Michael Strehlow chatted with #Powerjournalist Markos Papadatos about representing the state of Alabama in the 2025 Mister USA competition.
Byron Pulsifer once said: “Imagine, dream, and believe in yourself. With determination and belief, you will be surprised at what you accomplish.” This quote applies to Michael Strehlow.
Repping Alabama
Strehlow is repping the state of Alabama and he is stepping on the national Mister USA stage with heart, hustle, and humility. He is bringing more than just muscle and leading man looks to the male beauty pageant.
At 25 years old, Strehlow is a full-time medical practice manager in Kansas City, Kansas, and a lifelong fitness enthusiast who has been turning passion into his chosen vocation since the age of 15.
Between early mornings at the gym and evenings spent soaking up life’s quiet moments with his nine-month-old son (Caden), Strehlow thrives on movement, momentum, and meaningful balance.
Presently, Strehlow is stepping into the spotlight not just to compete—but to inspire others to embrace challenges, grow beyond their comfort zones, and show that real strength is built one day, one rep, and one bold step at a time!
Competing for the 2025 Mister USA
Mister USA is an American beauty pageant, which is held annually, and the winner goes on to represent the United States in the Mister Universe competition. It is a celebration of culture, diversity, beauty, intelligence and empowerment.
It believes in the power of young leaders to make a difference in the world. It is not solely about outer beauty; it recognizes the inner beauty and intelligence of their contestants.
On being a part of the 2025 Mister USA competition, he said, “This is awesome! I am super excited for the opportunity.”
“I have had the good fortune to live in both Kansas and Missouri, and I’ve gotten down to the gulf in Alabama quite a bit for fishing and other fun activities with my family, so I am excited to represent it in this year’s Mister USA competition,” he acknowledged.
Whether Strehlow is playing disc golf, hiking, fishing, or simply winding down with a good Netflix binge, he lives for adventure and personal growth.
Daily motivations
On his daily motivations, he said, “My nine-month-old son motivates me each day. That is definitely a big motivator. When I was younger, I was always motivated fitness-wise. I grew up very skinny with no muscles and I was tiny/short. I was not the big, muscular guy by any means. So, the gym has always been a big motivation for me.”
“After having my son, my viewpoint started to change a little bit. I fell off with the gym and my focus shifted. I have to provide and give him the best life possible, so I went in grind mode, and I ended up getting a job in health care management, which is a lot more work and a lot more stress. Because of Caden, it has pushed me to do things that I didn’t think I could.”
Advocacy for Mister USA
His advocacy is to help people that are struggling with social anxiety. “A big thing for me was that I grew up super, super shy. I grew up with a big family (I have seven siblings) so I was constantly around people but funnily enough, I grew up super shy and anti-social. So, that was a big thing that I worked on in high school… to push myself out of my comfort zone, and try new things that scared me so that I could become better socially and to communicate better.”
“So, with this, I would like to show people that if they are that shy kid or if they are still struggling socially, they just need to keep trying and keep pushing. One day, you will end up finding yourself doing things you never thought you could,” he elaborated.
“I want to inspire people to help push them out of their comfort zones. It’s all about getting comfortable being uncomfortable,” he explained.
Strehlow on why he should win Mister USA
When asked why he feels he deserves to win Mister USA, Strehlow responded, “Honestly, for me, I am leaving that up to the judges.”
“I am going to bring the best performance I can,” he underscored. “I am looking at some of my fellow constants’ Instagram pages, and they all seem to be some great, serious dudes. I definitely don’t have any prior experience in modeling so I am just going to give it my best shot. A lot of this is new to me. I hope the judges see me, and it all works out. I am leaving that one to the judges.”
Future plans
Regarding his future plans, he shared, “Presently, I live in Kansas. I’ve always been happy in warmer weather. Kansas does get super-hot in the summer, but winter is brutal here. So, one plan is definitely location-wise to move somewhere warmer such as Florida or Hawaii (I’ve been to Hawaii several times).”
“For me, I was super into fitness in high school. I went all in. I gave it my all and put all my time and energy into my diet. So, when I went to college, I decided to make fitness my lifestyle. In the future, I would love to put more focus in the exercise side and make it potentially a career, and not just a hobby,” he added.
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, he revealed, “Locked In.” “I am hyper-focused and dialed in,” he admitted.
Success
Regarding his definition of success, he said, “Success, to me, is getting to a point where I can be content with what I have. It doesn’t mean making millions of dollars or having the biggest mansion in the world.”
“Success, for me, is being healthy, having a good support system with family and good friends, and being able to give back. Also, being able to provide for my family,” he added.
To learn more about 2025 Mister Alabama contender Michael Strehlow, follow him on Instagram.
