One Degree of Separation

For Gimlet Creative & Squarespace's "Casting Call"

Okay. Just what IS One Degree of Separation?

Here's more than you ever wanted to know!

I'm glad you asked. One Degree of Separation is a podcast that is part game, part experiment, and part personal diary. The overall premise is pretty simple: I find someone to interview, then that person suggests somebody else to talk to, who then suggests somebody else, and so on...

This isn't an interview show or a "man on the street" podcast (although, there are elements of that). Each person's story is curated and crafted. Also, each story is treated individually. For example, I might talk to Susan about her grandmother who loved to surf well into her 80's. Then, Susan directs me to talk to her best friend from childhood, Cheryl, who shares her story about finding out she was adopted and then points to Reuben - the guy who specializes in finding parents who gave up their children for adoption. Each segment stands on its own, but the reveal of how each relationship connects to the ones around it is played for dramatic effect.

SO... what does Nick DO?

I'm so glad you asked! I have worked with New York Times Best-Selling authors, thought leaders, entrepreneurs, and just people with a story to share for about four years now. I just did a rough estimate and figured out that my client shows have been downloaded millions of times. If you're looking for more examples of my work with clients, visit the portfolio page on this very website. The shows below are some of my personal projects.

Where There's Smoke (current show)

Since 2015, I've made a podcast with Brett Gajda that explores self-development through the lens of current events, pop culture, and experience. This is the show that has really allowed me to practice my storytelling and editing skills. If you wanted to listen to something, the Halloween 2017 episode on Sincerity is something that I'm really proud of.

The original One Degree of Separation (2013)

In 2013, I quit my job as a music teacher on the south side of Chicago and moved back home to St. Louis - without much of a plan. One day, I asked myself, "What would it take for me to interview Barack Obama?" The answer was obvious: I'd have to ask a friend of a friend of a friend... One Degree of Separation was born. 

That original show is VERY different from the one I'm pitching now. While each of the five or so episodes did contain an interview from a suggestion with the previous guest, most of the episode contained monologues, audio experiments, original music, and lots of other stuff. Whether it was a screenplay about a light on the porch, a conversation about voting rights, or a phone call with my brother where he tells me he waterboarded somebody that night (somebody asked him to do it for an art exhibit), the original One Degree of Separation was what gave me my sea legs in the podcasting world. 

The most important story from those episodes was the first one. It's the first thing I ever wrote/recorded/edited for a podcast and it combines my love of music, a description of my mental health, and Miley Cyrus into something that still feels very honest to me. 

Well, if you made it down this far, then I hope you're thinking, "We have to get this Nick kid onto Casting Call!" If so, then make sure to email me at yes@podcastmonter.com! If you made it this far and you don't want me on the show, then of course I'm sad... but I also have to give it up to you for your commitment to scrolling. Kudos to you, Internet Scroller!