The Catch Up with Claire

Claire Hoon
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Relationships
  • Updated Weekly

The Catch Up with Claire is rooted in the raw, chaotic, and realness of womanhood. We hand the mic to women who are showing up, speaking out, and figuring it out in real time. From careers and identity shifts to friendships, family dynamics, breakups, big dreams, bigger feelings — and yes, motherhood too — no topic is off-limits. It’s like calling your bestie on the landline in 1999: lighthearted, unfiltered, and often deeper than you expected. Whether you’re raising kids, raising your standards, or raising hell, we catch up on the mess, the magic, and everything in between.

  1. 5d ago

    JENNIFER: leaving corporate america to build a life abroad

    What happens when you finally reach the place you’ve been working toward—only to realize you don’t want the life that comes with it? Jennifer Lindquist spent years climbing the corporate ladder, building a successful career in recruiting at companies including Ulta, PepsiCo, and Amazon. She reached the level she thought she wanted, but the pressure, politics, and personal cost required more than she was willing to keep giving. So Jennifer booked a one-way ticket to South America. What began as a dramatic departure from corporate life became a year of solo travel through 25 countries, including walking the Camino de Santiago. When Jennifer eventually returned to the United States, she expected to move back into her apartment, find another job, and resume the life she had left. Instead, she realized she was no longer the same person—and she couldn’t unsee the possibilities her time abroad had shown her. In this episode, we talk about having the agency to choose something different, even after spending years working toward a particular version of success. Jennifer shares why she decided not to return to corporate America, how she built a freelance career she can take anywhere, and what it means to create a full life around work instead of asking work to become your entire life. We also get into the human side of careers. After 14 years in recruiting, Jennifer turned years of expertise into The Career Essentials, where she helps people navigate resumes, LinkedIn, interviews, layoffs, and career pivots. She shares why relationships have shaped every major move in her career, where AI can genuinely help job seekers, and why technology still cannot replace someone who knows when to encourage you—and when to tell you the truth. What we cover: Reaching the career milestone you wanted and realizing it no longer fits Leaving Amazon and booking a one-way ticket to South America Solo traveling through 25 countries and walking the Camino de Santiago Returning home and realizing you have changed too much to return to your old life Choosing continued travel instead of settling back into corporate America Building a freelance business while living abroad Creating a life around your work instead of organizing your life around a job Turning recruiting experience into The Career Essentials Navigating layoffs, career pivots, and an increasingly AI-shaped job market Why human connection still matters in hiring and career development This episode is for anyone who has built a life that looks successful on paper but doesn’t feel right anymore, anyone standing between the familiarity of an old chapter and the uncertainty of a new one, and anyone who needs the reminder that changing your mind doesn’t mean you failed—it means you’re paying attention. Jennifer’s story is an invitation to question the version of success you inherited, recognize the choices that are still available to you, and build a life that makes room for who you have become. Learn more about The Career Essentials at https://thejenessentials.com/ and follow Jennifer at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-lindquist/  Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/its-summerLicense code: ZOAGMC8HUJK9M7P9

