At Initialized, we understand that as a founder, your initial experiences matter deeply, and every decision can feel like it carries significant weight. That’s why we launched a new blog series, ‘Your First…,’ aimed at guiding founders through key moments in areas such as marketing, PR, talent, go-to-market strategies, design, community/events, storytelling, content creation, and more.

We’ve already published posts to assist early stage founders with their first funding announcement, first 10 employees, first brand considerations, first customer event, and first set of company swag.

Today, we are excited to offer our advice on how to prep for your first broadcast interview (these skills can also be applied to any YouTube video, panel, or podcast interview, too!).

You’re an early stage startup founder and you want to book a broadcast segment. How do you get on a show? And once there, how do you nail the on-air interview?

Cyndi has prepared countless spokespeople for successful media interviews, public speaking engagements, and broadcast segments, and has worked with most media outlets and national broadcast networks over a 20-year communications career. 

Here’s her advice for securing and preparing for your first broadcast interview. The prep and practice tips shared below work for any on-camera opportunity, YouTube interview, podcast, or on-stage speaking engagement, too.

Why Do Broadcast?

Before I dive into how to be great on-camera, you might be wondering if you’re ready to pitch a broadcast segment. 

If your company is still seeking product-market-fit and you’re a first-time founder, it might be early. If your customers are a very specific demographic, broadcast might not be the best way to reach them. You’ll get more out of creating your own content and working with influencers and smaller, targeted outlets.

If you have a reason to reach a broader business or financial audience, are an expert with a unique point of view, and have news with more mass appeal, you might be ready.

Tips for Pitching Broadcast

Securing a broadcast segment isn’t easy. You are competing with news cycles about Washington, public markets, global issues, pop culture, and other companies. Use the same best practices you would use to pitch any story (see our advice here on how to pitch your first funding announcement). 

Our head of content, Candy Cheng, was an executive producer at Bloomberg TV prior to joining Initialized. She started her career as a segment producer and guest booker at CNBC, and has prepared founders like Drew Houston, Brian Chesky, and Tony Xu for some of their first broadcast TV interviews.

“My favorite types of pitches are ones that are short, succinct, and offer a real POV from true domain experts,” she said. “Also, remember most producers book guests about 2–3 weeks out, so you can always look ahead at market movers like tech earnings, Fed rate decisions, or WWDC to pitch guests who are able to opine on the news of the day.”

Here are things broadcast producers look for:

  • News articles. Unlike online publications that don’t want to hear about news that’s already out there, broadcast producers prefer to see articles covering the news first, as long as it’s still timely and relevant.
  • Expert spokespeople. Share your background so they know why you are the right expert on this topic. If you are a venture-backed founder, share who backed you for extra credibility. Send past interviews or conference appearances that show how you speak live, or on-camera.
  • Data points. So many stories start with data: “Six percent of US adults have used weight loss injections.” Data creates excellent proof points for your story. You can use your own user data, research results, or commission consumer survey results from The Harris Poll, or SurveyMonkey. 
  • Short pitches that get to the point. Broadcast is fast-paced and producers plan multiple segments per day that will last a few minutes. Be clear and succinct with your idea. Who are you? What’s the headline? Why will their audience care? Take out any tech jargon.
  • Stories with broad audience appeal. Look for specific tech segments that fit your company and story. Networks like CNBC and Bloomberg cover business and financial news related to public markets. Pitch segments that focus on the people and companies on the cutting edge of tech, and startup founders who are getting funded.
  • Warm intros. If you don’t have a PR agency, see if someone can introduce you to a producer or host to cut through the noise. Ask your investors or other portfolio founders who have been on a show for an intro.

Do Your Homework

Now that you’ve successfully secured a segment, figure out what you want to say and practice it. This seems obvious, but we’ve all seen “winging it” go badly. 

You’re an expert on the topic, but you’re probably not used to condensing all your talking points into a fast-paced three-minute interview with an experienced host and a camera in your face. There is a reason they call it the hot seat.

