Good morning! This is Jimmy Williams. Coming to you live this morning. Monday the best day of the week! Starting you off on that right foot. You know we’ve been talking in the last few weeks about how you can make your life better, bigger, and bolder with just taking a few simple different steps in life of how you face your day.
Today is an exceptional day for me. I am so excited about this episode. This is part three part series on Women in Leadership. As your host, Jimmy Williams, I want you to know I’ve been surrounded by powerful, capable, intelligent and beautiful women, and that’s all just in my own household. I have two beautiful daughters, very talented. And I have one beautiful wife that I tell you, ladies and gentlemen, she will not even suffer a death on this planet. She has been such an angel. She’ll just be taken straight to heaven based on what she’s had to put up with me.
But anyway, this podcast brings to you what we hope is an in a positive moment in your day. You know, to us, Monday’s are nothing more than a Friday that got left behind. So we want you to start off your day with the powerful, positive, and promising moment that your day will be better because of this podcast then it was before. We have been blessed now, we are in twelve countries. Can you believe that folks? Twelve countries! And we have well over 3,000 independent downloads and subscribers. It has been a wonderful, wonderful blessing to bring some positivity to such a negative world.
And this today, is one of the best episodes I’ve had since we’ve started this podcast. I am so excited. I tell you, it took months and months just to procure this young ladies commitment of time. She is that busy. I am introducing today, to you, for your pleasure. You will learn a tremendous amount from her tenacity, her diligence, her work ethic. And she is just one of the smartest young ladies I know, and young women in this world. And her name is Triana Browne, she is a former Miss Oklahoma and immediately following her reign, she then was awarded Miss Oklahoma USA.
Now I did some research for our people that listen to our episode and podcast, know me, I like to give out facts. I did some preliminary research and I will tell you, our guest today, I think is the first woman to do back to back of these two titles. I could not find anyone else, but we’ll find out from her in just a moment if that’s true. So, today I would like to focus on what can we learn from women in leadership and what can we do to help ourselves become more empowering, have greater leadership through communication, as well as what can we do to those around us to lift them up. So that with a rising tide, you know, all boats will rise. So with that said, boy strap in folks for a great Monday morning of motivation. I introduce to you, former Miss Oklahoma USA, Triana Browne. How are you, Triana?
TB: I’m great, how are you doing?
JW: I tell you know that I’ve got you on the phone, I tell you I am fantastic.
TB: Ahh, you’re so sweet. Thank you for having me.
JW: You know, I’ve got to reflect, if I may, for just a brief moment on how you and I met, do you recall how that happened?
TB: Yes, but you’re gonna indulge.
JW: So, let me explain folks, Triana, was Miss Oklahoma her first title statewide, and she and my daughter, Alexandria was Miss McAlester. They shared the stage together at Miss Oklahoma, and Triana was the Mistress of Ceremony, if you will, as Miss Oklahoma at that time. Well, I’d like to think that she sought me out as a beacon of light and positivity, and hope in her life, but that’s probably not going to be true. So let me explain what really happened. I asked my daughter, I said, who is that charming lady that’s so well spoken, can sing like a bird and just looks beautiful, who is that? And she explained who Triana was and introduced us, and as far as I remember, if I didn’t embellish too badly, that’s how we met.
TB: Yep, that’s about it.
JW: Is that pretty close?
TB: Yes, it is.
JW: Wonderful, well, wonderful. So hey, folks, you are gonna be in for a great great episode today. So, I just want to get right at it and let her explain her dynamic career. She has so far experienced. And I’m telling you folks, this is just the tip of the iceberg, we don’t have enough hours in the studio today, or her time to list all of her accomplishments. So let’s just dive right into this, and I’m gonna ask a few engaging questions and let’s see if we can find out a little more about Triana Browne, former Miss Oklahoma USA. So Triana, let’s get started from where you began as a younger girl. What’s your childhood look like?
