Brittany Swann Interview
Miss Georgia USA 2007
Why did you decide to compete in the Miss Georgia USA pageant?
Like many young women, I began admiring the program and what it represented at a very young age. I never missed a pageant, especially the Miss USA pageant. With that came the admiration for these women who stand on a national platform so confidently.
Growing up as a shy, insecure girl (similar to many young women), I thought there was no better way to get over that than throw myself into an environment that would force me out of my shell. Living in Tennessee at the time, I attended the Miss Tennessee USA Pageant one year after hearing of a friend competing. I was so moved by how empowering the experience seemed to be. That’s was it for me…it was only a matter of time until the next year came around.
After I competed the first year in the Miss Tennessee Teen USA pageant in 2002, I was given a taste of the experience and grew so much just at that level. Based on that, I knew I would eventually compete in Miss and had my eyes set on it from that moment forward.
There are so many emotions you go through when you are preparing from something like this. It is such a great tool for women to experience exponential growth and I wanted that intensely to help grow as a person. There’s truly nothing else like it and I am so thankful for the experience, whether I had the title or not, I’d say the same. I will say that I had extreme drive to have that title because I knew in my heart of hearts that I could make an impact of some size on young women; to show them that you can do anything you set your mind to and to help them in areas of self-esteem and body-image, which were topics that were close to my heart that I believe all women have degrees of difficulty with overcoming.
You competed once before winning the title, what motivated you to come back and compete again?
While I had the experience as a teen, the Miss competition was extremely intense and that first year opened my eyes to that and how real winning the title could be.
I call that previous year in Miss, my “warm-up”. While I prepared myself the best I could that first year, I was still young and had some things to get through myself, including, improving my own body-image and confidence levels.
Coming back that next year, I knew what to expect and what I needed to do to prepare to BE Miss Georgia, not the competing for the title.
I came back a stronger, more confident person who could honestly say, “here I am, flaws and all, like it or not.” That was the point where my self-esteem was where I had always wanted it to be, but it’s a hard place to get to as a young woman, and some never see a glimpse of it, so I very thankful to see and feel that self-growth.
What would be the most memorable moment of your reign?
There were many moments when I felt overwhelmed with emotion of what it meant to people, especially children, to meet me (meaning Ms. Georgia, not “Brittany Swann”) – whether it was having a conversation, autograph, or picture taken – it made their day and meant something, whatever that is. It’s a very dreamlike experience and nothing can prepare you to handle that. While I didn’t look at myself as a celebrity, I compare that feeling {on a much smaller level}, to what a celebrity feels like when they go through that experience.
With that said, the most memorable moments came when the people I encountered for any period of time gave me truly, genuine compliments that were far deeper than looks, beauty, or admiration, but of my character, personality, realness, etc. To have people tell you that you are more beautiful on the inside that the outside were moments that I will always cherish and not take for granted.
What would be your most memorable moment at Miss USA?
Oh there were too many! But after a couple of days at being at Miss USA, I got settled and the reality really began to set in that one of us was going to take this thing, and I really felt that I had just as great of a chance as anyone else at that point.
It was also crazy seeing this full circle from where I was a little girl admiring these women on stage to being one of those women, herself! Quite surreal!
I really enjoyed every bit of the experience– from the long, long rehearsals, to filming the pilot of Pageant Place, working with the production crew and trainers, rooming with Rachel and laughing about the day’s activities and mishaps (however, we also kept each other focused and grounded), getting the VIP treatment all over L.A., walking into the Kodak Theatre for the first time and getting chills, running on adrenaline from being up all day, dress rehearsal and seeing the production come together, trying to work out in the hallways of the hotel, eating birthday cake for one of the contestants when we knew we shouldn’t due to the calories, the hospitality suite and bonding with the other contestants, learning about life across the 50 states first-hand from the states representatives, all the inside jokes, breakfast together with the girls, having 10 minutes to go from ”casual” to “glam”, Jay Leno, walking into the hotel and being hounded by the media, Tara Conner’s speech the day before finals, knowing my friends and family were in the audience with their cute signage, seeing them afterwards and eating an entire pizza and then some by myself, and one of my favorites that helped each day, getting fan mail and support from friends, family and fans!
What would a typical day be like during your reign as Miss Georgia USA?
Oh goodness! Well that varied quite a bit…but endless to-do lists were always present! A typical day always began with egg whites and oatmeal followed by green tea…then packing my cooler for the day so I could stay on track with my nutrition and exercise (I ate every 3 hours and still do!).
Every day included working out or meeting with my trainer, Fentris Lane.
Some days included phone interviews with media, other days were on-camera interviews or time spent laughing with the Atlanta radio personalities on-air.
I had many emails to follow up on – as glamorous as that sounds, but I would say organization is a big key to staying stress-free during the year. You pretty much have to have/develop great organizational skills in order to get it all done!
Organizing appearances, attending local charity events and fundraisers, modeling, seeking out agencies, traveling a lot, trips to Nashville to work with the “dream team” to get me ready for Nationals, shopping for The Perfect Miss USA Wardrobe, and the list goes on…
What emotions were you going through when you gave away your title?
