How to create your own career luck with Mel Barfield

From The Content Byte by Rachel Smith and Lynne Testoni

April 19, 2026 · 58 min · Season 18 · Episode 17

About this episode

Rachel and Lynne discuss career luck and resilience with guest Mel Barfield, who shares insights on creating opportunities through action and mindset.

This week Rachel and Lynne discuss luck, visibility, and career resilience with guest copywriter Mel Barfield, managing partner at Copy or Die, host of the Indie Business Club podcast, and a Freelancer magazine columnist. Mel shares her career shift into freelancing after moving while pregnant, how expectations and mindset can block opportunities, and why "luck" is largely created through action, relationships, and optimism. She talks about creating and noticing chances, acting on hunches, reframing setbacks, and expecting good outcomes. Practical tips include breaking big goals into chunks, building personal authority, asking for opportunities, avoiding overly negative public posting, networking with curiosity, and using LinkedIn strategically to connect with ideal client job titles without cold pitching. Connect with Mel via: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melaniebarfield/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allcopymel/ Substack: https://indiebusinessclub.substack.com/ and the agency she runs with Dave is https://copyordie.co.uk/ Find Lynne www.lynnetestoni.com Find Rachel www.rachelsmith.com.au Rachel's List www.rachelslist.com.au Thanks (as always) to our sponsors…

People in this episode

Hosts: Rachel Smith, Lynne Testoni

Guest: Mel Barfield

Topics covered

career luck
freelancing
visibility
career resilience
networking
mindset
opportunities

Keywords

career luck
freelancing
visibility
networking
mindset
opportunities
LinkedIn
personal authority
goal setting

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Copy or Die, Freelancer magazine, Indie Business Club, Marker Creative Co