it's it's the perception is, totally different for sure.
Lauren:
[27:17] I think there's also a layer ofpeople wanting to well it's 2 things 1, people don't want to the perception about like pageants or any uh Beauty based industry in general is black and white in in Toronto in Canada of going well it's not a well-rounded competition it's a beauty competition why would you why would you take part in that. And I love what you said about Venezuela where it is perceived like the girls going through it it's not oh here's a dumb Airhead trying to be famous for beauty it's actually wow like the look on your face right now is no that's not the case.
Keysi:
[27:53] Yeah it's crazy like, people understand how much you have how much effort you have to put into this and it's also like here in Canada I feel like the content you you'll know more because you were part of it but I believe it's 10 days, of course the the size of the country makes this happen like you have to bring girls from all over Canada, to 1 specific location and you'll do kind of like a Miss Universe system where you hold them for 10 days they are in the same Hotel the competition is this long blah blah blah but for Venezuela because it's not a bigger country it's not as big as as Canada well of course Canada is the second biggest country in the world, but um so what happens is like we don't have to pay for feesand because it's famous we like I I believe.
Lauren:
[28:44] Sponsorship covers costs.
Keysi:
[28:46] Exactly and it's owned by a TV company blah blah blah so um you only have 24 girls competing every year, and you do casting that is over 200 girls and then you have them for a month, so you have to be able you as a contestant you have to be able to cover yourself to leave in karakas in the mayor City let's say Toronto, and you have to be present like a job 8 to 5, you gotta go every single day 8 mm you have Runway classes you have fully speaking skills classes you have presentations for Experts of Wellness confident.
Lauren:
[29:29] This is 1 year 1 of the 24 selected or okay.
Keysi:
[29:31] When you are elected and then you have launched and then you might have commercial recording like you're talking about 24 girls going through all of this, 1 month you got to be really really mentally strong to go through this and everybody knows it because then you turn on the the television, and his Beauty season that's how we call it it's Beauty season and it means that you're going to see all the contestants and the TV you're going to see all the Press about Miss Venezuela like you get so much projection. Projection in the country like everybody sees you so it definitely it's not an easy thing and you always have 1 shot you can only be part of the Mis Venezuela organization only once, and you have to do the best out of it because if you don't win you have no yeah that's it that that's the only 1 so.
Lauren:
[30:25] I really like that because there's a ton of politics at play if it starts to become a there's an issue in Canada as well which was just like so such a minor issue but of girls who spend so much money competing, 4568 timesandit's not a knock on them but you start to think. You have to spend this kind of money when there is an entry fee involved specifically in Canada that starts around I believe it's like it used to be hundred dollars I believe it's far more than that now. I strongly think Canada has a leadership issue I'll be the first to say that there's a leadership issue and there's a branding issue, you can make the competition something of what you and I have talked about on this episode offline and if you don't have the right people at the helm who are creating an environment that can actually be. A positive influence and impact on women that come out of a competition if they didn't win at least they're. I made friendships and I learned these skills that I can use in all these other aspects of Life great.
Keysi:
[31:31] Like for example in Venezuela if you don't win as I was saying I was competing just to get connections you still are a well-known personality in the country, and you can maybe apply to be a TV host and you'll have better references just because you are part of pageant and you need discipline to be part of it so people understand the concept um and here it's definitely different the pageant what I can say about the pageantry world in Canada as my perspective and what I've seen is that it's really close environment, um it mean it seems like uh the community has been created and has been just created a bubble around themand I just want them to expand, touch different Industries like connect with the fashion industry connect with like different other industries that can bring more to to the pageant so, and it's yeah it's a prospective I have of course I'm now part of the any organization and I feel like those are organizations should work together too, and make the pageantry world in Canada more present in everybody's house.
