You might not think there's much business can learn from the world of beauty pageantry.

Genecia Alluora, the former Miss Singapore finalist who went on to coach hundreds of CEOs and politicians, would beg to differ.

Through her image consulting business, Alluora spent a decade helping leaders enhance their appearance and body language to build their public personas.

"We're not asking the politician or C-suite executive to fake it," Alluora told CNBC Make It. "We're looking at how we can bring it out (their personality), how we can enhance their sphere of influence."

It wasn't an obvious career path for Alluora. She never planned on getting into pageants: In fact, she was bullied at school for her looks. But entering a modeling competition on a whim at university opened her eyes to its business potential.

"That was my first taste of entrepreneurship — that insight into personal branding," recalled Alluora.

It's a concept that can be dismissed as superficial, she said. But, for those in the public eye like political and business leaders, it's "invaluable."