In Confidence

About In Confidence

What would you do if you felt more confident? And what if that could start today? In Confidence is a podcast about one of the most misunderstood, and essential, qualities we can build. Hosted by Master Certified Coach Ciara Woods (a credential held by just 5% of coaches worldwide), the show explores two powerful questions: What is confidence? And how can we have more of it? Through honest conversations with CEOs, creatives, and changemakers, each episode shares real stories, insights, and practical tools to help you grow your confidence — whatever that means for you. Because confidence is more than just talking, each episode ends with a simple reflection or action to help you build it. And to help you stay accountable there are weekly nudges on: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ciarawoods (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ciarawoods) Instagram: @ciara_woods_coach (https://www.instagram.com/ciara_woods_coach) Substack: In Confidence with Ciara Woods So, what would you do if you felt more confident? Let's explore it - in confidence. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Publisher

Ciara Woods

Category

business · education · health & fitness

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

3 May 2025

Latest episode

1 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

20 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   1 Sept 2026

   Your Deepest Condition

   How can a single change on the outside unlock something far deeper on the inside? In this episode, I sit down with James Benoit, senior stylist at George Northwood and one of the most sought-after hairdressers in the UK, to explore confidence from a perspective unlike any other: the salon chair. Over 30 years spent working with some of the world’s most recognised faces, James has had a front-row seat to the relationship between how we look, how we feel, and what we’re willing to believe about ourselves. We explore why hair carries so much emotional weight, what shifts when someone looks in the mirror and something changes, and what 30 years of intimate conversations in the chair has taught James about human confidence. James shares stories from his own life and career — from the prom king who still doubted himself to the boy from Wolverhampton doing Alicia Vikander’s hair for Louis Vuitton in Paris — showing how confidence is both something we build through action and something we already carry inside us, waiting to be uncovered. Key Takeaways How confidence works in two parts (the belief that gets the ball rolling, and the action that solidifies it) and why the doing is what makes it real and lasting. How the outside-in effect is real: changing something visible about how we look can trigger a genuine shift in how we feel, and the two don’t have to happen in that order. How hair is one of the most controllable and visible forms of self-expression we have and why alignment between how we look and who we are matters more than attractiveness or perfection. How the stories we tell ourselves about who we are can be so entrenched that even clear evidence to the contrary fails to shift them, and why we have to actively decide to update the story. How confidence built through experience is different from the deeper confidence that was always there and how protecting that second kind is the real work. How preparation is one of the most underrated confidence tools available to anyone, in any field, at any level. How helping someone else through a confidence knock — whether as a parent, a manager, or a friend — requires timing, multiple voices, and the courage to manage your own doubt without passing it on. About James James Benoit is a senior stylist at George Northwood, one of London’s most celebrated salons, where he is trained in the salon’s signature undone method and is sought after by model agencies and leading brands. Over a 30-year career he has worked at Daniel Galvin, John Frieda and Hershesons. His clients span royalty, including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, actresses Rachel Weisz and Alicia Vikander, TV presenter Claudia Winkleman, designer Stella McCartney, and sporting legends Roger Federer and Lindsey Vonn. Resources Mentioned George Northwood Salon — James’s home salon in London. www.georgenorthwood.com (http://www.georgenorthwood.com/) Sandy Frederickson — Sandy is a coach supporting people recovering from breast cancer. Find her on Instagram at @thehealthyhabitscoach Amy Cuddy — social psychologist and author whose research on the body-mind connection and power posing is one of the most watched TED Talks of all time. Sylvia Ann Hewlett, Executive Presence — the research behind the three pillars of executive presence: gravitas, communication and appearance. Albert Bandura — Stanford psychologist whose four sources of self-efficacy (mastery experience, vicarious experience, verbal persuasion and physiological feedback) map directly onto the confidence conversation in this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

2. 

