Hermanie Pierre’s head must feel weighed down from tiara burnout. Consider the pageants she’s won: Miss Saline County USA, Miss Northeast Arkansas, and Miss Haiti International 2012. She certainly is the typification of beauty and brains, because in addition to her beauty pageant honors, Pierre works as an engineer. Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, the Arkansas resident came to the United States at the age of 14 to reunite with her parents. “It was a bittersweet transition that left me with excruciating feelings of nostalgia,” she recalls. “Nonetheless, I remained convinced that I would eventually adapt and thrive.” Part of that determination was inspired by her late uncle Castille, an examplary man whom she credits with helping her develop a dog-like determination to succeed. Her parents also played a role, inculcating into her that education was an indispensable part of life through endless lectures.

When Pierre sets aside her engineer hard hat and boots, she volunteers with countless organizations and takes part in philanthropic activities. You name it, she’s part of it: the Nashville Habitat for Humanity, Sophomore Mentorship Program, Peer Counsel Mentor, NSBE Arkansas Alumni Extension Chaplin; Advisor and Public Relations Director, A Little Piece of Heaven Foundation, Haitian Organization for Health Services; Advocate for Go Red for Women, Young Adult Mentorship, May Town Scholar, College of Engineering ASCE President, Organization for Developing Leadership, Salsa Toastmasters. If this non-exhaustive list didn’t send you in a state of vertigo, then you must have a strong immune system. Ms. Pierre has stamina, thank you very much.

Despite her accomplishments, her goal is to reach even bigger, while inspiring others to reach her heights or higher. A self-described woman of integrity and character, holding the title of Miss Haiti International USA is more than getting notoriety and recognition to Pierre. She hopes to play a big part in the making of a better Haiti.

So you moved from Haiti to the USA when you were 14. You joined your parents in Tennessee, correct?
Moving from Haiti to the States was a life changing experience on many fronts. The transition was difficult. I often was homesick despite the prospect of a better. I have encountered a plethora of challenges that set hurdles to my adaptation such as language barrier and culture shock. I remember enrolling in courses to later discover I merely understood what the professor was saying. Nonetheless, I manage to grasp the contents, earn A’s and graduate with high honors regardless. According to the dictionary definition of the word victim, I do not meet the requirements. Adverse actions from others do not trick, injure nor destroy me. They are rites of passage that strengthen my character and prepare me for the next level of life’s conundrums. The challenges I encountered as I navigated the then new American culture and language could not set hurdles to my determination to excel throughout high school. I graduated with high honors. My performance earned me a full scholarship to Tennessee State University where I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. There is a personal story behind my affinity for engineering. I was inspired by my late uncle, Arnold Castille. Uncle Castille was a self-taught construction foreman with a passion for good deeds. Helping disenfranchised children and their families with food and tuition became one of his favorite hobbies. When I turned eight, I told Uncle Castille about my desire to emulate his character in my adult life. His somewhat familiar and humble reaction moves me til this day: “You have an opportunity I was not dealt with. If you stay in school, you will be better than me, and you will surpass my accomplishments.” Rest in Peace Uncle Castille!

Your resume is rather impressive. You were crowned Miss Saline County USA, Miss Northeast Arkansas and with the Miss Arkansas pageant, you placed third.
Although the level of emotion involved therein was not too significant, my three crowns prepared me for Miss International. Representing a country is a highly sentimental endeavor, and I assume some athletes and other beauty queens that preceded me can attest to that. When I heard about the opportunity through a friend, and was advised by judges to vie for the title, I was not too conscientious of what my decision really entailed, but I am now glad I listened to the judges and my inner voice.

What’s life like as a beauty queen?
My personal life has been substantially altered by my status as Miss Haiti International 2012. I must admit that I through the same routines. However, my load of responsibility has considerably increased in proportion with Miss Haiti’s duties and responsibilities.

What’s the best thing about being Miss Haiti International USA?
Inspiring others and becoming an ad-hoc ambassador for my country put me on a pedestal, at least from my perspective. These two adventures coincide narrowly with the platform I have been promoting with a deep passion—A Better Tomorrow for Today’s Children: Building a New Generation.

