Ambition Achieved – Interview Prep

Overview

First of all, thank you so much for agreeing to be interviewed as my guest on a new podcast program called Ambition Achieved. I’m inviting the sharpest, wisest, most successful people I know to share a bit about their story in a powerful 7-minute format.

The show will be recorded in video and available starting in May 2021.

We will fill you in on all the details – especially when your episode is available – as soon as we have those details confirmed.

Logistics

  • You will be sent a link to connect on Zencastr, a virtual meeting platform like Zoom, but far better for programs like this.
  • Use your Chrome browser, which seems to work better than the alternatives.
  • Dress comfortably. I will be wearing a long-sleeved collared shirt; I haven’t worn shoes or a suit jacket since the pandemic lockdown began.
  • Sit with your computer where you have a strong WiFi connection.
  • Any natural light in the room should be directed toward you, not from behind you. Background sunshine will wash out your image on video.
  • Plan for 30 minutes, even though the interview process itself will only take about half that time. In the beginning, we will get a chance to say hello, then we will have the interview, and afterwards I’ll answer any questions you might have as well as explain next steps with the show.

Key Questions

After a brief introduction, here are the questions I will ask in our “7-questions in 7-minutes” interview format.

I want you to have time to think about the answers that you want to give so that you have decided what to share in advance rather than off-the-cuff.

  1. Name one of your first business mentors and what’s one thing you’ll always remember from him or her?
  2. What’s the title of a book that’s positively influenced the direction of your life? One specific example?
  3. Describe your current role by sharing your top 3 responsibilities.
  4. What problem does your company solve for its customers?
  5. What is operating better today in your company than a year ago that you are proud to report?
  6. What is a specific deal breaker for someone who wants to be a leader in your company or on your team? Example?
  7. What is something that you are working on that you are really excited about now?

I will close with how people can find out more about you, your work, or your upcoming project, as appropriate. I will gladly add links in your show notes.

When Naming a Person in a Business Example

  1. Always start with a name.
  2. Add the title, the size of the company or its market size, the industry, and where it is located. Alternatively, you can just add a sentence of context about an accomplishment or struggle that the person faced.
  3. Make it conversational. The items can be in any order that flows naturally for you.

Here are two examples:

  • Let me tell you about Jeff, the VP of marketing at one of our client companies that serves over 3,000 electronics retail businesses across the United States from their offices in Baltimore, MD.
  • Let me tell you about Sandra, who founded her 200+ person telephone support center firm staffed by moms all over the country in 2005 with just her 3 cousins and their cell phones in her Chapel Hill, NC kitchen.

See You Soon

Look for an invite to the call with a specific Zencastr link in your email.

Thanks so much!!