If asked to describe Patrick Bet-David in four words, you wouldn’t be incorrect in choosing these four: Gift. Of. The. Gab.
An emerging voice in right-wing media, Bet-David is following a path to success trodden by many before him, including the previous president himself, Donald Trump: launch a business, create a media personality off the back of your success, connect with the right people, side-step into politics.
So, who is Patrick Bet-David, and how did he become one of YouTube’s most-followed interviewers? Let’s explore.
Who is Patrick Bet-David?
Today, Bet-David is an entrepreneur, author, podcast host, and public speaker. With over five million subscribers signed up to the Valuetainment YouTube channel and a popular podcast to his name, Bet-David has won a huge and dedicated audience. His content focuses on entrepreneurship, personal development, and leadership, usually featuring interviews with big names looking to share insights into their success.
Even if you didn’t know who Bet-David was before today, you’ll know the guests he interviews across his channels and podcast; from Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson to Jordan Peterson, Bet-David has sat down with many of the biggest names in entertainment and politics.
From Tehran to the podcast charts
While Bet-David is now emerging as one of the loudest voices in the interview space, this is a far cry from the life he led just twenty years ago.
A refugee who lost himself to the party scene in his youth, Iranian-born Bet-David has had many identities. After joining the army, attending church, and settling into a career in financial services, Bet-David set himself on the path that led him to where he is today: a financial advisor turned entrepreneur turned interview host.
How PBD mastered the art of the interview
From the outside, it may seem curious that Bet-David has risen to such heights as an interviewer despite being relatively new to the niche. Here’s how Bet-David’s approach to content creation and interviewing has set him apart from the competition and ensured his content is relevant and captivating.
1) Research, research, research
Bet-David goes into each conversation well-prepared, having thoroughly researched his guests beforehand. This makes it easy for him to ask insightful, open-ended questions, encouraging his guests to provide equally insightful responses.
2) A unique interview approach
Bet-David doesn’t interrogate his guests, but he doesn’t let them lead the conversation. While Bet-David respects his guests, he isn’t afraid to challenge them, leaving room for a more honest dialogue.
3) Active listening
Many interviewers are criticized for failing to listen to their guests. Bet-David, on the other hand, is a good example of an active listener. He adapts his line of questioning based on his guests’ answers, which feels more natural for viewers and encourages guests to dive deeper into the conversation.
4) Weaving a narrative
In an age of short attention spans, Bet-David knows how to keep his audience engaged with digestible segments, clear narrative arcs, and snappy editing. While most of Bet-David’s interviews run over an hour, they feel much shorter.
5) Strategic guest selection
Bet-David is highly selective about who speaks to, only sitting down with guests who can offer his audience unique insights or whose perspective resonates with their interests.
What can we learn from PBD?
Love or hate him, there’s no denying Patrick Bet-David’s talent for hosting great interviews and creating effective long-form content. Here are three big learnings creators can take away from his success.
1) Ask good questions
An interviewer is only as powerful as their questions. Creators can emulate Bet-David by conducting thorough research on their guests and writing insightful, open-ended questions that encourage them to delve deeper when sharing their perspectives and stories.
2) Tell a story
People don’t tune into interviews just to hear big names answer questions; they come expecting to be told a story, which is something Bet-David does very well. If you want to craft similarly engaging stories, you’ll want to master the art of weaving structured narratives by planning your questions and practicing active listening.
3) Leverage multiple platforms
Looking beyond your interviews, leveraging various platforms is the best way to grow your following. You can reach larger audiences via social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and X by repurposing long-form content into shorter clips.
