Dahlia is joined by Anna Hemmings, Smart Works CEO to understand how the charity works and get Anna's view on the link between clothes and confidence.

Anna shares with Dahlia the work that Smart Works is doing in the community, her view on the growing demand for their services and the size of the opportunity to support women into employment across the UK.

Anna shares her personal view on where clothes have played a role in building her confidence, talking about how important it is to visualise yourself in a role as a part of the preparation for an interview. Dahlia and Anna discuss the need for people to be supported to build their inner confidence and to be helped to understand how to identify the skills they have that help them in an interview setting.

AS CEO of Smart Works Anna Hemmings is a transformational leader with over two decades of experience driving significant change and growth in complex organizations across the health and social care sectors. Throughout her career, she has led organizations through remarkable periods of expansion, consistently delivering strategic vision while enhancing reach and impact for beneficiaries. Her expertise spans development of innovative service models, creation of inclusive organizational cultures, and implementation of effective governance frameworks. With a proven track record of quintupling organizational turnover and tripling service reach, Anna brings deep expertise in organizational transformation, coupled with a passionate commitment to delivering measurable social impact and positive change for underserved communities.

This series of Stressed But Well Dressed is recorded in collaboration with Smart Works. Stressed But Well Dressed brings conversations to life on the link between clothes and confidence, helping listeners to understand what it means to feel 'well dressed' and recognising that feeling starts from within. In each episode we will go behind the scenes of Smart Works sharing stories from CEO, coaches and clients and taking a look inside the wardrobe that will clothe over 10,000 women each year as part of their journey to employment .

Smart Works is a dynamic, high profile and fast-growing UK charity that exists to empower all women who need help getting into work. The charity’s service uses the power of high quality clothing and one-to-one coaching to help unemployed women fulfil their potential, get the job and transform their lives. Last year, Smart Works supported over 10,000 women through their service. 63% of these clients secured a job within one month of their appointment, gaining financial independence and transforming their lives. Since its founding in 2013, Smart Works has helped almost 50,000 women across the UK. The charity’s mission is that any woman who needs to use the service should be able to find her way to a Smart Works centre. The service is delivered in 11 centres across London, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Newcastle, Reading and Leeds, and also offers virtual appointments to women outside of these areas. Smart Works Charity, Charity No: 1080609 @smartworkscharity www.smartworks.org.uk

All of our podcasts in this short series have been recorded at Yorkshire Podcast Studios. Located just off the M62 near the Leeds Ikea at Junction 27, they have a suite of studios ideal for your video and audio podcasting needs, as well as a video production team that specialises in website video production, social media and business video.

Find them at www.yorkshirepodcaststudios.com

Dahlia Stroud is joined by Dolly Jones ex Director at Vogue and Conde Nast, Consultant and author of 'Leaving the Ladder Down' A funny, practical and crucial guide for women facing the life-changing prospect of returning to work after having children.

Dolly joins Dahlia to discuss her experience as the Director of Vogue.com, what she wore to work in Conde Nast and what it means to author a book aimed at celebrating and supporting women during their pregnancy and return to work.

The conversation includes Dolly's view on how becoming a parent shapes your identity, her reflections on what she wore when she returned to Vogue after maternity and why it mattered then and how she feels about it now. Dolly and Dahlia also discuss the broader link between clothes and confidence and how clothes can dramatically influence how you feel. Dolly shares the words she used to tell her boss she was pregnant, what she has learnt about becoming a parent and her proudest moments as a mother and the webcam that started #todayiamwearing on Vogue.com.

Dolly Jones is a journalist and creative digital consultant with over twenty years of experience. She started her career at British Vogue doing work experience in 1999 before going on to lead its digital operations for fifteen years. She has worked and written extensively across Conde Nast’s full portfolio, including publications such as Vanity Fair, GQ and Tatler. Since leaving Conde Nast in 2018, she runs her own creative digital strategy business. Dolly lives in London with her husband and two children.

Dahlia is joined by Lauren Tetenbaum to discuss the link between stress and dress from the perspective of a therapist. The conversation includes specific insight into how it feels to manage transitions in your life - particularly looking at Lauren's research on female reproductive health, midlife, perimenopause and menopause.

Dahlia and Lauren discuss how it feels to be out of control and recognising how important it is to understand what you can control, place value on your achievements and celebrate the small wins everyday.

Lauren advises that it is vital to find small ways to seek out joy, levity and laughter everyday and that balance is a long game.

She gives practical tips for stress management, shares her own toxic trait and her opinion on the value of well dressed through difficult times.

Lauren A. Tetenbaum, LCSW, JD, PMH-C ("The CounseLaur") is a mom of two, a writer, and licensed clinical social worker specializing in supporting women. Through her counselling practice, Lauren provides therapy in NY, NJ, CT, and FL, facilitates groups and workshops to empower postpartum and other women in corporate settings, and contributes to media on topics like women's reproductive mental health, gender equity, and working parenthood. A former lawyer and a forever women’s rights advocate, Lauren feels privileged to counsel women through life transitions when they most need and deserve support. Her first book, MillennialMenopause: Preparing for Perimenopause, Menopause, and Life's Next Period,will be published in July 2025. Connect with Lauren on Instagram (@thecounselaur),on LinkedIn, or by email at Lauren@TheCounseLaur.com.