Sasha Perea 0:31

my name is Sasha Perea. My business is Sasha Perea Consulting, and I actually do a couple of things under my business. Um, so I mc events, but in addition to that I also do pageant coaching as well as model coaching for girls who are either already in the industry or looking to break into it.

Katie with Alimond 0:46

Okay. Exciting. Oh my goodness. Thank you. So, you know, just to start us off, for those who are just being introduced to you, can you take us back to the beginning of your pageant journey and how did it all start at 15 and how did it shape the woman and leader you are today?

Sasha Perea 1:03

Yeah, absolutely. So I would say, um, in terms of how I started, so I got signed up in my first pageant competition. Uh, thanks to my mom. I was very much into music and into sports and not into the world of glam, which is probably not noticeable today. Um, but she really wanted me to like tap into my feminine side. So I competed in my first competition in Arlington under the Miss America Teen uh organization. Lost that weekend, but ended up falling in love with like the world of pageantry as a whole and have stayed with it now for a little over 17 years, which is crazy to say out loud. But I would say, honestly, I think the woman who I am today is very much because of the training and the preparation and the experience that I've had in pageantry. I think this is like a very unique space for young women and for women of all ages as well, to really be pushed to be their best selves in every aspect of their lives. I think a lot of times we just look at. Obviously like the competition on tv or we have like toddlers and tiaras and that's like our only impression of pageants. But, uh, there's a lot of self-development and transferable skills in pageantry as a whole.

Katie with Alimond 2:12

Absolutely. There's so much more to it. So many layers and time.

Sasha Perea 2:15

Yes. So many layers.

Katie with Alimond 2:17

Wonderful.

Sasha Perea 2:18

Yes.

Katie with Alimond 2:19

And you know, yeah. You know, you've completed for. Almost two decades now and earned multiple state titles. What do you think pageantry has taught you about resilience and self-belief?

Sasha Perea 2:31

It has taught me a lot about resilience. So I think, um, a lot of times, again, we see people win but we don't see the journey that goes behind it. For example, when I won Miss D-C-U-S-A in 2021, I actually won on my third try. Uh, so every year that I did not win, I was going back after that competition. Kind of reevaluating how was my preparation, how did I feel in this competition, and what can I do to be a better competitor and also an even better version of myself. So in that sense, it teaches you, I think a lot about just continuously improving yourself to make sure that when that moment comes, you are absolutely prepared. And I think timing plays a huge role in winning a pageant as well. And I'm so glad. That I won on my third try and not on my first try because the woman that I was was completely different even in that three year span.

Katie with Alimond 3:19

Absolutely. What a journey. Yeah. And how much we learn along the way.

Sasha Perea 3:22

Yes, absolutely.

Katie with Alimond 3:24

And, you know, after such an accomplished competitive career, what inspired you to launch your consulting business and step into the role of. Mentor and coach.

Sasha Perea 3:34

Yeah. So I actually did not initially see myself being a coach, um, as much as I love this world, but I had a lot of young girls asking me if I would be willing to coach them or what piece of advice I would give them, um, as they were embarking on their own career. And so I kind of took on my first client on under the radar a couple of years ago and I realized that I really not only enjoyed it, um, but I could also see the tangible growth in. Her and her development and also it showed when she placed as well, um, in a competition with over a hundred girls. And so I realized that there was something there and I really enjoyed seeing the growth in other young women. So that was the inception of Sasha Preya Consulting officially as like a pageant and coaching a pageant and model coaching business.

Katie with Alimond 4:17

Okay. Wonderful. Yes. That's so exciting and amazing.

Sasha Perea 4:20

Thank you. Thank you, thank you.

Katie with Alimond 4:22

And you've represented Virginia, DC, Columbia, and even competed internationally in Egypt.

Sasha Perea 4:29

Mm-hmm. Yes.

Katie with Alimond 4:29

How have those global experiences shaped the way that you coach today?

Sasha Perea 4:34

Yeah, so I think the biggest thing that I realized in competing internationally is. Not only the stamina that's needed physically to be able to compete in a different time zone for three weeks with early mornings, late nights, and a lot of eyes on you. But in addition to that, also just the mental fortitude that is really needed in competing and staying true to you, true to who you are. Throughout such an intense competition. Uh, there's a lot of opinions that are thrown your way. There's a lot of opinions, especially with social media, uh, now being a part of. Our everyday lives. And so that is one of the biggest things that I'm excited to really pour into my my young girls and my clients moving forward. It was something we always stressed before, but now especially being back in it myself, I'm realizing even more the importance of just really having a strong mindset and making sure that you stay confident amidst such an intense competition.