TB: Well, I definitely was not in pageants. What’s really funny is that I’ve been an athlete my entire life. I was raised by a single mother who was basically Wonder Woman, and we nicknamed her Webster because you can literally ask her anything and she’ll have the answer for it. But, been running track like I said, she was my coach. We traveled all over the nation running track. I went all the way to the Junior Olympics. She was my superhero I guess you could say, because my dad wasn’t around. I can say that I didn’t necessarily have everything, but everything that I needed my mother was able to supply and more. So, I was really blessed as a kid to have such a loving, driven mother who also valued education. So grew up really pushing me in school, athletics, and the woman that I am today, more than likely is because of her.
JW: Oh, wow, and I actually have met, I believe your mother, at the competition for Miss Oklahoma. And I tell you what ladies and gentlemen, the fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree. Her mother’s a wonderful woman, and how I know that is cause she talked to me. And so that’s, I know that. Hey, so, Triana, so you were a track star. I understand too, then, that you ran track at the Oklahoma State University, is that right?
TB: Yes, yes, I did.
JW: And what was your event in track that you mastered?
TB: Well, I went in to college running the 200, the 400, and the 800. But then they realized that I was pretty athletic and I ended up becoming a heptathlete, which is a multi-athlete that does seven events. So the women will do seven, and it literally happened because I was joking around over some hurdles, and then they saw me throw a football and they were like, this weekend, you’re gonna run the 400 meter hurdles, and we’re gonna see how you do.
JW: Threw a football now, folks, let me correct her just real quick. She didn’t start for the Oklahoma State University Cowboys, she’s not throwing the football for them, but she could. She could. I promise you. That’s exciting. So, give me a little background on your degree, now I tell you folks. I hope you’re writing this down, cause it’s got several words in it. But she is so smart and talented, she has a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development with a focus on Psychology. But tell me the real degree name, what is that Triana?
TB: Well, I’ll say it was really funny at graduation. It was really long and people were just like, whoa. I have a degree in Human Development and Family Sciences with a focus in Psychology and a minor in Sociology. So I joke that in short it’s just people.
JW: Right, absolutely. I love that Psychology and Sociology. So in Jimmy’s language, you study people and the way they think. Does that sound about right.
TB: Yes, basically.
JW: So, here I am, you’ve known me now for over a year or so. You’ve met me on several occasions, talked with me on the phone and so forth. Can you give me a little assessment on how you’d assess Jimmy Williams, the host of Live a Life by Design in a psychological and sociological aspect.
TB: Oh my gosh, that’s so much pressure. You are just so driven and just so kind and literally a light and that’s all we need to focus on. That is all we need to focus on and that’s all that matters.
JW: Now folks that would cost you normally $500 bucks in house, but I got it for free today. So if you’re nice to Triana, you get some of this free consultation stuff. That’s wonderful! So, you know, Triana, on our podcast, we focused in the areas such as mentors and things. Do you happen to have a mentor, and how were they important to you in developing to become such an esteemed individual as Miss Oklahoma. I mean, that’s a big honor. Big title.
TB: Yea, that was a life changing experience, that’s for sure. When it comes down to having a mentor, I can definitely say my mother had a huge impact on my life, as well as my grandmother and my great grandmother. It was four generations for the longest time. Until my great grandmother passed away about six years ago. But growing up with them, I had all just female, driven, just very impactful in the community. My great grandmother was doing things for her age group. My grandmother was leader of her church group and literally knows everyone all over Oklahoma. And then here’s my mother, she was driven in work, and a coach, and all these aspects of life. So I grew up having these women that I could look up to, and I look back now, at 26, I look back growing up and see how much every single one of them has created who I am today, and when it came down, even though none of them were in pageants, when I look back on everything that I was brought up with, and everything that they taught me growing up. It leads up to where I was second runner up in Miss USA and I’m standing here going, wow, just wow, every single moment that I’ve had with them has brought me to this moment. So I can’t just say I have one mentor. But I can easily say that I had some very powerful women in the household growing up.
