If You’re Not Growing, You’re Rotting | Allison “Allie” Germain

This episode is for any woman who feels stuck… and knows something needs to change.

In this conversation, I sit down with my friend Allison “Allie” Germain to talk about fear, growth, and what actually keeps us from taking the next step.

We talk about:

•  What it feels like to be in a role that doesn’t fit 
•  The difference between comfort and growth 
•  How fear shows up when you're thinking about change 
•  Why overthinking keeps you stuck 
•  And what it actually looks like to move forward anyway 

At one point, Allie shares a line that stuck with me:

“If you’re not growing, you’re rotting.”

It’s simple. And it’s honest.

If you’ve been sitting in indecision, waiting to feel ready, or questioning whether you should make a move… this conversation will meet you right where you are.

Pull up a chair, grab a drink, and join us Court-side.

About the Podcast

Court-side Conversations is a podcast about leadership, self-trust, and the moments that shape us.

Each episode features a candid conversation with remarkable women about the experiences that helped them trust themselves, navigate challenges, and move forward with confidence and integrity.

Hosted by Courtney Headley, founder of Center Court Collective.

New episodes released every other week. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

You have to decide to take the leap or not take the leap. And I think that just thinking about the leap gets you nowhere.

SPEAKER_01 0:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 0:07

So you either make a decision not to or you make a decision to do it.

SPEAKER_02 0:12

Hi, and welcome to Courtside Conversations. This episode is for any woman who is feeling a little bit stuck and is ready for change. I hope you enjoy. Today I am joined by my dear friend Alison Germain. I call her Allie, so it's weird to call her Allison. It's weird to s for you to say Allison. Yeah. I find her to be both hilarious and just really easy to be around. Like I want to be around you. So I'm so excited that you're here with me. Of course. Can you um introduce yourself to our listeners? Tell them, tell us a little about yourself.

SPEAKER_00 0:55

Yeah. I thought we were going to do a compliment circle real quick. But no, my name is Allison or Allie Germain. Um, I'm a mom of two, a four-year-old and a two-year-old. I am a wife of a 38-year-old, if we're naming ages. Um I have a full-time job. I work for the electronics distribution company. And other than that, I have no free time. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:21

Who does? When you have littles like that, yeah. Um, okay, Ali, and how do we know each other? We went to elementary school together. Yeah. And it wasn't until our friend Jessica's wedding, right? We were like, are we best friends?

SPEAKER_00 1:35

Or did we just become best friends? Or were we have best and best friends for most of our life? Yes. We just knew, but we didn't know. Right. That's right.

SPEAKER_02 1:46

Um, what are what are you drinking today?

SPEAKER_00 1:49

Uh, you made me a lovely vodka soda with lime, no lemons. No, no limes on extra lemons. And we have not had a lot, so I don't know why that is happening there.

SPEAKER_02 2:04

Yes. Well, and I too am having a vodka soda. It is delicious. Okay, and then can you give us the short version of your career journey?

SPEAKER_00 2:14

Well, it started probably when I was 15 and went to all the um Chinese food restaurants in most of the South Denver metro area. Then continued that in college. No, but for real. Um, I started with a company called Ultimate Staffing and was selling essentially people, but in a good way. Um so uh going door to door, uh cold calling. It was a journey. Then from there, I worked for a containerized shipping company in Colorado, which was interesting. I was there for about seven years, moved to Arizona with that company as well, and then moved back. And then currently I work for, like I said, an electronics distributing company. And I've been there for 12 years, which is insane. Yeah, because you're 30. Because I'm only 30 and look 30. Right. And yeah, here we are, present day.

SPEAKER_02 3:09

I love it. Um, and what would someone who's looking at your career journey not see?

SPEAKER_00 3:16

I would definitely say the personal growth between going from staffing to containerized shipping, because in that I made a move um to a state that I knew no one.

SPEAKER_01 3:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 3:30

And I was basically, I had no strings attached, I was single, I didn't have any kids, I was responsible for myself alone. Yeah. So I was able to just kind of pick up and leave. I was so scared, yeah, but also looking for a job is scary. Yeah. And I always thought, if I hate it, I can always move home.

SPEAKER_01 3:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 3:53

And I was there for five years. I met a couple of lifelong friends, experiences that I will never forget. And I was so proud of myself for making that move. I love that.

SPEAKER_02 4:05

Uh not only professional growth, but the personal growth, just from picking up and moving into a different state where you know no one. Can you share with me a time where you felt like you truly belonged, or a time when you realized you did not belong?