   29 Jul 2026

   Be More You

   How can knowing yourself and what you uniquely offer become the foundation of a confidence that carries you through any room? In this episode, I sit down with Zahra Bahrololoumi CBE, President & CEO of Salesforce UK & Ireland, to explore confidence from multiple perspectives: the power of self-knowledge in a world being reshaped by AI, the courage to run toward the roles nobody else wants, and what it means to lead with both conviction and humility. Zahra shares remarkable stories from her career and her life. We dive into how resilience, action and a deep understanding of your own strengths shape lasting confidence, whether in a boardroom, on a stage in front of thousands, or in the moment someone tells you to be more like someone you could never be. Key Takeaways How confidence is not a fixed state but a fluid one and how the ability to restore your own peace, without needing the approval of others, is one of the most powerful skills a leader can develop. How action is the antithesis of anxiety and why engaging with AI now, however imperfectly, is the most effective antidote to the fear of being left behind. How being able to articulate what makes you uniquely you (to yourself first, and then to others) is more powerful than trying to be something you’re not, and how that clarity becomes your greatest professional asset. How the qualities that feel like disadvantages (not fitting the mould, coming from a different background, lacking a conventional path) can become your greatest professional superpower. How understanding the currency of success in any role (the one thing that matters most) allows you to focus your energy where it counts and make yourself genuinely indispensable. How attitude above skill level, combined with a willingness to take on the roles others avoid, creates a track record of resilience you can draw on when the next leap feels impossible. How writing down positive feedback, personal reflections and moments of resilience in the face of adversity, even if you never look at them again, is a powerful act of grounding yourself in your own evidence. About Zahra Zahra Bahrololoumi CBE is President & CEO of Salesforce UK & Ireland, leading one of the world’s most recognised technology companies through a defining moment in how we work. She also oversees Salesforce’s global private equity and venture capital practice. Before Salesforce, Zahra spent 22 years at Accenture, rising to lead their UK and Ireland technology business. She was awarded a CBE in the King’s Honours list and holds an honorary doctorate from Brunel University, among numerous other awards and recognitions. She chairs the Cancer Research UK corporate board and is a passionate advocate for digital skills, equality and the next generation of talent. Resources Mentioned Trailhead — Salesforce’s free online learning platform with 32+ AI training modules, available for free. www.trailhead.com (http://www.trailhead.com/) Agent Bobbi — Salesforce’s AI agent handling non-emergency police queries, now live across three UK forces. https://www.salesforce.com/uk/news/stories/bobbi-agentforce-transforms-law-enforcement/ (https://www.salesforce.com/uk/news/stories/bobbi-agentforce-transforms-law-enforcement/) My Love Is In There Hiding — Zahra’s remarkable project combining personal maxims from 22 years at Accenture with music. www.myloveisintherehiding.com (http://www.myloveisintherehiding.com/)[1] (about:blank) Salesforce AI Centre, London — Part of Salesforce’s investment in people, skills and AI adoption in the UK. https://www.salesforce.com/uk/news/press-releases/2026/05/20/ai-centre-london-campus/ (https://www.salesforce.com/uk/news/press-releases/2026/05/20/ai-centre-london-campus/) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

3. 

   9 Jun 2026

   Fouettés and Frontiers

   How can knowing what you want, more than you fear the challenge, unlock a confidence that endures? In this episode, I sit down with Kristina Kloberdanz, Chief Sustainability Officer at Macquarie Asset Management and former CSO at Mastercard, to explore confidence from multiple perspectives: the power of strategic self-awareness, the courage to say yes before you feel ready, and what it means to build a life on your own terms. Kristina shares remarkable stories from childhood through career-defining moments, showing how confidence isn’t about having it all figured out, but about knowing what you want, playing to your strengths, and trusting that everything is building towards something even when you can’t yet see it. Key Takeaways How confidence is not just an inner feeling but a strategic decision — choosing which room you walk into and engineering the environment to give yourself the best chance. How the greatest block to talented people isn’t lack of ability, but the voice of doubt and how quickly it can take hold, even after you’ve already proven yourself. How knowing your role in the room, rather than trying to be the smartest or most expert, is a form of confidence that opens doors and creates lasting impact. How imposter syndrome can strike even the most accomplished people, and how being vulnerable about it creates a ripple effect that helps others do the same. How preparation made years in advance allows you to say yes instantly when the right moment arrives, even when the timing looks impossible. How priming your mind and energy before high-stakes moments, the way an athlete warms up, is a daily practice that builds confidence from the inside out. How wanting something more than you fear the challenge is the clearest signal it’s worth pursuing. About Kristina Kristina Kloberdanz is Chief Sustainability Officer at Macquarie Asset Management, where she leads their global ESG commitments including managing its portfolio to meet net zero emissions. She previously served as Chief Sustainability Officer at Mastercard, and before that spent two decades at IBM leading global corporate responsibility strategy. She has spoken at Davos, the UN Climate Conference COP, and New York Climate Week, and chaired the World Economic Forum’s Trillion Trees US Stakeholder Council. Kristina began her career as a professional ballet dancer, has trekked to Everest Base Camp, summited Kilimanjaro three times, and recently became a mother on her own terms and her own timeline. Resources Mentioned Superhuman app — guided meditations and affirmations for priming your mindset and energy. Peter Attia’s Outlive — the longevity philosophy Kristina references for health span and living vibrantly. Whoop — wearable health tracker. www.whoop.com Eight Sleep — smart sleep technology for optimising recovery. www.eightsleep.com Outward Bound International — the organisation that shaped Kristina’s early relationship with fear, resilience and possibility. www.outwardbound.net The Wave — Gabe Smilovic’s Substack post https://open.substack.com/pub/amysmilovic/p/to-break-is-to-arrive?r=2ubilh&utm_medium=ios (https://open.substack.com/pub/amysmilovic/p/to-break-is-to-arrive?r=2ubilh&utm_medium=ios) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

104

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

13 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 18 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

10

Social presence

0

YouTube

64

Engagement

0

Contact In Confidence

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.