Kyle is a native of Chicago, Illinois and a
graduate of Drake University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a minor
in Dance Performance. He is also a graduate of the Keller Institute with a
master’s degree in marketing.
In
1989, Kyle founded Haggerty & Associates and has since been personally
coaching pageant contestants on the local, state, national and international
levels for Miss America, Miss USA, Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss
International, Miss Africa and many more. He was Miss America 2010 Caressa
Cameron’s pageant coach and was the modeling and visual poise consultant to
Caitlin Brunell, Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2007. Through his work with
major modeling agencies in the Chicagoland area, Kyle has done print modeling
and commercial work with companies such as Sears Roebuck, Montgomery Wards,
Nestles Candy, Reebok, and Bloomingdales. Kyle is full service coach - a one stop coach ~he does it all.
A competitor himself, with titles of Mr. USA and Mr. Black America, he rounds off his resume, also as a performer. Kyle was a principal dancer
in the movie “Blues Brothers.” He also had the opportunity to tour with
musicals such as A Chorus Line, Cats and 42nd Street. Kyle has also been
featured on numerous television shows on BRAVO, MTV, and E! Television. He is a
9-time United States National Dance Champion and has also coached gymnastic
(girls levels 7 through 10), cheerleading/pom-pon and competitive dance for
years.
Through his company, Kyle has developed and
conducted his highly noted workshops "From the Pageant Stage to the
Runway" and "Pageant 101...What Every Parent Needs to Know About
Pageants" to better help his clients and their parents who would like to break into the world of modeling and pageant. Kyle's workshops tell the HONEST truth and reality of competing in pageants
and entering the modeling industry. Kyle is also currently being featured in
Pageantry Magazine as the "Crowning Concepts: Expert for Pageantry
Magazine.”
Pageants to modeling
There has been a misconception that titleholders and participates should not tell modeling agencies they have participated in pageantry. The “P” word in the modeling world
is a bad word. Kyle has spoken to many modeling experts and this is NOT true! Agencies say they like working with pageant girls because: 1. They have a good
work ethic, 2. Their grooming is always in order and 3. They know how to walk a runway or stage.
The experts do state they feel the problem some pageant girls have is more of an ättitude" problem or a sense of entitlement. For example, when
you are in a pageant it is all about YOU. YOU buy a gown that is all about YOU.
YOU do your hair and makeup that best suites YOU. The judges are presented the best YOU.
In modeling it is the reverse. YOU are a canvas,
so whatever the designer wants YOU to wear, say, or model YOU have nothing to say,
YOU are a blank canvas and they designer is creating you into what THEY want you to be. Many pageant girls cannot make that transition.....they are used to it being
all about them.
Kyle tells a story of sending a girl out to a modeling job. Her hair, makeup everything was done in the designers vision. The girl looked in the mirror and
washed óff all her makeup!! She was asked to go home.... and Kyle then got a phone call from the designer.
When you are transitioning from pageants to modeling,
it is okay to say you have done pageants. Just remember Kyle's sound advice....highlight your attributes, what
you have learned and the skills you have - not the crowns you have, they do NOT care about your crowns...only your accomplishments.
He goes on to say, include information such as if you are a singer, an actor, a dancer, a fitness model, what runway have you worked, have you been a commercial model or have you acted? They want to know all the attributes you have learned
from pageants ~ not the titles you have held.
Kyle adds, in the Miss Universe Pageant, the countries outside the United States send professional models. The United States sends pageant girls, but other countries send professional models.....
How do you convert from pageants to modeling?
In his workshops, Kyle discuss how to market and use your
pageant attributes and convert them from pageants to modeling. Do not let
someone tell you that if you have done pageants the modeling world doesn’t like
you. In most cases, you know how to do your makeup, you know how to do your
hair, and most pageant girls their bodies are in order.
More of Kyle's insight, some girls are taller, if you are under 5’7” you need to
know you will be doing print and commercial modeling. If you are 5’8” and
taller you can do print, commercial and fashion. Most pageant girls know how to
pose in front of a camera. With pageant girls there is not a big learning curve,
its more attitude than what you have done. So you want to make sure you
highlight your experience and what you bring to the table. You can do it!! Just know where you fit in the industry.
Can anyone make the transition from the pageant world to
the modeling world? Does height, age, or size play a factor? Do you have to
have a certain look?
When Kyle meets with his clients they have a “Come to Jesus”
meeting.....this is not a bad meeting, it’s a good thing. This is where he will
tell you what you need to do to be successful!
Example: You have done pageants and now you are out of it
and back to your regular body, you know the body you have in pageants and the
body you carry everyday are not the same thing. You have to remember to keep it
real. If you are under 5’8” you are not doing fashion, however that doe mes not mean you cannot do commercial or print. If you are ten pounds overweight you
are NOT going to do print because the camera adds 10 pounds, unless you are doing plus size modeling. Even as a plus size model you need to
be taller than 5’9” to be successful. That leaves commercial, promotional work,
spokesmodel work. Anyone can model, it’s just being placed properly, like
picking the best pageant for you.
Order Kyle's
book, Producing Winners® Your Pathway to the Crown and mention that you
saw his interview on Ask the Crown to have your copy AUTOGRAPHED and a
30 minute FREE strategy session with him!!
Be sure to check out our next segment with Kyle to learn
what a successful competitor and coach can do to help you improve your pageant
skills! This interview is full of information. You do NOT want to miss it!
See the short 9 interviews with Kyle at
