The 12 questions we ask every owner
And how to prepare your answers. No trick questions. Here's exactly what we ask in a Featured North interview, and what makes a great answer.
questions, shared openly, because the best interviews come from owners who've had time to think.
Every Featured North interview is built around the same core questions. Use this list to prepare for ours, or for any interview.
The story
Where it began, told as moments rather than a timeline.
Tell us the moment you decided to do it. Where were you? What were you doing before?
The honest version: the first customer, the first mistake, the first time you thought it might work.
Describe a regular. What do they come to you for?
What makes you different
The specifics no competitor could copy and paste.
Be specific. “Great service” is not an answer; “we call every customer the day after a repair” is.
A product, a team member, a review, a moment.
The behind-the-scenes detail people love.
Lessons
The part other owners read twice.
Cash flow, hiring, a bad season, a partnership that didn't work.
Community and what's next
Where you are, where you're going and how to find you.
New products, a new location, a goal for next year.
Address, hours, website and the one thing a first-time customer should try.
How to give a great answer
Four habits that separate an answer readers skim from one they remember.
“We faced challenges.”
“In our second month the oven broke on a Friday.”
Include a number or two
Years in business, customers served, how many people you employ.
Keep it conversational
Write the way you'd talk to a customer at the counter.
Don't sell
The story sells for you. Readers can tell the difference.
Photos matter too
Send at least one photo of yourself, one of your space and one of what you make or do. Natural light and real moments work best.
Our guide to photographing your business with a phone covers the basics.
Ready to answer them?
Apply in two minutes. We send the questions, you answer in your own words.
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