Niche to Meet You takes to the high seas in search of the unconquerable.

LINKS:

• Join the Niche List (our monthly newsletter…er, Nicheletter)
• Find photos of Leslie’s time at the Barkley on the show page
• Have feedback or just want to say hi? Email us: [email protected]

EPISODE NOTES:

Somewhere deep in the Tennessee woods, there’s a race with no finish line — at least not one most people will ever reach. There’s no official website, no posted start time, and the course changes every year. Runners carry pages torn from books as proof they’ve completed each loop. And it all begins with the lighting of a cigarette.

The Barkley Marathons isn’t just an ultramarathon. It’s a ritual. A myth. A puzzle designed to break you — mentally, physically, spiritually. In this episode, we crack open a great American novel written in the 1800s, Moby Dick, as a map to discover a bizarre niche that even has its own captain Ahab, a man named Lazarus Lake. But whereas Ahab is driven by hate for the white whale, Laz and the runners of the Barkley are driven by something completely different. What we find in our quest is the same Ishmael found in his search for the white whale: it’s a meditation on suffering, identity, and the purpose of attempting the impossible.

LINKS MENTIONED:

• Lazarus Lake biography

ABOUT NICHE TO MEET YOU:

Niche to Meet You is an investigative storytelling podcast about the little-known niche interests. Our work has been featured on Nashville Public Radio and has been seen in the likes of The Guardian and the 1440 newsletter. Our stories introduce listeners to folks involved with things like Warhammer 40,000, Rubik’s cube enthusiasts and competitors, armored combat champions, professional Santas and Mrs. Clauses, and more. It's like if Mr. Rogers Neighborhood and Revisionist History teamed up for a Netflix special. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SHOW HERE.

SHOW CREDITS: 

Senior creator/host: Leslie Thompson

Associate Script Editor: Chris Thiessen 

Show theme by Abigail Flowers with this arrangement of the theme Produced & Arranged by Abigail Flowers, Chris Leidhecker, Kevin Gift

Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions

Episode mastering by Kevin Morris

Show artwork created by Rachel Hardacre

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Celebrate Earth Day, the niche way.

LINKS:

• Join the Niche List (our monthly newsletter…er, Nicheletter)
• Become a part of the United Nicheons, the Niche to Meet You Patreon
• BUY MERCH!!!!!
• Have feedback or just want to say hi? Email us: [email protected]

Thanks to our show sponsor, 1440 Daily News Digest. Click here to join the 4 million folks getting great news in their inbox every day (like, Leslie)!

EPISODE NOTES:

In this episode, Leslie heads into the wilds of Instagram to explore one of the internet’s most unexpectedly wholesome communities: Stick Nation (or should we call them Stick Nicheon?!?!). What started with a single stick and a simple review became a global phenomenon, now with over 3 million followers united by their love of nature’s simplest artifact. Leslie talks with the founders of @officialstickreviews, Logan and Boone, about how their playful videos turned into viral content and why sticks—yes, literal sticks—hold such power in our stories, imaginations, and daily lives. Along the way, Leslie finds a stick of her own, puts it through the rigorous Stick Review process, and even recruits her three-year-old daughter for a neighborhood stick hunt. Plus, New York Times columnist Margaret Renkl joins to reflect on why this niche matters more than we might think.

LINKS MENTIONED:

• Official Stick Reviews Instagram
• Stick Nation’s Stick Together Earth Day Challenge
• New York Times article about Logan and Boone
• Harvard article about meditation

ABOUT NICHE TO MEET YOU:

Niche to Meet You is an investigative storytelling podcast about the little-known niche interests. Our work has been featured on Nashville Public Radio and has been seen in the likes of The Guardian and the 1440 newsletter. Our stories introduce listeners to folks involved with things like Warhammer 40,000, Rubik’s cube enthusiasts and competitors, armored combat champions, professional Santas and Mrs. Clauses, and more. It's like if Mr. Rogers Neighborhood and Revisionist History teamed up for a Netflix special. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SHOW HERE.

SHOW CREDITS: 

Senior creator/host: Leslie Thompson

Associate Script Editor: Chris Thiessen 

Show theme and “My Father’s Wand” original composition by by Abigail Flowers with this arrangement of the theme Produced & Arranged by Abigail Flowers, Chris Leidhecker, Kevin Gift

Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions

Episode mastering by Kevin Morris

Show artwork created by Rachel Hardacre

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

History, science, and Leslie tries to beat a national champ.

LINKS:

• Join the Niche List (our monthly newsletter…er, Nicheletter) and BE SURPRISED when we announce something HUGE in a few days.
• Have feedback or just want to say hi? Email us: [email protected]
• Get your own flippable Springbok puzzle. You can get 10% off your order with code: NICHEPUZZLE10. Shop for puzzles HERE. 