Lauren:
[32:39] There's no incentive if it is structured asa money-making franchise machine. That you don't even need the publication like let's say there's no publicity even involved let's say you compete it's still not on TV you don't have like a it doesn't give you the leg up per se in in in a path, that's in modeling or acting or any like on camera type of roleat least you can walk away going what you described on that experience going. I learned how to public speak. I learned how to Brand myself I learned how to walk in a room and feel confident and it doesn't matter about any publicity at that point you can take that and apply it to any skill set and job or life experience and a girl won't feel resentful going wow I spent thousand dollars to to what did I learn,
Lauren:
[33:28] a dance.
Keysi:
[33:29] Yeah it's it's different, definitely different like of course it's it's really hard uh to create a system um that for Canada works just because it has to be kind of like a Miss Universe system where everybody comes here but I feel like you can still just, do something at least for the top 5 I mean and not only for Miss Universe it can be for any other pageant, um maybe the top 5 will get recognition and let's do a trip like around Canada for I don't know for them to enjoy it's a price for you doing so much effort so when the girls because this is based on girl's dreams, like you some of them dream to be part of the beauty pageant and they sometimes use going to the beauty pageant as a practice, because they can go so many times so at least I feel like the experience um definitely there is an opportunity to be elevated, um let's say like take the top 5 to do this like talk to a sponsor let's do something different the winner will have all these kind of benefits I'm not aware of benefits that Miss Universe Canada has um.
Lauren:
[34:38] Quite frankly neither am I.
Keysi:
[34:41] But definitely like something can come out of there like as Venezuela I I competed in a really really hard year where I barely had any um, prices but 1 thing I had is I had a contract, with that Company the company that holds the franchise um rights, I signed for 1 year and I was uh worker from the company so I got.
Lauren:
[35:12] Mhm.
Keysi:
[35:13] Every month I remember being a patch to be part of a TV host so to be a TV host, for 1 a season of this um show that comes only in the beauty season is 10 um, 10 episodes I learned so much and I got paid for that and I got paid for sponsors the organization didn't have to take any of that that was kind of like my price like they couldn't afford because of, Venezuela situation they couldn't afford to give me like a car or whatever at the moment so they just, let me be free and do things like they place things toward me okay here's your paycheck every month and we know it's not much but at least you have something do you need a car like transportation to come to your classes if you have something um if I had commercials uh that I have to do as my duties as a Mis Venezuela they will cover everything, um they pitched me to this um TV hosting uh job and and they trained me like they had teachers for me they had all of these things and they, talked to all the designers the designers didn't I didn't have to pay for for dresses.
Lauren:
[36:24] What's a team working with you.
Keysi:
[36:25] Exactly like yeah you don't have much to offer but at least you met connection so you can offer something. I had to return all my dresses at the end of The Pageant but at least I had something to wear.
Lauren:
[36:39] For sure I don't want to dissuade anyone who's looking to compete in a pageant from not doing it. There are 2 caveats1 ask the question. About leadership 2 leadership know you're getting into talk to past winners because we. Make our own versions of what the dream looks like but we should know exactly what you're getting into and then still ask questions after the fact and 2 something you said there is I've talked about this with a with a couple of girls I did a video years ago after I won. And it was you don't need a title to make those dreams come true because you have a ton of women who are passionate about certain philanthropic causes and they're like well when I win I'll do x y zwhen I win I'll do this.
Keysi:
[37:21] Do x y z yeah when I win I'll do exactly that's a condition.
Lauren:
[37:28] Exactly like you don't need the approvalof a title to have you starting to do any of those causesyou want to start a charitable organization start it.
Keysi:
[37:40] Exactly and I know I I understand why that comes to mind it's just that because you see Miss Universe or any pageant as a platform. But it definitely take that idea with you and make it happen and, like yeah as you were saying if you're listening to this and and you're considering doing a page and just do it like if you want to do it do it just change the perspective and, have no expectations just enjoy the moment enjoy the process work hard prepare yourself. Think and believe in what you are and keep that grounded because you know 1 of the things that you face when you're doing pageants is criticism. People think like especially in pageants they think they own you they think you are I mean fans, they they think you are their yeah you are their doll and you know people just have those oh she's so beautiful but she should do this blah blah blah They Don't Know Much so don't take that personally they are just talking about the person they imagine you are.
