Stressed But Well Dressed

In this episode, Dahlia is joined by Levanah — known as The Buyer’s Coach — for a deep dive into the world of Buying and what it really looks like to change career after years in retail. With 15 years’ experience as a Fashion Buyer across five major UK retailers, Levanah brings a rare mix of commercial insight, creativity and lived industry experience. Today, she specialises in coaching Buyers and retail professionals through confidence building, promotions, pivots and career transitions.

Together, Dahlia and Levanah explore the practical realities of moving on from Buying: how to know when it’s time for a change, the steps to take before you leave, how much money you realistically need, and how to navigate the emotional and professional shifts that come with reinventing your career. They also discuss what makes retail professionals uniquely skilled — and how those strengths translate into new industries.

If you’re a Buyer, a retail professional, or someone standing at a career crossroads, this conversation is packed with clarity, honesty and actionable guidance.

Levanah, known as The Buyer’s Coach, is a career coach specialising in supporting Buyers and retail professionals. Before launching her coaching practice, she spent 15 years as a Fashion Buyer across five major UK retailers, blending creativity with commercial strategy, negotiating globally, building ranges and travelling extensively. Now based in the Midlands with her partner and daughter, her perspective on career success shifted when her daughter was almost three, sparking a passion for helping people unlock their potential at work. Since then, she has coached more than 200 Buyers and retail professionals one‑to‑one, guiding them through confidence building, promotions, industry pivots, and career transitions that feel aligned, sustainable and fulfilling.

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Dahlia is joined by Nicola Elliott, Founder and Creative Director of NEOM Wellbeing. Dahlia and Nicola discuss how Nicola built the NEOM brand, starting right at the beginning when she visited a health food shop in London, bought some essential oils and started blending them to see what would happen.

The conversation includes Nicola's advice on how to build what she calls a 'wellness toolkit' and the reality of that fact this wellness is multi-dimensional. Dahlia and Nicola also discuss what it takes to become a founder and the moments of learning that Nicola experienced on the way to building the brand.

The founder of NEOM Wellbeing, Nicola very much remains at the forefront of our brand nearly 20 years on. Having originally worked as a journalist in London for seven years, in 2005 Nicola decided to start creating therapeutic and effective blends using 100% natural essential oils from her own kitchen. Today, Nicola oversees the day-to-day running and creative storytelling to continue our mission of supercharging the wellbeing of the world. Keeping her finger very much on the pulse when it comes to education and trends, Nicola often shares her insider tips and tricks for getting the most out of your favourite NEOM product, collates monthly round-ups of the wellbeing wonders she’s loving or shares other advice. Her approach to wellbeing is refreshingly real and achievable.

Dahlia is joined by human scientist and science communicator Katherine Templar Lewis for a conversation about uncertainty. Together they explore why uncertainty feels so destabilising, how the brain interprets it as a threat, and the physical consequences that follow: cortisol spikes, restless thinking, disrupted sleep and that familiar sense of being “on alert” even when nothing is actually happening.

They also unpack how we try to seek out certainty and why some of those habits help us while others keep us stuck. Dahlia and Katherine discuss what we can be certain about and how we can get comfortable with the levels of uncertainty we face everyday.

Katherine Templar Lewis is a human scientist and sciencecommunicator. She specialises in neuroscience and neuroaesthtics as a driver of human first design, fostering connection and societal change. Her work translates scientific insight into applicable creative intelligence, accelerating it out of labs and into the real world with brands, agencies and creatives.

Co-founder and director of Kinda Studios, an all women neuroaesthetics studio and lab and Chief Scientist at The Uncertainty Experts, a research project with UCL to explore how to turn uncertainty into opportunity. She is  dedicatedto interdisciplinary research, bringing science art and technology to solve the complex challenges we face today. 
Author of the best-selling book The Uncertainty Toolkit she is an experienced keynote speaker, presenter and contributor across a range of media, including BBC Radio 4, 5Live, Sky News, NBC Sport and NBC's The TODAY Show and VICE. Sheis also co host the award nominated Audible Originals Series Beyond Five Senses.

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Dahlia is joined by Kate Halfpenny, founder of Halfpenny London. Kate shares the story of transforming her side hustle as a wedding dress designer into a internationally recognised bridalwear brand with a flagship London store and a celebrity following.

Kate shares the story of how she built the brand and the creative design process, the iconic moments and her top tips on what to wear to get married.

Halfpenny London was founded by Kate Halfpenny 20 years ago, previously a coveted VIP stylist to Kate Moss, Rihanna and Cate Blanchett to name a few.  