JW: That is incredible. What a story, and so these are mentors in your life, but I’ve got to give you a little bit of a secret you may or may not know. You as such a wonderful woman leader, have many people you’ve mentored and you may not even know it.
TB: Oh, thank you.
JW: What I’m disclosing there is our daughter Alexandria looks so highly upon the lifestyle, the leadership, the way that you carry yourself on stage, and as well as for many of our listeners may not know, Triana’s also a model. She takes care of athletic wear, I believe, and formal wear I’ve seen you modeling. Is that true.
TB: Yes, I am an ambassador for Nike. So I work right alongside Nike right now, as well as picking up high fashion modeling, which is something that I never knew that I would get involved in. But I’m actually really loving it.
JW: So, let’s talk a little bit about the modeling career. Like you said, you never really had maybe focused on that as a career choice, right?
TB: Correct, yes.
JW: So tell me a little bit about how that may have taken you down a different road that you hadn’t planned, but what are some of the positives that have come out of that?
TB: Well, I’ll say that being involved in the Miss Universe system and being involved in Miss USA definitely changed my path I guess you could say. It took me in a different direction because the Miss USA pageant is a part of the ING modeling agency. So they work alongside with them. And I started falling in love with the process, so while we’re there at Miss USA, we’re modeling, we’re speaking on television, we’re hosting events, and the next thing I know, after Miss USA happened, I get home, and it’s like hey, we’d like to sign you to this agency. And then you get booked for this event, and I started finding like, ok, I really like how this is. I really love how this feels. Being dressed up, trying different outfits, meeting all these different people. I can honestly say that, well a lot of people don’t believe me when I say this, but I grew up being a huge introvert. Huge introvert, never went out. Never loved being on the camera. I was really quiet. I went out on the track, did my thing and came off the track. And that was about it.
JW: Now, you’ve said something, I’m sorry to interrupt. You said introvert, now I’ve got to be honest with you folks, I’ve known her a little over 18 months, 24 months now, and I will tell you, if she were ever an introvert it doesn’t show. She grabbed the microphone in front of thousands of people in the actual coliseum there in Tulsa during Miss Oklahoma, that I got to personally witness, and I don’t know how many millions of people on tv are watching this, and she just took the stage like a fish to water. Jumped up, belted it out, you have a great singing voice. So besides modeling, who taught you how to sing?
TB: Well, my mom is a phenomenal singer but she’s one of those people who has this talent but they’re really shy so I grew up hearing my mother sing in the house all the time. And just being like, wow, I wish I could sing like that. But I was so shy myself, that I would get super nervous, or anytime, she’d say Triana just go ahead and sing, let me hear you sing a little something. I would just start to shake and start to sweat and everything. And if she ever heard me singing while I was in the shower she’d let me know and then I’d just break down. Just like oh my gosh. But it’s my mom. My mom is this phenomenal singer. She wasn’t my vocal coach or anything but we used to do like mother daughter kind of like duets, and I’d kind of whisper it while she just sang like Whitney Houston. But the singing really came from her and my entire family is pretty musically talented. It’s just I had to step out of my comfort zone for me to be able to share it with people.
JW: Well, I’ve got to say that since you say I’ve had to step out of my comfort zone, your comfort zone has been shattered lady, because everything I’ve seen you do, has been just so prolific and so profound you really seem very comfortable on stage. Under the spotlight you just seem to shine, not just vocally but just as a person, so, you know, some of the younger people that I meet also exhibit this trait of being introverted and how has overcoming that helped you as a woman that’s a leader of other women. How does that help you in life to overcome some of those barriers?