SPEAKER_00 4:23

I'm going to the one I don't belong. Um, but I it was my first job. I was an account executive for a staffing company. Essentially, what I had to do is I had to make 100 cold call in-person contacts as well as 100 cold call phone calls a week. Yikes! Yikes is right. And I remember my dad saying, What, you know, you have to pay your dues. This is what it is. And I'm like, okay, I guess hating this is an adult. Welcome to hating your job. So I remember day after day, like, is this what being an adult is? Is this what having a career is? I felt so out of place because that was not the skill set that I had. I was getting kicked out of buildings. I mean, I am a people pleaser. I like people to like me. Yeah. And so when you have somebody being like, get the F out of here, I mean, that's hard. Yeah. I would just dread Sundays. Like, I know everybody has the Sunday scaries, but this was like making myself sick. That is not what a job is supposed to do. I mean, I was making no money to be doing to be that miserable.

SPEAKER_02 5:40

Yeah. You don't need to stay in a job where you're where you're clear pretty much right away that this is not this does not light me up and it actually sucks. It feels soul crushing. Exactly. Soul crushing couldn't be more perfect.

SPEAKER_00 5:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 5:55

You mentioned your dad's advice. Um, and so I'd be I'm curious, what is the best or worst career advice you've received? And and how did that shape you?

SPEAKER_00 6:07

I mean, I'll so I'll give my dad a chance to redeem himself. I remember my dad saying the if you're not growing, you're rotting. So it's it's the idea that's always in the back of my mind is is this what's best for me? Am I what am I learning? What am I doing? How am I growing?

SPEAKER_01 6:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 6:26

And sometimes the answer, you know, is not the answer that you want. Right. And it's you're not.

SPEAKER_01 6:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 6:33

I think that there's there's so much in this world to be learned, not even professionally, but also personally, of if you're stuck in a rut, let's try to get out of this rut. Let's try to learn more about yourself, more about the people around you and what they can offer and what you can offer them.

SPEAKER_02 6:50

Yeah. I love that. If you're not growing, you're riding. Love it. When has self-doubt shown up for you throughout your career?

SPEAKER_00 7:04

How much time is this podcast? Take as much as um no, fear is the biggest thing for me. Of okay, well, if I change a position, you know, I try to weigh the things of, well, the flexibility I have right now is ridiculous. So I'm not gonna find that flexibility. That's just fear. That's just me making excuses to not push forward. Or, well, the job market is terrible right now. So you're not even gonna try. Like that's it, it's also fear.

SPEAKER_01 7:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:40

So it's just fear of the unknown and going back to the if you're not growing, you're rotting. So it just is all kind of encompassing of you have to decide to take the leap or not take the leap. And I think that just thinking about the leap gets you nowhere.

SPEAKER_01 7:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:57

So you either make a decision not to or you make a decision to do it. What's the definition of being brave? It's um having fear but doing it anyway. Yeah, yeah. It's like, you know, at the end of the day, it'll be okay. Like it, it really, really will. Like here, here. I mean I mean, easier said than done. I don't want to give it sound like I'm on a soapbox because clearly I'm living it, but I know the things that I need to do, it's the execution that's the hardest part, is the taking the first step.

SPEAKER_02 8:25

Yeah. Well, and to your point, that's when self-doubt comes up because it is scary. Yeah. And certainly when there's uncertainty, the the fear of the unknown is very real.

SPEAKER_01 8:36

Of course.

SPEAKER_02 8:37

When your self-doubt has been present, there have obviously been times when you push forward anyway. How do you do that?

SPEAKER_00 8:48

You just do it. I mean, I know that sounds cheesy, but you have to push it aside, or else the worrying is going to all consume you.

SPEAKER_01 8:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:58

I mean, it's like I said, it's it's taking that first step. It's just worrying about it and doing it anyway. I mean, that there's no way but forward. And I think too, the one step, that's my problem. It's like the, well, my wife always makes fun of me because she's like, you're at step 100. We're at step one. Let's start with step one and then we can go from there. Yeah. So, for example, of just, you know, say you wanted to make a career move, it's like, step one, is your resume good? Instead of thinking, okay, I'll do this. Well, what if I do this? And then, you know, they come back with this. It's like, I don't have an interview. Like, what are you, what are these weird scenarios that you're making up in your head? Right. I love that. I love Katie.

