Rachel Smith and Lynne Testoni
The Content Byte
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.
Author
Rachel Smith and Lynne Testoni
Category
Podcast website
Latest episode
Jun 28, 2026
Where to listen?
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Episodes
Conquering LinkedIn, finding clients and the power of community, with Rebecca Cofrancesco 19.01.2025 55:20
We are back from our break! And we have a great episode for our return - featuring content strategist and LinkedIn mentor Beck Cofrancesco. Beck talks about how to make LinkedIn work for you, how to find clients and why she started a local business meet-up group. During our chat, we talk about: Why she started freelancing Her new LinkedIn newsletter and why she started it How her newsletter has in...
RE-RELEASE Working as an agency copywriter with Damien Whelan 18.12.2024 30:02
RE-RELEASE. Continuing with our summer series of re-running our favourite and most popular podcast episodes, we are sharing an episode from August 2022, with agency copywriter Damien Whelan. If you're as Mad Men-obsessed as we are, you're probably keen to know how copywriting on the agency side differs from other types of writing that copywriters do. In our chat, we talk about: How did he get int...
RE-RELEASE Grant Writing with Martina Donkers 12.12.2024 39:49
This week, we are starting a special summer series, repeating some of our most popular episodes. First up is our most successful episode ever - with grant writer Martina Donkers. In an inspiring talk, Martina shares her story about finding her niche, how grant writing works and why she loves being a digital nomad - all from a hammock in regional Western Australia! We chat about: How and why she...
Writing for purpose-driven brands with Carmen Hawker 01.12.2024 47:32
In what is probably our last episode for 2024, Rachel and Lynne chat with copywriter, campaigner and brand strategist Carmen Hawker. Carmen writes for purpose-driven businesses and B Corps from sustainable fashion to ethical finance. She talks about how she found her niche, why she loves doing this sort of work and how she makes it pay a reasonable wage. In this revealing episode, she talks about:...
Why You Might be Your Own Worst Enemy When it Comes to Landing Dream Clients 24.11.2024 47:26
This week Rachel and Lynne are chatting with Amy Posner, also known as The Client Whisperer, talking about the mistakes many of us make when working with clients, especially at the beginning of our freelance career. Amy is a business coach for freelancers and has some great information on how to find good clients who will pay good money for your work. She talks about: The different types of client...
What it's like to be a B2B tech writer with Rosalyn Page 17.11.2024 37:29
This week Rachel and Lynne chat with a good friend and colleague - B2B tech writer Rosalyn Page. Rosalyn talks about her background in IT and tech magazines, how and why she transitioned to freelance work and all that involves. During our chat, Ros talks about: How she got into tech writing Where she finds her work The pros and cons of writing for agencies Whether tech writing is a lucrative niche...
Building a Sustainable Freelance Career in a Gig Economy with Lizzie Mulherin 10.11.2024 44:28
This week Rachel and Lynne are chatting with Lizzie Mulherin, a freelance writer, brand strategist, and travel author. Lizzie shares her career journey and chats about: Having a business mindset when it comes to freelancing How to mix content work and journalism How to boost your confidence as a freelancer Whether you need to build a personal brand to make good money Common mistakes she sees write...
How to be paid well with Sue White 03.11.2024 58:14
This week on the podcast, Rachel and Lynne are chatting with freelance writer, journalist, consultant and media trainer Sue White. As a highly successful freelancer, Sue is all about knowing your own worth and charging accordingly. She shares her career journey, why it's important to grow and adapt as time goes on and why you should never accept underpaid jobs. She talks about: Where and how she f...
How to earn more as a freelancer without ruining your life with Sarah Greesonbach 27.10.2024 41:54
This week, Rachel and Lynne chat with B2B writer and coach Sarah Greesonbach. We reached out to her after seeing her great comments and funny posts on LinkedIn and we love her approach to freelance writing. We should point out that Lynne had some Internet issues near the end and had to drop out. Luckily Rachel and Sarah were able to complete the chat! During our chat we talk about: Why she loves B...
How to use community to grow a freelance business with Jenn Donovan 20.10.2024 38:21
This week on the podcast Rachel and Lynne are talking about how to grow your businesses with Jenn Donovan. Jenn is passionate about small businesses (which is what a freelance career essentially is) and she talks about how you can use community to find clients and get support from your peers. In our discussion we cover: Her interesting career story, from lawyer to retailer to marketer Why she love...
Creating personality-driven email newsletters with Steven Lewis 13.10.2024 1:00:59
And we are back! After a short post-Summit haitus, Lynne and Rachel are back with a new season and a great guest. And it's all about personality-driven email newsletters. Emails are having their moment in the sun right now - they don't rely on algorithyms that could change quickly or at the whim of a social media mogul and, when done well, can create a powerful conversation between companies and t...
It's Summit Time! Our pick of the must-see sessions 08.09.2024 22:58
It's just a few days before the biggest event of the year (in our calendars anyway!). It's time for The Content Byte Summit. Hosts Rachel & Lynne talk about the impressive line-up of speakers and all the panels and presentations they are looking forward to seeing this year. Some of the presentations include how to: → find new high-paying clients in your niche → hear how to tweak your website to m...