TB: Well, like I said it was taking a step outside of my comfort zone. When I was in college, my track coach pulled me over to the side right before the Big 12 finals, I’d made it into the finals for the 400, and he just looked at me, and it stuck with me ever since then. He said Triana, you’ve put in the work, you’re fit, you’re ready to go. The only thing that’s keeping you from your goals is you in taking a step outside of your comfort zone. And it was the way he said it to me, that I was just kind of like, I just dropped. I was like ok, I have put in the work. I’m ready. The only thing keeping me from my dream and my goals is myself, literally just myself. And so the next day I dropped 4 seconds off my 400. And so when it came down to being involved in Miss Oklahoma, or going to Miss America, or being Miss Oklahoma USA and going to Miss USA, that thought just kept going through my mind. The only thing that’s keeping you from these dreams and these goals that you have is yourself. The things that you want in your life are in the outside of your comfort zone and I’ve always had these dreams of being on stage singing and performing and people singing my own songs or being an actress and people loving the movie, and being able to share my talents that Gods given me. And the only reason why I wasn’t able to do it was because I was shy and limiting myself, and it wasn’t until I forced myself to do Miss Oklahoma, in taking a step outside of my comfort zone and realizing just how great I could be if I actually pushed myself to a different level. So now a days, whenever I see girls or anyone who’s trying to compete and they’re like, I’m just too shy, I’m just like I promise you, the moment you step out on that stage you will never go back to who you were before you are going to grow and be so much bigger, so much better. The person that you dreamed of being is on the outside of your comfort zone, you just have to take that leap of faith.
JW: That is tremendous. We had earlier in the podcast a four part series on realizing the greatness within you. I wish I’d have had you on that episode or two. We had a four part episode there. You said exactly, mirroring the language from actual experience of what we were talking about to realize greatness, and that is to take that one step, you know. I tell people I run 5ks now, I don’t want to brag, Triana, I’m pretty good fit man myself. I’m an old athlete. I run 5ks and I know you run 400s and all those quick sprints, but I’m a 5k kinda guy. But let me tell ya, they’ve put me in what’s called the clydesdale division, now, what that means is you gazelles, such as yourself, would be up in front and the those of us a little more robust in the waistline, maybe a little heavier on the feet are in the back, you see. So, I just want you to know I’ve got many medals, I’ll show them to you sometime, but I digress. Anyway, so, hey, let’s visit just a minute on this situation of overcoming those challenges in life by taking a step outside our comfort zone. I have often told people, Triana, that the greatness of your potential is only realized in your discomfort. And they look at me, and they go, oh, I don’t know, I don’t like discomfort, but see that, Triana, is where we need to live. Don’t you agree?
TB: Absolutely.
JW: So, tell me something you’re doing now, so I’m going to move you forward a little bit, and we’re going to come back to some more of the stuff, you know that you did from college on, but talk to me now what are you doing each week. Like what’s a routine or something you do to keep you growing in your potential, moving forward through that discomfort zone and overcoming challenges. What do you aspire to and what do you utilize to do that?
TB: Well, right now as I’m getting ready to go into the next chapter of my life, basically what I’m doing is in a different aspect of my life is having to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. And when you’re Miss Oklahoma, you have this team that works with you. And they send you to this place, or they book this place for you. And now I’m in a season where, ok, the next moment is about to be Miss Oklahoma USA and things are starting to slow down. Ok, things are getting uncomfortable now. So how do I take charge to take a leap into the next phase of my life. Where is that going to take me? So every single day I listen to podcasts, I’m doing things like meditation. I’m doing things like reaching out to people and networking myself. Or taking that trip to New York to walk in New York fashion week by myself. Even though I’m terrified to go by myself to a big city like New York. Or traveling to this place, and just putting myself in positions where I’m able to network with people and no longer do I have this group of people who go with me and travel, or they book this for me. Now it’s me, being in charge of my destiny, really, so I’m having to get comfortable with being uncomfortable so that I will be in a state of stability eventually. So right now it’s a journey right now.
JW: Right, so really, in essence, what I’m hearing you say is that the realization of the potential of life is in the discomfort stage for you as well, and you’re just continuing to find ways to move forward in areas that maybe you’re not so comfortable doing. New York trips by yourself that are, you know, those are pretty harrowing type trips sometimes. Big cities like that, a woman of yourself, by yourself up there. I will tell you, that on itself would scare a dad like me of daughters. I promise you. Hey, so let’s go back to the D-1 athlete days just for a minute. So you to be a division 1 NCAA athlete, at that level and to maintain the great grades that you did and the way you’ve just accomplished life, where there any certain morning routines, or evening routines that you just depended on to keep you at the highest level of performance during those years?