Katie with Alimond 5:30

What an amazing role model to learn from and kind of just follow in your footsteps for all the girls that you help out and teach.

Sasha Perea 5:37

Thank you.

Katie with Alimond 5:39

And you know, many with that, many of your clients mentioned feeling genuinely supported and personally invested in.

Sasha Perea 5:46

Mm-hmm.

Katie with Alimond 5:47

Why is creating that individualized experience so important to you?

Sasha Perea 5:51

Yeah, so I think a lot of times girls feel like they have to be perfect in order to be a winner or they have to say the perfect thing. And one of the reasons that I don't necessarily try to push that mentality onto my young girls is because. That individual story and your individual perspective is what really makes you a true winner. So sometimes, not sometimes, all the time. It's about refining your individual perspective and really making sure that we pull out that unique trait, that unique ability that you're bringing to the table and to that organization out. And that's what I really like to focus on on. All of my girls.

Katie with Alimond 6:27

Okay, awesome. Yeah, it's a very fine tuned process, honestly.

Sasha Perea 6:31

Yes.

Katie with Alimond 6:31

Um, and kind of meeting them where they're at and getting to watch them just flourish.

Sasha Perea 6:35

Yes, absolutely. Absolutely.

Katie with Alimond 6:38

And you work with a wide range from younger girls to women, even in their forties entering their very first pageant.

Sasha Perea 6:45

Mm-hmm.

Katie with Alimond 6:45

What's it like guiding someone who's just beginning as an adult?

Sasha Perea 6:49

Yeah. You know, it's rewarding because I think, uh, a lot of times there's a lot more substance. There's a lot more life experience that we kind of get to pull out of, um, that individual and making sure that we can showcase it and then also package it correctly for the organization. So it's a lot of fun to see, you know, what aspects of someone's lives they want to highlight during their competition, and then really making sure that they feel as, um, as beautiful and as confident as possible walking into his. Base that a lot of times we wouldn't normally see an older nces, uh, actually competing. I think we have this image in our mind of it's only for little girls, or it's only for teens or maybe a girl that's in college. But to see women of all ages being able to continue to develop themselves is equally as re rewarding.

Katie with Alimond 7:34

That's super inspiring than any, you know, pretty much all ages can kind of get into it.

Sasha Perea 7:39

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Katie with Alimond 7:41

And there's been a noticeable evolution in the pageant industry over the years. What shifts have stood out to you the most?

Sasha Perea 7:49

Yeah, so I would say, um, speaking of social media earlier, honestly, the social media influence. On pageantry is becoming more and more apparent. Girls are now having to submit sizzle reels prior to the competition weekend for judges to review. Social media is now an area that is actually judged in addition to all of the other areas of competitions for some systems. And so really knowing how to master that tool, I think is going to be important. Um. We see the, the rise of AI as well. And so I think that also kind of just speaks to like the combination of technology and the pageant industry as well.

Katie with Alimond 8:26

Okay. Awesome. That's, that's a really, um, nice piece to add. I feel like AI is really advancing and it is, it's showing itself in all kinds of fields, but

Sasha Perea 8:35

yes,

Katie with Alimond 8:36

definitely. And you know, as someone who now balances competing, coaching, hosting and entrepreneurship

Sasha Perea 8:44

mm-hmm.

Katie with Alimond 8:45

How do you manage wearing so many hats while still staying grounded and focused on your mission?

Sasha Perea 8:50

Yeah, I think, um, I. What you just mentioned at the end is honestly what keeps me grounded. Focusing on my mission and why I started has helped a lot. I being able to see like the tangible growth in the young girls and like having some of their moms text me saying, thank you that my daughter now feels confident or now I see a difference in her posture or the way that she's able to speak publicly. It's beautiful to see because I feel like all of the trials and all of the learning lessons that I've gone through myself over the last 17 years have now made a positive impact in the lives of other young women and. The, these are things that they'll be able to take on with them for the rest of their lives. That's always my prayer and my hope. So that helps me kind of keep myself grounded and of course, a whole lot of prayer and a whole lot of family time.

Katie with Alimond 9:32

Absolutely. Yes. Those are super important.

Sasha Perea 9:34

Yes,

Katie with Alimond 9:35

I bet It is so rewarding to kind of watch, watch these girls become full circle.

Sasha Perea 9:40

It is.

Katie with Alimond 9:40

Um, and I'm sure you gain a lot of, a lot of good friends along the way.

