Today we’d like to introduce you to Whitney Franklin.
Whitney, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My story is one of resilience, rediscovery, and learning how to become myself again.
For a long time, my identity was wrapped up in being a wife, a mother, and everything that everyone else needed me to be. Somewhere along the way, I lost sight of the woman I was outside of those roles. Going through a divorce was one of the most difficult chapters of my life. It wasn’t just the end of a marriage; it was the end of the life I thought I would have. I found myself having to rebuild emotionally, financially, mentally, and spiritually, all while continuing to show up as a mother to my three children.
There were moments when I didn’t recognize myself anymore. My confidence had taken a hit, my dreams had been placed on the back burner, and I had spent so much time pouring into everyone else that I had forgotten what it looked like to pour into myself.
At some point, I realized that I had a choice. I could allow that chapter of my life to define me, or I could take everything I had experienced and use it as the foundation for a new beginning. I chose to reclaim my life.
That decision didn’t come with some overnight transformation. It came through small, sometimes uncomfortable steps. I returned to the workforce, determined to rebuild my independence and create new opportunities for myself and my children. I also made the decision to return to school, something I had put off while prioritizing my family. In 2026, I became a first-generation college graduate, earning my associate degree in Business Communication, and I’m now working toward my bachelor’s degree. That accomplishment meant so much more to me than a diploma. It was proof that I could still accomplish the things I once dreamed about.
One of the most unexpected parts of my healing journey was pageantry. What started as an opportunity to step outside of my comfort zone became a powerful experience of rediscovering my confidence, my voice, and my worth. Pageantry challenged me to stand in front of others and celebrate a woman I was still learning to love again. It reminded me that I was more than what I had been through, more than the titles I carried at home, and more than the opinions or expectations of others.
Through pageantry, I began to see myself differently. I wasn’t just surviving anymore. I was growing, leading, and finding purpose in my experiences.
That journey eventually inspired me to establish my nonprofit organization, Crowned with Purpose. I wanted to create opportunities for girls and women to experience the confidence, sisterhood, personal growth, and empowerment that pageantry had given me, regardless of their financial circumstances or backgrounds. I know what it feels like to lose your confidence, and I also know how powerful it can be when someone reminds you of your worth. My goal is to help others discover that confidence before life convinces them they’ve lost it.
Today, I work as a Presentation Specialist with the Better Business Bureau of Michigan, I’m continuing my education, raising my three beautiful children, building my nonprofit, and embracing opportunities that once felt out of reach.
But the greatest accomplishment isn’t my career, my degree, my crown, or even starting a nonprofit. It’s finding myself again.
I’m still learning, still healing, and still growing. I don’t have everything figured out, and my life certainly doesn’t look the way I once imagined it would. But I’ve learned that sometimes the life you have to rebuild becomes more meaningful than the one you were afraid to lose.
If my story teaches anything, I hope it’s that starting over doesn’t mean you’ve failed. Sometimes starting over is the first time you truly choose yourself.
I didn’t enter this chapter of my life with all the answers. I entered it with faith, a little courage, and a determination not to lose myself again. And somewhere along the way, I realized I wasn’t just rebuilding my life. I was becoming the woman I was always meant to be.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced has been learning how to rebuild my life while still being responsible for everyone who depends on me.
Going through a divorce was difficult, but what came afterward was equally challenging. I had to navigate the emotional weight of a marriage ending, financial uncertainty, and the reality of becoming a single mother of three. There wasn’t an opportunity to put life on pause while I figured everything out. My children still needed me, bills still had to be paid, and life continued moving even on the days when I felt completely overwhelmed.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I like to think of myself as a woman who wears many crowns, and not just the ones you see on a pageant stage. I’m a mother, community advocate, educator, published author, public speaker, event host, entrepreneur, and a woman who believes that our experiences, even the difficult ones, can be used to make a difference in someone else’s life.
Professionally, I serve as a Presentation Specialist with the Better Business Bureau Serving Eastern Michigan, where I focus on community education, consumer protection, and fraud prevention. I have the opportunity to connect with people from all walks of life, from students to senior citizens, helping them become more informed, confident, and empowered. What I love most about my work is that I’m not just delivering information. I’m building relationships, creating meaningful conversations, and helping people protect themselves and their families.
I’m also a passionate public speaker and event host. Whether I’m hosting a community event, speaking at a conference, facilitating a workshop, or standing on a stage in front of hundreds of people, I genuinely enjoy bringing people together. I specialize in creating engaging, relatable experiences that leave people feeling inspired, informed, and connected. I believe that a microphone is more than a tool to be heard; it’s an opportunity to make an impact. My speaking often centers around empowerment, personal growth, leadership, faith, and overcoming adversity.
My professional background spans education, healthcare, entertainment, entrepreneurship, public relations, and community outreach. While those industries may seem completely different, they’ve all helped me develop what I consider my greatest strength: the ability to connect with people. I’m known for my energy, authenticity, creativity, and ability to make people feel comfortable, valued, and included.