Lauren:
[38:47] Better yet don't read it. Don't read it don't go online don't go online for the love of God.
Keysi:
[38:53] 1 thing I did from early moments when I was competing once I saw a hater, I did like I had kind of like categories for haters so really harsh haters blocked right away, um middle hatersokay I will ask the question like do you really mind to say this because you don't think blah blah blah and then, based on their response I will decide if I will block or not why is that because you you just show them that you're a person, so it's like if they respond oh I'm so sorry Keysi I didn't mean to I I was just making a comment oh no worries just be
Keysi:
[39:34] mindful next time remember that I have feelings too so now you made an impact in someone and that person will not do it again.
Keysi:
[39:42] And if that person responds like yeah you look good that you don't look good blah blah blah blah right away, and then I have the ones that doesn't know what they're saying so those are my categories so don't ever feel offended or take it too seriously or too personally I know it's hard the first impact of reading something that it doesn't say anything good about you hurts but you are more than what they see so just be grounded and believe that, that's what you are and when you're in a competition and you see all these beautiful girls and you think I'm not going to make it they are better than me stop that thought, it's not that you're they they are better or not it's not about being better or bad or worse it's about, working and it's about your uniqueness and it's about what makes you special or what's your goal in life or what's for you in the future and yeah it's, justit's really hard with pageants but you gotta get a good perspective or it's going to really get into your head.
Lauren:
[40:44] Yeah and have be prepared with the mental tools of how to expect like almost proactively plan out, when I end up in this mindset here's how I will respond and react keep a note on your phone and the same goes again any industry it's not like pageantry is definitely a factor and, to the No Regrets point of learning here are the skill sets that now I can apply when you're self-deprecating and look in a mirror because we all get there it's no no what am I saying to myself is this healthy or is it not, and the on I know I love someone's always like she doesn't have an upper lip and I'm like well I know but I'm a human and I hope people are like I'm so sorry I didn't mean that.
Keysi:
[41:21] Yeah yeah I don't mean to not have the lips that you wanted me to have.
Lauren:
[41:25] I'm just so white everything Blends in its fine I get it.
Keysi:
[41:29] I remember that I had this makeup artist this person I love but I couldn't afford paying for a proper not a proper but, no he was professional but he wasn't an expert on darker skin.
Lauren:
[41:43] Oh
Keysi:
[41:43] So I didn't have money to afford someone else that I knew that I would do an amazing job, but so he was for free he was doing this as a favor for me every single morning and I stopped looking at the mirror after he finished the makeup, and I was like no I'm not looking at myself I don't want to know how how how I look I'm just going to get dressed and I'm going to go, so I stopped looking at the mirror I went there I started hanging out with the girls I started feeling good I was happy to be there competing blah blah blah and then when I decided to look at the mirror I was like oh, I don't look so bad I wasn't already already in a different mindset so it was like this is not going to affect me anymore it's not about external stuff everything is inside.
Lauren:
[42:28] And to that point on then beauty is like yes it can be seen surface level but then again it's how you show up in a room that means so much moreI, while we have the little time remaining I want to make sure we touch on 2 things 1 our I know this is like a big topic but there have been plenty of rule changes and people, didn't know or often don't know especially because like oh my God there's so much happening in a world that my God you didn't know about this thing in pageants how dare you.
Keysi:
[42:55] Yeah.
Lauren:
[42:56] God uh but there.
Keysi:
[42:58] That I would say Venezuela and we'll have an effect.
Keysi:
[43:11] You couldn't be married.
Lauren:
[43:12] Not married not a natural-born female.
Keysi:
[43:15] No you had to.
Lauren:
[43:16] Or you had to well yeah you had to be a natural-born female.
Keysi:
[43:20] And you couldn't be yeah you couldn't have kids or being pregnant or like no.
Lauren:
[43:27] And the maximum age was 28 yeah.
Keysi:
[43:31] And then the year after we competed everything changed.
