A Trail of Connections: Aiming for the Moon's Guest List
After reading Austin Kleon’s newsletter this morning (which I definitely recommend subscribing to as he always has fascinating insights about creativity) and re-reading a section of his book, “Show Your Work!,” I’ve decided to take his advice and share a part of my creative process.
One of the most common questions I get about Aiming for the Moon is “How do you get all of these guests?” My answer: I email them. However, since reading Mr. Kleon’s newsletter this morning, I’ve begun thinking about what actually goes into setting up an interview. That answer is deceptively simple. While yes, really all I do is email them, getting them to respond to those emails was a much more difficult process (I’m planning on diving into how I structure my emails in a later entry).
But, I want to discuss one of the major factors: the trail of connections.
The first few interviews were with family friends. And, out of the kindness of their hearts, they agreed to sit down with me for a slightly awkward interview. From there, I began emailing authors that I had enjoyed or that my dad had enjoyed. Gary Rivlin, Prof. John McManus, and Paul Jarvis were the first few to respond. To be honest, all I can chalk their responses up to is curiosity and goodwill. Then, my interviewing skills were not nearly as refined as they are now (if you can even call my current, amateur level refined). I’ve linked those episodes in this little article. If you do end up listening to them, please enjoy the conversations and pardon my rough style!
However, the secret sauce came after the interview was recorded. I began asking interviewees post-interview for guest recommendations (which was an idea from my dad). It turns out that many enjoyed our conversations enough to recommend some of their friends and associates. With this little question, our guest list rapidly evolved. Kean-eyed listeners might have noticed that the podcast goes on trails of interviews into similar topics. Many of these similar interviews are similar because they are recommendations.
If there is one thing AFTM has taught me, it is that connections are key. If you need a utilitarian reason for treating people well, here’s one: you never know who that person knows. If you want to grow your credibility, be nice and do good work!
And, with that, thanks for reading! And, thanks Austin Kleon for the great idea! I’m hoping to continue experimenting with sharing the process behind AFTM so, if you are interested in learning about it, subscribe.
Don’t forget to set your sights high,
and aim for the moon.