Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristen Ayers.
Hi Kristen, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
I grew up in an 800-sf house with 1 bathroom in Weirton, WV with 2 other siblings. I was Valedictorian of my high school, captain of the volleyball team and All-State, the lead in the community plays, and on Homecoming Court. The whole time I was completely lost on what I wanted to do for a living and who I wanted to help. By the time I was 30 I had graduated with an Arts degree, Business degree, Law degree, and a real estate license and struggled with where I should put my talents. Regarding my work ethic…well that is extreme as well. Since 2001 I have been managing a small law firm in town, I facilitate continuing education for new attorneys, I had a wedding cake decorating business for 11 years and dabbled in a ton of different business ventures. I have long-term residential rentals in town but I also have a short-term beachfront 4-bedroom rental, beachfrontmyrtle.com. in the Myrtle Beach, SC area. Then Covid hits and I realize there are so many women out there that can benefit from what I have learned in all these different industries. I got involved in pageantry and found that it was such a fantastic way for women of all ages to get involved in their communities and with non-profit and charitable causes and I was hooked. I am an Ambassador with Women of Toledo, Her Hub, and S.C.O.R.E. Columbus Chapter helping women with all kinds of support including entrepreneurship. AND normally when everyone goes right, I go left. I wanted pageantry to be a more fulfilling journey for titleholders and give them all the tools that they needed to use their title during the year and build skills so they could use it far past the National Competition situation and enrich their lives regardless of if they won or lost a crown. I also realized there was an enormous shift of women wanting, begging, fighting for more time to themselves so they could work on becoming the best person that they could be emotionally, mentally, physically, spiritually, socially, practically, and professionally. That is why Prime Pageants (TM) was created. We created the FIRST EVER self-care/personal improvement mastermind for titleholders on everything from mindset to prepping for the pretty things AND mostly it is to pick their focus, document the ups and downs, track their goals, offer support to the community as well as the other titleholders, and take part in the accountability program to see their goals achieved. At the National Competition in Orlando, FL Sept 15-19, 2022 we are all about celebrating those milestones. We will not be judging on swimsuit or making the women “dance on stage”. We will not even have a judged, on-stage question. They will have an opportunity to talk about their unique journey with the judges, create a personal reflective costume of creativity, and show their increase in confidence as they walk the stage in their evening gown. THEN WE CELEBRATE TOGETHER regardless of who wins the prize package and becomes Ms./Mrs. USA Prime (TM) and Ms./Mrs. USA Prime (TM) Ambassador!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The struggles are real. Most of the time I fell into the industry that I was in because of something that I went through and I wanted to never be a victim again. Started working in a law firm because my first partner scammed me at 19 years old. Got involved in real estate because my first condo I bought was a total waste of money and I wasn’t educated on the buying and selling processes. I would say that most people in their 20s are lost and just trying to find their way. I was so lost along the way and overcompensating with working at minimum 60 hours a week, 7 days a week, I definitely let a ton of my own needs fall to the side. I was only working on the professional category and none of the other ones. I had no time for friendships. I had no time for going to the gym. I had no interest in eating healthy. In my adult life, I actually gained and lost 100 pounds TWICE. I now realize that consistency, prioritizing, and creating your own definition of balance is the only way to get through the pressures while being the best present version of myself that I can be. I truly learned from the mistakes I was making and I literally cry happy tears every time I think about it because I’m far from perfect, but I am learning: to be vulnerable, to be accessible, to be bold and brave.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am obsessed with women entrepreneurship and finding a unique way to bring a service to the market. I love being able to find creative solutions to real problems in the world. For so many skill sets, if a business is done correctly there are so many opportunities for women to build their own wealth doing something that they love AND have a passion. I think it is so much easier in 2022 to create a unique livelihood on our own terms because we can connect and find each other more easily but we also have a ton of different applications available that allow us to create balance. With Prime Pageants, we are focusing on the person that they are capable of being and what they truly want in 2022, and the mindset that needs to go with it. Then we break down how to get it. The titleholders are gaining the confidence and skills to move forward in any direction they choose and can even make referral bonuses while doing it which has never been done in pageantry.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
I diversified my income streams a very long time ago so Covid really affected my wedding cake business but increased my online continuing education and beachfront offering businesses because everyone wanted a safe place to learn and travel. If I was 20 years old, just starting out, I do not know what would have happened. I learned that I was comfortable running towards the crisis to figure out where I could help and what I needed to do to survive but some people were simply the opposite and crumbled under the changes. We need to have empathy but we also need to take accountability for our past and present actions.
Pricing:
- To Become a State Titleholder: $749 (Deposit is only $199 to get started)
- To Become a Sponsor: $500 minimum
- To Become a Speaker for the Mastermind: FREE and Welcomed
Contact Info:
- Email: primepageants@gmail.com
- Website: primepageants.com
- Instagram: @primepageants / @mrsusaprimeqd
- Facebook: @primepageants
Image Credits
Holte Avery
