GUEST APPLICATION

READ THIS BEFORE WE HIT RECORD.

Read this page fully before you apply. It covers what to expect, how to prepare, how to set up your space, and what happens after the conversation.

LOGISTICS

WHAT THIS CONVERSATION IS.

Proud to Lead is a long-form interview show — 90 to 120 minutes, recorded on video and audio. Every episode goes deep into a guest's leadership, their work, and how their LGBTQ+ identity is woven through both.

This is not a prepared Q&A. Shawn does not send questions in advance. The conversation goes where the story takes it — which is exactly what makes it worth 90 minutes of anyone's time.

FORMAT

Long-form one-on-one video and audio interview

LENGTH

90–120 minutes (pre-recorded).

PLATFORM

Riverside.fm — you'll receive a direct link before recording day. No download required.

RELEASED ON

YouTube (video) + All Podcast Streaming Platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Etc.

NO PRE-CALL

There is no pre-interview call. This page is your preparation. The conversation begins when we press record.

QUESTIONS IN ADVANCE

Shawn does not share questions before the recording. You'll know the themes, not the specific questions. That freshness is what produces the best conversations.

GUEST PREPARATION

HOW TO HAVE A 10/10 EPISODE.

You don't need talking points. You don't need a prepared narrative. What you need is to have thought honestly about a few specific things before you sit down with Shawn.

These are not the questions Shawn will ask. These are the areas the conversation will move through. Thinking about them before recording day will help you go deeper when the moment comes.

The moment you first understood yourself as a leader — not just someone who did good work, but someone with a point of view on how things should be built or led.
A decision that was harder because of who you are and what you learned from navigating it. Not a hardship story. A leadership story that happened to have stakes your identity raised.
How being LGBTQ+ shapes the way you lead — consciously or not. The culture you build, the decisions you make, the things you notice that others miss. Be specific. General answers produce forgettable episodes.
What you are building or working on right now. The actual work, not the mission statement version of it. What it looks like on a hard week. What it looks like when it's working.
One thing you know now that you wish someone had told you earlier in your career. Not advice for others, something you genuinely had to learn the slow way.
Your call to action — what you want listeners to find, follow, join, or do. Have this ready. It can be one thing or several. You'll have uninterrupted time at the end of the episode to share it.

The best answers on this show are specific. Named moments, real numbers, actual decisions — not frameworks or principles in the abstract. The more specific you are, the more the listener feels like they're in the room with you.

PRE-RECORDING CHECKLIST

COMPLETE BEFORE YOUR RECORDING DATE.

KNOW YOUR CTA

Decide what you want to direct listeners to — your organization, a project, social handles, a book, or how to work with you. You'll have dedicated time at the end of the episode.

THINK ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY

Not your full career story — the specific moment that changed the direction of your leadership. One scene. One conversation. One realization.

THINK ABOUT THE INTERSECTION

Where has your LGBTQ+ identity most directly shaped a leadership decision, a culture, or a relationship? Come ready to go there.

KNOW YOUR CURRENT WORK & MISSION

Be ready to talk about what you're building or leading right now, not the vision statement, the actual day-to-day of it.

SET ASIDE TIME ON YOUR CALENDAR

The recording runs 90–120 minutes. Block enough time that you won't feel rushed. The best conversations happen when neither person is watching the clock.

GET YOUR TECH READY

Never Bluetooth. AirPods Pro on cable are fine. A USB microphone (Blue Yeti, Rode NT-USB) is better. The built-in laptop microphone is acceptable only if you are in a very quiet space.

PLUG IN YOUR LAPTOP

Plugged-in laptops run cooler and produce less fan noise than battery-powered ones. Close all apps you don't need to reduce processor load.

ENSURE THE STRONGEST WIFI

Riverside.fm records your audio locally — so even if your connection drops, the audio file is safe. But a wired ethernet connection will produce the most stable video signal.

LOVING AFTERCARE

AFTER WE RECORD.

Here's exactly what happens from the moment the recording ends to the day your episode goes live — and beyond.

POST PRODUCTION: Shawn's team edits the conversation for clarity and pacing. Nothing is changed in meaning — only tightened. You will be notified before the episode publishes if anything needs your attention.
PROMOTION: You'll receive a complete social media kit: pre-written captions for LinkedIn, Instagram, and X; episode graphics in multiple formats; your direct episode link; and the full show notes page. Sharing is appreciated — never required.
PUBLISH DAY: Your episode drops on a Monday. Shawn will tag you across all platforms and reach out with early listener data in the first week. The conversation you started keeps going in the community long after the episode releases.

EDITORIAL NOTE - PLEASE READ

Proud to Lead maintains full editorial discretion over every episode. In the rare case that a recording does not meet the standard we hold for every guest on the show, we reserve the right not to publish it.

This has nothing to do with the guest's story or credibility, only with maintaining the consistent quality our audience trusts. If this were ever to apply, we would communicate with you directly and respectfully.

Meaningful conversations with LGBTQ+ leaders across business, nonprofits, corporate America, politics, and faith — exploring not just what they've built, but how they lead, what shaped their values, and how their identity is woven through all of it.

Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Disclaimer

SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW

Get Proud to Lead Straight To Your Inbox Every Week.