Marcos Philip chatted with #Powerjournalist Markos Papadatos about repping Vermont in the 2026 Mister USA competition.
Representing Vermont
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 representing Vermont in the 2026 Mister USA, he exclaimed, “Let’s go! I’m so excited.”
Regarding his ties to Vermont, he said, “Honestly, I don’t have like too many ties to Vermont. I used to play soccer there once in a while, and I think Vermont is beautiful.”
“I used to go there all the time for the summer and to spend vacation there. It’s so nice, so scenic, especially with the waterfalls and nature. It’s awesome.”
Marcos has Brazilian roots and he speaks Portuguese fluently. “I used to live in Brazil,” he said. “My parents were both born in Rio. I’ve lived there, and I played soccer there a lot.”
Presently, he is a content creator and entrepreneur. “I run an agency that manages brands on TikTok shops. So, I work with retail brands and help them scale their presence of TikTok, which is a huge platform,” he said.
Daily motivations
On his daily motivations, he said, “I’m motivated by my parents because they both came to the U.S. when they were around my age (24) as immigrants and they figured it out and were able to provide a life for me and my brothers.”
“I am so grateful to them for that,” he said, effusively. “So, I would like to give back and do the same for my future family.”
Advocacy
On his advocacy for this year’s competition, Marcos shared, “Honestly, my goal is to push men to be the best version of themselves.”
“I’ve always had this belief in maximizing every aspect of one’s life. I think taking care of yourself, the way you look, and your body is like a huge part of it. So, I’m all about inspiring people to maximize their lives in every way possible,” he elaborated.
Plans for the future
On his future plans, he remarked, “Hopefully, within the next year or two, I would love to get a house here in Florida. Eventually, I would like to get married and have a business. I’m working on a couple of products right now that I am excited about that are growing very quickly.”
“So, opportunities are coming,” he said. “I’m just excited to keep growing my businesses and life in general.”
The digital age
On being a part of the digital age, he said, “It’s interesting because no one really understands it. My parents, for instance, never understood what I did… they always questioned it. They would always ask me if I was doing the right thing, and why I didn’t go the more traditional route.”
“Fortunately, I always understood the power of social media, and it was hard as a battle to keep confronting my parents about it. Now, they understand it because I am able to show them the results of the work.”
“At this point there are a lot of people that don’t understand the digital age (I think it’s half and half), but I think it is going to get to a point where everybody will understand it,” he added.
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Marcos revealed, “Metamorphosis.”
“I’ve spent a lot of time in the growth chapter… now, I am in transition from growth to getting to where I want to get. I am now seeking the rewards of what I’ve worked hard for,” he explained.
“The seeds that I planted are starting to grow, and now I am starting to see it,” he added.
Superpowers of choice
His superpowers of choice would be either superspeed or flying.
Success
On his definition of success, he said, “Success, to me, means living a life on my own terms with people who around me, who love me, and I can provide for those people that I love. Also, influencing people to just live better lives.”
“If I can impact people positively, that’s my No. 1 goal at the end of the day. I want to leave as big of an impact as possible in the world around me.”
“So, success is impacting people, living life with people that I love, and doing what I love to do,” he added.
Message for his fans and supporters
For his fans and supporters, Marcos expressed, “The fans keep me going. I probably wouldn’t be able to do this without them. There are people that have supported me from the beginning, and I know them by name and by username. It’s cool to see people who actually stick with you.”
“As a content creator and entrepreneur, I get a lot of hate, so having those people that stay by you definitely helps… they keep me going and I am able to see the direct impact I’ve had on people’s lives, and that’s great,” he elaborated.
Closing thoughts on Mister USA
“Life is so crazy and random. Anything you want to happen can really happen as long as you put your mind into it. It’s very cliché but it’s very true. The position I am in today is very different than the position I was in two years ago. So, in a span of two years, my life has changed a lot.”
“Presently, I live in Miami, which has always been a dream of mine and it’s crazy to think about,” he noted.
“Life can really change and things happen that you never would have expected to happen as long as you keep working and putting your best foot forward each day,” he concluded.
To learn more about Marcos Philip, follow him on Instagram.
