Up Close
and Personal with Chris Franz
~Coaching
Expert~
Natalie
McGovern
With
roots in the entertainment and music industry, Chris Franz has made a name for
himself as both a judge and coach in the pageant world. He started out judging pageants and then
began his interview coaching right of the gate when girls would come to him for
advice on their interview skills. Chris Franz is a full-service coach and does
it all.
If
you are interested in a coach who will get to know you on a personal level,
then Chris is just the person to get the job done.
A
personal relationship between a client and a coach is vital to success, and it
is best to have an open communication where you can talk to each other honestly
and trust one another. When it comes to coaching clients Chris has a whole
process to discovering who you are and bringing out your personality. Chris
even goes as far as to have his clients complete a 3-4 page forum to get down
the discovery process. At the end of the day the winner’s circle is all about
the details.
Chris
alluded that being a coach is a lot like being a therapist in many ways-you
have to discuss about your body, mind, and talk about things that may be
awkward or uncomfortable. Nonetheless, it is important to keep an open channel
of communication.
Time to Move
On
Chris
will do everything to prep you and make you feel ready. If a coach is just
coaching you to take your money you often get an intuitive sense and may feel
it is time to move on. Coaching with
Chris there needs to be a certain level of dedication from his client to get to
the level needed to be able to perform at the absolute best.'
Showing
Confidence
Know
the system-Miss USA vs. Miss America. Give a little nod, and show the way that
you place your hands on your hips and SELL it! Be confident in who you are.
Learn how to be comfortable in your pageant shoes, and practice, even if it
means vacuuming the house in heels or walking on the treadmill.
Chris tailors his coaching to
each individual client. His roots are in the Mrs. Pageants, but he is versatile
in coaching all systems. Chris is well adverse in each
system because he judges each system and he also keeps up on it. Miss USA is all about the glam, whereas Miss America is about interview, style and
poise and the classic beauty queen pageant ideal that comes to mind.
Long
Distance Coaching
Coaching long distance is easily
accessible thanks to technology. Coaching
by Skype or phone is a viable option if a client does not have the luxury to
travel and meet in person.
Skype offers a real time
connection when picking out a gown at and needing advice on what to go with for
your winning look. Chris Franz also suggests going shopping together online. It’s
a little more feasible for remote locations that are not near a gown boutique
or pageant shop.
Very
Best Pageant Tips:
1.
Stage
Presence
Hitting 3
points on stage, don’t forget to acknowledge the judges-look at them-look down
toward them, don’t let nerves get to you. Take that deep breath, inhaling
naturally puts your chest where it should be and gives you proper posture.
Remember this simple breathing exercise to lift you up
2.
Paying
Attention
Pay
attention to the choreographer of the pageant. It’s your moment to shine so take
advantage of that. Be a part of that entire group, then maximize the skills you
have on stage.
3.
Panel
Interview Tips:
Interview
for a panel:
Look at the
forehead, look into the right eye. Don’t close your eyes, don’t look down,
don’t look above the judges’ heads.
Recap
Aside
from all the “tough love” coaches out there, Chris will be your #1 fan. He will
not be that hard pushing coach unless you want that from him. Chris tells
clients to hone their skills accordingly. What are your three weaknesses and 3
strengths? He will help you fix whatever
you feel is broken. An expert in Mrs. Pageants, Chris stated that after coming
off of a long hiatus often married women are sometimes not as confident, so he
is able to work around the challenges that are presented when prepping a
married woman for a pageant.
Overall, Chris coaches from the
heart out. You can work on outside beauty, but if you are beautiful on the inside,
it will naturally show.
Chris writes for The Platform
Magazine which features the accomplishments of successful and inspirational
individuals. You can view The Platform magazine electronically online.
Exclusive interview with the AMAZING Chris Franz