The Content Byte

Rachel Smith and Lynne Testoni
  • 5.0 (53)
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  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Hosts Rachel Smith (from Rachel's List) and journalist and content writer Lynne Testoni are serving up weekly short bites of advice, tips and strategies, plus special guests, for freelancers who make a living from using their words. We're shooting for 15-minute episodes, but can't promise anything because we can both talk the leg off a chair.

  1. How to make time to work on your freelance business

    12 HRS AGO

    How to make time to work on your freelance business

    This week Rachel and Lynne are responding to a question from listener Stephanie about how to make time to work on your freelance business. It's a bit of a choose-your-own adventure because we have such different work styles and systems. Rachel uses a mix of a bespoke paper diary (Creator's Friend), Outlook, Google Keep, batching, and Friday "work on the business" time, plus automations in Moxie (forms, pipelines, calendar booking windows, templated replies, and auto-created Google Drive folders). Lynne has a paper-free setup using Trello, an electronic calendar, "salami tactics" (small daily actions), Marketing Monday, Mail scheduling/follow-ups/reminders, and industry events for networking. We also discuss invoicing habits, accounting software, setting aside GST/tax/super, and recommend choosing regular business time, one in-person event monthly, and automating two tasks per month.  Want to suggest a topic for a future episode? Email us at hello@thecontentbyte.com  Find Lynne www.lynnetestoni.com Find Rachel www.rachelsmith.com.au Rachel's List www.rachelslist.com.au Thanks (as always) to our sponsors Rounded (www.rounded.com.au), an easy invoicing and accounting solution that helps freelancers run their businesses with confidence. Looking to take advantage of the discount for Rachel's List Gold Members? Email us at: hello@rachelslist.com.au  for the details. Episode edited by Marker Creative Co www.markercreative.co

    34 min

  2. 12 HRS AGO ·  BONUS

    You Might Also Like: No Magic Pill with Blake Mycoskie

    Introducing Matthew McConaughey’s Guide to Life from No Magic Pill with Blake Mycoskie. Follow the show: No Magic Pill with Blake Mycoskie After losing his father and a dark year in Australia, actor Matthew McConaughey walked into the wilderness of his own mind to figure out how to be a man. He did so by writing long letters to himself, taking solo “walkabouts,” and purging the shame, guilt, and embarrassment of his younger years. He tells Blake about his methods (including what worked and what didn't work) and how they brought him both professional and personal success. In this conversation you’ll learn: – How to take a solo trip that will provide life-changing clarity – Why using too many adjectives and adverbs when journaling means you’re lost – Why service and religion is selfish, and why that’s okay – How to teach your kids the great lesson of being bored – Why emotional maturity and critical thinking are crucial in the age of AI – Matthew’s final note to self Enough Foundation's mission is to spread reminders in every form — bracelets, messages, actions, community — until feeling ENOUGH becomes the cultural default. To learn more, visit weareenough.co. Produced, Directed, and Cinematography by Wubetu Shimelash / IG: Wubetu Shimelash Disclaimer: No purchase necessary. While supplies last. Visit http://www.weareenough.co/rules for full terms. More information on Blake’s other projects here:  Morning Water  Morning Water is a daily hydration formula that restores energy, balance, and performance with essential electrolytes, minerals, and nutrients in one simple routine.  To learn more, visit morningwater.co and use code NOMAGICPILL for 25% off your first order. SONIA  Sonia is a conversational AI companion designed for emotional support. Through voice and text, it offers guided wellbeing sessions, including meditations, journaling, personalized recommendations, and practical exercises. To learn more, visit www.soniahealth.com and download it on the App Store. MOOVLAB At MOOVLAB, we bring health and wellness to your workday.  MOOVLAB - the answer to sitting is moving.  To learn more, visit www.moovlab.com Follow Blake on Instagram and stay up to date with Lemonada on Facebook and Instagram. For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors. Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at lemonadapremium.com. Disclaimer: This episode is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical questions or concerns you may have. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction & Blake's Story 1:50 ENOUGH Bracelet 2:18 Matthew's Approach to Identity 3:09 Coins of Prayers & the Icarus in Reverse Poem 05:51 Living with Purpose 06:07 Facing Your Demons Alone 07:56 The Day 12 Breakthrough 09:09 Practical Tips for Solitude & Survival Mode 09:55 Chop Wood, Carry Water 10:57 "I Am Enough" Mantra 12:23 "Just Because You Can Doesn't Mean You Should" 16:09 Simplifying Life 19:27 Morning Water 23:42 Rolling in High School, Then Losing It All in Australia 26:58 Finding Identity Through Disciplines in the Dark 27:29 Does Drama Find Us, or Do We Find It? 28:48 Is "This Too Shall Pass" a Privilege? 32:11 Service, Suffering & Obsessive Self-Centric Thinking 34:40 Is Serving Others Actually Selfish? 38:23 Tom's Shoes & the Identity Crisis Behind It 40:04 Sonia AI 41:32 Moovlab Chair 42:34 Teaching Kids Solitude & Knowing Yourself 44:52 Boredom as a Gift 49:04 AI, Multitasking & What Skills Actually Matter 52:35 The "Enough" Bracelet & Closing Poem 55:45 Closing Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to team@podroll.fm.