TB: Yes, absolutely. Other than having assigned myself tutors and things like that to keep me on track, I spoke briefly on it earlier, but I’m very big on like, prayer and meditation, and setting down and having time to myself to collect myself for the next day. When you’re an athlete in college, especially Division 1 athlete and you’re one of the only multi-athletes, a lot of the focus is on you and they demand a lot out of you. To the moment that you’ve got time for yourself, you really have to be disciplined enough to sit there and go, ok I’m not going to go out, I’m not going to go socialize like this, I really have to sit in silence for a moment because tomorrow I’m going to have to be up at 6 am and have practice all the way until 6 pm and somehow still manage how to get my work done. And then, keep my sanity as well. So when I was in college I was very very big on taking that time to jot down my goals. The things I wanted to achieve, making sure I kept time in there for prayer and just God in general. Having the conversations as often as I could. And then also developing relationships with people that could further my career in track and field. Or even in the field that I was trying to get my degree in. So I always tell people, like if you’re going to push yourself and work really really hard in something make sure you also create some time for yourself because it is possible to get so busy that you lose yourself in that journey too. So that’s something that was very very important in college.
JW: Oh, let me tell you, it’s gonna be even more important for you as you go through the start and continuing growth of your career. I call it work life integration. There’s a word out called work life balance. I’ll be honest with you, I’m 54 years of age and I’ve had my own company now for many many years and I don’t know that there’s such thing as balance, Triana, I do know I integrate well, if that makes sense, but, trying to balance this thing all the time has been a little bit of a challenge. Let me ask you this, if you could look back on your already storied career, age 26, you’ve just been an outstanding role model for young women, tell me what’s been your most rewarding experience in life at the young age of 26?
TB: Oh, wow, ok, so I hope you can grab onto this. But, when I won Miss Oklahoma, you know, it was this moment where it was to be Miss Oklahoma it wasn’t necessarily a notoriety thing. It was more so of a survival thing. The situation that I came from at home, it was necessary for me to use my story to not only help others among my community but it was also to help my family. So when I won, it was this amazing impact of just hope and faith that just burst in my families home. That was such an amazing experience. And most people would think that who, well those who know my story would think that was the most rewarding experience for me. But quite honestly it was when there were people who doubted me, and doubted how well I would do as Miss Oklahoma and the community that did not necessarily support me when I went to Miss America and when I wasn’t called into finals at Miss America. That was the most rewarding experience for me because the woman that I am today came from the moment that my heart was almost broken. Because I had to grow instantly. I remember the moment when I was standing right there, and I could see my family there cheering, they’re excited, and then all of a sudden my state doesn’t get called. And I just stood there and I went, why God? I’m an athlete, I’ve got injury and now I’m done, but then I win Miss Oklahoma. I thought I was supposed to win Miss America. And then I’m not called. And I remember being upset and sad and bitter and looking to my family and they were so distraught. And then I got on the plane the next day and was flying back home. I remember sitting in my room and I felt this wave come over me. And I just sat there and I went, I had to feel this pain. I had to feel this embarrassment because God is preparing me for something in the future that I had to experience this. And whatever it is, I’m being prepared for it. And the next thing I know I’m in a meeting giving a pitch to some possible partners and my board is setting there with me with their jaws on the ground, because they’re literally listening to me speak and they’re going where did this woman come from? And I pulled them off to the side. And I told them that exact thing. I said you know what, I don’t know what happened, but I had to experience that at Miss America because who I am now I never thought I could experience this. I just feel so confident in this time where I was distraught. Now I feel like the most confident women in the world. And I was able to give speeches to crowds as big as the convention center in Oklahoma City without being nervous. I was able to partner with Nike. I was able to meet with this person and this person. And be able to stand there with so much pride in Oklahoma, so much strength and not afraid of who I was. I was just so proud of myself. So the most rewarding experience was literally in the times of my downfall, being at Miss America and having that pain was the most rewarding experience because I would not be where I am today if it wasn’t for that moment. I said why then, but I’m so thankful now.
