My Best Friend's POV On My Bachelor Journey with Erica Hardesty
Stay True with Madison Prewett Troutt
Madison Prewett Troutt
4.8 • 3.4K Ratings
🗓️ 16 March 2026
⏱️ 70 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Welcome back to another episode of Stay True Podcast! This week, Madi is joined by one of her closest friends, Erica Hardesty, for a conversation that is hilarious, heartfelt, and eye-opening. For the first time, Erica shares her behind-the-scenes perspective of Madi's journey on The Bachelor… including stories and moments that have never been shared before. From watching everything unfold in real time to supporting Madi through the highs, challenges, and public attention that came with it, Erica gives listeners a unique look at what that season was really like from the perspective of someone who knew Madi long before the cameras.
But this conversation goes far beyond reality TV. Erica also opens up about something deeply close to her heart: the foster care crisis and the work she's doing through her nonprofit, Make It Matter, which supports young adults aging out of the foster care system. Together, Madi and Erica talk about the realities many of these young people face and how we can all play a role in bringing hope and practical support.
Questions/topics discussed and answered:
-What it's really like to experience The Bachelor from the outside
-How friends can support and encourage you through high-pressure experiences
-Balancing public attention with staying true to yourself
-Navigating friendship, trust, and loyalty in unexpected seasons
-The challenges young adults face when aging out of foster care
-Practical ways you can get involved and make a difference
Helpful Resources:
Make It Matter: The Collective: www.makeitmattercollective.com
Noella's Flowers: https://www.noellasflowers.com/
Dare To Be True by Madison Prewett Troutt: https://a.co/d/gdfpHX5
Stay True Website: https://www.staytruepodcast.com
Stay True Merch: https://www.staytruepodcast.com/merch
Pique Life: Secure 20% off your order and begin your intentional wellness journey today at Piquelife.com/staytrue
Home Chef: Go to homechef.com/staytrue for 50% off your first box and free dessert for life!
Glorify: Get full access all year for just $29.99 at glorify/app.com/STAYTRUE
Grand Canyon University: Visit gcu.edu to learn more.
Connect with Stay True!
💙 Instagram | @staytruepodcast
💙 TikTok | @staytrue_podcast
💙 Follow Madison | @madiprew
💙 Follow Erica | @ericanhardesty
💙 Follow Make It Matter | @makeitmattercollective
💙 Follow Noella's Flowers | @noellasflowers
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Do you feel passionate about human trafficking, homelessness, incarceration rates, or teen |
| 0:05.5 | pregnancies, then you need to be passionate about foster care? |
| 0:08.7 | Can you kind of give like some statistics around foster care and how it affects us? |
| 0:13.1 | The system as a whole is broken. |
| 0:14.9 | It will take a miracle to fix what it is now. |
| 0:17.9 | What would you go back and tell that Erica and Maddie? There's gonna be heartbreak. |
| 0:22.5 | There was plenty of that, but it shapes you and it grows you. What were your like actual real |
| 0:27.2 | thoughts when I was like, hey, I'm gonna go on The Bachelor? Honestly thought like you were |
| 0:32.3 | pranking me. Let's not put a band-aid on things. Let's get to the root cause. The Lord sees everything |
| 0:37.4 | and he is truly always working behind the scenes. We're gonna be like Let's not put a band-aid on things. Let's get to the root cause. The Lord sees everything. |
| 0:40.7 | And he is truly always working behind the scenes. |
| 0:43.0 | We're going to be like really getting vulnerable and going there. |
| 0:44.6 | Erica and I go way back. |
| 0:45.6 | Vegas far back. What's up, guys? Welcome back to another episode of Stay True podcast. I'm your host, Madison |
| 0:59.6 | Pruitt Trout. And I have on the podcast with me a very, very, very special guest because it is my |
| 1:06.1 | best friend, Erica Hardesty. Welcome to the Stay True podcast. |
| 1:12.3 | Erica and I go way back. |
| 1:14.5 | Way back. |
| 1:15.7 | We go way, way back. |
| 1:17.0 | Vegas, far back. |
| 1:19.6 | And we're going to be spilling so much. |
| 1:22.1 | Not tea because this is all about Jesus. |
... |
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