Director of Operations Cat Koehler Shares Her Five Faves

Meet this week’s My Five Feature, Cat Koehler!

By: Xitlally Velasco

Cat Koehler currently serves as the Director of Operations for HorsePower Brands. But you may remember her from hits such as the comedy podcast, Moms of Quarantine 2020 or the Omaha World-Herald section Momaha. 

Koehler’s affection for both creative and analytical endeavors makes her a force in the brand marketing space. Her addiction to spreadsheets, processes, and efficiency, along with her winning-focused work ethic and ability to create lasting client relationships. Koehler has brought success to franchisors around the globe when it comes to fine-tuning their social media, public relations and thought leadership at both the brand and local levels. 

We asked what are five things she can’t live without, and this is what she said…

1. Yeti Water Bottle.

“This simple yet stylish beast stopped my out-of-control water bottle buying, increased my H2O intake, and became my emotional support water bottle.”

- Cat Koehler

Hydration is important, but finding the perfect vessel—one that encourages you to drink and works with your lifestyle—is damn near impossible. This impossible feat lead to my addiction to water bottles and travel mugs. It wasn’t unusual for me to buy a new one every week and swear that this was the one that would change my water-drinking habits forever. Enter the Yeti Ramble with Chug Cap. This simple yet stylish beast stopped my out-of-control water bottle buying, increased my H2O intake, and became my emotional support water bottle. The handle lid makes carrying it from meeting to meeting a breeze. 

2. Paper Mate® InkJoy® 700RT.

“The Paper Mate InkJoy 700RT is hands-down the best pen.”

- Cat Koehler

If you take notes on your laptop, it’s probably because you went to school after they stopped teaching cursive, or you just haven’t found the pen you love. The Paper Mate InkJoy 700RT is hands-down the best pen. It writes smoothly and never leaves that weird ink glob when you pause the pen to think. The grip is comfortable, and while it’s lightweight, it feels substantial, like an actual adult pen. This is the pen you won’t want to loan out, and if you do, you’re going to chase that person down to get it back. It was once easy to find at your local office supply store, but now your best bet is to grab a box on Amazon. 

3. ClickUp.

As a neurodivergent person working with multiple brands, structure, processes, and efficiencies are imperative to my success and mental well-being. Like my previously mentioned water bottle addiction, I had a long-term addiction to organizational products. I was sure there was a magic solution to help me get my proverbial shit together—I just hadn’t found it yet. Don’t get me wrong, lists and spreadsheets work great when it’s information for my needs only. But business is a team sport, and I needed a solution to accommodate several people and their unique needs. 

ClickUp was the solution. Some may call it a project management tool, but really, it’s a productivity tool. I can easily create templates to make our recurring tasks efficient and consistent. Multiple views allow every user to see the information in a way that makes sense for each of them! The customization, dashboards, and real-time reporting ensure we don’t miss a thing. 

4. Nonogram Color.

“When I need to transition from one task to another or am especially overwhelmed, I turn to my Nonogram Color game for a sense of calm.”

- Cat Koehler

I’m an overthinker. My brain turns on five minutes before I wake up, and it doesn’t stop until I fall asleep. Sometimes, I just need quiet in my head. This is where Nonogram Color comes in. This app allows all the thoughts in my head to focus on the game. To win, you can’t be distracted; you must dial into those tiny squares and make the correct selection. I know what you’re thinking, “You’re a writer; why don’t you journal?” Writers’ brains are scary places with countless ideas and half-baked thoughts that are edited and re-edited long before the Paper Mate® InkJoy® 700RT hits the paper. It doesn’t matter what we’re writing; we do this maddening dance with grocery lists and notes on napkins. When I need to transition from one task to another or am especially overwhelmed, I turn to my Nonogram Color game for a sense of calm. 

5. The West Wing.

“I’ve probably watched the entire series four dozen times or more.”

- Cat Koehler

I love intelligent, funny, thought-provoking dramas with fantastic character development. Very few television shows make this list, and many that do make the list fail to stand the test of time. The West Wing is on a constant loop at my house. I’m not kidding; I’ve probably watched the entire series four dozen times or more. 

Regardless of where you stand politically, this Aaron Sorkin show will have you discussing what you would do, laughing at character snafus, and you’ll likely end up learning a little bit about our government. If you’re a writer (or into handsome men), you’ll love Sam. Are you a PR professional? Study Allison Janney’s character and ask yourself, “What would C.J. do?” 

Once you watch, you’ll agree that there is a TWW quote for every situation. For this occasion, I chose a quote by Charlie Young, played by Dule Hill. "You're a smart, savvy woman who could easily consider world domination for a next career move.”

Xitlally Velasco is a University of Nebraska at Omaha journalism student with a concentration in public relations and advertising and a minor in Psychology. Velasco is the Digital Content Curator at Lozafina Marketing and Public Relations. Send your tips and story ideas to office@lozafina.com