Help me prepare for a podcast interview with [guest name].
They are known for: [brief background]
Episode angle/theme: [what you want to explore]
Length: [target runtime]

I'm interviewing [guest type] about [topic]. Help me design questions that get stories, not just information.

Review these interview questions and suggest improvements:
[paste questions]

## Research Checklist

**Primary Sources** (1-2 hours minimum):
□ Read/watch their most substantial long-form content
□ Their book, keynote, or signature work
□ Previous podcast appearances (note what's been asked before)
□ Recent social media activity (what are they thinking about NOW?)

**Secondary Sources** (30-60 min):
□ Wikipedia/bio for career arc and timeline
□ Company/project announcements
□ Industry news involving them
□ Interviews with people who've worked with them

**Look For**:
- Contradictions between what they say and do
- Topics they're NEVER asked about
- Recent changes in their thinking
- Personal moments that shaped their professional life
- The question you're dying to ask

## Question Types Hierarchy

**AVOID - Information Questions** ❌
- "What do you do?"
- "How did you get started?"
- "What advice would you give?"
→ Gets: Rehearsed talking points

**BETTER - Scenario Questions** ✓
- "Take me to the moment when..."
- "Walk me through the day..."
- "What was going through your mind when..."
→ Gets: Specific memories, sensory details

**BEST - Emotional Truth Questions** ✓✓
- "What scared you most about that decision?"
- "What did you learn that surprised you?"
- "What's the thing about [topic] that most people get wrong?"
→ Gets: Authentic reflection, vulnerability

## Interview Arc Template

**Opening (5-10 min)**
Purpose: Establish rapport, get them talking
- Start with something CURRENT (not their origin story)
- Show you've done your homework
- Ask about something specific and recent
- Example: "I saw your tweet last week about [X]. What prompted that?"

**Middle - Act 1 (10-20 min)**
Purpose: Understand the journey
- Key inflection points
- Decisions that shaped their path
- "What most people don't know about that period..."
- Follow unexpected threads

**Middle - Act 2 (15-25 min)**
Purpose: Go deep on the main topic
- The questions you MUST ask
- Challenges to their public positions
- "How do you reconcile X with Y?"
- The uncomfortable but important questions

**Closing (5-10 min)**
Purpose: Synthesis and takeaways
- What they're working on now
- What they'd do differently
- One piece of advice (but make it specific)
- The question you're afraid to ask

## Follow-Up Techniques

**The Silence**: Say nothing after they finish. Count to 5. They'll fill it with gold.

**The Echo**: Repeat their last few words as a question.
Guest: "...and that's when I knew it was over."
You: "You knew it was over?"

**The Dig**: "Tell me more about that."

**The Redirect**: "Let's go back to something you said earlier..."

**The Challenge**: "Some people would say [counter-argument]. How do you respond?"

**The Feeling**: "How did that make you feel?" (Use sparingly but powerfully)

**The Unexpected**: "That's not what I expected you to say. Why...?"

## Before Recording

- Share YOUR vulnerabilities about the topic
- Be explicit about your goals: "I want this to be a real conversation"
- Remind them they can say "off the record" anytime
- Start with low-stakes questions to warm up
- Match their energy and pace

## During Recording

- React authentically (laugh, express surprise)
- Share related personal experiences briefly
- Make eye contact (even on video calls)
- Nod, use "mm-hmm" to show engagement
- Never look at your phone or notes while they're sharing something vulnerable

## After Difficult Moments

- Acknowledge what they shared: "Thank you for being so honest about that."
- Give them an easy question to recover
- Return to vulnerable topics gently if needed

## When They Give a Non-Answer

**Technique**: Acknowledge, then redirect
"That's interesting. But I'm curious specifically about..."
"I hear you. Let me ask it differently..."

## When They're Being Promotional

**Technique**: Accept, then pivot to story
"The product sounds great. Take me to the moment you decided to build it."
"Before we get to that—what was the biggest failure on the way there?"

## When They're Uncomfortable

**Technique**: Name it, give an out
"I can tell this is a sensitive topic. We can skip it if you prefer, or..."
"I'm asking because [explain why it matters to listeners]..."

## When You Disagree

**Technique**: Steel-man, then question
"The strongest version of that argument is [X]. But what about [Y]?"

## When They Say Something Wrong

**Technique**: Curious, not confrontational
"That's different from what I've read. Help me understand..."
"Some people would push back on that. What would you say to them?"

## 48 Hours Before

Research:
- [ ] Read/watched their most significant recent work
- [ ] Listened to 2-3 previous podcast appearances
- [ ] Noted what they're NEVER asked
- [ ] Found one thing that surprised me

Questions:
- [ ] 15-20 questions drafted
- [ ] Questions progress from easy → hard
- [ ] At least 3 questions I'm nervous to ask
- [ ] Follow-up prompts ready for each section

Logistics:
- [ ] Confirmed time (with timezone!)
- [ ] Tested recording setup
- [ ] Backup recording method ready
- [ ] Questions sent to guest (optional, some hosts don't)

## 30 Minutes Before
- [ ] Tech check complete
- [ ] Recording test confirmed
- [ ] Water bottle ready
- [ ] Questions printed/visible
- [ ] Phone silenced

## During Recording
- [ ] Started with rapport-building
- [ ] Asked permission to go deeper when needed
- [ ] Followed unexpected threads
- [ ] Used silence effectively
- [ ] Listened more than talked

## After Recording
- [ ] Asked "What didn't I ask that I should have?"
- [ ] Captured any off-mic gold
- [ ] Thanked them genuinely
- [ ] Noted key timestamps for editor

## For Founders/Entrepreneurs
- "What was the lowest moment, and how did you get through it?"
- "What's the decision you'd make differently?"
- "What does your inner critic say to you?"

## For Authors/Experts
- "What changed in your thinking while writing this?"
- "What's the critique of your work that stings because it's partially true?"
- "What question do you hope someone asks you?"

## For Executives/Leaders
- "Tell me about a time you were wrong about someone."
- "What's a decision you made that was right but unpopular?"
- "What do you know now that you wish you knew at 30?"

## For Creatives
- "Walk me through the moment you knew this project would work."
- "What did you have to unlearn?"
- "What's the thing you made that you thought would succeed but didn't?"

name: podcast-interview
category: audio
subcategory: podcast
version: 1.0
author: MKTG Skills
source_expert: NPR Training, Tim Ferriss
source_work: NPR's Podcast Start Up Guide, The Tim Ferriss Show
difficulty: intermediate
estimated_value: $500-2,000 per interview (equivalent preparation time)
tags: [podcast, interview, research, questions, guests]
created: 2026-01-26
updated: 2026-01-26