S4 Ep 14 - The Dress for Success Ambassador Program: Empowering Women To Tell Their Stories

If you aren't familiar with the power and impact of Dress for Success you need to listen to this episode, where Bart meets with Amy Robichaud, Executive Director and Natasha Irvine, Communications Director, both of Dress for Success Vancouver. Over the course of the pod Bart learns about the impact and mission of Dress for Success Vancouver, and how it goes so far beyond providing women with suits for jobs to build skills, confidence and enabling professional growth. Amy and Natasha talk about the birth of the Ambassador program which empowers women who have been through Dress for Success Vancouver programs to become advocates and get on stage to tell their stories. They discuss the training provided to these women, how they learn they bring value through storytelling, and how to build presence and confidence. Visit dfsvancouver.ca to learn more and go to https://www.successluncheon.ca/ to get your tickets for their 10th annual Success Luncheon! 00:01 Teaser 00:23 Show introduction 00:58 Welcoming guests 02:11 What is Dress for Success about? 05:29 Examples of people who’ve been helped by Dress for Success 10:07 Sharing stories with the ambassador program 12:34 Finding ambassadors 14:23 The importance of a community of women helping each other out 17:21 What do ambassadors do? 22:39 Leveling the playing field 23:55 What advice does Dress for Success give on telling your story? 25:36 Vulnerability – how much to share when telling your story 28:08 Scars not wounds 30:29 Presence 31:42 Flipping the script 34:27 Future of the ambassador program 35:24 What’s next for Dress for Success? 35:50 The effects of the pandemic on professional women 36:55 How to get involved 38:19 Bart’s closing remarks 38:57 Thank yous 39:15 Outro