In a relatively short time, Kim Kotter’s feats as Miss Universe National Director of two countries (Netherlands & Germany) are getting the most recognition. She successfully spearheaded national pageants that produced remarkable delegates for the Miss Universe pageant. At the root of her success is an inquisitive nature and thirst for knowledge that cannot be quenched. Whether it is her modeling agency or her own TV show, she doesn't rest until her "duty" is done. Kim has taken another step towards the stars and we believe that her combined expertise and marketing muscle will propel her status to even greater heights. In this interview, Missosology's recipient of the Best National Director Award reveals how she managed to breathe life into her national pageants.
Your popularity as a national director skyrocketed with your fruitful operation of the Miss Universe Germany and Miss Universe Netherlands pageants, what inspired you to hold these pageant systems?
First of all, I’d like to thank you for the huge compliment by naming me Best National Director of Miss Universe 2009. I’m so enormously honored! For me, participating in the Miss Universe 2002 pageant was like a dream. And I want to say this to all the young women in the Netherlands and Germany: If I, a girl from a farmer’s side of the country could win the pageant in the Netherlands as the first delegate and make it to the Miss Universe pageant without experience, every girl should be able to make it. Don’t forget that there are a lot of good looking girls in all parts of the Netherlands and Germany with and without experience. If you’re spirit is right there, you can be the chosen one. My enthusiasm and will brought me to where I am now. That’s what I want the girls competing in pageants to emulate.
Also, I’m a person who can’t stand deceptions. I want to clear the image of a beauty pageant without skills and also be able to show people that a Miss has far more skills aside from having physical beauty. A Miss can also make a difference. I’d like to surprise people with enthusiasm and to prove that prejudices are not always true. And I love working with people. Lots of people inspire me. It feels great to be a part of somebody’s inspiration.
And last but not the least, I lost my best friend and business partner during the pageant finals of The Netherlands and Germany. The last thing I promised her is to make her proud about the organization of both countries. I absolutely dedicate this award to her. Petra, this one is for you. And I hope many more will follow. You’ll be my inspiration forever. I’m always wearing half of a heart on my chain while she wears the other part for all eternity. We’re always together in spirit.Could you please share a short story how you got the license from the Miss Universe Organization to stage the national pageants of the two countries?
During my participation in Miss Universe 2002, I was asked about my thoughts regarding the organization of Miss Universe Netherlands. I told them that I couldn’t give a proper opinion because I only saw the Dutch National Director twice. After a few months I realized that a lot of things could be organized better. I even got the license for organizing Miss Overijssel in 2002 (a regional pageant). With my background in Policy and Organization Science and the experience that I gained during the Miss Universe pageant, it gave me a very nice start to begin with. In all the interviews the question asked was: "What's your ambition in the next few years?" And I knew the answer from the very start: "To organize Miss Universe Netherlands."
But before getting this license, I wanted to have a lot of experience so I could handle everything that goes with it properly. After a lot of conversations with the formal owner of Miss Netherlands for 20 years, my partner Eddy and I bought the Miss Netherlands organization. At first, the winner of the pageant couldn’t be sent to Miss Universe. Since I love the Miss Universe pageant so much, we decided to contact the Miss Universe Organization. They followed us for some time. We showed them our ambition and business intention. We also showed much potential through the companies we had built up throughout the years. After that, The Miss Universe Organization told us they would be very pleased to have me as national director of the Netherlands. I also thought of acquiring the Miss Universe license for Germany. I live at the German border and my grandparents are both German- so, why not? But my intention and ambition stayed at The Netherlands. Later that week Annette called us and said that we could have the licenses of both The Netherlands and Germany. “You can start small in Germany,” she said. After a lot of work, 3 to 5 weeks later, we successfully held the pageant finals of both countries. Annette, we’re very grateful for that.What is the most challenging aspect of being a national director?
For me the most challenging aspect of being a national director is encouraging people to get to know the Miss Universe pageant and be proud of their national delegate. And not just because of the beauty aspect. Most people have no idea what package a Miss Universe delegate has to bring. It entails intelligence, personality and skills. For me, the most important thing to start with is to get rid of the false image beauty pageants have up to now. To stand up and tell what it’s really about. A Miss Universe delegate can be an example for a lot of people and they can bring messages across.
Your hard work is commendable. Everyone at Missosology recognizes it. How does it feel like to be named Best National Director of this year’s Miss Universe?
I’m so honored! I can’t believe this is happening already in the first year, no, in the first 2 months (smiles). But I didn’t do it alone. I worked very hard with the best team you can imagine. Everybody and everything inspire me. Eddy, my partner, my colleagues, my family and friends, my fans, my dreams, this website, the press etcetera. I would like to thank everybody! I couldn’t make it without you all!! I’d like to thank even the ones who didn’t agree with me in the beginning. Why? Because they made me fight to make this thing work. I hope I can fulfill all your expectations for the rest of my-just-starting-career as a national director.
