Deirdre Bolton - How to be a Good Guest

We have a special bonus episode today taking you behind the scenes to discuss what makes a good podcast guest. I chatted with Deirdre Bolton, who has a long background in television and now coaches some of the world's top CEOs for media appearances at Prosek Partners. We talked about the differences between tv and podcasts and how you can be effective on both.

Most people think being a great interview guest is just about having something smart to say. But the reality is, what works on TV can completely fall apart in a podcast, and vice versa. We dig into what separates good guests from great ones and why the best communicators approach these formats in totally different ways.

On TV, that preparation shows up as clarity and discipline, the ability to lead with the headline and make every second count. In podcasting, it shows up as depth, the willingness to unpack ideas, show your thinking, and let the audience see how you arrive at conclusions.

But in both cases, the best guests do the same thing: they do the work ahead of time so they can sound natural when it matters. They know their material, they've thought through their stories, and they're willing to be candid enough to actually share what makes them special.

Deirdre Bolton is Partner and Head of Executive Development at Prosek Partners, where she works with CEOs, founders, and senior executives to sharpen their communication for high-stakes moments. A former TV anchor and journalist at ABC News, Fox Business Network, and Bloomberg TV, she's known for translating complex financial and economic topics into clear, accessible narratives. At ABC News, she covered major global events including the pandemic's economic impact and the war in Europe, and throughout her career has reported on defining moments such as the 2008 financial crisis and launched Bloomberg's "Money Moves with Deirdre Bolton," focused on capital flows into alternative assets. She began her career on Wall Street as an institutional equity sales trader before moving into broadcast journalism.

Please enjoy my discussion with Deirdre Bolton.

Deirdre Bolton: https://www.prosek.com/our-people/deirdre-bolton/

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NOTE: This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Anything said by the guests or host should not be construed as legal or investment advice. Thanks for listening.

Joe Reilly is the head of Circulus Group, a family office network, and the host of The Inheritance Podcast.

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