The Empty Chair Dilemma: Should You Fly Solo or Bring a Guest?

Key Takeaways

• The Choice: Solo episodes build Authority (Deep Trust). Interview episodes build Reach (New Audiences).
• The Hack: Interviewing local leaders is the fastest way to network; it’s "Trojan Horse" business development.
• The Solution:Voxel Labs is equipped for up to 4 people, making guest management effortless.

Previously in Episode 3: We proved that your daily "boring" customer questions are actually gold mines for content. Now you have your topics. But you’re staring at the empty chair across from you in the studio and wondering: "Do I need to fill that?"

The "Cast Away" Fear

There is a specific anxiety about doing a "Solo" episode. You feel like Tom Hanks in Cast Away, talking to a volleyball. You worry that hearing your own voice for 20 minutes will bore people to tears.

On the flip side, the idea of "Interviewing" someone is terrifying too. "What if I run out of questions? What if the guest is boring? What if I look stupid in front of a local leader?"

Here is the good news: Both formats are powerful, but they achieve completely different business goals. You don't have to choose one; you just need to know why you are doing it.

"Do I have to interview people, or can I just talk?"

The direct answer: You can (and should) do both. "Solo" episodes establish your Authority. "Interview" episodes establish your Community.

Option A: The Solo Episode (The Professor)

Goal: Deep Trust & Expertise.

When you sit alone and teach a concept (e.g., "How to stage a home in San Pedro for maximum value"), you are positioning yourself as the Subject Matter Expert.

These episodes are sales weapons. When a potential client is deciding between you and a competitor, they will watch your solo video. If you can articulate their problem better than they can, they will trust you to solve it.

Don't worry about talking to a volleyball. At Voxel Micro Video Labs, our producers sit behind the camera and nod along, giving you a human connection so you don't feel crazy.

Option B: The Interview Episode (The Mayor)

Goal: Reach & Networking.

This is where the magic of "Other People's Audiences" (OPA) comes in. If you interview the owner of the popular coffee shop down the street, guess what happens?

1. You create a great conversation.
2. They share the video with their 5,000 followers.
3. Suddenly, their customers know who you are.

Interviews are the fastest way to grow your local fame. You become the "Mayor" of your niche—the person who knows everyone.

The "Trojan Horse" Networking Strategy

Here is a secret Edwin uses in real estate all the time. Networking events are awkward. Asking someone for a meeting is hard.

But asking someone to "Be a guest on my podcast"?

That is a golden ticket. It flatters their ego. It gives them value (content). It allows you to sit in a room with a potential partner (or high-value client) for an hour, building a relationship without ever trying to "sell" them anything.

By the time the microphones turn off, you aren't strangers. You are partners.

The Voxel Setup: Ready for Anything

Whether you want to be the Professor or the Mayor, the studio is ready.

The Voxel Micro Video Labs studio is equipped with a 4-person podcast table. You can fly solo, bring a partner, or host a roundtable debate.

• Solo: We set the lighting for a dramatic, intimate "TED Talk" vibe.
• Interview: We set the multi-cam system to cut back and forth between you and your guest automatically.

You just bring the guest; we make you both look like stars.

Up Next in Episode 5: You have the topics. You have the format. But now the practical brain kicks in: "This sounds nice, but does it actually translate to Google?" In the next post, we explain why Google (who owns YouTube) loves video more than text.

Ready to host your first guest (or fly solo)?
Book Your Studio Time at Voxel