It was such a happy moment that I remember. I was so thankful to have that year as my own and have those experiences to take me to the next chapter in my life, that I just was excited to keep going and see what was next.
The best way to describe what I felt was this release of accomplishment, a dream realized. So that feeling made me overwhelmed with excitement for what was next in my life. If I could do this, I felt like I could do anything I set my mind to and for any young woman, who can think that, the world is in her hands and life will be what she makes of it, no matter what her goals may be.
I was also very nervous for the other competitors that year. Having been in their shoes many times and knowing the change one of them was about to experience, I was very nervous! I also didn’t want anyone to go home feeling slighted or disappointed that they didn’t take the title. I really believe that what I have accomplished since my participation in the Miss Georgia USA system was more because of the journey, not necessarily the title itself. So I tried to let the girls know that all was still possible no matter what the outcome of the night unveiled. If they wanted to be a model, they could, if they wanted to be on TV, go for it, if they dreamed of owning a business, make it happen.
Lastly, what have you been up to since your reign as Miss Georgia USA ended?
I have been a busy girl! School became a priority again and I finished my degree at Georgia State University, receiving my B.B.A. in Marketing. I continued modeling and signed with Ford Atlanta. I then dabbled in some acting and television hosting here and there along the way; all such fun experiences that being Miss Georgia gave me the confidence to do and the contacts to do it with.
I continued to nourish the relationships I had built during my reign and forge others which led me down many exciting, and sometimes very different paths…eventually revealing my passion, which is a combination of business/marketing/communications, which was always there but had been put in hibernation during all the modeling, etc.
Upon graduating, I began working with a mid-startup company called Get Married TV, which gave me insight into the Entertainment Industry and proved to be a very hands on, learning experience where I played a hand in everything from TV production, web development, advertising sales, marketing, events, management, PR; you name it, I wore the hat.
Since joining Get Married, I have helped the company grow, launch a magazine, and expanded my role to the National level as a National Accounts Executive. It’s given me such valuable knowledge of the TV, Print, and Online Industries, as well as, the very fun, girlie world of the Wedding Industry. It also fulfills my travel bug as I get to represent the company in various cities and promote the brand.
I still work as a model in print and do some on-camera projects from time to time. What I really enjoy, aside from my role at Get Married, is helping companies develop a marketing plan and working with them in areas of marketing and public relations.
What does my future hold? I can’t begin to predict it and I like it that way…I feel blessed to have had the experiences and knowledge thus far, and will continue to invite any new experience to my plate and pushing my personal boundaries further and further. It’s going to be a fun ride and I can’t wait to see how it turns out!
Like many young women, I began admiring the program and what it represented at a very young age. I never missed a pageant, especially the Miss USA pageant. With that came the admiration for these women who stand on a national platform so confidently.
Growing up as a shy, insecure girl (similar to many young women), I thought there was no better way to get over that than throw myself into an environment that would force me out of my shell. Living in Tennessee at the time, I attended the Miss Tennessee USA Pageant one year after hearing of a friend competing. I was so moved by how empowering the experience seemed to be. That’s was it for me…it was only a matter of time until the next year came around.
After I competed the first year in the Miss Tennessee Teen USA pageant in 2002, I was given a taste of the experience and grew so much just at that level. Based on that, I knew I would eventually compete in Miss and had my eyes set on it from that moment forward.
There are so many emotions you go through when you are preparing from something like this. It is such a great tool for women to experience exponential growth and I wanted that intensely to help grow as a person. There’s truly nothing else like it and I am so thankful for the experience, whether I had the title or not, I’d say the same. I will say that I had extreme drive to have that title because I knew in my heart of hearts that I could make an impact of some size on young women; to show them that you can do anything you set your mind to and to help them in areas of self-esteem and body-image, which were topics that were close to my heart that I believe all women have degrees of difficulty with overcoming.
You competed once before winning the title, what motivated you to come back and compete again?
While I had the experience as a teen, the Miss competition was extremely intense and that first year opened my eyes to that and how real winning the title could be.
I call that previous year in Miss, my “warm-up”. While I prepared myself the best I could that first year, I was still young and had some things to get through myself, including, improving my own body-image and confidence levels.
Coming back that next year, I knew what to expect and what I needed to do to prepare to BE Miss Georgia, not the competing for the title.
I came back a stronger, more confident person who could honestly say, “here I am, flaws and all, like it or not.” That was the point where my self-esteem was where I had always wanted it to be, but it’s a hard place to get to as a young woman, and some never see a glimpse of it, so I very thankful to see and feel that self-growth.
What would be the most memorable moment of your reign?
There were many moments when I felt overwhelmed with emotion of what it meant to people, especially children, to meet me (meaning Ms. Georgia, not “Brittany Swann”) – whether it was having a conversation, autograph, or picture taken – it made their day and meant something, whatever that is. It’s a very dreamlike experience and nothing can prepare you to handle that. While I didn’t look at myself as a celebrity, I compare that feeling {on a much smaller level}, to what a celebrity feels like when they go through that experience.