JW: That is just profound. You know, sometimes, as we go through life, I can tell you from personal experience, not nearly at a Miss America stage level, but I gotta tell ya, I suffered some setbacks in life and in business transactions, you know, that involved what I considered to be mentors and best friends, Triana, that cost me tens of thousands of dollars because of them not following through on their piece of the project. And you know, at some point, did you not find yourself just doing what I recommend we do, to live a life by design, I can not hang on to the past and let it dictate my future. It just does not work for me. What about you? Did you just kind of shake this off, like you said, and got in front of the next big stage and say hey, tomorrow’s a new day.
TB: Yea, absolutely, I remember it took some time. I won’t say it was just like an overnight thing where I was ok. I definitely every now and then I’d be like, oh man, that was really sad. I wish, I coulda, shoulda, woulda, but I can’t so the next thing I knew, I was like, ok, I did this experience because I wanted to be able to pay for school, I wanted to be able to share my story and have an impact on people. Now this other pageant, seems like a lot of fun too. And I could do the same thing, but what about the people who doubted me. Where they right? And I just had to go, eh, no, we’re gonna do what we have to do. We’re not gonna let what happened in the past hold us there.
JW: Well, let me tell you Triana, you are a knockout on this overcoming, if you will objections, people that disagree with you. Whatever it may be that’s holding others back, it sounds to me like you have learned a valuable life skill that I think will serve you very well and the fact that you don’t rely on other support as your motivation, you develop your inward motivation.
TB: Yes, absolutely. And that comes, probably from the fact that when I was a child I suffered from congenital heart disease and I had to overcome a lot of things from kids saying things about me and what not, but knowing at a very early age that I was destined for something great because I survived my heart issues when I was not supposed to survive. I’ve always known that I was here for a greater reason, and I know that I wouldn’t be here for, and God would allow for people to just shot me down. I know I have a mission to serve here while I am here on this earth and I know it’s to help others. So even in the times of defeat I know it’s preparing me for something much bigger and better and whatever it is, I’m excited for it. So, yes, if there’s people that are going to doubt me, I’ve come to the realization that there will always be people who doubt what you’re capable of doing. But you can’t let that hold you back because everyone is here for a reason and they have a story to tell. Regardless of if you think it or not. But you can never let someone else keep you from your dreams and your goals. You have to be able to do what sets your heart on fire and just go for it.
JW: You know, there’s a greek philosopher that I’ve used many times in my speeches that I do all across the country. And I tell people that one of the greatest tragedy in life is not that people die, it’s that people die with their song still within them. And what you’re telling me is that you’re going out there trying to tell your story. You’ve got a purpose in life. You know at Live a Life by Design that’s our whole point of this, is that everyone listening has a purpose. Go realize what that purpose is and you’re doing that, and that’s empowering, man.
TB: Thank you, yea, it’s a phenomenal feeling knowing I can help people. I’ve had some great stories, and people share some very intimate things about themselves that has really shown me just how important it is to communicate that you’re not alone. And let people know that they’re not alone.
JW: Absolutely. I am going to now, because our listeners demand honesty. And you’ve been totally honest, but I’m gonna dig in a little deep on something highly personal here, and you don’t have to answer if you don’t want, but I just got the feeling you and I are connecting here very well, that you’re gonna answer this. So, during those darkest, cloudy day moments, when you felt so rejected, you didn’t feel at all like even getting out of bed, what was your favorite ice cream?
TB: Chocolate chip cookie dough.
JW: You know it, baby. You know it. So, anything with chocolate chip in it folks, we’re trying to tell you, is the cure all, at least temporarily. Now after you eat that, you go out and run, what like 5 miles or something like that.
TB: Oh, yea, you know, throw a few little javelins out there.
