— Startup Tribe Writing Prompt —
Interview An Entrepreneur
The art of interviewing can take a lifetime to learn. Some of the best online include The Great Discontent, Good Life Project and the Tim Ferriss Podcast to name but a few.
Do research them before the interview and respect their time. The most important thing is to listen, really listen to their answers — leaving space for meandering answers but also keeping to a structure.
We’ve prepared some example questions for you below, but please feel free to use your own and tailor them to whoever you are talking to. (If you record the audio you can outsource the transcription on Fiverr).
THE WRITING PROMPT | OVER TO YOU
— Publish your interview by pressing the button below —
Q. What did you initially escape from?
Q. What was your original version of success?
e.g. Matching a previous salary (but on your own terms, X signs ups etc… ).
Bonus: Has that definition changed? What is it now?
Principle 1: Walk your own path
Q. What were your biggest motivations in starting your company?
e.g. (Money / Independence / Impact / Skills / Personal Growth)
Principle 2: Entrepreneur Mindset — Hustle & Play
Q. How have you found looking after yourself on the journey?
Bonus: Include any energy / mindset tips that have helped you when things have been tough.
Principle 3: Ideas vs Execution
Q. How did the idea come about?
Bonus: How the idea may have evolved from that first spark
Principle 4: De-Risk yourself
Q. Surviving the economic transition — How did you manage the transition between a salary and working full time on your project?
Useful prompts… a) How much you saved for an escape fund? b) Living arrangements whilst in transition
Principle 5: Talk to your customers
Q. How did you do your early Customer Development?
Bonus: were you ever worried about sharing your idea for fear of someone stealing it?
Principle 6: Find your supermodel
Q. Back of fag packet… what was your initial business model (share numbers if need be).
Bonus: a) How accurate was it?! b) What would you have done differently
Principle 7: Keep. It. Simple.
Q. What was the original Minimal Viable Product for org?
Bonus: If you were doing an MVP of your business today what would it be (if different)?
Principle 8: Start Small. Launch Ugly
Q. What was the first ever step you took to on the road to making your startup what it is today?
Principle 9: Building your Tribe [Customers]
Q. How did you get your first 1000 fans?
Bonus: Include any of the best tactics you employed to get notice early on.
Principle 10: Race to first revenue
Q. How did you get your first paying customer?
Bonus: a) How long did it take? b) How did you celebrate?!
Principle 11: Get Traction. Get Action!
Q. How did you get your early traction?
Principle 12: Driving a Lean Machine
Q. Looking back what was the biggest thing you should have focussed on in the first year?
Bonus: What is your biggest mistake / what did you learn / what is your biggest win
