---
aliases: ["Podcast Recording"]
Is A: Procedure
Belongs to: "[[responsibility-podcast]]"
Cadence: Bi-weekly
Owner: "[[person-luca-rossi]]"
---
# Podcast Recording

The bi-weekly recording session is where the podcast actually gets made. Everything else — outreach, editing, analytics — exists to support this moment. A well-prepared recording session produces a better conversation, reduces editing time for [[person-paco-furiani]], and results in episodes that listeners remember and share. This procedure covers the full arc from pre-call preparation through the recording itself to the handoff for editing.

## Steps

- [ ] Review the guest's background 24 hours before recording: re-read their recent work, review the pre-recording brief they completed, and note 2-3 unique angles
- [ ] Prepare 8-10 discussion questions, ordered from warm-up to deep-dive — but hold them loosely, the best conversations wander productively
- [ ] Test all equipment 30 minutes before the call: microphone, headphones, recording software, backup recording, internet connection
- [ ] Join the call 5 minutes early for a brief pre-recording chat with the guest: build rapport, align on the episode's direction, and address any concerns
- [ ] Hit record and begin with a natural opening — introduce the guest conversationally, not with a scripted bio reading
- [ ] During the conversation, listen actively and follow interesting threads even if they deviate from the prepared questions
- [ ] Keep an eye on time: aim for 60-90 minutes of raw recording, knowing 10-15 minutes will be cut in editing
- [ ] Close with the standard outro questions and thank the guest genuinely
- [ ] Immediately after the call, send the raw recording files to [[person-paco-furiani]] with timestamped notes on any sections to highlight or cut
- [ ] Send the guest a thank-you message within 24 hours, including the estimated publish date and a request to share the episode when it goes live

## Notes

- The prep call is not optional. Even 5 minutes of casual conversation before hitting record dramatically improves the energy and flow of the actual interview.
- Record a local backup in addition to the cloud recording. Audio disasters happen, and there is no recovery from a lost recording with a busy guest.
- Resist the urge to fill every silence. Pauses give the guest space to think and often lead to the most insightful moments of the conversation. See [[what-makes-a-good-podcast-guest]] for more on facilitating great dialogue.
- If the conversation is not working (guest is distracted, topic is not landing), do not force it. Acknowledge it, pivot to a different angle, or wrap up gracefully. A short good episode is better than a long mediocre one.
- Track which episodes required the least editing — those conversations reveal what "in the zone" sounds like for this show, and that pattern should inform future guest and topic selection.