JW: There ya go! You know that is so funny, I digress again. But it was just one of those things I had to throw out there, you know, ice cream is the cure all. So let me ask you this, I’m gonna say to you, Triana, you have no limit on resources, no limit on time, no limit on capabilities, what would be your one wish that it would be granted to you in life. What would it be and why?
TB: Oh, gosh, you know I’m gonna have to be a little sneaky with this one and just say unlimited useful wishes. You know that would be my thing cause there’s more than one that I would like. I have wishes for myself, but I also have wishes for my family and friends. There are things that I want them to have as well.
JW: So folks, this is why she won two national, I mean state wide titles, and went on to national stages. And because she’s a model for Nike, is because of this kind of thinking. Now see, I should have said there are a couple of you know, convents you can’t do, but she jumped right in and got the wish for additional wishes. That’s why she’s a leader folks. That’s why she’s a leader. So let’s talk a little bit about your service as Miss Oklahoma and Miss Oklahoma USA. Give our listeners just a little bit of a feel of what your community service was like and what touched you most about some of the responses of the public you served?
TB: Yea, definitely, when I was Miss Oklahoma 2017 through 2018 I traveled quite a bit. I was pretty busy. I traveled over 80,000 miles in my time as being Miss Oklahoma, so that was a little less than a year because Miss America, we didn’t travel until after Miss America during my year. Was able to go to many schools all over Oklahoma, was able to work with American Heart Association, with Nike, going to universities, and representing Nike, and working with Chickasaw Nation and other tribal nations. I had a pretty impactful year and during that time I was able to, I guess you could say, talk with the community. I was pretty vocal about being transparent and being as real as I could be with being Miss Oklahoma. So I would tell people while I went to their events, go ahead and write to me. Write to me, write to me. And I promise I will respond. That was a big thing my year, was I will always write you back. And some of the responses I would receive were examples going to schools, and speaking with the students and they would tell me how much the story that I shared impacted them in a sense that there’s a time that I came across somebody that was talking about taking their life. And I remember just bursting into tears, I had to grab the teacher and we all talked and they’re like, I was thinking about this until I heard you tell your story of overcoming all of these things that you faced in your life. And that was like the, I always think about that moment, just like, wow, how much just being real and open with people can really sometimes you can save a life. I’ve had teachers come up to me when I’ve been in schools and they tell me how they’ve been struggling, when I was talking to the students and say thank you so much for talking about that because I’ve been struggling so I started incorporating in my speeches, hey students I want you to look to your teachers and say thank you. And they’d say thank you, tell them we appreciate you, and they’d repeat we appreciate you, we love you, they’d say we love you. Because we can’t forget about our teacher either. It was such an amazing year to see how being real and genuine and transparent with people can really help everyone in the community. Whether they’re the ones who are sitting in the seats of the students, or the ones who as you to come and speak. Everyone needs someone they can relate to or be able to fill as if they’re not alone. And being able to be Miss Oklahoma and incorporate community service is something I have always, always, always want to push when it comes to the women do compete. Or just people in general. Always give back to your community because there’s someone out there that may feel like they’re alone and you’re the only one they’re looking up to. You never truly know who you’re impacting.
JW: That is incredible. I will say to you that that story of being honest, transparency, speaking from the heart, as well as being truthful about your past has changed more lives than you’ll ever know. I always say this saying, Triana, that when I go somewhere and speak. It’s probably the person that never came up, shook my hand, or picked up a book or anything you know that we had. It’s probably that person that just may have got on our, maybe our Live a Life by Design, you know, website and looked at some of the blogs I’ve written, and then they sometimes will send us messages, but you just don’t know the seeds you’re planting. I always take it back, not to get biblical, but take it back, there’s some of us that plant seeds, there’s someone else that comes along and may be waters, right? And you may not even know the lives you’ve impacted through your story that it’s gonna be, you’re gonna be a much older lady, you’ll still look the same, but you may age in life, and you know, you’re like my age, and you go, wow, I didn’t realize I touched that person’s life. That’s one that I think is incredible about what you do as a woman leader and the life that you’ve led just in your short 26 years, sharing the stage with some very incredible young women and being such a great leader to them. One of our upcoming guests is another young lady that looked up to you and followed you in your trek as Miss Oklahoma.
