Johannesburg attorney Tshego Gaelae made global history on Jan. 30, 2025, at the event held in Las Vegas

Tshego Gaelae's life was forever changed by her participation in the Mrs. World pageant earlier this year. And when she won the coveted title on Jan. 30, Gaelae impacted the organization in a similarly indelible and profound way.

The 35-year-old Johannesburg resident made history as the first Black woman to be crowned Mrs. World and the second-ever South African winner. She was crowned on stage at the Westgate Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, where she bested 39 other contestants, including first runner-up Ishadi Amanda of Sri Lanka and Thailand's Ploy Panperm in the second runner-up spot.

While she appeared the pageant-perfect picture of grace, poise and strength, Gaelae tells PEOPLE that she actually had zero experience in pageantry prior to her victory at Mrs. South Africa, the nationwide competition that qualified her for the international level. Gaelae recalls how interest was piqued by "testimonials" from previous titleholders who reaped broader benefits from pageant training.

"They spoke about how experts in specific fields would be brought in to help ladies and empower them on various topics like confidence boosting, public speaking, financial management, all of those aspects," Gaelae explains about nine months into her reign as Mrs. World. "I thought, 'Wow, this is something I could really benefit from.'"

Given her background as an attorney and her corporate experience, it's no surprise that she was initially drawn to the pageant world for the "networking opportunities" and "the opportunities to really be empowered," she adds. Gaelae says she made a conscious effort to shake her own preconceived notions about pageantry before she started training.

"You'd hear the sentiments that people share about pageantry and stereotypes, saying pageantry women are catty. Women don't want other women to succeed, women are mean to each other," she tells PEOPLE. "I walked in as a blank canvas and I really told myself that it will be what it is. It will be what it is, and it will be what I make of it, because it's also my responsibility to make it what I want it to be for me."

Gaelae tapped her professional leadership skills for the process, too. She refers to a message she communicates to all new employees at her workplace, one that she herself adopted upon entering the pageantry scene.

"I always say to people, 'Make the experience your own. Don't let my experience cloud your judgment of what it is,'" says Gaelae. "So I really allowed myself to be immersed in the [pageant] experience, to take it all in and not allow the misconceptions and people's views and judgments cloud my view."

Gaelae was glad to expand her comfort zone and meet new people, as she hoped, and the entire process certainly boosted her own self-confidence. While the experience wasn't all about winning for her, Gaelae went into the pageant knowing she could make history as the first Black winner. She and her mentor discussed the possibility — and its implications — thoroughly as they prepped for the event.

"She said, 'Please just remember this is huge, because if you win — and should you win, and when you win — you will be the first Black woman to have won Mrs. World. So think about what you want that to mean to you and think about what you want that to mean to the world,'" Gaelae recalls of her mentor's words.

The pageant queen didn't instantly comprehend just how much her win could mean, because it felt like "such a distant possibility" until the crown was actually on her head, Gaelae tells PEOPLE.

"It wasn't really tangible in my view," she adds. "But having done so and having competed and having won, I feel like it's just beyond. It's bigger than just me. It's not just about me. It's about every other Black woman or mixed race woman or Indian woman or even White woman who has dared to dream."

There's an added "pressure" to carrying such a milestone win, but it's a weight Gaelae was made to bear.

"It's how you carry the crown, what you do with the crown and what kind of legacy you leave," she explains, reflecting on her win. "I think it serves as a great reminder that each and every one of us is worthy and each and every one of us can."(People)