Niche to Meet You takes an anthropological approach to the passions that make us who we are.
PICKED AS
“NEW & NOTEWORTHY”
BY APPLE PODCASTS
AND AS SEEN/HEARD ON:
ABOUT THE SHOW:
Niche to Meet You is a narrative nonfiction, sound-rich podcast about little-known niche interests and the meaning folks are finding in them. We are what happens when Mr. Rogers meets This American Life or Revisionist History.
Hosted by Leslie Eiler Thompson, Niche to Meet You isn’t just about the hobbies themselves—it’s about the people behind them. Whether it's medieval armored combat, wild turkey conservation, dog agility, or the artistry of portraying Santa, we explore what compels folks to dedicate themselves to these pursuits.
We’ll re-introduce you to your neighbors in technicolor.
We were featured in an hourlong radio special in partnership with American Public Media, and have been seen in WPLN’s This Is Nashville, The Guardian, 1440 Newsletter, and Podcast the Newsletter. We even got an endorsement from Malcolm Gladwell (he called the show “masterfully written”)!
Niche to Meet You is for the intellectually curious, those who find joy in discovering what makes people tick, and anyone who loves a good story well told.
We welcome you to new universes, bringing curiosity, depth, and a touch of delight in the details, all while challenging assumptions and changing perspectives.
Welcome in, it’ll be so Niche to Meet You.
Why?
Why do niche subcultures and hobbies matter? Well, for starters
They will literally save our lives.
The statistics on loneliness are shocking. The US Surgeon General even released a report in 2023 about the importance of social interaction to curb the loneliness and isolation epidemic. The report says that even before COVID, approximately half of U.S. adults reported experiencing measurable levels of loneliness. Dr. Vivek Murthy is even going so far as to develop an entire national campaign to encourage social interaction to save humanity.
AND, these niche subcultures help us better understand each other.
The little things that construct meaning and purpose for us don’t just provide health benefits, they remind us that we are all part of a larger whole. When we learn more about other people’s unique interests we better appreciate the world around us and we can embrace and celebrate our differences. We find belonging in a sea of loneliness.
This podcast will introduce you to little-known niche subcultures
and hobbies where folks are making meaning…
and where you might find some meaning, too.
It’s Niche to meet you.
Niches we’ve covered
About the creator
I’m Leslie, and for me, hobbies are like dimples:
I only have one.
And that hobby is knowing and caring about other people’s hobbies. I have an insatiable hunger for knowing the details and breadth of others’ interests and niche subcultures.
So I want to share these findings with you because they’re important.
I lied: I’ve got another hobby and that is to produce things…like podcasts and writing. I conceptualize, write, design, and edit the Niche episodes, with script production help from Chris Thiessen and audio mastering by Kevin Morris. The theme music is composed by Abigail Flowers, and the artwork for the show was designed by Rachel Hardacre.
Thanks for joining me in this work.
Email me anytime, and check out the other things I do here.