Thanks to our show sponsor, 1440 Daily News Digest. Click here to join the 4 million folks getting great news in their inbox every day (like, Leslie)!

EPISODE NOTES:

Where’d the puzzle come from? Why does it matter that puzzle companies CARE about the people who solve them? Which puzzles can be picked up after they’re completed? Why does science support us doing puzzles? And how much of a 500 piece puzzle can Leslie do in the same time as a national champion?

All questions answered in this episode. 

Thank you to Springbok Puzzles for sponsoring this story. We are so grateful for your support!

ABOUT NICHE TO MEET YOU:

Niche to Meet You is an investigative storytelling podcast about the little-known niche interests. Our work has been featured on Nashville Public Radio and has been seen in the likes of The Guardian and the 1440 newsletter. Our stories introduce listeners to folks involved with things like Warhammer 40,000, Rubik’s cube enthusiasts and competitors, armored combat champions, professional Santas and Mrs. Clauses, and more. It's like if Mr. Rogers Neighborhood and Revisionist History teamed up for a Netflix special. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SHOW HERE.

SHOW CREDITS: 

Senior creator/host: Leslie Thompson

Associate Script Editor: Chris Thiessen 

Show theme composed by Abigail Flowers with this arrangement Produced & Arranged by Abigail Flowers, Chris Leidhecker, Kevin Gift

Episode mastering by Kevin Morris

Show artwork created by Rachel Hardacre

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Community, belonging, and solving puzzles (really fast).

LINKS:

• Join the Niche List (our monthly newsletter…er, Nicheletter) and get a special announcement on April 6th
• Have feedback or just want to say hi? Email us: [email protected]
• Want to get into puzzling (you should!)? Start with Springbok, where you can get 10% off your order with code: NICHEPUZZLE10. Shop for puzzles HERE. 
• The 2023 Op-ed by Danté Stewart for the Washington Post, referenced in the episode: After covid, there’s one place I know I can go and not feel lonely

Thanks to our show sponsor, 1440 Daily News Digest. Click here to join the 4 million folks getting great news in their inbox every day (like, Leslie)!

EPISODE NOTES:

While some of us casually work on puzzles over days (or weeks) with family during holidays, some others of us complete puzzles in mere minutes. These folks are called Puzzle People. 

In this 2-part series, you’ll meet a Guinness Book of World Record Holder (Tammy McLeod), professional puzzlers (Sarah Schuler), influencers (Karen Kavett), competitors, and even join Leslie as she tries to complete a puzzle as quickly as possible…kind of. 

But this isn’t just a story about solving puzzles—it’s about how a global crisis sparked new traditions, deepened human connection, and turned an isolating time into a foundation for community and belonging. In this episode, part 1, Niche to Meet You marks 5 years of COVID through the lens of competitive speed puzzling. In a world that often feels fragmented, puzzling remains a reminder that we’re always finding ways to come together—piece by piece.

Thank you to Springbok Puzzles for sponsoring this story. We are so grateful for your support!

ABOUT NICHE TO MEET YOU:

Niche to Meet You is an investigative storytelling podcast about the little-known niche interests. Our work has been featured on Nashville Public Radio and has been seen in the likes of The Guardian and the 1440 newsletter. Our stories introduce listeners to folks involved with things like Warhammer 40,000, Rubik’s cube enthusiasts and competitors, armored combat champions, professional Santas and Mrs. Clauses, and more. It's like if Mr. Rogers Neighborhood and Revisionist History teamed up for a Netflix special. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SHOW HERE.

SHOW CREDITS: 

Senior creator/host: Leslie Thompson

Associate Script Editor: Chris Thiessen 

Show theme composed by Abigail Flowers with this arrangement Produced & Arranged by Abigail Flowers, Chris Leidhecker, Kevin Gift

Episode mastering by Kevin Morris

Show artwork created by Rachel Hardacre

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Happiness Lab comes to Niche to Meet You.

• Join the Niche List (our monthly newsletter…er, Nicheletter)
• Have feedback or just want to say hi? Email us: [email protected]
• The following Happiness Lab episode
• Bowling Alone, book

Thanks to our show sponsor, 1440 Daily News Digest. Click here to join the 4 million folks getting great news in their inbox every day (like, Leslie)!

EPISODE NOTES:

Let's go on a field trip to The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos. Laurie is a cognitive scientist at Yale and her course titled "Psychology and the Good Life" became the most popular course in Yale's history.