Halfpenny began as a bespoke atelier, now it's an internationally recognised name. Kate has been described as'effortlessly bridging the gap between fashion and bridal' and the woman responsible for changing the traditional landscape by creating something truly unique and heirloom-worthy for every bride she dresses - pioneering bridalseparates as a way of making bespoke accessible.

Growing up around her knitwear designer Mum, Kate’s love of clothes and early understanding of shape and textiles,meant a career in fashion was inevitable. In 1998, she graduated with a BA Honours in Fashion Design armed with a portfolio of corset style separates andbillowing princess inspired skirts which, unbeknown to her, was to lay the foundations of things to come.
With her background in design and an inherent flair forcustomising, Kate started to create bespoke pieces for her black book of clients and, as word-of-mouth spread, private commissions came flooding in. Kate was styling big campaigns which saw her style some of the world’s most stylish women.
In 2005, actress Emilia Fox commissioned Kate tocreate her multiple wedding dresses, resulting in instant industry recognition and accolades, earning her an enviable reputation as the go-to bridal designerwith a twist. Her eponymous brand, Halfpenny London, was born and quickly became one of the UK’s leading luxury bridal wear brands.

Halfpenny London empowerswomen to express their individuality with an ever-evolving collection ofcontemporary dresses, interchangeable separates and statement accessories whichcelebrate the glory and nuance of the female form.

Continuing Kate’s passion and dedication to craft and Britishmanufacturing, each garment is proudly made in London, England. Today, thebrand is worn by brides around the world, and Kate continues tocreate covetable collections from the Halfpenny London atelier inLondon.

Dahlia is joined by Antonia Johnstone, Re-Founder and CEO of Sign of the Times, oe of the UK's largest luxury resale marketplaces.

Dahlia and Antonia discuss the value of a circular marketplace, the luxury market and what to look for when investing in a piece that is going to hold or grow its value. They talk the celebrity wardrobes they would love to raid, how to maximise the value of your wardrobe and an insider view of some of the celebrities who have shared what they have bought and sold through Sign of the Times.

Antonia is CEO and Refounder of Sign of the Times, one of the UK's largest managed luxury resale marketplaces. An economist by training, she has grown the business through organic growth and three strategic acquisitions, bringing realM&A experience to a sector that is rapidly professionalising. Sign of the Times is a 50-year-old Chelsea institution that has re-circulated over 350,000 preloved luxury pieces across its lifetime, operating across three locations,selling into 40 countries, and powering resale for major retailers including Farfetch and John Lewis. A passionate advocate for circular luxury and smart purchasing, Antonia combines deep market data with a genuine love of fashion to help clients release real value from their wardrobes.

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In this episode, Dahlia sits down with Kelly Lundberg to talk about the foundations of a strong personal brand. Kelly explains why the most effective brands come from knowing yourself well — your tone, your values, your way of speaking — and staying consistent with them. The conversation focuses on how easy it is to slip into messaging that looks polished but doesn’t feel true, and how to recognise when that’s happening. Kelly offers practical insight from her work with founders and leaders, showing how authenticity becomes easier when you stop trying to impress and start trying to communicate clearly. It’s a steady, thoughtful discussion about identity, confidence and the habits that keep you aligned.

Kelly Lundberg is a personal brand strategist, author and speaker who has spent more than a decade helping founders, leaders and creatives articulate who they are with clarity and confidence. Known for her practical, human approach, Kelly supports clients in finding a voice and presence that feels natural rather than manufactured. Her work spans brand positioning, storytelling and visibility, with a focus on helping people show up consistently in a way that feels true to them.

Dahlia is joined by Kim Palmer — founder of the Clementine app and co‑author of Not Everything Is Urgent — for a conversation about the architecture of urgency, the psychology of confidence, and the cognitive mechanics behind hypnotherapy.

Rather than treating stress as a personal failing, they look at the structural forces that keep women in a state of permanent acceleration, and why “quiet confidence” functions as a counter‑cultural stance rather than a personality trait. Kim breaks down how hypnotherapy actually works at a neurological level - how accessing the subconscious allows you to interrupt long‑established behavioural loops that logic alone can’t touch.

The discussion moves between identity, habit formation, and the politics of pace: what happens when you stop responding to every stimulus as if it’s critical, and how your sense of self shifts when urgency is no longer the organising principle of your day.

If you are guilty of people pleasing and interested in building your confidence through control rather than being the loudest person in the room this conversation is for you.

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Read 'Not Everything Is Urgent' not everything is urgent by Kim Palmer, Ian Haworth, and Shashank Sharma | The Pound Project

Find out more about Clementine App: About — Clementine App

Dahlia is joined by Bonita Norris, a record breaking mountaineer who is the youngest person in the world to have climbed both Mount Everest and the North Pole

Bonita Norris has stood higher on the planet than almost anyone — but what makes her story powerful isn’t just the summit, it’s the preparation. In this episode, we talk about the part of mountaineering no one romanticises: getting dressed. Layering for survival, choosing what protects you, what frees you, what gives you the confidence to step into the cold.

