Tl;DR: What is media training and why does it matter?
Media training, or spokesperson coaching, helps you make the most of every press interaction by teaching you to communicate clearly, confidently and strategically in high-stakes moments.
We have all seen a bad interview — an opportunity lost to poorly worded answers, emotionally-driven responses and that infamous “deer in the headlights” look. It gets saved, shared and replayed out of context, and soon, instead of being known as a founder, you’re recognized as a viral meme. It’s rough.
The worst part is that most of the time, subpar interviews are completely preventable with the right preparation. Despite this, many founders forgo media training and risk turning a great opportunity into a bad headline.
Media training helps spokespeople navigate interviews and press interactions more effectively. It teaches them how to stay calm under pressure, answer tough questions, adapt their approach to different formats and tailor their talking points to various audiences.
FYI: If you’re leading a startup, you are already a spokesperson, whether you like it or not.
We always tell founders, “yes,” and it isn’t uncommon for them to push back with statements like:
Panels aren’t pressure tests. You’re rarely quoted and you’re not steering the narrative. A high-stakes interview or live segment is a different beast and winging it doesn’t scale.
You’re never too early to be misunderstood. First impressions stick. A careless sound bite from a niche podcast can resurface long after Series A. Media training now prevents cleanup later.
You’re right, but it is also for the startup founder quoted in TechCrunch tomorrow.
True — but you do need help being your most effective self under pressure.
Incorrect. You’re confusing “spin” with ”strategy.” Spin falls apart very quickly. Your PR strategy, on the other hand, is the glue that holds everything together.
It’s important to understand that the goal of media training is not to make you seem overly rehearsed. Quite the opposite, in fact — the aim is to enable you to stay authentic and on message.
Untrained Jane:
“We’re operating in a $90 billion market with clear first-mover advantage, and our pipeline shows strong municipal demand across three major verticals.”
The problem:
This is something we see frequently in our preliminary media readiness assessments. Launching into market size, funding strategy or competitive positioning is great for an investor pitch — but it misses the human stakes journalists care about. They want to know what problem you’re solving, who it impacts and why it matters now.
What Jane should have said:
“Cities are under pressure to reduce landfill waste, but most don’t have the budget or infrastructure to overhaul their entire system. We help them get more value out of what they already have, by increasing diversion rates without forcing a costly retrofit.”
Untrained Jane:
“We deploy multi-spectrum optical scanners paired with real-time edge processing that reclassifies material streams mid-cycle, reducing false positives by over 40% in MRF environments.”
The problem:
When you default to hyper-technical explanations, you risk losing the audience. While a trade publication might welcome industry jargon, many reporters are writing for audiences who aren’t as well-versed in the space as you are. Media training helps you adjust your answers to maximize their impact while ensuring your overall messaging stays consistent.
What Jane should have said:
“Our system scans each item as it moves along the conveyor belt and sorts it automatically. That means less waste goes to landfills, more material gets recovered, and cities hit their sustainability goals without rebuilding their entire operation.”
Untrained Jane:
“I’ve seen their work. It’s outdated. Their tech is clunky, and honestly, it’s not nearly as accurate as they claim. They’re coasting on reputation.”
The problem:
When you are unprepared, it’s easy to default to defensiveness. But negativity rarely plays well. Media training teaches you how to differentiate without going on the offensive. Remember: Being secure in your story is more effective than discrediting someone else’s.
What Jane should have said:
“They’ve done a lot to move the industry forward, and we’ve definitely learned from what’s worked — and what hasn’t. Where we’re different is in the modularity of our system and its ease of integration into existing infrastructure. That flexibility is a game changer, especially for cities that have little wiggle room in their budgets.”
Untrained Jane:
“That’s not really accurate. We’ve been focused on scaling the three successful ones. The fourth one was more of an idea.”
The problem:
Deflection or dismissiveness can raise more red flags than the issue itself. If you’re not prepared for tough or uncomfortable questions, you risk sounding defensive or like you’re hiding something. A media-ready founder knows how to acknowledge the challenge without over-explaining or pointing fingers.
What Jane should have said:
“We were in early talks with a fourth city, but the timing didn’t line up — budget cycles and permitting processes moved slower than expected. It’s still on our radar, but we decided to double down where we had faster traction.”
Untrained Jane:
“We’re hiring aggressively, focusing on scaling GTM and investing in our predictive modeling infrastructure to improve long-term operating leverage.”
The problem:
The reporter doesn’t want an operating plan; they want your vision. Media training teaches you how to focus on external outcomes instead of internal operations.
What Jane should have said:
“This round allows us to expand access. We’re starting with mid-sized cities that have been priced out of smart infrastructure solutions until now. That’s where we think the greatest environmental impact can happen.”
In our experience, absolutely. Founders who lead the narrative don’t just represent their brand more effectively; they open doors that their solution alone can’t. Media training is an investment in your company and yourself — one that can directly contribute to your long-term success.
Beyond helping you make it through an interview unscathed, it equips you with the tools you need to position yourself as not just a founder but an industry voice. It enables you to establish name recognition and credibility across your target audiences, from investors and customers to employees and regulators.
Instead of asking whether media training is worth it, ask yourself:
Is your vision worth it? Is protecting your reputation, standing out from the competition and attracting the right kind of attention worth it?
We offer personalized media training programs designed to help founders show up confident, prepared and ready to tell their story. Contact us to schedule a free media readiness assessment.
There’s never a wrong time to build media skills, but it’s especially valuable ahead of key milestones like product launches, funding announcements, major partnerships, regulatory exposure, or high-visibility press. If you know the spotlight is coming — or want to be ready when it does — media training ensures you can lead the conversation, not just react to it.
Focus on the essentials:
Feeling nervous? Call us to schedule a last-minute media training session.
Journalists are looking for a compelling story. They want to understand the problem you’re solving, why it matters now, and how your solution actually works in practice. They’ll expect clarity, honesty, and relevance for their audience, not jargon or evasiveness.
Our media training is highly personalized — each session is tailored to the executive’s specific needs, company and industry. Our programs generally cover:
Not at all. If you just need a refresher, one or two sessions may be enough. Many founders find that 3-5 sessions provide the right balance of practice and refinement, while others choose ongoing coaching as their visibility grows.
Before you commit to anything, we start with a brief intro call to discuss your goals and determine what kind of support would be most helpful. From there, we develop a customized plan for you to consider. Click here to get started.
Yes. While media interviews are a specific format, many of the same principles apply to panels, fireside chats and founder keynotes. Media training builds the foundation — message control, vocal presence, audience awareness — that translates across nearly every public setting. Our team also offers specialized oratory coaching. Contact us to learn more.
Let’s talk. Click here to get in touch with our team.
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