In our episode called “On the road” we learned about the idea of third spaces, and how they’re often where someone’s hobby or niche is found. One of the sources I had in mind while I was writing this episode was a 2000 book called Bowling Alone by Robert Putnam, which outlines the "third space" concept. Robert is a political scientist and his book gives us context for the current loneliness epidemic in which we find ourselves now, nearly thirty years later. 

Recently, I discovered an episode of The Happiness Lab that features a hopeful conversation with Robert that felt really relevant for the Nicheverse. Dr. Santos agreed to let us air it! She joins us for the top of the episode, and she even brings her own niche interests with her.

ABOUT NICHE TO MEET YOU:

Niche to Meet You is an investigative storytelling podcast about the little-known niche interests. Our work has been featured on Nashville Public Radio and has been seen in the likes of The Guardian and the 1440 newsletter. Our stories introduce listeners to folks involved with things like Warhammer 40,000, Rubik’s cube enthusiasts and competitors, armored combat champions, professional Santas and Mrs. Clauses, and more. It's like if Mr. Rogers Neighborhood and Revisionist History teamed up for a Netflix special. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SHOW HERE.

SHOW CREDITS: 

Senior creator/host: Leslie Thompson (IG: @leslieeilerthompson)

Associate Script Editor: Chris Thiessen 

Show theme composed by Abigail Flowers

Show artwork created by Rachel Hardacre

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our favorite Santas read the famous poem, "A Visit from St. Nicholas."

• Email us! Who are you? What's your niche? What do you like about this show?
• Find pictures from Leslie’s time with Santas here.
• Looking to give a tax-deductible gift? Consider giving to this project. More information here.
• TELL A FRIEND ABOUT US! Is there someone who should know about this project? Tell them. Seriously, just text them. Now!
• Find us on Instagram, or join our email list.

Thanks to our show sponsor, 1440 Daily News Digest. Click here to join the 4 million folks getting great news in their inbox every day (like, Leslie)!

EPISODE NOTES:

In this final offering of 2024, we give you the gift of several beloved voices from our Santa miniseries reading us the poem that started it all, A Visit from St. Nicholas (otherwise known as'Twas the Night Before Christmas) on its 201st anniversary. If you haven't listened to the miniseries yet, now is the time!

Special thanks to WPLN Nashville Public Radio, for premiering this piece on your station!

VOICES FEATURED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Jerusalem Santa
• Santa Shed
• Santa Ben
• Santa Jay
• Malcolm Guite (UK)
• Santa Lincoln
• Santa True
• Santa Robert (Norway)

ABOUT NICHE TO MEET YOU:

Niche to Meet You is an investigative storytelling podcast about the little-known niche interests. Our work has been featured on Nashville Public Radio, has been seen by millions through a recent viral instagram reel, and has been featured in the likes of The Guardian and the 1440 newsletters. It's like if Mr. Rogers Neighborhood and Revisionist History teamed up for a Netflix special. We use miniseries and individual interviews to introduce listeners to folks involved with Warhammer 40,000, Rubik’s cube enthusiasts and competitors, armored combat champions, wild turkey conservationists, and more. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SHOW HERE.

EPISODE CREDITS: 

Host/Editor: Leslie Thompson (IG: @leslieeilerthompson)

Mastering by Kevin Morris

Music from Epidemic Sound

Show artwork created by Rachel Hardacre

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The origins of the professional Santa.

• Email us with your favorite part of this episode or what it made you think about! 
• TELL A FRIEND ABOUT US! Is there someone who should know about this project? Tell them. Seriously, just text them. Now!
• Find us on Instagram, or join our email list.
• Find pictures from Leslie’s time with Santas here.

Thanks to our show sponsor, 1440 Daily News Digest. Click here to join the 4 million folks getting great news in their inbox every day (like, Leslie)!

EPISODE NOTES:

This first episode in the Professional Santa miniseries is about history: where Santa came from with historian Stephanie Fulbright, and when the culture of PORTRAYING him started with Santa Phil. We cover the viral poem that made him famous, the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade, and the Mount Rushmore of Professional Santas while hearing from actual Santa Portrayal Artists and Santa historians.

SANTAS FEATURED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Jerusalem Santa
• Santa Shed
• Santa George
• Santa Ben
• Santa Phil
• Santa True

ABOUT NICHE TO MEET YOU:

Niche to Meet You is an investigative storytelling podcast about the little-known niche interests. Our work has been featured on Nashville Public Radio, has been seen by millions through a recent viral instagram reel, and has been featured in the likes of The Guardian and the 1440 newsletters. It's like if Mr. Rogers Neighborhood and Revisionist History teamed up for a Netflix special. We use miniseries and individual interviews to introduce listeners to folks involved with Warhammer 40,000, Rubik’s cube enthusiasts and competitors, armored combat champions, wild turkey conservationists, and more. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SHOW HERE.

