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If you’ve seen my posts, you already know: joining The Media Dinner Club was one of the best decisions I’ve made. It’s where I’ve found real friends, real momentum, and a table that feels like home. I loved it so much I said yes to serving as a co–dinner lead for the Nashville chapter.
So when the CEO and founder, Katherine Naylor Pullman, told me she’s taking the leap—rebranding The Media Dinner Club to Our Third Place, and stepping in as full-time CEO—I had to sit her down for a Coffee Chat. We talked about why the shift matters, what’s next (hello, Finance Network), and how she’s building a community that’s warm, grounded, and wildly effective.
“We started as a dinner party series… but we became a community.”
That sentence is the heart of the rebrand.
Katherine explained that “club” didn’t quite fit what MDC had grown into. The rooms were different. The energy was different. Women weren’t competing; they were complementing. They were genuine, not performative—turning a first conversation into an ongoing friendship.
Our Third Place captures that reality: you’ve got home, you’ve got work, and then you need a third place—the space where you show up as yourself, build trust, and belong. The dinner party format stays central (we love a set table!), but the identity now reflects what this truly is: a living, evolving community.
Brand-wise, you’ll see it roll out as:
…with room to add new verticals as the community asks for them.
For two years, Katherine said, “This will never be my full-time job.” Then the community outgrew that plan.
“The demand is there and our community is asking for more,” she told me. Stepping in full-time wasn’t just about timing—it was about stewardship. Looking back at her career—startups, corporate, back to startups—she realized all those pivots built the toolkit to found and lead a values-first company.
“Why now?” became “Why not now?” The need was clear. The momentum was real. And the work felt bigger than any single dinner.
Superpower? Katherine doesn’t hesitate: she’ll talk to anyone—warmly and with the best intentions. She’s the person who says hi to strangers (yes, even in New York!) and is now passing that habit on to her daughter. On daycare drop-off, they wave to the sanitation crew until, as Katherine put it, it felt like an episode of Sesame Street.
For her, those small gestures matter. Saying hello, offering a smile, or acknowledging someone’s presence can change the tone of a day—for her and for them. She also believes in the power of appreciation. A simple “thank you” carries weight, and Katherine credits her mom for instilling that lesson, reminding her often to never lose the art of gratitude—especially the timeless act of a handwritten note.
If you’ve ever dreaded “networking,” you’ll get why Our Third Place hits differently. It’s not a transactional mixer. Katherine describes what members tell her they feel after a dinner: warmth.
Think of it as a metaphorical hug—easy, accessible, and welcoming. You RSVP, you show up, you’re welcomed exactly as you are that day. Some nights you’re celebrating a win. Some nights you’re quiet and taking it in. Either way, you’re seen.
And the connection doesn’t stop at the table. The online community truly functions like a high-signal group chat—recommendations, jobs, intros, book recs, binge-watch threads, real talk. It’s practical and personal—the convergence most of us are looking for.
This is the headline-maker. Katherine is expanding beyond media, adding a Finance Network vertical, starting with a soft launch in New York. Why finance? Because women in that industry are hungry for spaces that aren’t performance theater—rooms where they can be ambitious and human, build friendships and careers.
The plan is intentionally organic: a few founder-led dinners, a few trusted hosts, listen first, then build around what the community actually asks for. Early on, media and finance will remain distinct networks so members can choose rooms that “speak their language.” Down the road, expect cross-network mixers you can opt into—because sometimes the magic is at the intersections.
Above all, Katherine is firm: “It has to be their third place.” Not dictated top-down. Co-created by the women in the room.
Post-pandemic, we created a thousand ways to connect—Pickleball, Pilates, Discos, DMs, you name it. The result? Over-connection with under-belonging.
Katherine’s read: the next frontier isn’t more touchpoints—it’s turning connections into friendship. Our Third Place is designed for exactly that jump. It gives you a rhythm (monthly), a ritual (a shared table), and a trusted container where small talk turns into real talk.
One of the most meaningful threads in this community: how women show up for each other when things get hard—especially job loss.
Every dinner begins with “come as you are.” That means you can arrive teary after a layoff, arrive buzzing after an offer, or arrive with two offers and ask the table which path fits. The room meets you where you are—offering intros, feedback, or just a moment to breathe.
And we’ve all seen the Slack updates: “I was laid off” followed weeks later by “I got the job.” That arc—supported, not judged, is what makes this a third place, not just another network.
Katherine’s honest about mornings: she never had a “perfect” routine. But becoming a mom changed the cadence in the best way. The new non-negotiable? Walk Libbie to daycare together—fresh air, a quick check-in with her husband, a smile or two for neighbors. It’s simple and grounding.
And yes, coffee! Cappuccino is her love language—often more than one. (If you know, you know.) Some days run on caffeine and seltzer. Some evenings make room for wine. The point isn’t a flawless habit stack; it’s shaping a day around presence.
Katherine became a first-time mom as she stepped into the CEO role. What did that teach her about leadership? Show up for your people—because community is how we carry the big seasons.
This summer, family and friends rallied. She entered launch time rested enough to lead. And she’s clear about boundaries moving forward: family first. That clarity doesn’t shrink her leadership—it strengthens it.
Right now, Katherine is in learning mode—press releases, PR, comms, product decisions, all of it. Her mantra: “Listen and learn.” Leave air in the day to get smarter.
A recent lesson: trust the team you’ve built. When the website and rebrand hit detours, the instinct was to hire out. Instead, she looked at her core team and realized the expertise was already in the room. They delivered.
Because you’ll leave feeling better than you arrived—lighter, clearer, more connected. Because the rhythm is simple and the ROI is real (both personal and professional). Because it’s the rare room where ambition and empathy are equally welcome. And because belonging—the real kind—changes how you move through your week.
Katherine’s pick right now: Emma Grede—the powerhouse entrepreneur behind SKIMS and Good American. She admires how Emma runs both a business and a household with clarity and unapologetic delegation. If they sat down, Katherine would bring a pitch for Our Third Place and ask two deceptively simple questions: What would you change? What should we not do?
Because that’s Katherine: curious, open, relentlessly focused on building the right thing.
As our chat wrapped, Katherine reflected on how far this community has come — from one dinner table in New York to a growing national network now stepping into its next chapter as Our Third Place.
But even with all the strategy, growth, and leadership lessons, she made sure to remind me of one simple truth:
“At the end of the day, I’ve always been a party girl,” Katherine laughed. “So maybe it’s no surprise I started a company built around dinners, laughter, and connection.”
And that’s exactly what Our Third Place is: a place where women can gather, show up as they are, and leave lighter, brighter, and more connected than when they walked in.
This rebrand isn’t a pivot away—it’s a level-up. Our Third Place names what so many of us have felt since our first dinner: this is where we come to be seen, supported, and stretched. Where we supercharge our networks with friendship. Where media pros have found a home—and where finance leaders are about to pull up a chair.
If you’re in media, you’re home.
If you’re in finance (especially NYC), keep an eye out—the table is being set.
And if you’re craving a room that feels like a hug and moves like a force, come as you are. We saved you a seat.
Connect with Katherine Naylor Pullman, CEO & Founder of Our Third Place, on LinkedIn to follow the rebrand and the Finance Network launch. And if you’re curious about the Nashville chapter—come sit with us.