TB: Un huh, yea.
JW: We’re trying to get her on, and she’s got some things going on with her university training, but she’s gonna make some time and meet with us, but a couple more questions before I let you go. You’re just so dynamic. I do appreciate you being here. Tell me, what does Triana Browne have planned for the next ten years, five years, what are you looking for to go out and make the world a better place as I say?
TB: Well, this journey, I can say that anything can happen at this point right now. It’s just a matter of what path I want to take. Unfortunately, I may have to move out of Oklahoma at some point, but these things that I’ve done these past few years and seeing how many lives I can impact. I know that I want to take it to, not just within the state, but I want to take it national and hopefully go global. So there are things as far as writing a book, there are things as far as reaching out and getting a part of a team so I can speak to bigger crowds. I’ve spoken to some pretty big crowds, but even bigger crowds than before, if I do want to go through with modeling somehow incorporating all of that together. It’s limitless right now. I’ve seen how hard I can push myself, and how far I can go, being second runner up at Miss USA was a huge honor, but I saw how hard I could push myself and just how great I could be that now anything could happen and I’m really excited to have the opportunity to do that, and I wish everybody could have the chance to see how great they can be. So I just, right now, anybody listening, I just encourage you, if there’s something on your brain, wake up thinking about it, go to bed thinking about it, do it, just do it. You never know what could happen.
JW: That is awesome. And notice folks she used the Nike phrase of ‘Just Do It’. You see this young lady is very smart. See Nike’s paid me nothing to be on this show and no advertising dollars, but we’re gonna let him use that phrase because Triana Browne, my dear friend, brought that to the, good move. Well played, Triana, well played. I’m just picking on you lady. So one last question before we let our audience go. How about is there a public forum that you have already, if you will, do you have a place that you can put information out that people want to learn more about Triana Browne and her mission in life to make the world a better place, is there something you have out that others can look to?
TB: Right now all I’m using is just Instagram, I can usually get booked from there. Once I’m done with Miss Oklahoma USA I’ll be able to post stuff as far as like Facebook and be able to be in control of scheduling and what not, but I always say if you want to be able to reach me as of right now, Instagram, so @TrianaBrowne is the best source for me, because I’m able to respond to you almost immediately. And then, once I’m done with Miss Oklahoma USA next month, and the websites will be able to start coming up and we’ll see where I go from there.
JW: Triana, you are a delight. And a wonderful example of a woman leader. At the age of 26, take it from me, I’ve been around this block many many times, you have got tremendous potential. You’re realizing it as you go, but I’m just saying to you, keep up what you’re doing. You’re a great young Christian woman, you’re doing a great leadership work. I know a lot of people look up to you, and I am just truly honored you could just join us today.
TB: Well, thank you so much for having me, it’s been an honor.
JW: What a powerful episode. Listening to the excellent work that Triana has been doing and just feeling that wonderful sense of confidence as a woman leader. What she’s going to be doing over the next several several years, it’s easy to get a hold of her if anyone would like to hire her for speaking or just have her come talk to you about what that entails. Please contact her on her email at trianademi@gmail.com, or you can go on Instagram and see some of her outstanding work and what she’s been doing @TrianaBrowne and she’ll be glad to share anything that’s possible to help her further the word that women are excellent leaders and overcome obstacles of endless number. Such a great lady. Thank you for joining me today. It has been a great, great day for me to come to you this Monday morning, sharing this powerful, powerful young ladies story. When I first met her, she has impressed me, and I tell ya the more I get to know her the more impressed I am. She, folks, is what I call the real deal. Well, special thanks to this week’s podcast guest, Triana Browne, former Miss Oklahoma and Miss Oklahoma USA.
