About Amy Norman
Learn More about Amy Norman
Amy Norman’s curiosity about the world around her was sparked early on. Growing up between the U.S. and England, Amy gained a global perspective young—and remained endlessly curious about the world around her.
Amy graduated high school and college on an advanced track, receiving the first of her three master’s degrees at age 20. Driven to keep learning and growing, she pursued her MA in International Studies from the University of Pennsylvania, and received her MBA from the Wharton School.
She then started her career as a Certified Public Accountant at KPMG before working at McKinsey and eBay. Even as Amy excelled at these companies, she longed for more creative and entrepreneurial work. Her deep interest in international travel and exploration had only grown over the years—and instead of pursuing a traditional corporate path, she decided to take a leap and build something new.
Pivoting in her career, Amy founded Little Passports, a hands-on subscription box service sparking curiosity in children around the globe. During the launch of Little Passports, Amy, eight months pregnant, was confronted by devastating losses, including the end of her marriage and the death of her father.
When others told her it might be safer to abandon her dream in the face of these challenges, Amy, a bold leader with a powerful vision, cast their words aside. She drew on her deep commitment to global connections, as well as the tenacity and curiosity that had always driven her forward. Little Passports became a lifeline, and started making a positive impact: the company successfully educated and inspired children around the globe, created a new category and launched in Target, and shipped over 15 million packages. With newfound resiliency and renewed joy, Amy served as CEO and led the company for over a decade.
Amh sold Little Passports to BEGiN in 2021 and served as President there before founding and leading Nellie. Building on her global interests, sparked as a child and deepened at Little Passports, Amy offers bespoke and transformative luxury travel experiences. Nellie is all about fostering cross-cultural connections, uplifting local economies, and spreading curiosity and empathy worldwide.
Today, Amy shares her insights and experiences through speaking engagements, newsletters, podcasts, and more. Her powerful personal story, global perspective, and entrepreneurial expertise inspire audiences to tap into their own resiliency, set out on their own paths, and become more open and connected to the world around them.