GUEST BRIEFING
Thanks for your interest in being part of the podcast. This quick guide will give you a sense of what the show’s all about, how the interview flows, and what to expect if you join me as a guest.
🎙️ What’s the Podcast About?
Dear 21 Year Old Me – Life Lessons from Leaders is a reflective podcast about leadership, growth, and the stories that shape us.
Each episode is a conversation with someone whose leadership journey is worth hearing. Many are people I’ve known across different parts of my life and career, and all bring wisdom, experience, and honesty to the table.
At its heart, the podcast is about sharing insights that others can learn from – unpacking the pivotal moments, lessons, and values that have guided you. Q&A on the show is here.
🎂 The 21-Year-Old You
Every episode begins with a simple question: What were you doing on your 21st birthday?
It might be a big party or a family dinner. It might be a blur or a memory that’s crystal clear. But that moment becomes the anchor — a way to explore how your view of the world has changed, what’s remained constant, and what you’d tell your younger self if you had the chance.
From there, we’ll talk about your leadership path, life lessons, and the moments that have shaped who you are, in a conversation shaped by you and lots of research from me!
🎧 How the Conversation Works
- The tone is relaxed, thoughtful, and personal – a real conversation, not a performance.
- There’s no script, just a flow shaped by your story and what you want to share.
- We cover as much or as little as you like. Some guests open up about deeply personal experiences, while others focus on leadership, values, and work. It’s entirely your call.
You can listen to previous episodes here. Guests (on this and my other sports and media -focused podcasts) have included NZ politician Katherine Rich, test cricketer Chris Rogers, authors Professor Tom Lewis and Gideon Haigh, and media personalities Brenden Wood, Gerard Whateley and Craig Norenbergs, as well as US musical composer John Bucchino – and others from across leadership, media, sport, public life, and the arts in Australia and overseas.
🔧 Recording & Support – Simple and Flexible
- We’ll record remotely using Riverside FM, a web-based platform (you’ll just need a laptop or desktop and a quiet space). We can do audio or record with video as well if you wish.
- Once we lock in a time, I’ll send a calendar invite with the link and a short checklist to make sure you sound great.
- If you’d like a quick pre-chat to walk through the flow or talk through any ideas, I’m happy to set that up — or we can sort everything by email or message, for example.
- We can pause, redo questions, or rephrase anything during the chat — editing as needed is handled by the fantastic team at Pro Podcast in Sydney, headed by former NOVA FM audio whiz (and one of my early guests – and all round great guy) Darcy Milne.
✂️ After the Interview
- Depending on your preference, you’ll receive the draft episode before it goes live, with the opportunity to request edits or remove anything that doesn’t sit right – or I will edit (closely!) and sort this end.
- I’ll confirm the release date and start promoting the episode via LinkedIn, X/Twitter, and other platforms.
- I’d be grateful if you’d share it too — the more listeners, the more people benefit from your insights.
📸 Just One Thing…
Near release, I’ll ask for a photo to use when promoting your episode — anything you’re comfortable with, whether professional or casual (if you want to, a photo of you aged 21 even!).
INDICATIVE RUN SHEET
Proposed questions provided in advance – I welcome feedback so you’re comfortable with the approach.
| Content | Actioned |
|---|---|
| Podcast intro music | Added post interview |
| Clip from episode of guest with a key leadership reflection | Added post interview |
| Intro from Jeremy welcoming listeners to the show, introducing guest and why Jeremy was interested in them being a guest | Added post interview |
| Jeremy reviews the year guest turned 21 (Key events in history, what people were watching / listening to / who were world/local leaders, major events) |
Added post interview (approx. 2 minutes) |
| Jeremy welcomes guest. Discussion on: – What the guest recalls of the year they turned 21 – The guest’s 21st, what happened, and what they were looking forward to – How they saw life unfolding for themselves |
Jeremy and guest |
| Jeremy segues conversation into what today looks like for the guest – their career, life, and their take on their career and other adventures thus far | Jeremy and guest |
| Discussion on: – Moments or people key in their evolution as a leader – Sliding door moments in their career or life – A couple of lessons they’ve learned about leadership |
Jeremy and guest |
| What do you define as good leadership? | Jeremy and guest |
| Taking everything in account so far: – What would your 21-year-old self say to you of today? – What would you say to your 21-year-old self? |
Jeremy and guest |
| Jeremy thanks guest, closes interview | Jeremy and guest |
| Summary by Jeremy of reflections from guest; thanks listeners for listening; credits; out music | Added post interview |