Founders Notes: Journal

Real-time reflections on building a business and a self-respecting life from the ground up. Lessons, pivots, breakdowns and quiet rebuilds—written in the thick of it.

These are the journal entries I never planned to publish—until I realised they were the most honest part of my story.

Written during burnout, career pivot, and PMDD recovery, these reflections document the messy middle of becoming. I share them not as polished PR but as proof that clarity, purpose, and resilience are forged in real time.

If you're here looking for the human behind the business—this is where she lives.

Raw. Reflective. Still building.

How Do You Keep a Job When You Suffer from Life-Debilitating PMDD? 15 Tips for PMDD Survival
Founders Notes Shirley Druyeh Founders Notes Shirley Druyeh

How Do You Keep a Job When You Suffer from Life-Debilitating PMDD? 15 Tips for PMDD Survival

Living with PMDD means navigating a mental, emotional, and physical storm nearly half the month—while still being expected to perform at work like everything’s fine. In this article, I share what PMDD really feels like, how it’s shaped my life and career, and the 15 tools I use to manage the worst days. From cycle syncing to supplements, radical rest to cold ocean swims, this is my honest guide to surviving PMDD while holding onto your job, your peace, and your sense of self.

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Slavery Never Ended—They Just Gave It a New Name
Founders Notes Shirley Druyeh Founders Notes Shirley Druyeh

Slavery Never Ended—They Just Gave It a New Name

We were promised freedom. What we got was a life of labour dressed up as success.

Wage slavery doesn’t wear chains—it wears a name badge, a tax file number, and a promotion that keeps you just hopeful enough to stay.

This blog unpacks how the modern economy keeps us dependent—and how to begin the quiet, radical work of breaking free.

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