In this episode, hosts Leanne and Orla sit down with Courtney — a PhD scientist who walked away from academia to become a Pilates instructor and digital entrepreneur. As the eldest of five, Courtney opens up about the pressure to prove herself, the quiet burnout that came with "achieving and achieving," and the moment she handed in her notice to build a business instead. The conversation moves through her working-class roots and what it meant to carry them into an academic world that didn't always feel like hers, the toxic competitiveness of PhD life and the grief of losing friendships along the way, and the joy of rebuilding a support system through Pilates, business, and community. Courtney also shares the story of her ten-year relationship, her growing "Aligné" brand (Pilates, digital tools for wellness professionals, and a book club), and her honest advice for young women weighing big life choices: know your why, take the risk, and design a life on your own terms.

Timecodes

• 00:00 – Intro: meet Courtney, PhD-turned-Pilates-instructor
• 00:37 – Courtney's story: years chasing a PhD, then walking away
• 01:44 – "Who did you do it for?" — proving herself as the eldest of five
• 02:46 – The turning point: Pilates training and telling her boyfriend she's leaving academia
• 03:47 – Class, poverty, and staying true to her roots in academia
• 06:49 – No pause button: school straight through to PhD with no break
• 08:32 – Starting the business alongside mixed reactions from others
• 09:36 – Why the work is about people, not just the job
• 12:07 – Family life: laid-back parents, five siblings, "the whole family has ADHD"
• 14:04 – Naming the business "Aligné" and quitting the postdoc for good
• 15:53 – Finding her soul's purpose: helping people directly
• 17:39 – Learning to look after herself after academic burnout
• 19:51 – How she met her partner — school sweethearts, ten years together
• 22:45 – Teaching at the Wellness Center and the story behind "Keith's Elephant"
• 26:41 – Her boyfriend's life: marching band and the sousaphone
• 28:15 – Launching Aligné Digital — finance tools for wellness professionals
• 31:14 – Courtney's Corner book club and always chasing the next idea
• 31:56 – Looking ahead: marriage, no kids, and a love of travel
• 34:23 – Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs: take the risk, fake it till you make it
• 37:02 – Her parents' unconditional support in building the business
• 38:39 – Friendship in academia vs. the new, supportive friendships she's found
• 43:32 – The grief of losing friendships in a toxic, competitive environment
• 46:14 – Could she ever go back to academia?
• 49:12 – Movement as her emotional outlet and coping tool
• 51:02 – Her closest friends, Sarah and Shannon
• 52:46 – What would her friends say about her?
• 55:07 – Final advice for young women figuring out their path
• 57:24 – Wrap-up and where to find Courtney