# Interview Features

> 1stepGrow interview features: in-depth Q&As with founders, technology leaders, researchers and educators. How we choose interviewees and how to be interviewed.

- **Last updated:** Sep 11, 2026
- **Canonical URL:** https://www.1stepgrow.com/interview-features/

## At a glance

- Interview Features are in-depth Q&As with founders, technology leaders, researchers and educators.
- Interviewees are chosen by our editors for relevance, experience and what readers can learn.
- Editorial interviews are free; sponsored interviews are available and labelled as sponsored.
- Interviews are conducted by video call or in writing, then edited and fact-checked before publication.

Interview Features is 1stepGrow's series of long-form conversations. Each interview is built around one question: what can a reader learn from this person's experience that they could not learn from a course or a press release?

## Who we interview

- **Founders and CTOs** building products in AI, data, cloud, developer tools and EdTech.
- **Technology leaders** running engineering, data and platform teams.
- **Researchers** whose work is shaping how technology is built or used.
- **Educators and hiring managers** who see what separates the people who get hired.

## What an interview covers

Most interviews run 1,200–2,500 words and cover the interviewee's path into the field, the problem they are working on, decisions they would make differently, the skills they hire for, and practical advice for readers at different career stages.

## How it works

1. **Request or invitation** — Day 0: Our editors invite interviewees, or you send a request with the topics you can speak to.
2. **Pre-interview** — Week 1: We agree the themes and send core questions in advance. Nothing is scripted word for word.
3. **The conversation** — Week 1–2: A 30–45 minute video call or a written Q&A. We record calls only with your permission.
4. **Edit and fact-check** — Week 2–3: We edit for clarity and length and check facts and figures with you before publishing.
## Editorial and sponsored interviews

Editorial interviews are chosen by our editors and cost nothing. Sponsored interviews are commissioned, produced to the same standards and **labelled as sponsored**. Interviewees do not approve independent coverage, but we always check facts and quotes. See our [editorial policy](https://www.1stepgrow.com/editorial-policy/).

## Request an interview

Tell us who you are, what you can speak about, and why it matters to people building a career in technology.

_Submit through the form at https://www.1stepgrow.com/interview-features/#submit, or email contacts@1stepgrow.com. Plain text only; no attachments._
Looking for other ways to be featured? See [Get Featured](https://www.1stepgrow.com/get-featured/) or nominate someone for [25 Tech Leaders](https://www.1stepgrow.com/25-tech-leaders/) and [30 Under 30](https://www.1stepgrow.com/30-under-30/).

## Frequently asked questions

### What are 1stepGrow Interview Features?

They are in-depth Q&A interviews with founders, technology leaders, researchers and educators, focused on what readers can learn from their experience.

### How are interviewees chosen?

Our editors choose interviewees for relevance to our readers, depth of first-hand experience and the originality of what they can share. You can request an interview through the form on this page.

### Is there a fee to be interviewed?

Editorial interviews are free and chosen on merit. Sponsored interviews are a paid option and are labelled as sponsored.

### Can I review the interview before it goes live?

We check facts, figures and quotes with you before publication. Editorial decisions on headline, structure and editing stay with our editors.