A first edit is often a decision about story order, not about perfect sound. Separate those decisions. You can spend a long time polishing a paragraph that later leaves the episode entirely.
Mark before removing
Listen through the recording and note useful answers, repeated explanations and sections that need repair. Use markers or a simple timestamp list. Keep the first pass focused on what the listener needs to follow the conversation.
Create a project version before making large cuts. Work with timeline edits that preserve access to the original source where the editor supports them. Confirm the behavior with a small test if you are unfamiliar with the tool.
Try moving one section and listen to the transition before reorganizing the whole interview. A new order may make a later answer depend on a question the listener has not heard.
Review the meaning of the edit
Listen to the sentence before and after each major cut. Check that the speaker's meaning stays intact and that pronouns or references still make sense. Removing a pause is a sound decision; removing the context of an answer is an editorial decision.
Keep a note of uncertain cuts so the host can review them quickly. Do not hide a major change inside a file called minor-fixes.
Once the structure works, move to detailed voice balance, noise and transitions. Save another decision point before that processing pass. This order reduces repeated work and gives a second editor a clearer project to review. Podbento's editor page describes the intended source-preserving workflow; verify the exact controls in the release you are using.