With that said, the most memorable moments came when the people I encountered for any period of time gave me truly, genuine compliments that were far deeper than looks, beauty, or admiration, but of my character, personality, realness, etc. To have people tell you that you are more beautiful on the inside that the outside were moments that I will always cherish and not take for granted.
What would be your most memorable moment at Miss USA?
Oh there were too many! But after a couple of days at being at Miss USA, I got settled and the reality really began to set in that one of us was going to take this thing, and I really felt that I had just as great of a chance as anyone else at that point.
It was also crazy seeing this full circle from where I was a little girl admiring these women on stage to being one of those women, herself! Quite surreal!
I really enjoyed every bit of the experience– from the long, long rehearsals, to filming the pilot of Pageant Place, working with the production crew and trainers, rooming with Rachel and laughing about the day’s activities and mishaps (however, we also kept each other focused and grounded), getting the VIP treatment all over L.A., walking into the Kodak Theatre for the first time and getting chills, running on adrenaline from being up all day, dress rehearsal and seeing the production come together, trying to work out in the hallways of the hotel, eating birthday cake for one of the contestants when we knew we shouldn’t due to the calories, the hospitality suite and bonding with the other contestants, learning about life across the 50 states first-hand from the states representatives, all the inside jokes, breakfast together with the girls, having 10 minutes to go from ”casual” to “glam”, Jay Leno, walking into the hotel and being hounded by the media, Tara Conner’s speech the day before finals, knowing my friends and family were in the audience with their cute signage, seeing them afterwards and eating an entire pizza and then some by myself, and one of my favorites that helped each day, getting fan mail and support from friends, family and fans!
What would a typical day be like during your reign as Miss Georgia USA?
Oh goodness! Well that varied quite a bit…but endless to-do lists were always present! A typical day always began with egg whites and oatmeal followed by green tea…then packing my cooler for the day so I could stay on track with my nutrition and exercise (I ate every 3 hours and still do!).
Every day included working out or meeting with my trainer, Fentris Lane.
Some days included phone interviews with media, other days were on-camera interviews or time spent laughing with the Atlanta radio personalities on-air.
I had many emails to follow up on – as glamorous as that sounds, but I would say organization is a big key to staying stress-free during the year. You pretty much have to have/develop great organizational skills in order to get it all done!
Organizing appearances, attending local charity events and fundraisers, modeling, seeking out agencies, traveling a lot, trips to Nashville to work with the “dream team” to get me ready for Nationals, shopping for The Perfect Miss USA Wardrobe, and the list goes on…
What emotions were you going through when you gave away your title?
It was such a happy moment that I remember. I was so thankful to have that year as my own and have those experiences to take me to the next chapter in my life, that I just was excited to keep going and see what was next.
The best way to describe what I felt was this release of accomplishment, a dream realized. So that feeling made me overwhelmed with excitement for what was next in my life. If I could do this, I felt like I could do anything I set my mind to and for any young woman, who can think that, the world is in her hands and life will be what she makes of it, no matter what her goals may be.
I was also very nervous for the other competitors that year. Having been in their shoes many times and knowing the change one of them was about to experience, I was very nervous! I also didn’t want anyone to go home feeling slighted or disappointed that they didn’t take the title. I really believe that what I have accomplished since my participation in the Miss Georgia USA system was more because of the journey, not necessarily the title itself. So I tried to let the girls know that all was still possible no matter what the outcome of the night unveiled. If they wanted to be a model, they could, if they wanted to be on TV, go for it, if they dreamed of owning a business, make it happen.
Lastly, what have you been up to since your reign as Miss Georgia USA ended?
I have been a busy girl! School became a priority again and I finished my degree at Georgia State University, receiving my B.B.A. in Marketing. I continued modeling and signed with Ford Atlanta. I then dabbled in some acting and television hosting here and there along the way; all such fun experiences that being Miss Georgia gave me the confidence to do and the contacts to do it with.
I continued to nourish the relationships I had built during my reign and forge others which led me down many exciting, and sometimes very different paths…eventually revealing my passion, which is a combination of business/marketing/communications, which was always there but had been put in hibernation during all the modeling, etc.
Upon graduating, I began working with a mid-startup company called Get Married TV, which gave me insight into the Entertainment Industry and proved to be a very hands on, learning experience where I played a hand in everything from TV production, web development, advertising sales, marketing, events, management, PR; you name it, I wore the hat.
Since joining Get Married, I have helped the company grow, launch a magazine, and expanded my role to the National level as a National Accounts Executive. It’s given me such valuable knowledge of the TV, Print, and Online Industries, as well as, the very fun, girlie world of the Wedding Industry. It also fulfills my travel bug as I get to represent the company in various cities and promote the brand.
I still work as a model in print and do some on-camera projects from time to time. What I really enjoy, aside from my role at Get Married, is helping companies develop a marketing plan and working with them in areas of marketing and public relations.
What does my future hold? I can’t begin to predict it and I like it that way…I feel blessed to have had the experiences and knowledge thus far, and will continue to invite any new experience to my plate and pushing my personal boundaries further and further. It’s going to be a fun ride and I can’t wait to see how it turns out!