Sasha Perea 9:43

Absolutely. Absolutely. And sometimes just receiving those text messages from girls, um, you know, I had a client that was really nervous about. Speaking in public spaces. So we really emphasized our interview and she texted me almost four months after her competition of her actually on a panel at a huge conference. And she's like, six months ago I never would've been able to do this. And thanks to your coaching. Now I feel comfortable like actually being on a stage and knowing what I'm gonna talk about and delivering that in a positive way. So in a confident way too. So it's, it keeps me going. Wow. Absolutely. It keeps me going.

Katie with Alimond 10:17

Absolutely. That confidence that you can build, it's, it's

Sasha Perea 10:21

yes

Katie with Alimond 10:21

wonders. It does wonders.

Sasha Perea 10:23

It does.

Katie with Alimond 10:24

And. Beyond crowns and the titles, what deeper transformation do you hope your clients walk away with after working with you?

Sasha Perea 10:33

Yeah, so confidence obviously is one of the biggest things that I want them to walk away with, but also that self-belief and self-assurance. I think a lot of times we always think about. I wanna prove it to the world that I'm important or I wanna prove to the world that I can do this. But advice that I received many years ago that still stays with me today is the importance of proving it to yourself and having that be the focus. You know, always wanting to better yourself. Seeing that evolution in your life is so important. Um, and so that's something that I want my girls to, to walk away with outside of just the confidence outside of the self-assurance, always wanting to push themselves to be like their better, the best version of their lives.

Katie with Alimond 11:14

That's beautiful. Well said.

Sasha Perea 11:15

Thank you.

Katie with Alimond 11:17

And you recently returned from representing Columbia at Miss Intercontinental in Egypt and you placed in top 12 internationally. What was that experience like stepping back onto the global stage?

Sasha Perea 11:31

Yeah, it was. An experience that I actually was not sure if I would ever have the opportunity to have. Um, so to be able to represent an entire country was a dream for me. Um, you know, when I started at 15, like I mentioned, this was not something that was ever on my radar. But once I got invested into the world, that was always. The gold. And so my family is from Columbia, south America. And so, although I was born and raised here, um, I've always been connected to my Columbian roots and being able to go essentially back home to train, to be able to just get reacclimated with the culture firsthand and then represent. Colombian women and Colombian men, um, across the world was a dream come true. I even ran into a Colombian family in Egypt, which I was not expecting. And when they cheered for me, like just walking through the cafeteria, it was just a beautiful, beautiful feeling. Um, I feel so proud to be able to represent my home country especially because I just never knew if it would be a possibility. So it was an honor and to place top 12 in the world was. A huge accomplishment. And the ninth consecutive placement for Columbia as well.

Katie with Alimond 12:38

What a magical moment. Yeah. And opportunity. Congratulations

Sasha Perea 12:42

on that. Thank you. Thank you so much.

Katie with Alimond 12:44

How exciting.

Sasha Perea 12:45

Thank you. Yes, it was, uh, an honor. Okay.

Katie with Alimond 12:48

And you're hosting an upcoming open house Yes. And planning additional boot camps?

Sasha Perea 12:54

Yes.

Katie with Alimond 12:54

What can attendees expect when they participate in one of your events?

Sasha Perea 12:59

Absolutely. So you're gonna have a wealth of knowledge firsthand international perspective now as well. Uh, for the open house, I'm gonna be sharing more about Mike. Experience in Egypt. And in addition to that, also just sharing a little bit more about what my services are like, how I can support them on their goals, and making sure that they feel as confident as possible and as prepared as possible for whatever endeavor it is that they have. And for my bootcamps, we always like to do a fun combination. In the past, I've included health and wellness into my bootcamps as well. I think a lot of times we train for the stage, but we don't always know how to recover for the stage as well. So we've had very, uh, fun integrations. We've all. Also had social media components brought into social media bootcamps as well, or into our bootcamps as well. And so for our next bootcamp, which we'll be having either at the end of March or beginning of April, that'll be another very intense workshop. Um, all ages are welcome and all experience levels are also welcome as well.

Katie with Alimond 13:55

Okay, awesome.

Sasha Perea 13:57

Yes. Thank you.

Katie with Alimond 13:58

Great opportunity to take advantage of.

Sasha Perea 14:00

Yes.

Katie with Alimond 14:00

It's really fascinating to kind of hear about all the different things that go on behind the scenes with this work.

Sasha Perea 14:06

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think a lot of times, uh, people don't realize, it sometimes feels like a full-time job just being a competitor and focusing on every aspect of the competition. So I try to take that lead for the girls that I work with and make sure that they feel guided in every aspect.

Katie with Alimond 14:22

Of course. And you've collaborated with major names, including talent connected to the Real Housewives of Potomac.

Sasha Perea 14:31

Yes.

