At 35, I won a beauty pageant. I wanted to show my kids I could do anything.

• Kristan Vermeulen is the host of the Makers of the USA podcast and leader of its community.
• In 2025, at 35 years old, she was crowned Ms. Maine by the United States of America Pageants.
• She wants people to know that pageants are about so much more than vanity.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kristan Vermeulen, the founder of Makers of the USA podcast and community. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I won the United States of America Pageants' Ms. Maine title in 2025. This was not a competition like "Miss Congeniality." There was no pulling of hair between us. It's more about the camaraderie and understanding what these women are going through, and how we can all support each other.

Here's what I learned during my tenure.

There's been a shift in pageants recently

Historically, most pageant systems were restricted to unmarried women aged 18 to 28 with no children. Over the past five years, many systems across the US have expanded requirements to include more women. This shift isn't unique to my pageant organization, but a broader trend within the industry.

Another example: our pageant system was really positive when it came to physical attributes; we had a lot of women with tattoos. There was even a woman in my category who was in her mid-50s.

In my pageant, the interview portion accounted for most of my score. Pageantry offers a platform to pursue a new hobby or amplify an existing passion. Every contestant represents a platform or nonprofit.

I wanted to show my kids I could do it

Following my divorce, I was in a period of self-discovery. Competing for and winning Ms. Maine while raising two children and navigating a new career path was a significant undertaking, but I wanted to show my children that their mother is powerful and capable of achieving anything — including winning a title at age 35 and walking across a stage in a bikini.

I took it seriously. I even hired a walking coach in Brussels — I was getting up at 2 a.m. to practice while the kids were sleeping. I knew I wanted to win.

It was also the perfect place to showcase my business

The pageant allowed me to amplify my maker brand. I have a podcast and storytelling platform called Makers of the USA, where I tell stories about American-made brands. I wanted to demonstrate how to shop local and support small brands in a big showcase. I had Maine-based Luxe by Dorcass and Angelrox make my gowns and patriotic wear bodysuit, for example. The former Mrs. United States of America reached out after my pageant and said she wanted to buy the gown I wore because it was so unique.

These relationships also helped me identify challenges within the maker community. I learned that Maine makers needed more visibility across all creative industries, which led me to work with my State Rep. to officially designate October as "Maine Makers Month." We launched this past October with an event involving state reps, press, and the maker community.

I'm still feeling the effects of the win

There is a monetary prize, but the biggest thing I got from it was opportunities. I really took advantage of being Ms. Maine, even though I knew people might make fun of me. I'm currently discussing making my podcast into a television show, for example.

Winning Ms. Maine helped my business. There has been a small negative, though. I'm a working professional, and I've decided to take my title off my professional online presence. People still have misconceptions about pageants, and that's not how I want to be perceived professionally.