SHOW CREDITS: 

Creator/Reporter/host: Leslie Thompson (IG: @leslieeilerthompson)

Associate script producer: Chris Thiessen 

Mastering by Kevin Morris

Show theme composed by Abigail Flowers with this holiday arrangement by Mike Hicks

Show artwork created by Rachel Hardacre

Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions and Jon McLaughlin 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Meet the Santas behind the beard.

EPISODE NOTES:

In the second episode of our Professional Santa miniseries we meet the folks who portray Santa and learn what it takes to do the job. From meetups and conferences to spending thousands on uniform, these Santas take their jobs seriously. We talk to Shed and George, Black santas wth a mission to see representation in the niche, and meet Jerusalem’s only certified Santa Issa. Then, we shadow a Santa Donald on a gig to a school serving children with low vision.

SANTAS FEATURED IN THIS EPISODE:

ABOUT NICHE TO MEET YOU:

Niche to Meet You is an investigative storytelling podcast about the little-known niche interests. Our work has been featured on Nashville Public Radio, has been seen by millions through a recent viral instagram reel, and has been featured in the likes of The Guardian and the 1440 newsletters. It's like if Mr. Rogers Neighborhood and Revisionist History teamed up for a Netflix special. We use miniseries and individual interviews to introduce listeners to folks involved with Warhammer 40,000, Rubik’s cube enthusiasts and competitors, armored combat champions, wild turkey conservationists, and more. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SHOW HERE.

SHOW CREDITS: 

Creator/Reporter/host: Leslie Thompson (IG: @leslieeilerthompson)

Associate script producer: Chris Thiessen 

Mastering by Kevin Morris

Show theme composed by Abigail Flowers with this holiday arrangement by Mike Hicks

Show artwork created by Rachel Hardacre

Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions and Jon McLaughlin 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Why Santa matters.

• Email us with your favorite part of this episode or what it made you think about! 
• TELL A FRIEND ABOUT US! Is there someone who should know about this project? Tell them. Seriously, just text them. Now!
• Find us on Instagram, or join our email list.
• Find pictures from Leslie’s time with Santas here.

Thanks to our show sponsor, 1440 Daily News Digest. Click here to join the 4 million folks getting great news in their inbox every day (like, Leslie)!

EPISODE NOTES:

The final episode in our series about professional Santas ends with relevance – why having Santas is crucial to the human experience and aids with flourishing amid suffering. In doing this, we learn why these folks deal with the heaviness of the undertaking and what we can learn from them. You’ll hear from a Santa who spends 200+ days a year in a suit (and has done that for 35 years), and from an educator who uses his Santa portrayal to motivate his students. We also welcome renowned UK Poet Malcolm Guite to explore what storytelling and imagination have to do with Santa and his role in our society. 

SANTAS FEATURED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Jerusalem Santa
• Santa Shed
• Santa George
• Santa Ben
• Santa Phil
• Santa Jay
• Santa Stephen
• Santa Hop
• Santa Chris
• Santa True

ABOUT NICHE TO MEET YOU:

Niche to Meet You is an investigative storytelling podcast about the little-known niche interests. Our work has been featured on Nashville Public Radio, has been seen by millions through a recent viral instagram reel, and has been featured in the likes of The Guardian and the 1440 newsletters. It's like if Mr. Rogers Neighborhood and Revisionist History teamed up for a Netflix special. We use miniseries and individual interviews to introduce listeners to folks involved with Warhammer 40,000, Rubik’s cube enthusiasts and competitors, armored combat champions, wild turkey conservationists, and more. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SHOW HERE.

SHOW CREDITS: 

Creator/Reporter/host: Leslie Thompson (IG: @leslieeilerthompson)

Associate script producer: Chris Thiessen 

Mastering by Kevin Morris

Show theme composed by Abigail Flowers with this holiday arrangement by Mike Hicks

Show artwork created by Rachel Hardacre

Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions and Jon McLaughlin 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Some moments that didn’t make the Wild Turkey Conservation miniseries.

EPISODE NOTES:

This week is Thanksgiving in America, though if you listen to Niche to Meet You, it’s felt like Thanksgiving since August. And we’ve got one more helping of turkey for you. Call it a Nichegiving special. and it includes all the makings for a perfectly spent Thanksgiving: 

- Turkeys, of course.

- Football

- Family.

This short episode combines a few moments that didn’t make the Wild Turkey Conservation miniseries because they happened after it was already done. You’ll hear from a three-time superbowl champion, a retired archaeologist, and my dad.

Happy niche giving to you and your family.  We are so very thankful for you.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.