Page 3 of And They Had a Great Fall

7:15: Drop Becca off and run home, detouring through the winding paths of Central Park. This was an efficient way to both fit exercise into the mornings and catch up on the latest industry podcast. Today’s selection was an interview on CNBC featuring the CEO of PathMobile.

7:35: Shower, first coffee of the day, a banana and an organic granola bar.

8:15: Walk to the office, pick up a second coffee.

Having perfectly executed the morning, Kat continued her walk to the office. She went to resume the CNBC podcast fromher run, but instead, she found herself scrolling through her library on Spotify. She clicked on the playlist titled “Kake.” She couldn’t remember the last time she’d listened to music, much lessthatplaylist, which during lockdown, had been on perpetual repeat.

She let out a small laugh as she remembered Jake creating it during the pandemic. Just as the title blended their two names, the content combined his music taste (hip-hop with a side of R&B) with hers (unapologetically pop). Each song was a different style, but all fun, playful, and sexy—a perfect amalgamation of their time together during quarantine. The memories lifted her steps, and she walked into the office with a larger-than-normal smile on her face.

She was usually at her desk before 8:30, and today was no exception. She scrolled through her emails and took a sip of her oat milk latte with one-third of a packet of raw sugar.

An internal IM popped up, its window covering part of her email. It was from William, the current COO of PathMobile.Looks like you’re in the office. Swing down.

She picked up her coffee, laptop, and phone and walked a few offices down, opening his glass door when he waved her in. “Good morning, Will,” she said, sitting in the chair across the desk from him. She opened her laptop in preparation for the impromptu meeting.

“Morning,” he replied, looking up from his computer. “How’s the launch of the PVA going?”

PVA was the internal name for the Path Virtual Assistant, a product launch she had led for the past six months. She knew the project and timelines inside out and pulled up the project plan that was live on her laptop.

“It’s going according to plan. We’re preparing the website for pre-orders in just under eight weeks, November first. Teaser marketing will start one week prior. We’ll be in stores and online by Thanksgiving. Our television spots are flighted mid-Novemberthrough December, with a spike on Black Friday.” She rattled the details off with confidence. “Current US sales projections are 24 million units this year, 25 percent of which are projected to be pre-orders, with the rest during the holiday surge.”

“Wonderful,” he said. “As long as we stay on this timing, this is going to be the biggest launch Path has ever had. And your leadership has been exceptional. You know I’m retiring after this launch?”

“And it will be a sad day for all of us,” she said with a smile. She liked Will and would genuinely miss his mentorship. She was not surprised as he had informed everyone that he would move to part-time status at the end of the year and fully retire before the end of Q2.

He returned her smile. “My wife won’t be sad. Nor will my pickleball game.” He closed his computer and looked at her. “I need to give the board options for my successor at the next meeting. I’m putting your name down for consideration.”

This was always the plan. Will had put her in the product position as a fast track to a potential COO role, but now, hearing it out loud, she swelled with pride. If this happened, she would be the first woman to hold a C-suite position at their company.

She deserved this promotion. She had spent the last year doing anything needed to make sure that every device, every app, and every accessory they launched was flawless. It had required her to work nearly fifteen hours a day, including weekends, often logging time into the wee hours after Becca went to sleep.

All those hours would finally pay off. Not only in elevated title, but the new salary would allow her to stop worrying about her and Becca’s future. Good schools were not cheap in Manhattan, and she would finally have an assurance that she could give Becca the best. This was hers to lose. The last hurdle was getting the nod from the board.

“How many options will you give them?” she prodded. She figured there would be more than one and had already hypothesized who she was competing against. She worked harder than most at her level, but high-profile C-level positions were not necessarily given to those who worked the hardest, or even those with the most talent. Reputation and relationships were driving factors, too.

Will laughed. “You’re the first to ask that question. You always know your numbers, Kat. Three. I have to give them at least three. IfIcould choose, it would be you.”

“Thank you,” she said. “So, what do you think will sway the board one way or another?” She appreciated Will’s vote of confidence, but she knew the board didn’t know her as well and would evaluate her differently.

“There’s a big thing in your favor, and two things against you,” he started. “The big thing in your favor is the PVA launch. It’s as high-profile as it gets, and we’re at the tail end. If it hits the projected units on time, it’ll show the board your ability to run a tight, profitable organization.”

Kat nodded. “And what are the two things against me?”

“One is experience. You are one of the best product leaders we’ve ever had. Your ability to align departments and put them on a simultaneous plan toward a singular end goal is unmatched. But you are still very young. The two other candidates have many years on you,” Will said.

Kat went to protest—at thirty-three, she wasn’t that young. Plus, her age shouldn’t be an issue if her skills are exceptional—but Will cut her off. “That’s just reality, Kat. Youareyoung. Also, you have far less global experience than others they will be considering.”

Kat nodded. Although she had some global experience, Will was right, she was primarily focused on the US market.

“Frankly, I’m kicking myself. I should’ve had you oversee one of the global early-launch markets. Seeing how smooth the USis going, you could have easily done the US alongside a regional market like Ireland or Denmark,” he mused. “It would have set you up well for the board nomination.”

Kat looked up at the ceiling for a second and took a deep breath. She would never call herself spontaneous, but this might be her only chance to prove to Will that she would do whatever it took to get the COO nomination.

She blew out her breath and asked, “What if I went now? I saw the timelines for Denmark in our last global call. Aren’t they the first market going live with pre-orders? I can assist in their pre-launch, monitor impact of their regional marketing tactics, and optimize the US launch.” Although Path’s corporate headquarters were in New York, the company had been founded in Denmark, and Kat impressed herself at her own quick thinking. She would get the most credit for visiting that office.

He chuckled. “You’re always on your toes. That’s not a half-bad idea.” Will hesitated and then spoke, “You would have to go immediately. Is that feasible?”

“There are a few things I have to coordinate, but it should be possible,” she said, thinking of Becca. She couldn’t commit on the spot and the pressure of being a working mother loomed over her. She wanted to prove she could pivot at a moment’s notice, though, even when it meant unplanned travel. She’d been counseled more than once to be more spontaneous and less rigid—mostly by male counterparts without the sole responsibility of a young child at home.

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