One of my greatest passions is Crowned with Purpose, the nonprofit organization I founded after experiencing firsthand how transformative pageantry can be. Pageantry played a significant role in helping me rediscover my confidence after going through one of the most difficult seasons of my life. I wanted to take something that helped me find my voice again and create opportunities for others to experience that same sense of empowerment.
The mission of Crowned with Purpose is to make pageantry more affordable, accessible, and inclusive while empowering girls and women through confidence-building, leadership development, mentorship, education, and community service. We believe that every girl deserves an opportunity to discover her potential, regardless of her financial circumstances, background, or experience.
But Crowned with Purpose is about so much more than pageants and crowns. My vision is to use pageantry as a foundation for developing the next generation of young leaders in our communities. Through workshops, mentorship opportunities, community outreach, educational programming, and special events, I want to help young people build essential life skills such as public speaking, communication, self-confidence, teamwork, and leadership.
I’m especially passionate about creating events and experiences that bring families, organizations, and communities together. Whether it’s a youth empowerment workshop, a community service initiative, a leadership development event, or an opportunity for young girls to step outside their comfort zones, I want Crowned with Purpose to be a place where young people don’t just participate but learn how to lead, serve, and make a difference.
My goal is to help develop young leaders who understand that leadership isn’t about having a title or wearing a crown. It’s about character, compassion, confidence, and the willingness to use your voice to create positive change.
I’m also a published author. My devotional, Ratchet to Righteous!, reflects my faith, personal growth, and belief that you don’t have to have a perfect past to live a purposeful life. Through writing, speaking, and sharing my own experiences, I hope to encourage women who may be navigating difficult transitions or questioning whether it’s too late to pursue their dreams.
When I think about what I’m most proud of, it’s difficult to choose just one accomplishment. Becoming a first-generation college graduate while raising three children, returning to the workforce, rebuilding my confidence, and establishing a nonprofit are all milestones that mean so much to me. But what makes me proudest is knowing that my children are watching me pursue my dreams instead of giving up on them. I want them to understand that life may not always go as planned, but they always have the ability to write a new chapter.
What sets me apart is my authenticity, versatility, and willingness to embrace every part of my story. I’m not interested in presenting a picture of perfection. I know what it’s like to feel defeated, to question your worth, and to have to rebuild from the ground up. Those experiences have made me more compassionate, relatable, and intentional about how I show up for others.
I’m also not afraid to reinvent myself. I’ve learned that you don’t have to fit into one box or limit yourself to one passion. You can be educated and still be learning. You can be confident and still have insecurities. You can be a mother who gives everything to her children while still making room for her own dreams.
I want to be known as someone who doesn’t just wear a crown but uses her crown, her voice, and her platform to create opportunities for others. Someone who turns pain into purpose, encourages others to believe in themselves, and helps develop young people who will one day become confident, compassionate leaders.
At the heart of everything I do, whether it’s my professional work, public speaking, event hosting, nonprofit, writing, or community involvement, my mission is the same: to educate, empower, encourage, and create opportunities for others to thrive.
Because for me, success isn’t just about how far I go. It’s about how many people I can help rise along the way.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
One of my favorite childhood memories is sitting in front of the television watching the Miss America pageant. I remember being completely fascinated by the beautiful gowns, sparkling crowns, confidence, and grace of the women walking across the stage. To me, they represented everything I wished I could be: beautiful, confident, accomplished, and comfortable in my own skin.
But as much as I loved watching, there was also a part of me that believed I could never be one of those women.
Growing up, I struggled with my self-esteem and how I saw myself. I didn’t think I was pretty enough, skinny enough, or even the right skin color to compete in a pageant. I had created this image in my mind of what a beauty queen was supposed to look like, and when I looked in the mirror, I didn’t see her.
I never imagined that one day I would be the woman wearing the crown.
Looking back, that childhood memory means so much more to me today. What was once something I admired from a distance eventually became part of my own journey of healing and rediscovering my confidence. The little girl who once questioned whether she was beautiful enough grew into a woman who found the courage to step onto a pageant stage and take up space unapologetically.
And perhaps the most beautiful part of that full-circle moment is that my journey didn’t stop with me. It inspired me to create Crowned with Purpose, an organization dedicated to making pageantry more accessible and helping girls discover their confidence, leadership abilities, and self-worth.
I often think about that little girl sitting in front of the television, wishing she could be like the women she saw on the screen. If I could go back and tell her anything, it would be that she never needed to change her body, her skin color, or who she was to be worthy of a crown.
Today, I don’t just want to be the woman that little girls watch on stage. I want to be the woman who makes sure they know there’s a place on that stage for them, too.
What started as a childhood dream has become a much bigger purpose. And every time I put on my crown, I think about the little girl I used to be and all the little girls who may still be wondering if they’re enough.
I want them to know that they are, and they always have been.
Pricing:
- my book can be purchased on Amazon for $19.99
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @crown_whit
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitney-franklin-789181291