A lot of girls out there are struggling with issues of self-esteem. What advice do you have for them?
Self-confidence is the quintessential trait I believe every girl, or every human being for that matter, should be endowed with. Great many people around the world are reaching fame and thriving despite physical, mental or emotional limitations. They find it within themselves to overcome criticism, sometime with self-deprecation, and circumvent obstacles that would otherwise stifle their propensity for initiatives and dreams. The road to Miss International 2012 has not been rosy, and the difficulties are perpetuating as I write. My own kind, the better part of the time, seems to be willing to disown me for reasons that are outside of my sphere of comprehension, but I arm myself with every ounce of confidence within reach and keep on driving on because the sky is my limit.

You must have a lot of big plans once your Miss Haiti International reign is over.
My altruism is my guide. I serve selflessly and take great pride in accompanying others toward success. One of my short term priority after giving up my reign is to continue partnering with local and global organization to contribute to an equitable distribution of education, medical and nutritional supports not only to kids in Haiti but also to those in other parts of the globe. I am currently working on setting up a scholarship fund, the Hermanie Scholarship Fund, to help disenfranchised students in Haiti afford college tuition.

How would you define beauty?
The most common and accepted definition of beauty is equated with exterior physical appearance. That’s just one element of the concept. It is also about philanthropic and altruistic undertakings. We are doomed to evolve as communities in mutual bonds. Political, economic, social, religious and cultural matters must be addressed with a holistic approach in order to tackling detrimental ramifications from all directions because injustice will eventually spill over and bring chicken back home to roost. I can’t single-handedly slow down nor eliminate the process but I believe It is very beautiful to collectively help, give back, love, and care for each other-the only we can outflank the odds. .

Since graduating in 2010 from Tennessee State University, you have worked for the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department, as one of their youngest engineers. What is the secret of your professional success?
I am intrinsically connected to my profession. Choosing engineering as a career was no accident. That’s why I feel content and resolved, every morning and sometimes in the middle of the night, on my way to work. This state of mind nourishes my ambitious being and directs it to upward mobility. It takes intelligence to make it up the ladder. Organizational politics is a thorny territory. Neither knowledge nor outstanding performance alone is sufficient for securing opportunity for organizational advancement. A mélange of both is the secret.

After being part of three pageants, do you anticipate participating at others?
I love challenges and adventures. I would love to partake in more competitions and make a difference but I have reached the ceiling within the system. Meanwhile I intends, to the utmost of my ability, to represent Haiti in the Miss International system and do my best to put Haiti on top of the list.

Now with your career as an engineer, and between pageantry, and the volunteer work you do, how do you avoid burnout?
I do burn out! I get knocked down but I get up again. I just tried to improve on time management and organizational skills. I am young and filled with energy. I want to have a personal and professional foundation built and finish the house while I can.

One of the things that stand out about you is the love you constantly express for Haiti.
My plan is to continue raising awareness for my platform A Better Tomorrow for Today’s Children: Building A New Generation through my life experience. I want young people to emulate my educational choices. I partner with local and global organizations such as Little Piece of Heaven Foundation (LPHF) and Haitian organizations Health Services (HOHS) to promote those choices. Haiti will be a better place with better access to education. It is my goal to utilize my resources, contacts and experience in Haiti’s best interests. I hope to be able to play my part and help make Haiti a better place to visit and live– one where people are valued and accepted for who they are. My life has been filled with privileges, joy and love. I have learned that it is what you make of it.

Our ancestors fought hard for this country. Miss Haiti can do it as well with the support of officials from Haiti. I would be humbled to be acknowledged, in a timely fashion, by my native government. My team and I have made many unsuccessful attempts to reach out those officials. My goal is to be an ambassador to promote and share the positive image of Haiti with the world. I have learned that the world’s perception of Haiti stems from the image that other nations display. It is now the time for us to become proactive in defining how we want to be seen across the world. I want to publicly acknowledge the terrific campaign led by our tourism department in projecting a more positive image of Haiti, thus attracting more visitors and capital to the country.

