The Content Byte

Rachel Smith and Lynne Testoni
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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. Establishing a freelance podcasting career, with Caroline Winter

    16 HR AGO

    Establishing a freelance podcasting career, with Caroline Winter

    This week, Rachel and Lynne discuss podcasting as part of a freelance content strategy with guest Caroline Winter, a former radio journalist and co-founder of POD Talk. Caroline shares lessons from creating her eight-part narrative series Sick as a Dog about the veterinary industry's mental health crisis and explains how her agency finds clients and produces podcasts for organisations.  She outlines what new podcasters need, including clarity of focus, defined audience, strong preparation, hosting skills, consistency, and good audio quality — plus practical ways to test an idea's longevity. Caroline also covers agency realities such as pricing, client psychology, measures of success beyond monetisation, emerging podcast trends, and tools and habits that help her work efficiently. Connect with Caroline here: https://www.podtalk.com.au/  Listen to her work here: Sick As A Dog https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/sick-as-a-dog/id1675843578 The Widow Diaries https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-widow-diaries/id1820862923   Our People (CALHN) https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/our-people-central-to-healthcare/id1686295859   AgVic Talk https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/agvic-talk/id1528428798   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

    49 min
  2. You Might Also Like: Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang

    16 HR AGO · BONUS

    You Might Also Like: Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang

    Introducing "Chi-Con" (w/ Maggie Winters) from Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang. Follow the show: Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang Live, laugh and love along with Matt, Bowen + their guest, comedian and Chi-con (Chicago icon) Maggie Winters! She's in the studio to say, "hey! watch my solo show MARGUERITE on YouTube on March 17th!" And with THAT said, the girls get into it all: the bean soup theory, spices, spice racks, Padma Lakshmi, being Irish, drinking young, and what it means to be Chicago Fried. Also, HBO's Industry, TGIF pizza night and the theme songs of Nickelodeon. All this, having Paris Hilton feet (laudatory), Ghostfaces' various reasonings, and the question, 'are substacks blogs?' Find out (but not really) on this episode of... Las Culturistas! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 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. Things that hold you back as a freelancer

    1 MAR

    Things that hold you back as a freelancer

    This week, Rachel and Lynne are without a guest, as they share six small, actionable things they wish they'd done sooner in their respective freelance businesses, to become more visible, win better work, and run their businesses better.    They discuss: How investing in professional headshots boosted Rachel's confidence and credibility How Lynne benefited from switching from a free Gmail address to a custom domain email Why Rachel put practical systems in place using tools like templates, trackers, Moxie, and Trello How Lynne found value in attending paid conferences and networking events to build relationships and create indirect opportunities  Why packaging her services (including creating a services guide) helped Rachel clarify offerings and pricing  And how regularly increasing rates – even in small increments – can keep up with rising costs while reinforcing value The professional photographer we mention is Simona Janek: https://simonajanek.com.au/   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

    24 min
  4. Moving from publishing to a comms role - with Jo Butler

    22 FEB

    Moving from publishing to a comms role - with Jo Butler

    This week, Rachel and Lynne chat with Jo Butler about switching careers from book publishing to marketing and communications at the University of Sydney. Jo shares her journey of nearly 30 years as a book editor, publisher and literary agent, and explains why she wanted a new challenge, as well as the appeal of more stable income and working with colleagues again.  She discusses: • how publishing has changed over the decades  • what she misses about editing  • what she wishes authors understood about publishing  • why comms still feels like storytelling, and how her skills feel more appreciated in a university environment • how she mapped her transferable skills for the move  • key skills for comms roles  • what her week looks like in internal communications  • the learning curve in university comms  • her ongoing connection to publishing through teaching in the Masters of Publishing program, and what she covers  • the 'hard truths' she shares with students  • AI in publishing  Connect with Jo via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-butler-bishops/  Read her blog on Rachel's List about book editing here: https://rachelslist.com.au/so-you-think-you-can-be-a-book-editor/ 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

