Asking questions is an art form. It requires critical thinking to engage in an exchange and the interviewer directs and elicits responses from the interviewee. This process is likened to the yin/yang or Tao of Communication by Vadim Kotelnikov found on 1000ventures.com. An often used tool, the interview is one of the skills that are essential to learn right. This can only be done through practice. Whether on the receiving or giving end of questions, being prepared is essential. For the ZSEM course I teach, I found early on that there are many online interviews with entrepreneurs that fail to help an outsider understand the basics of what business, where is it located, how does it work, why did it start, when the process started and where is at now. The template I have created for students is a great starter to help them stay on point and collect information and insights along the lines of background, idea generation, marketing, operations, finance, results and the personal reflection that comes through the entrepreneurial process. Below in the comment area, I ask my students and blog readers to give me the name of entrepreneur they would like to interview, the business and industry that entrepreneur represents, why they would like to interview them and any link to a pre-existing interview or profile on that person.
