There's a difference between an interview and a conversation, and it's not just semantic. An interview is transactional: the host asks, the guest answers, repeat until time runs out. A conversation is something different entirely. The host adds value, reacts genuinely, tells stories, and yes, sometimes pushes back. In this episode, Jon breaks down why the best podcast episodes feel like conversations and how to stop producing interviews.

Too many podcast hosts treat their guest as the whole show. They stay completely out of the way, ask soft questions off a list, and let the guest ramble unchallenged. The problem is that this approach doesn't build trust with your audience, it doesn't establish you as an authority, and frankly it makes for a boring listen. Jon explains why being present in the conversation, reacting like your listener would ...