    JENNIFER: leaving corporate america to build a life abroad

  2. Sep 23

    SARAH: mom of two reinventing bathtime

    Sarah Cooper Smith is the founder of North Shore Bath Co., a thoughtfully built company creating bath gloves designed to make bathing safer, warmer, and less stressful for babies and their caregivers. Drawing on her nursing background and firsthand experience as a mom, Sarah transformed a kitchen-table prototype into a launched, patent-pending product with potential far beyond baby bathtime. Sarah’s bath glove addresses a struggle so many parents know well: keeping a secure grip on a slippery, squirming baby while trying to clean every tiny fold. She also developed a complementary drying glove to make the cold, chaotic transfer out of the tub easier for babies and parents. This conversation is about more than a baby product. We get into how Sarah validated the idea with other parents, incorporated their feedback, and navigated manufacturing, branding, pitching, and product development as a first-time founder. She has a clear vision for how North Shore Bath Co. can grow, reach the people who need it, and expand beyond the baby market. Sarah’s nursing background helped her recognize the broader possibilities for nurses, family caregivers, older adults, people with disabilities, and anyone who could benefit from more safety, comfort, and dignity during bathing. She is also being intentional about how the business grows, choosing to manufacture locally in Louisiana with the woman-owned Fringe Factory in New Orleans and looking for ways to create opportunities for other women along the way. What we cover: The real-life bathtime problem that inspired North Shore Bath Co. Taking a product from kitchen-table prototype to market in six months Designing bath and drying gloves around grip, warmth, and ease of use Validating an idea with parents and building from their feedback Learning manufacturing, branding, pitching, and product development This episode is for parents who have ever wrestled with a slippery baby at bathtime, nurses and caregivers looking for better tools, aspiring founders curious about bringing a physical product to market, and anyone who loves discovering a simple idea with the potential to make a meaningful difference. North Shore Bath Co. has officially launched, and the bath and drying gloves are available to order at https://northshorebathco.com/ . Follow Sarah and North Shore Bath Co. at @northshorebathco_  Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/its-summerLicense code: ZOAGMC8HUJK9M7P9

    SARAH: mom of two reinventing bathtime

  3. Sep 16

    YULY: different countries, the same pull of motherhood

    Yuly is a Colombian-born, New York- and Florida-raised mom living in Sydney, Australia, with her husband and two children. She moved to Australia eight years ago for what she thought would be a one-year job opportunity—and nearly a decade, a pandemic, and two kids later, she’s still building a life there. In this episode, we catch up about her lifelong love of fútbol, the World Cup, raising a family in Australia, and the differences between Australian and American policies for working parents. But despite the different systems and legal protections, we kept coming back to a feeling mothers everywhere know: there never seems to be enough time with our kids, even as we try to hold onto the ambitions, interests, and parts of ourselves that exist outside motherhood. We also talk about becoming adult women in places we didn’t grow up. Yuly shares what it has taken to intentionally create community, learn a new way of life, and bring her Colombian and American influences into a family being raised on the other side of the world. What we cover: Moving to Australia for one year—and still being there eight years later Raising children across Colombian, American, and Australian cultures The differences between parental support in Australia and the United States Wanting something for ourselves while wanting to be present for everything our children experience Building community as an adult far from where you grew up Preserving family values and cultural traditions in a different environment How fútbol keeps Yuly connected to her identity and roots This episode is for moms raising families far from home, multicultural and expat families, women learning to build community as adults, and anyone who has felt pulled between being present for their children and making room for themselves. Catching up with Yuly felt like talking to an old friend I hadn’t seen in a while—comparing lives across the globe and finding just as many similarities as differences. Follow her journey @mamensydney

    YULY: different countries, the same pull of motherhood

  4. Sep 9

    LAURA: AI can't do motherhood but it can help with the admin

    Our first guest of Season 3 is here and we’re starting with a conversation about the invisible work so many women carry. Laura Cunningham is the co-founder of Hi Ava, an AI-powered family assistant designed to help parents manage the schedules, emails, decisions, and never-ending details that keep a household running. But this episode isn’t really about adding more technology to our lives. It’s about whether technology can give us some of our time, energy, and presence back. We unpack the mental load of motherhood: why it still falls disproportionately on women, how carrying it affects our careers and relationships, and what becomes possible when moms no longer have to remember everything for everyone. Drawing from her experience across government, nonprofits, deep tech, and product strategy, Laura shares the personal experiences that led her to build Ava—and why the future of AI should feel less like another complicated tool and more like thoughtful, intuitive support. What we cover: What the mental load actually looks and feels like Why household admin continues to fall disproportionately on women How AI can help manage emails, schedules, tasks, and family logistics The confidence gap that can prevent women from experimenting with AI How technology can create more room for human connection—not replace it Why families need support that works quietly in the background This episode is for the moms carrying the invisible weight of family life, working parents searching for more sustainable routines, and anyone curious—or skeptical—about how AI could make everyday life feel a little lighter. Whether you’re tired of holding the entire family to-do list in your head or simply wondering where AI fits into modern motherhood, this conversation offers an honest and hopeful look at a different way forward. Try AVA now through this link: https://hiava.app/getava?utm_source=HERHOUSE to get two weeks free and then heavily discounted access for 6 months.