  3. Creating customer-centred content with Mat Patterson

    3 MAY

    Creating customer-centred content with Mat Patterson

    This week, Rachel and Lynne are chatting with freelance writer Mat Patterson (morehumancontent.com), who argues small and medium businesses and freelancers should lean into being personal, flexible and customer-close rather than copying big-company systems and jargon. Mat shares his path from web design to customer support to writing, explaining how support work builds communication skills through fast feedback. His work includes newsletters, podcasts and articles for customer-centric SaaS and customer experience companies, focused on clearer, more engaging messaging. We also chat about: Customer marketing via happy customers Why good service requires leadership giving staff authority How generative AI will increase the value of unique human perspective amid generic content Connect with Mat via: https://morehumancontent.com, https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathewpatterson/ and https://www.helpscout.com/resources/supportive-podcast/  Find Lynne www.lynnetestoni.com Find Rachel www.rachelsmith.com.au Rachel's List www.rachelslist.com.au Thanks (as always) to our sponsors Rounded (www.rounded.com.au), an easy invoicing and accounting solution that helps freelancers run their businesses with confidence. Looking to take advantage of the discount for Rachel's List Gold Members? Email us at: hello@rachelslist.com.au for the details. Episode edited by Marker Creative Co www.markercreative.co

    33 min
  4. The systems freelancers need to succeed - with Leticia Mooney

    26 APR

    The systems freelancers need to succeed - with Leticia Mooney

    This week, Rachel and Lynne are chatting with freelance business coach Leticia Mooney about building an "engine room" of systems across customer experience, sales and finance so clients feel safe, payments are smoother, and work is easier to deliver. Leticia says freelancers often skip systems because they assume their work is unique, but writing includes research, analysis, delivery and communication, all of which benefit from good processes. It's a great discussion about how to make your business run better and free yourself up for creative work. So many tips, including the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle with frequent review, how to do client updates to reduce anxiety, and walking through agreements on sales calls to prevent questions and ghosting.  Connect with Leticia via her website: Https://leticiamooney.com  Find Lynne www.lynnetestoni.com Find Rachel www.rachelsmith.com.au Rachel's List www.rachelslist.com.au Thanks (as always) to our sponsors Rounded (www.rounded.com.au), an easy invoicing and accounting solution that helps freelancers run their businesses with confidence. Looking to take advantage of the discount for Rachel's List Gold Members? Email us at: hello@rachelslist.com.au for the details. Episode edited by Marker Creative Co www.markercreative.co

    57 min
  5. How to create your own career luck with Mel Barfield

    19 APR

    How to create your own career luck with Mel Barfield

    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 Rounded (www.rounded.com.au ), an easy invoicing and accounting solution that helps freelancers run their businesses with confidence. Looking to take advantage of the discount for Rachel's List Gold Members? Email us at: hello@rachelslist.com.au for the details. Episode edited by Marker Creative Co www.markercreative.co

    58 min
  6. How to make money through TikTok and Instagram with Keenya Kelly

    12 APR

    How to make money through TikTok and Instagram with Keenya Kelly

    This week Rachel and Lynne discuss how freelancers can use Instagram and TikTok to make money and win clients with guest Keenya Kelly, a social media strategist known as the "TikTok Queen,". Keenya has over 500,000 TikTok followers and has generated more than $4 million through short-form video. She explains how TikTok shifted marketing toward entertaining, educational, scroll-stopping videos (often under a minute), speeding up the like-know-trust factor and purchasing decisions. She recommends prioritising consistency (at least weekly), creating stronger content rather than posting anything, and using tracking links and automation such as comment-triggered chatbots to convert views into leads and sales. It's such a valuable episode as Keenya talks about how she batches her workflows using B-roll, scripts, and organised storage, as well as using AI for competitive analysis and video ideation, and highlights authenticity, newsjacking, and how to better repurpose content.  Connect with Keenya via her website: https://www.keenyakelly.com/  Or on TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@keenyakelly  Find Lynne www.lynnetestoni.com Find Rachel www.rachelsmith.com.au Rachel's List www.rachelslist.com.au Thanks (as always) to our sponsors Rounded (www.rounded.com.au), an easy invoicing and accounting solution that helps freelancers run their businesses with confidence. Looking to take advantage of the discount for Rachel's List Gold Members? Email us at: hello@rachelslist.com.au for the details. Episode edited by Marker Creative Co www.markercreative.co