Corporate communications and using data to create better content, with Cameron Pegg 01.09.2024 46:23
Communications professional and content strategist Cameron Pegg is Rachel & Lynne's guest this week. Cameron talks about how his time at university helped him create better stories and what his early career in corporate communications taught him. Cameron talks about: The value of storytelling to create content Securing bylines while still at uni What he learned from working in radio Developing co...
Lucia Osborne-Crowley on court reporting and trauma-informed writing 25.08.2024 36:34
This week on the podcast, Rachel is unwell, so Lynne is on her own talking with new author and court reporter Lucia Osborne-Crowley. Lucia's latest book, T he Lasting Harm, Witnessing the Trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, is a powerful examination of the trial of Maxwell and all the behind-the-scenes machinations with the victims and the lawyers. We talk about: How Lucia's background as a lawyer prepare...
Paul Merrill on moving from publishing to content 18.08.2024 39:28
This week on the podcast, Rachel and Lynne are chatting with Paul Merrill, a former editor in chief of weekly magazines, who established his own freelance content business five years ago. Paul talks about his early career in the golden era of magazines, the pressure of being a publisher in Australia and then how he set up his own business. Our chat covers: Finding work when you are starting out Ho...
Sarah Aubrey on a career as a voice actor 11.08.2024 45:41
This week on the podcast, Rachel and Lynne have a special guest - voice actor Sarah Aubrey. A long-time actor, voice actor and freelancer, Sarah shares her career journey and how she found her niche in voice acting and voiceovers. She talks about: Training at NIDA and working as an actor Discovering her talent for voice work Managing the ups and downs of freelance life Coping with erratic cash flo...
Leonie Dawson on Marketing without Social Media 04.08.2024 47:16
This week on the podcast, Rachel and Lynne chat with the inspiring Leonie Dawson. Leonie is a marketer, author and course creator, helping businesses develop their marketing - all in just 10 hours a week. We love her approach to work/life balance! In this episode, we chat about: Why social media is not the only way to market How you can find your audience How to think laterally about your marketin...
Editor Virginia Jen on how print and digital work together 28.07.2024 43:57
This week on the podcast, Rachel and Lynne are chatting with Virginia Jen, subeditor, writer and now editor. Virginia has worked on some of Australia's most prestigious publications, including Vogue Living, Gourmet Traveller, Home Beautiful and InsideOut . Now at The Local Project, she shares her journey from print to digital and how the two mediums can work together. We also talk about: How she g...
Austin L Church on the $300k flywheel and The Content Byte Summit 21.07.2024 53:50
This week on the podcast, Rachel and Lynne are chatting with Austin L Church. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, Austin is a writer, marketer, and coach - and is one of the keynote speakers at The Content Byte Summit later this year. Austin chats about his background and his amazing $300k flywheel concept, which is all about how to earn good money, without burning yourself out. He talks about: Earni...
Akash Arora on working as a travel writer and editor 14.07.2024 32:51
Travel writer, editor and journalist Akash Arora is living the dream - and this week Lynne and Rachel chat to him about what it takes to be a travel writer, what it really means to be on the road almost all the time, and how to get a pitch over the line with him. Akash was actually in the Maldives in an over-the-water villa during our recording, which just added to the allure! We talked about: His...
Rachelle Unreich on freelance writing, and telling her mother's story 07.07.2024 41:04
This week on the podcast, Rachel and Lynne chat with freelance writer and author Rachelle Unreich. Rachelle talks about the journey to publication of her compelling memoir, A Brilliant Life , about her mother's story of surviving the Holocaust. She talks about how she used writing to help her through the grieving process, and what it was like to have a bidding war for this, her first book. Our dis...
Moving from freelancing to starting your own agency, with Vanessa Keys 30.06.2024 39:41
This week, Rachel and Lynne chat with agency content director, Vanessa Keys. Vanessa shares her career journey from work experience in glossy magazines, to securing feature writing roles before travelling to London and working in large agencies. Now the head of content and strategy at Slice, her Adelaide-based content agency established with colleague and friend Liz, Vanessa now boasts some big-na...
Making business finance accessible with Justine McLean 23.06.2024 42:19
This week Lynne and Rachel chat with Justine McLean, who is on a mission to help small business owners and freelancers understand their finances . Her new book, Business Money Magnet, is all about how to master your money, boost profitability, and be the boss of your financial destiny. Justine talks about: How to be less anxious about money How to manage your tax How important financial goals are...
Writing your first novel, with Siobhan O'Brien 16.06.2024 43:39
This week, Rachel and Lynne chat with writer Siobhan O'Brien, who has just released her first novel to much acclaim - All the Golden Light - details here: https://www.harpercollins.com.au/9781460762004/all-the-golden-light/ . Siobhan talks about the writing process and how writing fiction was so different from her previous non-fiction projects. She talks about the realities of being a first time...
All about LinkedIn and how to make it work for you, with Cathy Anderson 09.06.2024 46:36
This week on the podcast, Lynne and Rachel are speaking with Cathy Anderson, a senior editor at LinkedIn Australia. Cathy shares her inside knowledge on how LinkedIn works, and how to make the most of the platform. It's a valuable and revealing conversation. We talk about: The special courses available for journalists through the platform How to increase your reach on LinkedIn How the LinkedIn new...
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