How to be a Great Podcast Guest

When I am not sitting at home drinking beer in my pants, I host The Indian Startup show – a (sometimes) weekly podcast show about Indian startups and entrepreneurs and what they’re building.

In this blog post, I present my very own guide on how to be a good podcast guest, with a set of easy to remember rules for anyone thinking about appearing on a podcast show. I think it’s about time, as I have been doing this podcasting caper for the last 2 years and spoken to 70+ guests, been downloaded 279,821 times, and have listeners around the world – unbelievable!

Podcasts are not that complicated – trust me, I’m an expert. So this won’t be a gigantic, all-encompassing A-Z guide that you’ll have to study and commit to memory. It’s more of a leaflet than an encyclopedia, really, which quickly covers the most important tips to make yourself a valuable and welcome podcast guest. In fact, there are just a few rules to remember!

But First

I would like to pay tribute to the wonderful guests who have come on the show. Without them, this podcast would not have been possible! I’m very grateful they found time in their busy schedules to join me. Thanks!

Rule 1 – Have a decent Wifi connection.

Boring advice first. There is nothing more soul-destroying than a poor Skype connection. So make sure you have a decent wireless connection, and when I call:

• Don’t be in a bombproof, radiation-sealed nuclear shelter like the one in the movie  Captain America 2: Winter’s Tale – I don’t care even if you do get a text message from a random guy in Hawaii warning you of an incoming missile attack in 38 mins

• Don’t be drinking cheap cider on a park bench, waving your Nokia 3210 with Edge connectivity in the air

• Don’t start breathing like you’re Darth Vader on the Death Star about to blow up Alderaan.

• Don’t be in the middle of the Mojave desert attending Burning Man with your friend Elon

• Don’t be in a middle of a 7-day detox retreat having a colonic.

• Don’t spend all day in your favourite Chinese all-you-can-eat buffet. And now cannot speak due to the Monosodium glutamate overload.

• Do keep it simple, check out the bars on your phone,  and use Skype. I’ve got Skype, you’ve got Skype, your Mum & Dad have Skype, Microsoft is happy because they own Skype. Everyone’s happy.

Even your friendly Russian hackers are happy because Skype never offered end-to-end encryption! Which is standard in Whatsapp and iMessage. At the time of writing, it seems Skype will soon offer encrypted calls -thanks for the privacy, Satya!

Rule 2 – Tell a really, really, really great story! – I don’t mean fake news!

I love hearing anecdotes, things that have really happened in other people’s’ lives.  They’re always fascinating because they give you valuable insights into adversity,  love, success, relationships, and much more.

“The stories we love best do live in us forever.” – J. K. Rowling

Ok, so you’ve got the stories – now talk about your talent. You have talent. You have so much more to give. The world does not benefit from you hiding your badassery!

Rule 3 – Humility

Try to be a bit humble! You may be a successful billionaire/Youtube star/mob wife/Guru with 11 Rolls Royces living in a small town in Oklahoma, but don’t forget the people who put you there. Show gratitude thank or acknowledge the people who have helped you out, avoid acting high-handed.

Final Thoughts

Just follow my advice and the glory of being an outstanding guest will be yours! So have fun, be yourself, and remember these 3 rules:

1. Have a decent internet connection
2. Tell a really, really, really great  story
3. Be a bit humble

So that’s my guide to being a good podcast guest. Follow that advice and you might be on the podcast show of your dreams soon!

Even if you don’t get to be a guest on MY podcast show, if there is one rule I’d give all guests on any show to stick to, it’s the second one – you remember, the one about telling a great, great story!

Check out this story – Even Ryan Gosling was impressed!