Iyanla Hall would’ve won.

That’s what her mother always says.

Iyanla would’ve won if she hadn’t walked the stage crying for her mom, until her mom had to join her on the stage. But walking out the door with a third place Pretty Little Princess trophy in her hand, she changed her mind. “Why didn’t you do that when it was your turn?” her mother said.

“I don’t know. I’m 3.”

“That’s how it all started,” Iyanla says.

Iyanla is now a junior training for Miss Teen Texas USA 2016, and her mom will be there every step of the way.

“For Miss Teen Texas, I was not expecting to get an acceptance letter. I was like ‘Oh my goodness,’” Iyanla says. “It’s like that thing when you think ‘Oh they won’t notice me,’ and then they do, and it just takes your breath away.”

Although Iyanla started pageants young, she didn’t really get “serious” about them until a year ago when her mother saw a billboard for AMTC (Actors, Models and Talent for Christ) while driving home on a Friday afternoon. Iyanla looked up the agency’s website and saw that the audition was the very next day.

“I was freaked out,” Iyanla said. “I was running around cause I really wanted to do this, and it was so sudden.”

Over the summer, Iyanla attended a conference called Shine in Florida. On the day of her flight, a series of complications arose, and she had to navigate the airport and a completely new state without her “Momager” for a day.

“It gave me a lot of experience,” Iyanla said. “It showed me what it was gonna be like when my mom’s not around. It was a learning moment to show when I feel alone who I’m gonna put my faith in, and that’s the Lord. If it weren’t for Him, I would’ve been a mess. It was really scary being without my mom.”

Iyanla is training to prepare for the upcoming pageant’s categories such as the interview in evening gown and the swimsuit portion.

“It’s been a lot,” Iyanla says. “It honestly feels similar to Shine, but a lot more competitive. Now I have to get a trainer and start getting in shape more. I’ve been working out at home. I have a potential personal trainer opportunity. I’ve been conscious of what I’m eating. I’ve been trying to keep my skin clear.”

AMTC has also been preparing Iyanla for auditions to go in front of VIP’s from big companies such as 20th Century Fox or VAT.

“I’ve always been a confident person, but I used to not want to go in front of a bunch of people and talk,” Iyanla said.

But she’s not scared this time.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” Iyanla says. “I feel like I’m going at a good pace right now with my preparation, so I’m very confident about that.”