Saying yes to an event, then dreading getting ready for it.
Showing up because I already committed, even though I knew it wasn’t aligned.

I work in three main lanes.

My personal brand — Eddy Elize, the influencer many of you know.
Founder of Fifty Shades NYC.
And the work most people don’t see: social media and brand strategist for service-based brands.

As an influencer, there’s a constant flow of brand events, partnerships, and gifting. After six years, I’m much more selective about what I say yes to.

Here’s what I say no to now:

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Not captions.
Not scripts.
Not content made to perform.

Writing as a place to just think.

Most of the work I do happens long before it shows up online. The decisions, the edits, the conversations I have with myself before something becomes public. That part doesn’t really have a home on social media. And honestly, I don’t want it to.

Social platforms reward clarity after the fact.
But building is rarely clear while you’re in it.

This space exists for the middle, the part where you’re still deciding, still refining, still unsure but moving anyway.

I’m building across a few worlds: fashion, brand strategy, and my personal work. What ties it all together is process. Learning how to choose better. Learning how to move with more intention. Learning when to push and when to wait.

Founder’s Notes isn’t here to teach you how to go viral or scale overnight. It’s a place to document what building actually looks like when you care about longevity more than speed.

Some weeks these notes will be practical.
Some weeks they’ll be reflective.
Some weeks they’ll be about restraint, discipline, or faith.

Always honest.
Always in progress.

If you’re building something or becoming someone this is for you.

Thanks for being here at the beginning.