The New Era of Content Operations: What SMMs Need to Fix, Systemize & Automate in 2026 w/ Rella Founder, Natalie Barbu

Burnout isn’t coming from content creation, it’s coming from everything behind it.In this episode of The After Brief, Lucy sits down with Natalie Barbu, founder of Rella and a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, to break down what’s actually happening inside modern social media teams and why so many social media managers are feeling overwhelmed.From messy approval processes to disorganized workflows, Natalie shares what she’s learned from working closely with thousands of SMMs and agencies and how those insights shaped the way Rella was built.We also dive into:The hidden operational bottlenecks causing burnout for SMMsWhy most social media workflows are more complicated than they need to beThe systems that actually allow you to scale without hiring too fastHow to balance flexibility vs. simplicity in your backendThe rise of AI assistants (like Ella) and how to use them as a collaborator, not a replacementWhy listening to your customers is the most powerful growth strategy in any businessNatalie’s experience earning Forbes 30 Under 30 and how she approached the application processIf you’ve ever felt like you’re “doing it all” but still falling behind, this episode will help you rethink how your business operates and show you what to fix first.Because in 2026, the SMMs who win aren’t just creative, they’re operationally efficient.The Lucky Girl Social Facebook Community: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/purposedrivenfemaleentrepreneurs⁠⁠The Lucky Girl Social Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/itsluckygirlsocial/#⁠⁠