    LAURA: AI can't do motherhood but it can help with the admin

  5. Aug 19

    BRITTANY: when asking for help isn't enough

    Content note: This episode includes candid discussions of severe perinatal mental illness, psychosis, intrusive thoughts, thoughts of self-harm, psychiatric hospitalization, and electroconvulsive therapy. Please take care while listening. Brittany is a working mom of two whose journey to motherhood began with fertility treatments and a deeply wanted pregnancy. During her second trimester, she developed a perinatal mood and anxiety disorder that quickly became a severe mental health crisis. Despite repeatedly telling her providers that something was wrong and asking for help, she struggled to be heard. Brittany and I originally recorded this conversation in June. Before releasing it, we sat down again in August as the Lindsay Clancy trial brought postpartum mental illness, and particularly postpartum psychosis, into the national conversation. This is not a conversation about Lindsay Clancy’s guilt or innocence, and neither of us is attempting to weigh in on the case. Instead, Brittany shares something she can speak to personally: what it is like to experience psychosis and how profoundly a person’s perception of reality can change during a severe perinatal mental health crisis. At a moment when these illnesses are being discussed so publicly, we felt it was important to talk about what they can actually look and feel like for someone who has lived through one. In our original conversation, Brittany shares what happened as her symptoms escalated during her first pregnancy, eventually leading to inpatient psychiatric care and electroconvulsive therapy, also known as ECT. We talk about the gaps in care that allowed her condition to become so severe, the treatment and support that helped her recover, and her experience going on to have a healthy second pregnancy and baby. We also talk about what it means to trust yourself when the people responsible for your care aren’t listening, the strain a mental health crisis can place on partners and families, and what Brittany wishes more people understood about severe perinatal mental illness. Brittany’s story is difficult, but it is also a story of recovery. She continued to speak up. She eventually received the treatment she needed. And she got better. What we cover: Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders during pregnancy Psychosis and what losing touch with reality can actually feel like The difference between perinatal and postpartum mental health conditions Fertility treatment and the emotional weight surrounding a wanted pregnancy Recognizing when something is wrong and advocating for care Gaps in maternal mental healthcare Inpatient psychiatric treatment and ECT during pregnancy The effects of a mental health crisis on partners and loved ones Recovery and pregnancy after a traumatic first experience The public conversation around postpartum psychosis and the Lindsay Clancy trial This episode is for anyone navigating pregnancy or postpartum mental health, anyone who has struggled to be heard by a healthcare provider, and the people supporting someone through a mental health crisis. Resources for support: Postpartum Support International HelpLine: Call 1-800-944-4773 and choose #2 for English or #1 for Spanish. Text “HELP” to 800-944-4773 in English or 971-203-7773 in Spanish. This is a support and resource line, not an emergency service. National Maternal Mental Health Hotline: Call or text 1-833-852-6262 for free, confidential support available 24/7 in English and Spanish. If you or someone you know needs immediate crisis support in the United States, call or text 988. If there is immediate danger, contact local emergency services. You are not alone, and asking for help is always worth it.

    BRITTANY: when asking for help isn't enough

  6. Jun 24

    SHEILA: an empty nest, 16x marathons, and how the stages change but the feeling remains the same