    37 min
  5. Breaking the freelance stress cycle - with Sabina Read

    15 FEB

    Breaking the freelance stress cycle - with Sabina Read

    This week Rachel and Lynne chat with psychologist Sabina Read about catastrophising, perfectionism and the freelance stress spiral. Sabina explains catastrophising as a cognitive distortion where we jump to the worst-case scenario and treat thoughts as facts, and why it can show up more in freelancing due to a lack of workplace "guardrails" such as regular income and employer support. They discuss: the difference between genuine, evidence-based concerns (like fewer jobs or more competition) and catastrophising how scarcity vs abundance mindsets influence freelance anxiety why perfectionism fuels anxiety, and why "good enough is good enough" how the brain reinforces threat-focused neural pathways – and how to build new ones by noticing what's working  practical circuit breakers and using breath to come down from fight-or-flight before making decisions  how avoidance fuels fear, and how resilience is built by tolerating discomfort without over-attaching to outcomes being discerning with social media and algorithm-driven negativity clarifying what you want to move toward (not just what you want to escape), and the power of saying no to misaligned work Find Sabina at sabinareadpsychology.com.au  She also hosts the Human Cogs podcast, https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/human-cogs-podcast/id1525840415 and The Separation Guide Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-separation-guide-a-starting-point-for/id1542151561  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

    39 min
  6. How to reinvent yourself, with Phoebe Hartley

    8 FEB

    How to reinvent yourself, with Phoebe Hartley

    This week on the podcast, Rachel and Lynne talk to Phoebe Hartley about her creative journey from filmmaking to journalism, and now to launching her own print magazine, Billy.  Phoebe shares insights on: the challenges of career reinvention transitioning from film to journalism launching and running a local magazine balancing work and family life in a rural setting and the value of community support and collaboration  Listen in for tips on creative flexibility, managing imposter syndrome, and navigating the evolving freelance landscape. Connect with Phoebe via www.billypress.com or www.phoebehartley.com www.instagram.com/billypress_/  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
  7. Self-publishing and book coaching with Anna Featherstone

    1 FEB

    Self-publishing and book coaching with Anna Featherstone

    In our first episode for 2026, Rachel and Lynne discuss self-publishing and book coaching with guest Anna Featherstone. Anna, a mentor, book coach, editor, and author of five nonfiction books, shares insights about the self-publishing process, including the importance of producing a quality product, effective marketing strategies, and the realities of the publishing industry. Key topics include: how to approach book cover design understanding the difference between traditional and indie publishing the role of authors in marketing their work tips for getting books into libraries and literary festivals the importance of having a clear purpose for writing why you need to continue to improve your writing Connect with Anna via her website: https://annafeatherstone.com/  https://www.boldauthors.com/  Blog posts on Rachel's List featuring Anna: https://www.rachelslist.com.au/blog/how-an-email-led-to-a-masterclass-a-book-a-summit-appearance-and-so-much-more/ https://www.rachelslist.com.au/toolkit/product/self-publishing-bundle-anna-featherstone/   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

    32 min
  8. BEST OF 2025: Using ChatGPT as your marketing brain, with Steven Lewis

    26 JAN

    BEST OF 2025: Using ChatGPT as your marketing brain, with Steven Lewis

    This week is the last of our Best of 2025 series and in this episode podcast, Rachel and Lynne discuss the impact of AI on freelance writing and marketing with guest Steven Lewis.   Steven, a seasoned journalist and copywriter, offers a deep dive into using AI, specifically custom GPTs, to streamline marketing tasks for freelancers.   He explains: • the practical steps to creating a custom GPT • how it can maintain consistent client communication • how it can give feedback on your copy to ensure it is on-brand • how it can help freelancers focus on high-value creative tasks • the ethical considerations of AI use and the importance of human connection in an increasingly automated world   Connect with Steven on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenlewissydney/   The link to the course he talks about is: https://aicmocourse.com  And listeners can get a 10% discount using the coupon code CONTENTBYTE25   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

    49 min
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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
    273
  • 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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