Scramblers Franchise Leader Takes Lessons From Recent Pageant Experience

Buerk, who was crowned Miss Ohio in June, visited Las Vegas in August to take part in the event empowering women to change the world. The Miss For America Strong event, spearheaded by Mrs. America Inc., is dedicated to raising awareness for Victoria’s Voice Foundation, a nonprofit committed to saving lives by raising awareness about drug overdose and addiction.

“I love that the folks here at Scramblers want to find that balance of supporting employees to do something new, while still keeping that commitment to our work,” Buerk said of the brand’s support during her trip. “I certainly took a few hotel lobby work calls, but it was so rewarding to take part in such a valuable experience and support such a great cause.”

With minimal experience on the pageant circuit, Buerk was initially hesitant to participate. Without the same access to beauty teams, headshots, and sponsors that her competitors had, she relied on her tenure working in franchising at Scramblers to help her navigate the new experience and secure the Miss Ohio title. After winning the statewide event, Buerk earned at least five sponsors to support her national run.

As part of the 10-day event in Las Vegas, Buerk met with coaches to work on her interview tactics and practice speaking concisely. She discovered many parallels between her pageant training and her work finding and aiding new franchise owners in the Scramblers family. Buerk says she has been able to apply her coaching to better present the benefits of investing in a business with a proven track record and brand recognition.

“There were so many lessons and parallels I’ve brought back into my work,” she said. “We’re always hard at work upgrading our brand guidelines at Scramblers. As a brand, we strive to push the envelope and work outside our comfort zone. Every pageant contestant has a platform, and mine was for young people to do things they’ve never done and keep pushing boundaries.”

Buerk has pushed boundaries throughout her career, building an impressive list of experiences. She followed in the footsteps of her family and joined the Scramblers team as a freshman in high school before studying at the University of Cincinnati, where she earned a degree in organizational leadership. In addition to her valuable experience in franchising, Buerk is a former Cincinnati Bengals cheerleader and has also worked abroad in Italy. She rejoined the Scramblers team last year.