Former Miss Haiti International and engineer extraordinaire Hermanie Pierre owns not one, but two homes—and she’s barely 25. By applying some little-known strategies, the one-time beauty queen and Arkansas resident was able to get her little piece of the American Dream. She’s sharing all her secrets in her new book entitled How I Bought A $250,000 Home While Still In College.

Above: Former Miss Haiti International winner-engineer and real estate entrepreneur Hermanie Pierre.

Kreyolicious: Congratulations on being a homeowner. At which point did you decide to write a book about the process?

Thank you so very much. I bought my first home at 21-years-old. I was still in college. It started in college when my friends kept asking how I got a house while still in school and they were struggling there. I told them the few easy steps that they could take to do the same but they thought it was too easy. They could not believe it. As I meet new people, I’m asked the same questions and I ll tell them. Education is very important and my dream is to make sure every kid has a basic education. I bought my house while still in college I knew that money did not come from my little part-time job. I knew it had to do with education. I realized the best way I could motivate others to stay in school was to share my personal story. The strategy I share in the book with my readers is one I applied. It worked out great for me. Furthermore, I have shared it with several of my friends and they were all like, “Wow! Thanks Hermanie. Your idea really helped me. I can’t believe I am making money in college.” Now they know I was not playing.

Kreyolicious: If you were to rank all your accomplishments since you’ve been crowned Miss Haiti International, what would be on the Top 3 list of your accomplishments.

Being an engineer is by far the top—not only because it is my passion—but because it took three generations before we finally had an engineer [in my family], and I was the first woman to break the [ceiling]. Well—to be clear—I was an engineer before Miss Haiti. Second, is becoming the Director for Haiti International Pageant for all the categories: Mrs., Miss, Teen and Junior. This opportunity has given me a chance to not only meet beautiful Haitian women all over the world, but also the chance to continue raising awareness and continue to promote the best images of my beautiful country.

Third, I realized that I found my calling as a motivational speaker. I’m able to change people lives through words and actions. These are some things that I will forever be grateful for.

Above: Hermanie Pierre’s second home in Arkansas.

Kreyolicious: What’s the best money habit that you’ve developed that you feel have helped you tremendously?

Don’t spend what you don’t have. Your today is also your tomorrow—meaning what you spend today will become a habit for tomorrow. Debt today is also debt tomorrow. If you can save today you will save tomorrow.

Kreyolicious: When you were shopping for your home, how did you know “the one” from all the others?

[Laughter] Very funny story. When I bought my first home, I had no idea what it looked like neither inside nor outside. I just saw it on a flyer. I did not know what was on the inside until they gave me my key. Even though it turned out to be one of the best investments I’ve ever made I will still won’t advise anyone to do that. It is risky. It may not always work in your favor. Since I am an engineer, in my mind I knew if something went wrong I could fix it.

Kreyolicious: There may be people reading this, who’ll be inspired but will still be thinking to themselves, “That’s great and everything. But I can’t achieve something similar—I couldn’t buy my own home. She’s an engineer, a beauty pageant queen. How can I compare?” What would you say to those who may be thinking along those lines?

Most people will be afraid of several things. You have to fail to learn. I bought my first home before I was an engineer and a beauty pageant candidate. I was 21-years-old…that’s why I wrote the book—to help people that might be thinking just like that. The book is not just about buying a home. It is about secret ways you can find money to help you with your situation. The most essential element of any successful attempt is passion. Even if you are not the greatest or richest student living today, the desire to succeed will take you where you want to be. [Wealth] sometimes comes by fate, but it is an art that can be learned and honed by those who have the determination and willingness to do so.

I know today most people use social media. Actually, no story on successful college entrepreneurs would make sense without mentioning Facebook billionaire Mark Zuckerberg. Today, one of the richest men on earth, Zuckerberg founded Facebook while still a student at Harvard University in 2004. In fact, he invented it from his dorm room. Since then, Facebook has taken the world over, and it is valued at more than $100 billion. I know you may argue that one example is not enough—so look at many example choices of college billionaire I mention on the book. The book is available on Amazon Kindle or you can get CD or hardbook cover though email.

The engineer’s first home…purchased at 21.

Kreyolicious: Will you be writing other books?

