Eric and Travis react to a clip of Riaz Meghji. Riaz breaks down the craft of powerful conversations, drawing on his two decades as a TV host, human connection keynote speaker, and author of Every Conversation Counts. Known for helping leaders build meaningful relationships in a distracted, digital-first world, Riaz shares practical frameworks any creator, entrepreneur, or interviewer can use to unlock deeper stories and stronger trust with guests, clients, and audiences.​

On this episode we talk about:

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  Why Riaz lost his first MTV Canada hosting job, what imposter syndrome looked like on camera, and how not burning bridges brought him back to the network later

  
  


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  The mindset shift from “how do I look?” to “how do I light up the person watching?” and why focusing on the audience changes everything about how you show up

  
  


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  How to “overprepare to improvise” so research gives you confidence, but listening and curiosity drive the actual conversation

  
  


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  Simple phrasing shifts—like “tell me about,” “take me back,” and “set the scene”—that turn flat Q&A into emotional, story-rich dialogue

  
  


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  Practical ways to ask for stories you “can’t Google,” especially with highly interviewed guests, and how that leads to more memorable content and relationships

  
  

Top 3 Takeaways

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   The best interviews prioritize the audience and the guest, not the host’s ego; your job is to unlock stories and insights that genuinely serve the listener.

   
   


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   Overpreparation plus improvisation is the winning combo: know your guest’s world deeply, then be willing to drop the script when something more alive shows up.

   
   


3. 
   

   Asking for specific moments and stories instead of abstract answers creates emotional connection, builds trust faster, and makes your content stand out.

   
   

Notable Quotes

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  “The opportunity to unlock something unique, personal, and something you can’t Google is always there—but only if you stop obsessing over how you look on camera.”

  
  


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  “Overprepare to improvise: do the work beforehand, then lean into listening so you can follow what actually matters in the room.”

  
  


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  “Emotion is what connects us; when you ask for a story, people don’t just hear information—they feel like they’re living the moment with you.”

  
  

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