    40 min
  7. Theresa Miller on speaking up and the opportunities it brings

    5 APR

    Theresa Miller on speaking up and the opportunities it brings

    This week on the podcast, Rachel and Lynne discuss how public speaking can help freelancers become more visible and attract clients, despite battling nerves. We are joined by media trainer and journalist Theresa Miller to talk about her book Speak Up on becoming a successful presenter and media spokesperson. Theresa shares why knowledgeable people often stay quiet, why it matters to "speak up" in an era of misinformation and AI fakery, and how to manage those all-too-common nerves. She outlines practical strategies including researching your audience, tailoring your message to their needs and pain points, using structure and story (including the hero's journey), and ending with a clear, ideally dated, call to action. We also chat about pathways into speaking, the role of in-person events, as well as Theresa's career lessons and favourite tools of the trade. To buy her book https://www.theresamiller.com.au/books  Her online course: https://www.theresamiller.com.au/online-course Ten tips to nail your media interview https://www.theresamiller.com.au/media-interview-tips   Eight-attention grabbing openers for presentations https://www.theresamiller.com.au/openers   Or connect with her on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/theresa-miller-tm-media/   Find Lynne www.lynnetestoni.com Find Rachel www.rachelsmith.com.au Rachel's List www.rachelslist.com.au Thanks (as always) to our sponsors Rounded (www.rounded.com.au), an easy invoicing and accounting solution that helps freelancers run their businesses with confidence. Looking to take advantage of the discount for Rachel's List Gold Members? Email us at: hello@rachelslist.com.au for the details. Episode edited by Marker Creative Co www.markercreative.co

    38 min
  8. How to nail client meetings

    29 MAR

    How to nail client meetings

    This week on the pod it's just Rachel and Lynne as we answer a listener question about how to nail client calls. We compare warm leads (often via referrals and niche networks) with cold leads (often from Google), and share tactics and tips on how we handle professional calls, including researching the client (website, socials, ABN and reviews); being punctual and prepared; using interviewing and soft sales skills along with reflective listening. We also discuss how to handle the question of budgets by stating indicative pricing, adjusting scope, offering tiered options, and focusing on value, plus being prompt with quotes, setting validity windows, and clarifying terms such as deposits, SEO non-negotiables, and limits on revisions. We also cover longer discovery calls for web copy projects, using transcripts/AI notes, and the value of meeting clients in person to build trust. Here are links to some of the article we discuss: Why to offer tiered pricing (blog) https://rachelslist.com.au/why-you-should-offer-tiered-pricing-as-a-freelancer/ Client brief template (shop) https://rachelslist.com.au/portfolio/client-brief-template/ Quoting freelance projects with Lynne Testoni (shop) https://rachelslist.com.au/portfolio/21062/ Gold members of Rachel's List can listen to the lunch club with Treasa Edmond on nailing discovery calls, which includes her downloadable checklist. https://rachelslist.com.au/freelance-writing-jobs-australia/lunch-club-library/ Find Lynne www.lynnetestoni.com Find Rachel www.rachelsmith.com.au Rachel's List www.rachelslist.com.au Thanks (as always) to our sponsors Rounded (www.rounded.com.au), an easy invoicing and accounting solution that helps freelancers run their businesses with confidence. Looking to take advantage of the discount for Rachel's List Gold Members? Email us at: hello@rachelslist.com.au for the details. Episode edited by Marker Creative Co www.markercreative.co

    36 min
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5
out of 5
53 Ratings

About

Hosts Rachel Smith (from Rachel's List) and journalist and content writer Lynne Testoni are serving up weekly short bites of advice, tips and strategies, plus special guests, for freelancers who make a living from using their words. We're shooting for 15-minute episodes, but can't promise anything because we can both talk the leg off a chair.

Information

  • Creator
    Rachel Smith and Lynne Testoni
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    282
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © This content is copyright and the property of Rachel Smith and Lynne Testoni.
  • Show Website
    The Content Byte

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