The founder’s guide to a first media interview

A first interview can feel like an exam with no syllabus. In practice it is a conversation with someone trying to understand your company quickly and accurately. The founders who do well are rarely the most charismatic. They are the most prepared.

Do your homework on the reporter

Read a few of the journalist's recent pieces. Notice the questions they tend to ask, the kinds of sources they quote and the angle they usually take. Ask in advance what the piece is about and roughly how long you will have. None of this is unusual; good reporters expect it.

Prepare three messages, not a script

Decide on the three things you most want a reader to remember. For each one, prepare a short, concrete example: a customer problem you solved, a decision that shaped the company, a moment that showed you were onto something. Stories travel further than statements, and they are much easier to say naturally under pressure.

Answer, then bridge

Answer the question you were asked, directly and briefly. Then, where it fits, connect your answer to one of your messages. Dodging a question is obvious and damages trust; a short honest answer followed by a relevant point is how experienced spokespeople keep interviews on track.

Know what you will not discuss

Every company has topics it cannot talk about: unannounced deals, customer details, personal matters. Decide in advance how you will handle them. A calm "that's not something we're sharing yet" is far better than a vague answer that invites follow-up questions.

Assume everything is on the record

Casual remarks before and after the formal questions can end up in print. Unless you have explicitly agreed different terms with the reporter, treat the whole conversation as on the record, including the small talk.

After the interview

Send any promised information promptly: a fact, a figure you checked, an image. Thank the reporter, and resist asking to review the article; most outlets do not allow it. If something is published with a factual error, a polite and specific correction request is appropriate. A difference of opinion is not an error.