Lauren:
[43:35] It was what changed the year after was it the.
Keysi:
[43:37] The marriage status that being pregnant no did that no I think the first.
Lauren:
[43:44] That was later actually.
Keysi:
[43:44] I think the first change was uh allowing transgender people to participate in beauty pageants for girl like for girls. To participate in pageantry.
Lauren:
[43:57] Of conversation.
Keysi:
[43:58] And it was only Miss Universe, changes are only for Miss Universe uh Miss Grand International keeps the same rules Miss Earth International I think they keep the same I know Miss World change um that they are not doing similar competition. So for Miss Universe Miss Universe is the biggest 1 grand slam then you have Miss International you have Miss World you have Miss Earth and you have Miss Grand and Miss super National.
Lauren:
[44:30] It was and it was this of genital Cova who competed at Miss Universe CanadaI'll always love the story she entered won the preliminary, made it as a finalist later the organization found out she was transthey didn't knowand then they kicked her out of the competition.
Keysi:
[44:49] Aw my God.
Lauren:
[44:51] And she went straight to the press and was like all right let's talk about this Rule and I'll never forget I actually went and watched that competition and at the back row was the lineup of international press. And good on her she turned around and was like let's talk about this rule.
Keysi:
[45:05] Of coursewhat year was that.
Lauren:
[45:08] Let me double check right now because I I forgot about this to look seeing it in this.
Keysi:
[45:12] Amazing like lookoh okay was there a leak.
Lauren:
[45:13] 2012 and then it was because of her she did not win Miss Universe Canada she did very well but that sparked the conversation that got that rule to change first and then I know the other ones.
Keysi:
[45:23] Was about marriage the like 1 of the rules I'm likeI don't I'm not quite sure is that you could compete being pregnantdo you know that actively pregnant.
Lauren:
[45:37] Honestly it's a stressful environment.
Keysi:
[45:40] Feel like you know.
Lauren:
[45:41] Fair to.
Keysi:
[45:43] Yeah but it let's say you winso you're going to be a pregnant like you're going to be pregnant dealing with everything about having a new baby and then, being missed Universe it's I think it's quite stressful for the mom and and I'm not sure if that will be helpful we have to have limits.
Lauren:
[46:03] Like it's not fair to women to then go okay like I understand the intention is good and same with the age Factor the intention is good but the result I think is going to be talked about online bullies and harassment there's going to be horrendous comments.
Keysi:
[46:17] You got to test it yes but you got to just try to go step by step first, case we have a talk about today want to address um no I feel like we we talked a lot about page 3, and we talked about really sensitive stuff and I I'm looking forward to see what the comments are what the people say, and yeah I thinkI think Python 3 is going to change a lot it's Gonna Keep evolving and I'm looking forward to see how that's gonna all the game. What's next for you are you able to share some of the products you're working on and I'm collecting so there are some that I can share yet but I'm definitely working on like a bit, I've been an instructor, adding 3 world and done modeling as well and I love coaching girls and try to you know pass this information that I hold coming from Venezuela and try to um make, like I just trying to make the girls understand what a pattern is really about and try to just put that bring the good confidence on their hands and the heads and, make sure that they fill themselves and if I can bring to Canada show them you know, you have good tricks on the yearly event just use them and have fun I'll keep doing it.
Keysi:
[47:45] So the selling part they can find me everywhere just Googleno no no you can find me at your Instagram at @keysisay. Love.
Lauren:
[48:09] Well if you made it this far that means a lot thank you for listening and thank you for taking time out of your precious day, if you happen to have a spare moment to allocate a couple more minutes we'd really appreciate you leaving a review a comment as a newer podcast a newer episode this goes a long way, if you didn't like it that's totally cool too. We'd love to hear your constructive criticism and what you'd like to see differently what you'd like to hear differently in case you're just purely listening to it and if there's any how-to episodes that you would like us to dive into and topics to explore, any feedback is always appreciated thank you so much and enjoy your morning Day evening or middle of the night Wherever You Are.
