This week Rachel and Lynne explore how you can use trauma as a catalyst to change your freelance career with guest Chris Stead, an award-winning journalist and content producer.

Chris shares how an e-bike explosion in his home and the subsequent fire led to re-evaluating work priorities, embracing family travel, and developing new income streams as he talks about the profound impact this traumatic event had on his professional and personal life.

It's a fascinating chat as we dive into Chris's journey from traditional journalism to running a YouTube channel, self-publishing children's books, and offering consulting services. It will make you think about how to manage multiple income streams, leverage technology for content creation, and how you can use personal experiences as a catalyst for growth.

Connect with Chris via 

Old Mate Media, https://oldmatemedia.com/

or Motivated Travel https://www.youtube.com/@motivated_travel

Visit The Content Byte website for a transcription of this episode: https://thecontentbyte.com/episodes/  

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: [email protected] for the details.

Episode edited by Marker Creative Co www.markercreative.co 

In this week's episode, Rachel and Lynne chat with Joanna Savill, a bit of a legend in the food industry. Joanna shares her career evolution from subtitle translator to a food journalism icon, including her work with SBS TV and The Sydney Morning Herald.   The discussion covers:

• The transformation of Australia's food media over the years
• Integrating immersive experiences in events
• How to leverage your transferable skills 
• Managing the ups and downs of freelance life
• The early days of food websites

Joanna also reflects on her role in community-focused government work and her current focus on sustainability in hospitality.   Connect with Joanna via Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/joanna_savill/    Visit The Content Byte website for a transcription of this episode: https://thecontentbyte.com/episodes/    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: [email protected] for the details. Episode edited by Marker Creative Co www.markercreative.co

This week, Rachel and Lynne are chatting with award-winning director and writer Jane Manning. The discussion delves into Jane's impressive career in television and documentary films, which includes being one of the early female directors on Home & Away (and why programs like that matter), as well as significant projects such as Who Do You Think You Are? and Ka-Ching! Pokie Nation.

During our chat, Jane shares:

• Her journey from documentary filmmaking to TV drama
• Her creative processes
• The challenges of storytelling in both documentary and drama
• How a TV series or documentary comes to life
• What it's like being in a writer's room
• Advice for freelancers looking to transition into television writing and production

Connect with Jane via her website: https://www.thresholdpics.com/ or via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-manning-98079321/ 

Visit The Content Byte website for a transcription of this episode: https://thecontentbyte.com/episodes/ 

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: [email protected]  for the details.

Episode edited by Marker Creative Co www.markercreative.co 

 

This week on the podcast, hosts Rachel and Lynne chat with Megan Osborne, editor of Better Homes and Gardens magazine.

Megan shares her career journey from food writing to leading large-scale content strategies at prominent brands and now to editing Australia's largest circulation (paid) magazine. 

She discusses:

• the evolving role of a magazine editor
• the integration of print and digital content
• why you need to understand audience data
• leveraging social media to engage younger audiences
• what she's looking for from freelance contributors (and even shares her email address!)

Megan offers invaluable advice for freelancers aiming to get published and shares her favourite productivity tools and tech tips.

Connect with Megan via LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/osbornemegan/ 

Visit The Content Byte website for a transcription of this episode: https://thecontentbyte.com/episodes/

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: [email protected]  for the details. 

Episode edited by Marker Creative Co www.markercreative.co 

This week, Rachel and Lynne chat with Evelina Kaganovitch, a high-conversion fashion copywriter, about the intricacies and strategies of freelance copywriting. Evelina shares her journey from sustainable fashion to copywriting and discusses the importance of clear messaging over using too much jargon. 

The conversation covers:

• Niching down in the freelance world
• Using social listening tools and AI to improve copy quality
• Finding the balance between the personal touch and technological help
• How to create effective email marketing strategies
• Maintaining trust and community in your audience
• ... and practical tips for freelancers who are navigating the evolving creator economy

Connect with Evelina Kaganovitch (and find her downloads) on her website: https://www.evelinakreative.com/ 

or on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evelinakreative/ 

Visit The Content Byte website for a transcription of this episode: https://thecontentbyte.com/episodes/  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: [email protected] for the details. Episode edited by Marker Creative Co www.markercreative.co

In this episode, Rachel and Lynne delve back into the topic of niching down as a freelancer with Sabrina Rogers-Anderson, a health and fitness writer.

The discussion covers the challenges and benefits of finding and committing to a specific niche, how to charge what you're worth, and managing finances.

Sabrina shares her journey from generalist to specialist, overcoming personal adversities, and the pivotal role a business coach played in her transformation. The episode also touches upon the impact of AI on health writing, the importance of credible, evidence-based content, and she shares practical tips for maintaining a steady cash flow as a freelancer.

Connect with Sabrina through her website: https://sabrinarogersanderson.com/ or via LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrinarogersanderson/  

Visit The Content Byte website for a transcription of this episode: https://thecontentbyte.com/episodes/

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: [email protected]  for the details.

Episode edited by Marker Creative Co www.markercreative.co 

We all know that it’s so much easier to keep your existing clients rather than constantly hustle for new ones, so this week Rachel & Lynne are chatting with customer retention expert Nadine Nethery. Nadine, an audience-driven copywriter and retention strategist, discusses the importance of retaining clients over constantly hustling for new ones.

It's a great episode, as Nadine shares insights on:

• How to create personalised customer experiences
• Using tools for personal video messages
• Automating customer touchpoints with email marketing platforms.
• The value of referral partner programs 
• How AI is impacting freelance copywriters
• How freelancers can position themselves as strategic partners rather than transactional vendors

Listen to Nadine's podcast, What Would They Do here: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-would-they-do-the-customer-experience-podcast/id1796323283

Connect with Nadine at www.candocontent.com

And find her Virtual Scratchie Card: https://link.candocontent.com/content-byte-scratchie   Visit The Content Byte website for a transcription of this episode:  https://thecontentbyte.com/episodes/    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: [email protected] for the details. Episode edited by Marker Creative Co www.markercreative.co

In this episode of The Content Byte podcast, hosts Rachel Smith and Lynne Testoni 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 GPT, 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: [email protected] for the details.

Episode edited by Marker Creative Co www.markercreative.co 

This week on the podcast, Rachel and Lynne are chatting with book publisher and author's advocate, Juliet Rogers. Juliet talks about the publishing industry, what has changed over the years and how you can push through all the noise if you want to secure a book deal.

She also shares:

• Stories of some of her biggest publishing successes, including touring with Salman Rushdie, working with John Grisham and seeing Heather Morris find international publishing success at the age of 63
• When and why you should use an agent
• How to have your manuscript discovered within the slush pile
• Why you need to read widely in order to write well
• Whether you need a public profile to secure a book deal
• If you can make a good living as a novelist
• When and if self-publishing is worth it

 

Connect with Juliet via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliet-rogers-84598328/ 

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: [email protected]  for the details.

Episode edited by Marker Creative Co www.markercreative.co 

In this episode of The Content Byte podcast, Rachel and Lynne explore the unique challenges of copywriting in the beauty industry with guest Amy Hadley, a beauty copywriter and journalist.   Amy discusses balancing creativity with stringent industry regulations, provides insights into the importance of visibility in finances for freelancers, and highlights how her qualifications and self-taught knowledge have set her apart in her field.   There's so much to learn about the nuances of compliant beauty copywriting, maintaining client relationships, and the benefits of niching down in your freelance business.   Connect with Amy via her website: https://hadleyco.com.au/    or on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-hadley-646762b4/    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: [email protected] for the details. Episode edited by Marker Creative Co www.markercreative.co