Katie with Alimond 14:31

How have opportunities like that influenced your visibility and growth?

Sasha Perea 14:36

You know, it was amazing when I got the call from, uh, from Stacy and she asked me to coach her daughter. One, I always feel honored when a parent trusts me with their child because I know that's a very serious matter. Uh, but when she told me that she wanted me to be on Bravo for the Real Housewives, I felt so honored. A lot of coaches don't. Have not really been on tv. So to showcase like the beauty of pageantry on television was amazing. And, um, I've been very, very thankful for the opportunities that I've been able to collaborate with and the organizations I've worked with. In addition to Stacy and The Real Housewives my company has been able to partner with the Columbian Embassy with other organizations in the DC metropolitan area. And we've also expanded to Vegas and Miami as well, uh, with different organizations that have trusted me and my team to really, um. Influence their girls and impact their girls and educate their girls as well. So it's been incredible and I'm excited for 2026 and to see all of the amazing things that are gonna be in the future.

Katie with Alimond 15:33

Absolutely. It's only out from here.

Sasha Perea 15:35

Yes. Amen. Amen.

Katie with Alimond 15:38

The expansion is, is credible.

Sasha Perea 15:40

Thank

Katie with Alimond 15:40

you. Incredible. Okay. And you, you're also a published author of Model Focus. What inspired you to write the book and how does it compliment the work you do today?

Sasha Perea 15:50

Yes, so Model Mindset is a beginner's guide to the, uh, modeling industry. And so I actually wrote this in 2019 and I've been a freelance model now since 2019. I've never been signed to an agency, so that's what it means. To be freelance. But I realized that there's still a lot of opportunity when you are on your own, essentially navigating this world. And during that time when I first started out, I realized, you know, there's a lot of, um, I don't wanna say. Necessarily predators, but there's things that you need to be mindful of, whether it's contracts that you're signing, people who may not be as reputable as they claim to be. And so I'm very thankful that I was guided by my mom, and she was, has always been very supportive of everything that I've done. Uh, so I always felt like I had a safety net, but realized that other young women did not have that same set. Safety net, um, or maybe a support system to kind of walk them through that. And so even in 2019, I knew that mindset was important, which is why the book was called Model Mindset. Um, and just making sure that you are as prepared walking into that industry. And I share personal stories as well, uh, throughout the book in addition to industry knowledge.

Katie with Alimond 16:57

Okay. Wonderful. That's amazing. I'll have to take a look at it too.

Sasha Perea 17:01

Yeah, absolutely.

Katie with Alimond 17:03

And. As you continue building and expanding Sasha Perry Consulting.

Sasha Perea 17:08

Mm-hmm.

Katie with Alimond 17:09

What legacy do you hope to create and how do you hope the girls and women you work with will remember their journey? Growth and the confidence they gained through your guidance.

Sasha Perea 17:18

Yeah. The legacy or the way that I want, uh, young women to feel and to think of, I hope they think of this as a positive experience. Um, hopefully transformational, if not life changing, um, altogether for them. As I mentioned earlier, uh, pageantry is not just a one. One phase of your life type of thing. Uh, the skills that you learn in this can obviously, uh, transfer to other, other areas of your life. So I hope that that's something that they walk away with and I hope it feels as comforting. Um, I really, I'm a big believer in family, so I, I see my young girls and women that I work with as family. I'm fully invested in all of my clients', uh, journeys. And so I hope that that is the legacy that is left behind with Sasha Perry Consulting.

Katie with Alimond 17:58

Absolutely. It certainly is and will be.

Sasha Perea 18:00

Thank you.

Katie with Alimond 18:02

And as we wrap up, is there anything you'd like to add that I haven't touched on today?

Sasha Perea 18:07

Not too much. You know, I'm just really thankful to be here. Um, just a little bit more about the business. Uh, I do coach girls virtually as well as in person. So I do have clients nationwide. I know a lot of times people think they have to be in the DMV area in order to have. But I have been able to work with girls, have tremendous results as well as placements and winners across the country. And so I'm excited to just continue to support young women who are looking to, um, take a leap of faith into the pageant world.

Katie with Alimond 18:34

Okay. Awesome. It's nice to know there's virtual options. Yes. If they're not here.

Sasha Perea 18:38

Yes. Yes, yes. Absolutely.

Katie with Alimond 18:40

Beautiful. Thank you so much, Sasha, for joining me on the podcast and sharing your inspiring story with us. I wish you the best of luck in all that comes your way in the future.

Sasha Perea 18:50

Thank you so much. I appreciate it, and thank you for having me.

Katie with Alimond 18:53

Thank you.