This Forbes '30 Under 30' CEO asks a unique interview question

You're more likely to hear James Shani's favorite question around a campfire than in a job interview.

Shani, CEO of Los Angeles-based digital content company Madison+Vine, who was named to Forbes' 2017 30 Under 30, likes to ask prospective employees an unusual question during interviews:

"One of my favorite questions is, 'Tell me about your soul,'" Shani told Business Insider. He said it reveals a lot about the person and helps him determine whether that candidate will fit into his company and work well with the team.

"It's interesting because you get a couple of different kinds of responses. Sometimes people are completely thrown off and they've never thought about it," he said.

If a person has thought about it, he said, they have a sense of ambition and direction in terms of their career. "If someone is always trying to grow, and is always mindful of their growth, and is really disciplined and an A player ... then they have thought about that question in some way. I look for people that are reflective and disciplined, and really mindful of who they are and who they're not," he said.

A proponent of self-improvement and personal growth, Shani believes entrepreneurs should constantly be thinking about "improving and growing as an individual." He also holds his employees to that standard — a Tony Robbins fan, Shani sends all of his 20 employees to Robbins' "Unleash the Power Within" event, which he says is a "game-changer."

"Everything [Robbins] preaches is all about mastering your personal psychology," said Shani.

"To me it's amazing how people don't have dreams, you know?" he said. "It sounds cliché, but we're after dreamers, and that's a real thing."