Bonita takes us inside the psychology of extreme environments — fear, discipline, ambition — and how the smallest decisions, including what you put on your body, shape your ability to keep going when everything in you wants to stop.

We explore the parallels between the mountain and everyday life: the armour we choose, the layers we shed, and the mindset required to face something bigger than ourselves. It’s a conversation about courage, competence, and the quiet rituals that prepare you to meet the moment.

Bonita Norris is the youngest person ever to have reached both “tops of the world”; the summit of Mt Everest and the North Pole.

She is only the 3rd British woman to have climbed the world’s 4th highest peak, Mt Lhotse - and has been on 8 expeditions.

Bonita has guided teams to the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro, climbed the Matterhorn and attempted K2, some of the deadliest mountains on Earth.

Bonita went from beginner climber aged 20, to the youngest British woman to climb Mt Everest at the age of 22. This story of transformation is the backdrop to her keynote speeches.

In 2017 she published her bestselling memoir, The Girl Who Climbed Everest. Today, Bonita is a mother and an award winning motivational speaker.

Dahlia is joined by Victoria Emes, comedian, content creator and co-founder of wellness business FitBtch.

Victoria shares her the journey of her career from working in a high school to full time content creator becoming a household name as one of the funniest women on the internet.

The podcast goes behind the scenes on how Victoria built her online audience, why she's always leaned into comedy in her everyday and how she amassed a following of people who truly related to her and then created a wellness concept that was a perfect fit for their needs (and for hers too).

Widely recognised as one of Instagram’s sharpest and funniest voices, Victoria has become a household name — the internet’s favourite “accidental” mum‑icon and a standout comedic storyteller. What began as a creative outlet during maternity leave quickly evolved into a cultural moment, as her unfiltered take on motherhood resonated with millions.

Victoria has built a loyal community by saying the things parents actually think. Her parody sketches cut through the curated perfection of Instagram, offering relief, honesty and a much‑needed laugh for a generation navigating modern parenting.

Her debut book, Welcome to Motherhood Btches* (2022), cemented her place as a defining voice in the parenting space, while her hit podcast No Holes Barred continues to be a go‑to for women who want humour, honesty and zero judgement.

Victoria’s brand partnerships reflect her credibility and reach. She has worked with leading names including Very (2022 Ambassador), Fabletics, Elvie and Skin + Me. In 2024, she expanded her relationship with HelloFresh into a full‑year ambassadorship — a testament to her influence and commercial impact.

Dahlia is joined by Baroness Tina Stowell. From Downing Street to the House of Lords to leading major institutions, Tina has spent her career doing something most people underestimate: reading a room, building trust, and getting people to move together.

They talk about the human side of leadership, why being underestimated can be an advantage, and how presentation — from tone to clothing — shapes the way power is received. Tina shares the behind the scenes on her promotion to lead the House of Lords and how what she wore has been part of her success to get her where she is today.

Baroness Stowell of Beeston MBE

Tina Stowell grew up in a working-class family living in a small East Midlands industrial town, and left school at sixteen determined to make her way as a brilliant secretary - taking the role of a secretary at the Ministry of Defence. She became the Leader of the House of Lords. 

The real story about Tina isn’t where she began, but why she succeeded and how far it’s taken her. She’s been underestimated and forced to prove herself more often than she can remember.  But her record of achievement is remarkable and in a career that’s included roles in DowningStreet, Washington, the BBC and Parliament, her method consistent: she’s fixed tough problems by understanding the people involved, respecting differentperspectives, and finding common ground. 

She is renowned for ‘getting things done’ and surpassing expectations when faced with ‘impossible’ challenges: from leading equal marriage legislation through the House of Lords against the odds; preventing foreign governments from owning or controlling British news organisations; to leading efforts to rebuild public trust in the charity sector during her tenure as Chair of the Charity Commission. She has spentdecades bringing unlikely people together to achieve unexpected results in times of great upheaval, receiving numerous awards for her work. 

In recent years, alongside her commitments in the House of Lords, she has sat on the Boards of ABTA and Impellam Group plc and has been a Social Mobility Commissioner since2023.   She now shares lessons from how she has bridged divides to make change happen as a keynote speaker – to help other leaders do the same in these times of political and technological disruption, polarisation, low trust,and high demands.  To find out more about Tina and to book her to speak visit her website: www.tinastowell.co.uk