Career Change: How I Went from Podcast Failure to an Award-Winning BBC Radio Presenter

Failure hits differently when it’s something you’ve poured your heart into. But what if that setback is actually the universe redirecting you toward where you’re meant to go?

According to Personnel Today (2024), nearly 49% of UK employees are considering a career change but don’t yet know which path to take. As someone who has changed my career several times, I can tell you it’s less about waiting for the perfect opportunity and more about skills, curiosity, and a little bit of audacity. Because you don’t wait for the door to open. You build the skills, knock anyway, and walk through when you can.

In this newsletter, I’ll share how what I thought was my biggest creative failure - a podcast no one listened to - became the kickstart for my career as a BBC Radio Presenter. This story is about resilience, reinvention, and trusting your voice (especially when it feels like no one’s listening).

From Podcast “Failure” to BBC Radio Presenter

When I first launched The Sonya Barlow Show podcast, I had one goal: to create an honest space for conversations about careers, confidence, and community. I spent countless nights doing it all from scratch. But after months of effort, the podcast didn’t necessarily take off like how I’d imagined it would. The numbers were low, the reach was limited, and it felt like I was putting so much effort into something that didn’t give back the same.

Sure, it was disheartening at the time, because I had poured so much into the show - my ideas, my energy, my voice - only to feel like no one was listening. But what I didn’t realise then was that the podcast was never a failure. It was a training ground and a stepping stone to something even better.

That consistency eventually paid off. I ended up becoming the host for BBC Radio's The Everyday Hustle, a show that reached millions. Suddenly, the same voice I once doubted was live on air and amplifying other people’s stories, championing new voices, and sparking important conversations.

Then, the BBC opened even more doors. It led to signing with RIVA Media, opportunities to host panels, present at conferences, and deliver keynotes all around the world, from Portugal to Saudi Arabia. So, that one “failed” podcast became the foundation for a career that now spans broadcasting, business, and public speaking - proof that sometimes, one closed door is simply preparing you for a stage you didn’t see coming.

🎥 Want to see what that looks like behind the mic? Watch my YouTube video: A Day in the Life of a BBC Radio Presenter — Behind the Scenes

The Lesson: Failure Is Just a Redirection

At the time, my first podcast felt like a failure, and I genuinely thought my voice didn’t matter. All those late nights editing, sending interview invites that went unanswered, and recording episodes no one listened to felt like shouting into the void. But looking back, that so-called failure was never once wasted time. It eventually built my confidence, sharpened my storytelling, and helped me find the voice I’d spend years trying to perfect.

It might've felt like the end back then. And maybe it was - the end of chasing perfection, the end of attaching success to numbers, and the end of doubting my own voice. That failure turned out to be the beginning of something far greater. It gave me purpose, clarity, and eventually, a BBC mic to speak into. Because, if you really think about it, failure doesn’t silence you, it only teaches you to speak louder and with intention.

Here’s what I learned:

Repetition builds confidence. Every failed attempt is just another practice, a redo, for the opportunity that will eventually stick.
Your voice has value, even when no one’s listening. The right people will find it when the timing aligns.
Start before you feel ready. You don't have to perfect anything, it's better to start and take you time to learn and grow.
Connection beats perfection. People don’t remember how polished and perfect you sound, instead they remember how you made them feel in that moment.
Silence teaches clarity. When things don’t work out, listen to what the quiet moments are trying to tell you.

That so-called first "failure" wasn’t an ending, but a redirection. And sometimes, that’s all a setback really is: the nudge that pushes you toward where you were meant to go all along.

How to Turn Your Career Setback into a Comeback

If you’re going through a similar experience, here are 3 ways to turn your failure into your next opportunity:

Share your story – You never know who’s listening or how your honesty might open doors.
Learn the lesson – Every failed attempt teaches you something about your strengths, timing, or purpose.
Stay ready – The opportunity you want might come in a different form than you expect.

Fail to Win: Every setback, rejection or failure is a stepping stone for what’s next. For more information, you can also read my past newsletter on How to Turn Your Superpower and Failures into Career Growth to learn more about turning your career setback into wins.

From Failure to Frequency

That failed podcast didn’t end my broadcasting dream. It actually started it. Every radio episode I hosted was built on the lessons from those early, awkward podcast recordings when I was still figuring it all out.

Remember, failure doesn’t define you, how you respond does. And sometimes, the very thing that breaks your confidence is the thing that builds your growth.

So, this week’s question is: What’s one failure that ended up guiding your career in a new direction?

📩 This newsletter was written by Sonya Barlow, entrepreneur, author, and presenter. Work with Sonya Barlow on business strategy, keynotes, and campaigns. Email: hello@sonyabarlow.co.uk

Sonya Barlow is an award-winning entrepreneur, presenter, and author with over 100K followers. She hosts her self-titled YouTube show The Sonya Barlow Show, authored the business book Unprepared to Entrepreneur, and runs a business inclusion consultancy and networking app, the LMF Network. Connect via email 📩 - Hello@SonyaBarlow.Co.Uk