From Pageants to Power Moves: Olivia Culpo on Building an Empire Beyond the Runway

Olivia Culpo is no stranger to reinvention. More than a decade after winning Miss Universe, she continues to expand her influence across industries, seamlessly moving from the runway to television, entrepreneurship, and now motherhood. In recent conversations on Real Pod with Victoria Garrick Browne and The Squeeze with Taylor and Taylor Lautner, Culpo shares how she built her career with intention, the challenges she faced along the way, and why she believes her empire is only just beginning. 

From Rhode Island to Miss Universe 

Culpo’s journey began in Rhode Island, where she grew up in a family of musicians. Her parents, who initially had reservations about her entering the pageant world, played a significant role in shaping her determination and resilience. “My mom brought me to tears the night before I won Miss Rhode Island,” she recalls on Real Pod. “My parents hated the pageants. I didn’t grow up doing anything like that, having literally zero support.” 

Despite her mother’s reservations, Culpo pursued her own vision, inspired by the success stories of Halle Berry, Maria Menounos, and Giuliana Rancic, all of whom started their careers in pageants. 

“I knew that Halle Berry had started her career as a runner-up with Miss USA,” she explains. “At that time, I thought I wanted to be a host. Maria Menounos and Giuliana Rancic started in pageants. I just thought of all these people who had gotten their foot in the door by doing a pageant, so I thought it would be a step in the right direction.” 

That determination led to a historic win in 2012, when she became one of the youngest women ever crowned Miss Universe. This experience, she emphasizes, was never about the crown—it was about the opportunity it presented to her. It opened doors to the world of modeling, hosting, and entrepreneurship, and taught her the value of seizing opportunities and staying true to her vision. 

Building a lasting career 

Culpo’s career strategy hinged on turning the early spotlight into something more sustainable. “I really appreciate you saying that I’ve scaled and continued to grow,” she tells Browne. “Right now, I’m knee-deep in diapers, so I definitely don’t feel like that. For me, it’s about staying inspired and having fun with what you can create. That’s what fashion is, that’s what food is, that’s what beauty is. It’s creating, and I love creating.” 

Part of that creation is Netflix’s new competition series Next Gen Chef, which Culpo hosts. “It is everything I’ve ever wanted to watch in a cooking show,” she says on The Squeeze. “It’s the most talented young chefs in America under the age of 30, and they’re competing for the largest culinary prize in history—$500,000. It’s one of those things that’s been on my vision board my whole life.” Her connection to food is personal. She co-founded three family-owned restaurants and often cooked with her mother as she grew up. “I love the connection with food, and it’s all those things plus the heat of a competition,” she adds. “You really see a lot of heart, soul, and competitiveness.” 

Facing doubts and finding confidence 

While Culpo’s career looks effortless from the outside, she acknowledges the insecurities that came with it. “I was the youngest person to compete that year, and I was also, by far, the shortest,” she tells The Squeeze. “People are going to tear you to shreds online, and you’re just going to read what they decide to tear you to shreds about.” 

Instead of letting those doubts derail her, Culpo says she learned to block out the noise. “You have to just listen to yourself,” she advises. “Wear blinders, do it for yourself, and try to see the bigger picture. Don’t take yourself too seriously.” 

Culpo also emphasizes that much of her progress came from studying others and trusting the process. “In my opinion, you should look at the people doing the things that you want and figure out how they did it,” she explains. “That’s what worked for me—taking pointers from the people who had built themselves by themselves and what they did to get there.” 

Reinvention and resilience 

Culpo returns to one central theme in her conversations: reinvention. After leaving college to pursue modeling and hosting opportunities in New York, she endured nights of doubt. “I cried myself to sleep for years,” she admits. “It was a huge adjustment, but it ended up working out somehow. It always has a way of working out.” 

She believes the secret lies in embracing redirection. “You have to truly decide to believe that everything is working out and unfolding for you exactly how it’s supposed to,” she says. “So if things don’t work out the way that you wanted them to, just know it’s a redirection. It’s not a closed door.” 

This mindset has carried her through shifting industries and new roles, from modeling to entrepreneurship to television. “Life has evolved so much since then,” she reflects. “Look at podcasts—those didn’t exist. Everything is changing constantly. So it’s about going with the flow and taking advantage of every opportunity that you get.” 

Creating a legacy 

For Culpo, success isn’t about accolades—it’s about gratitude and creativity. “Life to me is one big Pinterest board,” she says. “I love having a vision and executing it. I’m happy that people enjoy it too.” 

Her advice to anyone chasing a dream mirrors her own journey from Miss Universe to media mogul: take risks, stay inspired, and trust that even setbacks can lead to breakthroughs. “If you have nothing to lose in that way, you’ll be more willing to take a chance on yourself,” she insists. “Because there is no worst-case scenario.”  

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