The Content Byte

If there's something freelancers know all about, it's the humble side hustle - which could be a passion project separate to your work, or something connected to your work that enables you to use your skills to make money in a new way. In this episode, we talk about: what a side hustle is small side hustles vs scalable ones when a side hustle becomes a business the different kinds of side hustles s...

Have you ever found yourself just not engaged with your freelance business anymore, sick of the hustle and the invoice-chasing - and dreaming about taking a permanent 9-5 job? Joh Leggatt did - and in our latest episode, she talks to us about why she left her successful freelance business behind to take a full-time role with Forbes Australia. It's a fascinating chat in which we discuss: When Joh k...

In this episode, we delve into the successful freelance journey of creative director Hieu Nguyen, who moved from a busy print publishing career in Australia to working in New York and starting his own design agency. Find out about: + Hieu's early years, including coming to Australia on a boat from Vietnam + How he got into graphic design and some of the amazing brands he's worked with, including G...

Continuing on with our successful freelancer series, we're chatting to journalist and editor Grant Jones, a former TV producer and newspaper section editor who now runs his own content agency and communications company. He's also cowritten the recent book, A Caring Life: What fifty years in nursing has taught me about humanity, compassion and community, by Keith Cox with Grant Jones. Find out how...

Many experts say podcasting is still in its infancy for brands, but they're waking up to the huge potential benefits of audio content and using it to connect with their customers. In this episode, we talk about why journalists and content writers are in a great position to offer podcasting as a service to clients - and why it's a good time to upskill in this area. Tune in to find out: the transfer...

This week Rachel and Lynne chat with successful freelancer Martina Donkers, who is a specialist grant writer. 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! You can connect with Martina via her website: http://www.martinadonkers.com/ Lynne's website https://w...

If you're as Mad Men-obsessed as we are, you're probably keen to know how copywriting on the agency side differs from, say, what other types of copywriters do. (And if you're like Lynne and Rach, that may mean sitting at home, writing everything from web copy to lead magnets.) So we're getting the goods from agency copywriter Damien Whelan. We ask: how DID he get into agencies? How does he come up...

If you're setting yourself up to write copy or content for clients, it may be tricky to figure out the most important templates you need to have in place and why. These will be things you'll learn about, tweak and hone as you go, but in this episode we save you time and hassle by distilling it down to five templates we recommend you have from the start - and why they're so useful. Many thanks to R...

This week's guest on the podcast is the talented Claire Isaac. Currently working as Editorial Director of TV WEEK and WHO on a maternity contract, Claire divides her time by filling in senior roles for long-term stints and writing for a variety of magazines and content agencies including Medium Rare, New Idea, the Big Issue and more. She talks about her start in teen pop mags and why she loves the...

Ever wanted to work with agencies? Lynne goes it alone this week with guest and agency owner Renee Francis, who talks about how freelancers can secure agency work, why she likes working with freelancers and the skills you need to secure good paying work. Renee's agency, The Bubble Co, is here: https://thebubbleco.com.au/ Connect with Renee via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/renee-francis-74...

The pandemic may have changed the way we work forever, says Dr Marcus Bowles, Rachel and Lynne's guest on the podcast this week and he feels freelancing might be the way of the future. In this thoughtful and far-ranging discussion, he chats about the careers of the future and all about micro-credentials and why they are important. Prepare to be inspired and challenged! Dr Bowles' website is here:...

Savvy writers and freelancers all know that it's who you know, not what you know! A solid contact book is a huge asset for journalists, copywriters and content writers and this week Rachel and Lynne talk about how to find and nurture your contacts - and how to organise them so you can find the right expert at the right time.  This podcast is sponsored by our good friends at Rounded, easy accountin...

This week - the end of our financial year - Rachel and Lynne talk about fatigue. Ever since we spoke to Madeleine Dore about the cult of productivity, we've been mindful of not ignoring our fatigue levels and trying to be kind to ourselves. We recognise when we're at our best and when we're just pushing through  to feel a bit ahead the next day.  We share our tips about how we stay fresh, relevant...