Yes. After the success of my first, I am working on my second one as we speak. My advice to everyone is to at least read this book. It will change the way you think. If you have not read this amazing book, download it on your Kindle and read it.

[All photos provided by subject.]

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Hermanie Pierre is not the type of former beauty queen to sit there and be complacent. The one-time Miss Haiti International penned a self-help business book shortly after her reign ended. And she isn’t stopping there. SXE Fitness and SXE Hair are her entries into the fitness and beauty business realms Follow along as we talk about these ventures.

K. St. Fort: You’re a beauty queen, an engineer, an author, motivational speaker and now entrepreneur. What made you undertake SXE Fitness?

I love being in the gym. The hardest thing about going to the gym is when you can’t find anything to wear. Being at the gym means you want to feel great, look sexy, and be fabulous. If you are trying to feel like that, you must have the gear to help you mentally. The problem I had [was this:] I could not find great workout gym wear that was sexy and comfortable. Once I wore my SXE Fitness clothes I noticed I stayed at the gym longer and felt so sexy that no one in the gym looked better than me. [Laughter] The outfit gave me a boost of confidence.

K. St. Fort: I noticed that the line’s pieces are very stylish. I’m sure that’s not just a coincidence. Do you think that having great workout gear can motivate someone to be more active fitness-wise?

OMG I saw people at the gym wearing baggy clothes! If you watched them closely, they were not as motivated. SXE Fitness clothes are made with 100% supplex material. Supplex material is lightweight, flexible and dry fit. It won’t wrinkle, shrink or fade. Excellent quality. The most amazing thing about our entire line is that it’s available in “One size fits Most” fitting sizes from 0 to 10. It doesn’t matter if you are size 0 or 10. These clothes will fit–and it also give you a butt lift…no surgery, a natural lift.

Most people don’t know that 80% of working out is what you eat and feel. If you feel sexy the chance is you will eat less junk food because you don’t want to mess up that body. Well SXE Fitness helps you mentally with that. Every time you wear your clothes and you feel so sexy, chances are you will not mess up that body. Ten percent is cardio. Ten percent is actual gym work. Well those 20% combination again wearing gym wear like SXE Fitness brand. It will help you mentally stay in the gym longer and motivate you to keep going and reach your fitness goals.

K. St. Fort: Do you have a workout regimen?

My regimen is very predictable and simple. I go to the gym between 3 to 5 times a week. The main reason I go to the gym is to tone and not lose weight. I also have a partner at the gym. Some days we do legs and arms. Forty-eight hours later, we come back together and do the same workout. One day is dedicated to abs and another to cardio.

K. St. Fort: What goes into running your clothing line?

Wow! running SXE Fitness clothing is an around the clock job. Why? Because I am always thinking of what is next, what girls/women will love, what will help them. I also have an amazing team behind me helping me. Our goal is to make sure women feel sexy and confident. What’s best about SXE Fitness we make sure other people have jobs from sewing to packing. While we are branding our line, we are also creating job and give back to the community.

K. St. Fort: Girl, what’s next for you?

The Sky’s the Limit! God blessed me tremendously and I am very grateful for that. I am working on the men’s gym wear line, as well as a plus size line. I keep getting the same questions what about men? What about plus size? Just like I told them. Rome was not built in one day. [Laughter] But I am very happy with the turn out, the feedback and testimonials. I have a lot of happy celebrity clients. My focus now is on the men’s and plus-size lines. Also, a month ago I announced my hair line SXE Hair. I carry all types : Peruvian, Malaysian, Brazilian and Cambodian-straight, body waves, curly, kinky…you name it!

All are grade 8A-the best hair quality you can find. I believe everyone should look gorgeous in however they define their beauty. My goal is to make sure they have what they need. I also provide beauty on the budget-a-lay-away program where you can buy whatever you want hair or gym wear with a $50 deposit and pick up your items when you pay your final payment. Your items are guaranteed to be available.

All photos courtesy of subject.

Would you like to get yourself some SXE Fitness Gear? Of course you would!To all Kreyolicious readers please use code “LPH10” for extra discount and free priority shipping.

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