This week, Rachel and Lynne are chatting with Maria Izvestkina, a multidisciplinary creative leader from Canva. They discuss the importance of protecting creative energy, the impact of AI on design, trend spotting, and how to live a creative life.

Maria shares insights on:

• The evolving role of AI in creative work
• How to harness social media for creative expression
• Effective use of Canva features and templates
• Developing a playful and experimental mindset to fuel creativity
• Practical tools and strategies for freelancers

Maria also talks about her Substack project Playin and offers valuable advice for organising work in Canva.

Connect with Maria on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-izvestkina/

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 dive into the art of books and book reviewing with guest Nicole Abadee, a book reviewer for the Sydney Morning Herald's Good Weekend.

Nicole discusses her transition from barrister to reviewer, the surprising way she scored the reviewing gig, and the influence of social media on book marketing.

She also offers valuable tips for authors seeking reviews and shares her methods for selecting standout books. There's so much gold here, as Nicole talks about:

• The challenges of making a living in the book publishing industry
• The essential skills for reviewers
• The ups and downs of writers festivals
• Why self-published books won't get reviewed
• The evolving landscape of arts coverage
• Why authors need to build a social media presence
• How she manages to read hundreds of books a year
• And why she still loves a highlighter

Connect with Nicole via her website: https://www.nicoleabadee.com.au/

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 discuss whether you are your own worst enemy, with a thoughtful look at improving your business and personal mindset with guest Mark Jones, an author and mindset strategist, who explores the concept of gaslighting yourself and the psychological impacts of negative self-talk. He shares tips on:

• Why it is important to be kind to yourself
• How to rewrite these internal narratives
• The importance of self-belief
• Different techniques to foster a healthier mindset

It's all about the importance of aligning your internal and external stories for personal and professional growth.

Connect with Mark via his website: https://www.markjones.au/

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 it's all about AI. Rachel and Lynne discuss the impacts of AI on freelance writing and marketing with Joe Pulizzi, founder of the Content Marketing Institute and The Tilt.

During a fascinating (and positive) conversation, Joe offers insights on how to stay relevant in a rapidly changing media and marketing landscape, including:

• The importance of niching down and building expertise

• Leveraging AI tools for efficiency

• Creating and maintaining owned assets like newsletters and podcasts

• Focusing on building real-world relationships and in-person connections

Joe also shares practical tips on maintaining a strategic web presence and the value of handwritten notes and print media to foster real-world connections with people and potential clients.

Connect with Joe (and check out his new book, Burn the Playbook) through his website: https://www.joepulizzi.com/

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 Ashley Cisneros Mejia, a freelance communication strategist and host of the 'Talk Freelance to Me' podcast.

Ashley shares her journey from agency owner to solo freelancer, highlighting the processes and systems she brought into her current business from larger agencies. We also explore:

• The value of community and networking for maintaining creativity and client relationships
• The evolving freelance market
• Integration of AI in business operations
• The importance of human connection and the benefits of collaborating with other creatives
• How to leverage relationships to secure a successful freelance career
• What technology she uses to streamline workflows and enhance productivity

Connect with Ashley via her website: https://www.ashleycisneros.com or through her podcast: https://talkfreelancetome.com/

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 Smith and Lynne discuss essential health habits for freelancers with guest Lucie Robazza. Lucie, a certified health coach and personal trainer, shares practical tips on:

• Incorporating simple exercise routines
• The importance of protein-rich diets
• How to maintain good posture for productivity and long-term health
• How good health can make you more efficient - and make more money
• Quick and healthy snack ideas

The episode covers habit-building techniques, such as micro habits, and emphasises the significance of sunshine and hydration in everyday routines. Perfect for writers who spend long hours at their desks looking to improve both their physical well-being and business performance. Her methods are easy, achievable and shame-free.

Download Lucie's free 5-day challenge, https://www.strenxia.com/writer-reset

Connect with Lucie via her website: https://www.strenxia.com/

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 marketing expert Mia Fileman about marketing strategies for freelancers.

We talk about:

• The concept of the 'trust recession'
• Mia's 'Honest Marketing Method' that emphasises transparency, connection, creativity, and conversation
• Effective community engagement
• Unconventional collaborations
• The importance of one-on-one client interactions, which help freelancers build genuine trust and stand out in a crowded market

The episode also provides an overview of the Ripple Festival, Mia's innovative small business event combining business discussions with live music, comedy, and art.

Find out all about the Ripple Festival at https://www.ripplefestival.au/

Connect with Mia here: https://www.campaigndelmar.com/

and download her amazing Marketing Calendar (handy for 2026 planning) https://www.campaigndelmar.com/marketing-calendar

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 talk about how to find clients using AI with their guest, Ilise Benun, a business coach for creatives.

In a practical and inspiring chat, Ilise takes us through (step-by-step) how to utilise AI for client acquisition, showing how to find your perfect clients and then how you can reach out.

It's a great conversation, talking about:

• Why you still need to build relationships in real life
• Identifying target markets with AI
• Crafting effective AI prompts
• Approaching new markets and understanding pain points
• Networking and engaging with people
• How to use content marketing and outreach strategies to grow your freelance business
• AI's limitations

Rachel and Lynne also explore practical AI applications such as customised GPTs and chat about emerging trends with AI in the marketing landscape.

Find Ilise's AI Kit at: https://go.marketing-mentor.com/free-ai-kit

Connect with her

https://www.marketing-mentor.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilisebenun/

Or her podcast, The Marketing Mentor: https://pod.link/279328611

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 discuss productivity, creativity, and the concept of flow states with guest Steven Puri, the founder and CEO of the Sukha Company.

Steven shares his career journey, from working on visual effects for blockbuster movies to developing an app that helps knowledge workers focus and minimise distractions.

We chat about:

• Why it is important to find your "flow state" and practical tips to achieve it
• Understanding how you work best
• The importance of a structured routine
• The impact of environment on creativity
• How to manage your business as a freelancer

The Sukha Company and app is here: https://www.thesukha.co/

or connect with Steven via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-puri/

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 dive into what's working (and what's not) in social right now with guest Keshnee Kemp - former Head of Content at Woolworths and new agency owner of August One.

Keshnee shares insights on:

• her career journey, from mags to TV to working in client-side and in agencies
• how traditional media, brand side and agency-side differs
• why media prepped her for Woollies, then Woollies prepped her for agency work
• bringing journalists into marketing, and why they can make great marketers
• running a lean agency operation and how she does it
• using AI for grunt work so you can use your creative brain for the exceptional work
• why social teams need to go back to basics on a clear channel strategy right now
• how the best brands have a distinctive voice - and use trend-jacking rarely
• winning stakeholder buy-in with data and calculated risk (e.g., launching TikTok)
• biggest mistakes she sees brands making on social at the moment
• advice for freelancers right now when it comes to staying relevant and getting work

Connect with Keshnee via LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/keshnee and sign up to her newsletter via her profile. You can also check out her agency here: www.augustone.com.au

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