Building a personal brand may sound a bit 'ick' to some writers, but it is a vital marketing tool for your freelance business. Branding expert Emma Lovell takes the awkwardness out of branding with her fun and practical approach. She is Rachel and Lynne's guest on the podcast this week, showing why creating your personal brand is important and how it can bring you more business - and the right cli...

We're long-time fans of Madeleine Dore, a writer and interviewer who's spent five years asking creative thinkers how they navigate their days on her popular blog Extraordinary Routines (and podcast Routines & Ruts). And in this episode, we chat to Madeleine about what she's learned from the project and the book it inspired: I Didn't Do The Thing Today. This lively episode delves into a completely...

After a successful career in high-profile magazines, including as editor of the Gourmet Traveller Wine magazine, writer Kayte Nunn turned her hand to commercial fiction. Now with seven books published, she shares her journey with hosts Lynne and Rachel talking about making a living doing what she loves and why writing novels is all about the long game.  Connect with Kayte via her website: https://...

Marketing expert Therese Tarlinton is all about partnerships - so much so that she wrote a book about it! Her book, SWAP - Marketing without Money , helps small businesses, including freelancers, develop partnerships and relationships that allow everyone to grow. In this episode, she talks with Rachel and Lynne about: What marketing managers need from freelancers How freelancers can add value and...

After a request from listener Jules, Lynne and Rachel talk about how to secure your first copywriting clients. We share our top six tips on how to start and build your own writing business.  We talk about building a network, optimising digital marketing, branding and developing your website, why you shouldn't be fussy, being prepared and professional, and the importance of community. Some of the t...

This week, Rachel and Lynne return to their occasional series of interviewing successful freelancers, with their chat with Lucy E. Cousins, who specialises in health and wellness and has her own successful content agency, Remedy Content. Lucy shares her journey in magazines and journalism, as well why she focuses on evidence-based science in her health articles and why she always adds the 'E' in h...

Procrastination is an age-old problem - particularly when you work for yourself. This week, Rachel & Lynne share their tips on how to get work done. Links to apps and ideas mentioned in this episode: Brene Brown talking with James Clear on her podcast https://open.spotify.com/episode/1FCDXnrrXo9d7VTTX7bi4E Atomic Habits https://www.booktopia.com.au/atomic-habits-james-clear/book/9781847941831.html...

Imagine spending your days coming up with recipes, baking and taste-testing and photographing your creations for your blog. Sound good? How about making a living out of doing that? Well, that's just what Jess Holmes from SweetestMenu.com does with her days - after a career as a copywriter and content designer for brands such as Flight Centre, Intuit and News Corp. In this episode, Jess talks to us...

Are you a print journalist considering making the leap into government communications? In this episode, we chat to Lisa Thomas, who worked on a number of glossy mags (including Vogue Living) before jumping ship to work in a number of leadership roles in t he private and public sector. Lisa is currently the Director of Communications, Engagement and Education at the NSW Department of Parliamentary...

Do you get a horrid feeling in the pit of your stomach when your clients aren't happy - or when they come back with multiple changes? This week Rachel and Lynne talk about dealing with negative feedback and criticism. It is something that happens to all of us! We talk about learning from mistakes, repairing relationships and how to not take everything personally. 

This week on the podcast Lynne and Rachel talk to Sue Bell, who is organising a festival for freelancers in her home town - Launceston, Tasmania. Rachel is a keynote speaker at the event and it's got some great speakers and events as part of the 3-day event in June 2022. Sue talks about why she thinks having a community is important for freelancers, how to put together an engaging conference progr...

We continue our successful freelancer series with guest Rashida Tayabali, a copywriter and indie author who started her career in marketing but found her passion in writing copy. Rashida shares the ins and outs of her business journey, including: + Why she decided to niche into working with women business owners + What choosing a niche has done for her business and her growth + Learning SEO and wh...