Tips for Preparing for Broadcast  

  • What are your three main points for this interview? Don’t start with a canned sales pitch. You have an opportunity to directly address a large audience as the leader of your company. Clearly state the problem you are solving. Then tell them how your solution is better, cheaper, or faster than what’s out there.
  • Focus on your “why”. People are listening to YOU in this moment. Use it to explain why this challenge or opportunity is so important, and what about it is powering the vision of the company you’re building. Simon Sinek has a great talk on this here.
  • Add proof points. Include data points, examples, and customer anecdotes that back up your main points and make you sound more interesting. Pick the best, shortest, most powerful ones. You won’t have time for more.
  • Prepare soundbites. Soundbites are memorable and effective in speaking. Instead of a long, forgotten speech about the achievements of the US space program, Neil Armstrong said, “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” and we still remember those 10 words half a century later.
  • Prepare for the unexpected. The host is not required to share their questions with you ahead of time. Their job is to keep the viewer’s attention and they might ask you a spicy question to keep things interesting. Write down the toughest questions you can think of, and prepare your best answers. Viewers will remember the last thing you said, not the exact question you were asked. 
  • Never lie. Once you’ve lost trust with reporters and your audience, it is almost impossible to recover from it.
  • Learn how to bridge. Bridging is a technique used to answer difficult questions without sounding evasive. Use bridging phrases to help you shift the conversation back into more friendly territory:
    • “That’s interesting, but don’t forget that…” (steer back to one of your main points).
    • “Let me answer that another way…” (reframe the question, then answer).
    • “We don’t disclose those specific numbers, but what I can say is…”
    • “It sounds like what you’re asking is…” (reframe the question, then answer).
    • “What I’m more excited to talk to you about today is…”

Practice, Practice, Practice

It never hurts to practice speaking out loud. The truly brave will record themselves answering questions without notes and analyze their performance. No one likes to watch themselves on video, but it’s one of the best teachers for improving public speaking. There are so many forms of content fighting for people’s attention. Your speaking style is as important as the words you say for capturing and keeping your audience. Practicing helps you figure out your style and compounds your comfort and improvement. 

Tips for Practicing Speaking

Speak with conviction and clarity. Believe in your points so the audience does too. Use clear, full sentences, and avoid mumbling or trailing off. Keep your answers concise — don’t ramble or answer the first question with a long monologue. Instead, weave your talking points naturally into the flow of the interview like a conversation.

Engage your voice and avoid monotony. Add excitement and variety to your voice to emphasize key points. Use verbal cues like:

  • “If there is one thing I want to leave you with, it’s…”
  • “Something I want to emphasize is…”

Pace yourself. Speak at a comfortable pace, allowing the audience to absorb your points. Avoid filler words like “um” and “like,” which can signal you’re speaking too quickly. A few are normal, but too many become distracting.

Practice active listening and maintain engagement. Focus on the interviewer when being asked a question, and stay engaged even when you’re not speaking. The camera is still on you. This applies to speaking at conferences as well. Remote interviews require extra attention — look at the camera as if it’s your interviewer, nodding and smiling to convey attentiveness.

Watch your body language. Avoid looking up at the sky when thinking of your answer. It can appear like you are unsure. Similarly, looking bored while listening can make you seem disengaged or distracted. Remember, even when you’re not speaking, the camera may capture your reactions.

Help the Producer

Broadcast is a fast-paced, visual medium. By proactively sending background information ahead of time, you can significantly aid the production team, which might be managing multiple segments in a day. In short, help them help you. 

  • Send your headshot. Add a two-sentence bio they can use to introduce who you are.
  • Send producers your talking points and other suggested themes. This helps them prepare better questions for you. But don’t expect softballs. 
  • Suggest points for banners. Words at the bottom of a newscast have many names — banners, lower thirds, or supers. If you get your messages on screen, you can make them visually impactful.
  • Send relevant graphics ahead. This includes your website, logo, social channels, and professional pictures of your product, service, or team in action.

Day-of Broadcast Tips

You’ve made it this far. It’s the day of the interview. Here are some additional tips inspired by real events.

  • Read the headlines on the day of your interview. Don’t be caught off guard when asked about the day’s latest news. 
  • Beware of hot mics. Once your mic is on, assume everything you say is recorded and fair game. Don’t get tricked by small talk. Remember, you are “on-the-record” for anything you say during the broadcast segment until your mic is removed, and you’re off the set.
  • Put away notes and clean up your background. If you’re filming the interview remotely, clean up your space, and don’t leave sensitive notes on whiteboards or embarrassing decor in the background.
  • Wear solid colors. Patterns, especially stripes, are distracting and can “move” on the screen. 

Becoming a great spokesperson takes time and your first interview probably won’t be perfect. The best way to improve is to keep doing it and continue getting out there. Socialize your clips to increase viewership. One opportunity leads to the next as media/conference organizers and broadcast producers/bookers start to recognize you. Keep the flywheel going.

Key Takeaways

  1. When pitching broadcast, share your credibility and background, recent news stories and data points. Target the most relevant shows for your company, and use warm introductions. 
  2. For interviews, know your key points, focus on your “why,” add proof points and soundbites, and prepare for tough questions. 
  3. Practice speaking with conviction, avoid rambling, and use your vocal range to emphasize points. Be mindful of filler words, body language, and practice active listening.
  4. Support the production team by providing your bio, talking points, and visuals like headshots and product images.
  5. On the day of the broadcast interview, stay aware of breaking news, and clear up background clutter if you are doing a remote interview.