SPEAKER_02 9:43

You're at step one. Yeah, yeah. Let's focus on step one.

SPEAKER_00 9:47

If I took a drink for every time that she says that to me, I'd be on this table.

SPEAKER_02 9:53

Okay. And you've said a few things already during this pod, but I'm gonna ask you anyway. If you were starting again today, what would you do differently or what would you try to do sooner?

SPEAKER_00 10:05

I think the biggest thing right now would be my current role and not being so complacent when I didn't have anybody relying on me. When I started my job, I was single and didn't have kids, and I don't even think I had a mortgage at the time. But I got so kind of comfortable. And, you know, when slowly life got more responsible for me, got married, had babies, mortgage, cars, daycare, etc. I think that if I would have taken more initiative earlier, I could be in a different spot than I would be right now. And I think that's something that I would do over because I had more time and I don't, I don't have time anymore. But I think that I was doubting my own capability of growing within the company.

SPEAKER_02 10:58

And so you think it was more of the self-doubt that prevented you from doing that or the fact that you were just really comfortable?

SPEAKER_00 11:03

I think I was really comfortable. Yeah. I think that I looked at other positions and I'm like, why would I want to do that? Why would I want to leave this position to go to that position?

SPEAKER_01 11:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:14

But I think too, it also may have been a stepping stone that if I did get a little uncomfortable, not uncomfortable to the fact that I was cold calling all day, but uncomfortable to the fact that it was helping me grow.

SPEAKER_02 11:26

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, stews, if you're not growing, you're right. Yeah, hey. I mean, it's really stuck with me. It's really stuck with me. Okay. Are you up for a lightning round? Always. Okay, you know the rules. Lightning fast. Don't overthink it. Virtual or in person. Virtual. Um biggest workplace pet peeve. Happy Monday. Can that be one? Oh, like when people say happy Mondays.

SPEAKER_00 11:51

Mainly because I I don't know. Mondays are not happy. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:56

Best workplace snack.

SPEAKER_00 11:58

We have these little like cheese it combo things.

SPEAKER_02 12:03

Workplace theme dressing. Yes or no? Yes. Hell yes. Least favorite office jargon.

SPEAKER_00 12:10

Are you uh barely or how is it? Something or barely working.

SPEAKER_02 12:16

Yeah. Working hard or working hard or hardly working.

SPEAKER_00 12:18

That one.

SPEAKER_02 12:19

If your younger self were to see you now, what would she say?

SPEAKER_00 12:23

Very proud of where you are.

SPEAKER_02 12:25

Aw. Let's let's drink to that. Cheers. I agree with her. Okay, I have one final question. What is bringing you joy these days?

SPEAKER_00 12:35

Um besides friends, family, babies. Can it be s yeah, anything. So there's this um YouTube channel called Josh and Mama. Oh. And so mama can't cook for shit. So did you know that you can get canned boiled sliced potatoes? No. Right? That so what she does to make potato salad, she opens two cans, doesn't rinse them, doesn't drain them, puts them in a bowl, and then puts like a pound of mayonnaise, and that's her potato salad. And Josh just relentlessly makes fun of mama. And it's warm, it's soft-hearted. And then her another favorite thing is Vienna sausages. Yeah. Yeah. Out of the can. Not hot, just straight fingers to and like mama. And Josh just makes fun of her. And I mean, you can obviously tell he loves his mama very much, but it is.

SPEAKER_02 13:35

Sweet. Josh and Mama are just and mama.

SPEAKER_00 13:40

Mama.

SPEAKER_02 13:41

I can't wait. I can't wait. I'm checking it out. I love it. Well, Ali, thank you for joining me. One thing I'm taking away from this conversation is the importance of growth and continuing to challenge yourself and never, never stop growing. Yeah. Because if you're not growing, you're rotting. Okay. What I like to do to close is to ask my guests, do you have a favorite toast when drinking?

SPEAKER_00 14:08

I mean, besides cheers. Yeah. So I Seinfeld is my favorite show of all time. And to quote Elaine Bennis, we'll say, cheers to those that wish us well and those who don't can go to hell.

SPEAKER_01 14:23

I love it. Cheers.

SPEAKER_00 14:25

Cheers.

SPEAKER_02 14:26

Well, thank you again. I so appreciate you. Listeners, if any of what Ali shared today resonated with you, please share this with a woman that you love. And if we are not connected on LinkedIn, please come find me. I would love to say hi. And until next time, thanks so much for joining us, courtside. Cheers.