    Sheila Scott is a 16x marathoner, author of Miles of Motherhood, and a newly minted empty nester — and surprisingly, all three of those things are connected. She is a few stages ahead of me in motherhood and this conversation is proof that the stage changes but the feeling never really does. Sheila and I were connected through a mutual friend and I am so glad we were. We talked about how she intentionally set herself up for the empty nest — not by bypassing the grief of her kids leaving, but by honoring it while staying active in her community, connected with friends, and living fully in the stage she is in. Two things can be true: grief that they are gone and joy in raising kids who are ready for their own lives. We also got to completely geek out about marathoning — and how running 26.2 miles is not that different from motherhood. If you can push your body through the hard miles, you can push through the tantrums, the monotony, and every season that tests you. This one is for every woman who knows that investing in herself is not selfish — it is the long game.. Find Sheila's book Miles of Motherhood anywhere books are sold and follow her on Instagram @sheilascottbooks. New episodes drop every Wednesday — follow, download, and leave a review for The Catch Up with Claire wherever you listen. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/its-summer License code: ZOAGMC8HUJK9M7P9

    SHEILA: an empty nest, 16x marathons, and how the stages change but the feeling remains the same

  7. Jun 17

    HATTIE: on building a business, a life, and yourself all at once

    Hattie Sparks Collins is the kind of woman who makes you want to be more of yourself. The New Orleans-based designer and creative director behind one of the city's most beloved brands never stopped building — through fertility struggles, twins, divorce at five months postpartum, coming out, blending a family, and remarrying — never once putting down what she was building professionally while navigating everything life handed her personally. And she carries all of it with a groundedness and joy that is palpable through the screen. I've had a parasocial relationship with Hattie for over a decade. I went to Loyola New Orleans and used to visit her store on Maple Street, and when I moved to New York I kept following her the way any good millennial does — via Instagram. I was on the other side of the svreen for the Mother's Day she shared her miscarriage publicly at a time when that kind of vulnerability online was rare. Getting to finally sit across from her and just talk was everything I hoped it would be. She showed up exactly as she presents online — open, grounded, and willing to just have a conversation. Her authenticity comes through in everything she does — you can see it in the beautiful spaces she creates, and you can hear it when you hit play on this episode. This one is for every woman who has ever needed permission to just be herself — and a reminder that she already is. Follow Hattie on Instagram @hattiesparks and find her work at hattiesparks.com. New episodes drop every Wednesday — follow, download, and leave a review for The Catch Up with Claire wherever you listen. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/its-summer License code: ZOAGMC8HUJK9M7P9

    HATTIE: on building a business, a life, and yourself all at once

  8. Jun 10

    MARY: what will smith, papua new guinea, and motherhood have in common

    What do you do when you realize a language — and everything it carries — is about to disappear forever? Dr. Mary Walworth has dedicated her life to answering that question, and if you caught her on the Pole to Pole docuseries on Disney+ and Hulu, you already got a glimpse of the work that immediately made me want to know more. I was watching with my whole family — one of those rare shows my kids were just as locked in as my husband and I were — and I couldn't stop thinking about what she was doing, and the quiet, deliberate way she was doing it. In this episode Mary breaks down what it means to be a linguist, the scientist who sparked it all for her as a kid growing up in Ohio, and the work of earning trust before ever pulling out a recorder in a remote community. We also get into something I didn't expect to love as much as I did — how Mary has woven motherhood into her fieldwork, including bringing her newborn baby into the field, and why she's on a mission to show other women in her field that you don't have to choose. This one is for every woman  wondering how the life she wants and the career she loves can coexist. Follow Mary on Instagram @cool_linguist to keep up with her work. New episodes drop every Wednesday — follow, download, and leave a review for The Catch Up with Claire wherever you listen. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/its-summer License code: ZOAGMC8HUJK9M7P9

    MARY: what will smith, papua new guinea, and motherhood have in common
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

The Catch Up with Claire is rooted in the raw, chaotic, and realness of womanhood. We hand the mic to women who are showing up, speaking out, and figuring it out in real time. From careers and identity shifts to friendships, family dynamics, breakups, big dreams, bigger feelings — and yes, motherhood too — no topic is off-limits. It’s like calling your bestie on the landline in 1999: lighthearted, unfiltered, and often deeper than you expected. Whether you’re raising kids, raising your standards, or raising hell, we catch up on the mess, the magic, and everything in between.

Information

  • Creator
    Claire Hoon
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    36
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Claire Hoon
  • Show Website
    The Catch Up with Claire

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