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The Content Byte

The Content Byte

Written by: Rachel Smith and Lynne Testoni
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The Content Byte is a podcast for freelance writers, copywriters, journalists and content strategists who use their words to make money. Hosted by Rachel Smith and Lynne Testoni, we bring you fabulous guests, no-fluff tips and tactics to help you make the most of your freelance business. New episodes drop every Monday morning wherever you pick up your podcasts.This content is copyright and the property of Rachel Smith and Lynne Testoni. Careers Economics Marketing Marketing & Sales Personal Success
Episodes
  • The systems freelancers need to succeed - with Leticia Mooney
    Apr 26 2026

    This week, Rachel and Lynne are chatting with freelance business coach Leticia Mooney about building an "engine room" of systems across customer experience, sales and finance so clients feel safe, payments are smoother, and work is easier to deliver.

    Leticia says freelancers often skip systems because they assume their work is unique, but writing includes research, analysis, delivery and communication, all of which benefit from good processes.

    It's a great discussion about how to make your business run better and free yourself up for creative work. So many tips, including the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle with frequent review, how to do client updates to reduce anxiety, and walking through agreements on sales calls to prevent questions and ghosting.

    Connect with Leticia via her website: Https://leticiamooney.com

    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

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    57 mins
  • How to create your own career luck with Mel Barfield
    Apr 19 2026

    This week Rachel and Lynne discuss luck, visibility, and career resilience with guest copywriter Mel Barfield, managing partner at Copy or Die, host of the Indie Business Club podcast, and a Freelancer magazine columnist.

    Mel shares her career shift into freelancing after moving while pregnant, how expectations and mindset can block opportunities, and why "luck" is largely created through action, relationships, and optimism. She talks about creating and noticing chances, acting on hunches, reframing setbacks, and expecting good outcomes. Practical tips include breaking big goals into chunks, building personal authority, asking for opportunities, avoiding overly negative public posting, networking with curiosity, and using LinkedIn strategically to connect with ideal client job titles without cold pitching.

    Connect with Mel via:

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melaniebarfield/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allcopymel/
    Substack: https://indiebusinessclub.substack.com/

    and the agency she runs with Dave is https://copyordie.co.uk/

    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

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    58 mins
  • How to make money through TikTok and Instagram with Keenya Kelly
    Apr 12 2026

    This week Rachel and Lynne discuss how freelancers can use Instagram and TikTok to make money and win clients with guest Keenya Kelly, a social media strategist known as the "TikTok Queen,". Keenya has over 500,000 TikTok followers and has generated more than $4 million through short-form video.

    She explains how TikTok shifted marketing toward entertaining, educational, scroll-stopping videos (often under a minute), speeding up the like-know-trust factor and purchasing decisions. She recommends prioritising consistency (at least weekly), creating stronger content rather than posting anything, and using tracking links and automation such as comment-triggered chatbots to convert views into leads and sales.

    It's such a valuable episode as Keenya talks about how she batches her workflows using B-roll, scripts, and organised storage, as well as using AI for competitive analysis and video ideation, and highlights authenticity, newsjacking, and how to better repurpose content.

    Connect with Keenya via her website: https://www.keenyakelly.com/

    Or on TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@keenyakelly

    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

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    40 mins
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