Catharine Perry is the chief operating officer of a global trade association, splitting her time between Omaha, Nebraska and Washington, D.C., overseeing finance, HR, operations, and member programs for an entire industry, but she also doesn’t miss drop off if she’s home.
In this week’s conversation, Catharine shares the conversation with her CEO that became the turning point in her career, the color-coded A, B, C priority system she and her husband use to keep two travel-heavy work calendars from colliding, and the 15-minute nightly reset that keeps her sane when she’s solo parenting.
What We Cover:
How Catharine turned “would you consider giving me the opportunity?” into the career pivot that eventually led to becoming COO
The A, B, C priority coding system she and her husband use on their shared calendars to help when travel conflicts arise
The Kelly Nolan Bright Method time-blocking framework that got her out from under a paper planner and an overflowing Outlook calendar
Her honest answer on why dinner is often a separate “toddler dinner” — and why she’s letting go of the guilt around that
The 15-minute nightly reset ritual (pajamas laid out, kitchen wiped down) that makes her mornings and evenings run smoother
Why 2026’s personal focus word is “community,” and the neighborhood social committee, group text, and progressive dinner tradition she started to build it
How she splits Claude and ChatGPT between work and personal life, and why she still hasn’t migrated years of ChatGPT history
The weekly Thursday-night check-in where she and her husband say their weekend expectations out loud instead of assuming (love this one!)
What she’s letting go of entirely right now, from holiday decor to the pressure of a “perfect” evening
Connect with Catharine:
Instagram: @catharineperry
LinkedIn: Catharine Perry
References:
The Last Mrs. Parrish, The Whole-Brain Child, Unreasonable Hospitality
Kelly Nolan’s Bright Method — the time-blocking framework that overhauled how she manages her calendar
Listen and Review
More A Day In Her Life
Thank you for spending a little time here. If A Day in Her Life has become part of your routine, here’s how you can help it reach more women:
🎙️ Listen & Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts
⭐️ Leave a review — it helps more women find the show (and I’ll love you forever)
💌 Share with a friend so you have someone to debrief every episode with
📩 Subscribe below to get new episodes and this newsletter straight to your inbox
🔗 Some links in this newsletter are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission — thank you for helping keep this show going!
can't wait to listen to this one!