Why North of Normal is Invite Only
As the audience for North of Normal has grown, I’ve started receiving more messages from people asking to be interviewed or offering themselves as guests.
I understand why. Many podcasts welcome guest pitches, and many are designed to help people promote their work, organizations, causes, books, businesses or personal brands.
North of Normal is not that kind of show.
What North of Normal Is Really About
I created North of Normal to make room for something that feels increasingly rare: two people slowing down, setting aside the noise and having a real conversation about what it means to be human.
This is not a place for promotion. We do not discuss politics or religion, and we make every effort to avoid profanity. A guest’s roles and titles may help introduce them, but they are never the reason for the conversation.
I am interested in the person behind those roles and titles.
How did you get here? What shaped you? What has life taught you? What have you struggled with? What do you understand now that you did not understand before?
North of Normal asks people to show up honestly, without hiding behind a business, an accomplishment, a cause or a carefully prepared message. There is no script and no agenda beyond being willing to have a meaningful conversation.
The purpose of the show is to strengthen community. Not just in Littleton, but throughout the North Country and, ultimately, from one human being to another.
Why Guests Are Invited
When someone asks to be on the show, it creates a problem for me.
That request is usually connected to a desire to be seen, heard or promoted. There is nothing wrong with wanting visibility. There are plenty of places built for exactly that purpose.
It simply is not what North of Normal was created for.
The invitation matters because it changes the reason someone is sitting across from me. They are not there because they need airtime. They are there because someone in the community saw something in them worth hearing, and because I became genuinely curious about their story.
Guests must first be recommended to me by someone I know, a former guest, a listener or another member of the community. A recommendation does not automatically lead to an invitation. It opens the door for a conversation.
I get to know potential guests before asking them to come on the show. We usually sit down for coffee and talk without a microphone between us. There is no commitment and no expectation. I want to understand who they are and whether North of Normal is the right space for their story.
This Is About Community, Not One Episode
North of Normal is also not meant to be a one-time transaction where someone appears on the show, promotes their episode and then disappears.
The show exists to help people see one another more clearly. That means being interested in stories beyond your own.
I do not expect every guest to become a regular podcast listener. Honestly, I host a podcast and do not regularly listen to podcasts myself. We are all busy, and we connect with stories in different ways.
But community can be as simple as noticing when someone else is featured. Liking their post. Sharing it. Leaving an encouraging comment. Congratulating them. Showing some interest in another person’s moment instead of only your own.
None of that is a requirement. Gratitude is not something I demand, either. But it is noticeable when someone appreciates the invitation and understands that this show is part of something larger than their individual episode.
That relationship matters to me.
A Clear Boundary
To be completely clear, if you contact me asking to be interviewed on North of Normal, the answer will be no.
That is not a judgment about you, your work or whether your story has value. It is how I protect the integrity of the space I am creating.
North of Normal only works when people arrive without a promotional motive and are willing to show up as themselves, both in their conversations with me beforehand and publicly on the air.
The show is an invitation to slow down, become curious about another person and perhaps recognize something of yourself in their story.
That is what makes it different.
That is also why it will remain invite only.
Recommend Someone
Recommendations are always welcome.
Think about the people whose stories may never appear in a press release. The people who have lived through something, learned something or quietly helped shape the community around them. The people who would be willing to talk honestly about the human being behind their roles and titles.
When making a recommendation, tell me why you believe their story matters, not what they need to promote.
You can email recommendations to amanda@clearviewadvantage.com.
Thanks for understanding, and for helping me protect what makes this show special.
-Amanda