The Power of your dreams!

Now that I've returned from the Mrs. International Pageant and the last of my Queens have competed at Miss Teen USA and Mrs. United States, we've all come to the realization that the efforts and dreams of our souls have either been accomplished or will take another effort in achieving. Personally, I've felt the elation of coaching my second Mrs. International winner since being a pageant coach for the past two years, as well as experiencing second-hand the heartbreak of those whose who dreams didn't come into fruition. Throughout all of this, I can truly say that I am so proud and honored to have had the opportunity to be a part of each and everyone of your journey's. You listened to that "voice" in your heart that told you any dream is achievable and sometimes the journey takes us all in a new and different direction than we had initially expected. This doesn't mean that you won't get to achieve your dream, it only means that you were meant to touch and inspire more people throughout your journey. I truly believe that God places people and events into our lives to learn from or to teach, and in that moment when we have accomplished that mission, then the crown is placed on our heads so we can begin a new chapter of teaching and learning. To all of my beautiful and gracious queen's - I applaud you for you are all the reason that I love my job of being a pageant coach. I've been told by so many clients that they have learned so much from me, but I am the one who has learned from you all as well. Your beautiful smiles, laughter, tears, and faces of hope grace me everyday with the realization that we can achieve any dream we desire - you have all shown me that when I achieved my dream of becoming a pageant coach. I look forward to the next chapter of our journey together and in helping make your pageant dreams come true!

Women and girls of all ages have a tremendous opportunity in pageantry. The glitz and glamour is certainly exciting but the true reward from pageantry is the opportunity to discover the crown in your heart. We all have something beautiful to offer that is uniquely our own. Pageantry offers us the opportunity to reflect on what that unique beauty is and to celebrate it.

We hear all the time to “just be yourself” but that isn’t as easy as it sounds. It isn’t always easy to see that unique beauty in yourself or to not be afraid to express it when you do. Sometimes it takes that special someone to give you permission to see that in yourself and to help you feel safe expressing it…someone like Suzy Bootz.

Suzy’s outward beauty is undeniable but it is her spirit that I feel is what is most beautiful about her. She is so genuinely kind and sincere that you instantaneously feel at home with her. Suzy understands the fear that some of us have of the person we truly are and the hesitancy to readily admit the vulnerabilities that life experiences have created in us. She has the extraordinary ability through her coaching style to safely take you there, show you that each life experience is a jewel on the crown and help you find the courage to wear the crown in your heart proudly. It isn’t just about the interview or winning a year-long title for her. It is about helping you find the crown that you will be able to wear for a lifetime.

Suzy reintroduced me to myself and to my true crown…and for that, I am eternally grateful.

Cydney Miller
Mrs. Tennessee International 2010

The Crown in Your Heart
To each of my children
I give my crown
In selfless sacrifice
I bestow in you a kingdom
Find your kingdom my child
Live to love and to understand
That I send you to your own glory
It will be the glory I have chosen for you
Your crown will not look like your sisters
It will be uniquely you
And it will be a reflection of me

To each of my children
I give my crown
In every smile wear it proudly
In every deed let it shine
In all you do, let your beauty show
Live to love and to understand
That you may walk a different path
It will be the path I have chosen
It will lead you to my kingdom
Where we will sit in glory
Wearing the crown in your heart

Suzy Bootz is a confident, wise, articulate communicator and excellent teacher. Her marketing expertise in combination with her experience as Mrs. International 2006 is instrumentally evident, as she sees the big picture down to the smallest of details. She is a master at having one focus on using their own natural talents, while helping one polish and season their self into the masterpiece they were internally designed.

Suzy’s vision building, words of motivation and encouragement are now seasoned into my life. Her guidance, recommendations and fine tuning remain invaluable. At the moment, I’m pondering the movie, “The Red Violin”. Suzy you are appreciated. Thank you.

Your protégé,

Melanie DeMure… is giving you a standing ovation.

Some of the nicest compliments I have received have been from my clients who tell me that I am more than just a pageant coach. They call me "life coach" and most importantly their friend. When I first began competing in pageantry, I set a goal for myself to achieve a state, national, and international title before I retired. This was a very aggressive goal, since I had neither the funds nor the knowledge of how I was going to achieve these goals. So I began recording every major state pageant I could get my hands on and began teaching myself the "art" of pageantry. I studied videos from California and Texas state pageants along with all of the major pageants that were televised, and as I applied the techniques the winners used to my own performance - I began to become more successful with every pageant I entered. Because interview was always my strongest area of competition, I began competing in pageants where interview was 50% of the scoring. I quickly learned that interview alone was not going to win me the title - I had to apply myself to learning ALL areas of competition and become the "complete package." When I finally accomplished this, I won my state title, then National title in 2000, and finally my International title in 2006!

Because I know how it feels to walk in a competitors shoes, I am able to allow my clients to see competition through my eyes and to teach them the "tricks of the trade" that separate competitors during pageantry. I always tell my clients to prepare for every detail of the competition they have control over, then leave the rest to God...and prepare the details is what we do! Because I work so closely with my clients, we are able to form a wonderful bond that allows them to trust my advice and expertise, and allows me to understand what they need from me in order to reach their potential. Because of this, during pageant week - I am at their disposal for telephone calls, texts, and any inspiration or focus they need from me. My goal is to help them achieve their goal - period! I fight for my clients dreams and take very seriously the role they entrust to me as their pageant and life coach and most importantly - their friend.

I just returned from the 2010 Mrs. International Pageant where I am so proud to say that another one of my clients was crowned Mrs. International 2010! In the short two years that I have had the honor of being the Official Coach for the International Pageants, I have been beyond blessed to work with some of the most amazing and accomplished women. I have truly found my "calling" through Pageant Coaching, and hope to continue being as blessed as I have been to be entrusted by contestants to help them make their pageant dreams a reality.

I had always wanted to be a coach, but it wasn't until 2009 that I finally got the guts to coach contestants and teach them the techniques that I had taught myself throughout my 25 years of pageantry. I studied the "art" of pageantry for so many years and applied everything I learned into techniques that not only helped me win my State, National, and International titles - but allowed me to teach others the same techniques. My role as a Pageant Coach is to do everything in my power to assist contestants in developing their skills so they can accomplish whatever their goals are - both inside as well as outside of pageantry. With every contestant I work with, I have the blessing of being touched by them as well.

Shannon Devine, Mrs. International 2010 was just one of the beautiful souls I got to coach and seeing the love she has for her family, her life, and her appreciation of everything around her, I believe ignites that "inner light" that radiates from within her.

I would like to congratulate all of my clients who were outstanding this year, along with acknowledging 4th Runner-Up, Mrs. Southeast Asia - Zereana Jess-Huff, and 2nd Runner-Up, Mrs. Florida - Donna Brown. I am so proud of you all!