Aside from being a former Miss Universe contestant, tell us something that we don’t know about you.
Last year, I went to Afghanistan to inspire our soldiers. I also visited the Australian, American and even the Afghan soldiers. I made a documentary about different projects of foreign peace missions in Afghanistan, like the irrigation project. We Dutchmen are well known for these projects especially in Holland. Our peace mission involves the implementation of education to Afghans and all-out support to the Afghanistan casualties who are being treated in military hospitals. In the coming year I’ll return to visit the girl’s school. Education in Afghanistan is not common, especially for women who are being restrained by the Taliban. It was a huge honor to see this with my own eyes: weird and exciting at the same time, considering the fact that it’s a war zone. Every person has an opinion about these missions, good or bad. I am privileged to have witnessed these small steps in the right direction and to be in the position to communicate this to others. Through these peace missions we can make a difference in this world!
What is the real deal with your coaching style?
I’ve got a real passion for coaching. I love my girls and I’d like to stimulate them to get the most out of themselves as much as possible. Next to training the girls is equipping them with the skills needed. I’d like to be their support system, just like Mother Goose. I’m very proud of my girls. I speak to them, at least once a day. Even right now, in the Bahamas. In every mood, with very enthusiastic stories, if they need advice or if they want to share some problems, they can call me 24-7.
With my experience from organizing Miss Overijssel for 7 years and with my own TV show about the Miss Overijssel pageant every week (shown 12 weeks in a row) and a LIVE finals besides running my own modeling agency for several years- I learnt how to stimulate people and make them enthusiastic, like I am. I know most of the charities. And since I experienced competing in a pageant like Miss Universe, I understand what the girls are feeling during the competition.
To be honest, I found out that this was the main reason for me to compete in the Miss Universe Netherlands in 2002. This is it. It had a reason. Being a Miss gives you the possibility to be a role model. It’s not necessary to be popular or famous and use drugs, cigarettes etc. Being a role model gives you the possibility to make a difference: educate kids and teens in things like AIDS, the war in Afghanistan amongst others. I think we opened some doors in both countries- Germany and The Netherlands. This is our ambition for the years to come. I can’t wait to continue what we’ve started!Describe Avalon and Martina. What would be their edge at Miss Universe?
Besides their amazing half European & half exotic looks and bodies, I’ve fallen in love with their personalities.
Avalon: She is charming, elegant, sweet and the best student I’ve ever had. She immediately understands every advice and she knows how to make it hers. Aside from that, she knows many languages such as Dutch, English, Spanish, German and French. She adjusts to every culture or every person- no matter what age or background. She’s so lovely.
Martina: She is very sweet and modest and she wants to do everything for you. She has an amazing mix of Korean and German roots. She shows no signs of stress or anger. She’ll handle every situation with ease. She’s very relaxed and stable.
Do you have any hunch on what MUO is looking for this year? Aside from your two girls, could you possibly name 5 delegates who have what it takes to make it all the way to the top?
I think that this year they’re looking for a spontaneous girl who can set an example for many people in this world, especially the children. A beauty queen is not only beautiful on the outside, she also has a message, someone that you’ll love at first sight. She must be able to show others that it’s not only about money, glitter and glamour, especially in an economical crisis we are experiencing today. We need to go back to basics and focus more on the more important aspects of our lives, such as caring about each other. Drugs are not necessary to become famous, like it seems nowadays, when all artists are in rehab and they don’t even seem to care. Standards and values should be clear. Respect for each other, to help each other, happiness and health are more important than money, image and glamour. In a time like this, when a black man like Obama can be president of The United States can make a difference to the world we live in. This is the girl we are looking for!
About the girls: I haven’t personally met all other contestants yet, so my opinion is based on all the pictures and interviews on websites and forums like Missosology; I think, aside from my girls, Miss Dominican Republic and Miss Australia have what it takes to make it to the top.
I’m curious how the delegates would look like without plastic surgery. In this time we’ve got a lot of, so called role models, who look only perfect with the right plastic surgery. I’m looking for a Miss Universe who is the perfect role model for the rest of the world and doesn’t need surgery or drugs or whatsoever to send her message clearly to the rest of us. She only needs her sparkling personality and skills and use her beauty in the right way. I know my girls are ready for that.Any message to the readers of Missosology?
To all readers of Missosology, thank you for your enormous support. Keep your fingers crossed and I will keep mine! I’m really looking forward to the finals and to read all your lines in the forum. To be honest: I’m addicted to Missosology’s forum. I hope I can surprise you next year even more with our pageants from the Netherlands and Germany. And my girls are using twitter!
http://twitter.com/missnetherlands & http://twitter.com/missunivgermany
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Kim Kotter will be receiving a trophy from Missosology.
