Dr Alize utteryn shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Dr Alize , really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
What I am most proud of building is my inner architecture — the discipline, the resilience, the faith, and the emotional intelligence that sustain everything I create publicly.
People often see the results: the titles, the international projects, the magazine covers, the partnerships, the humanitarian missions.
What they don’t see is the foundation behind it all:
The early-morning prayers at 4 a.m.
The discipline of mind, body, and spirit.
The courage to rebuild myself after every setback.
The ability to lead with grace even when the journey is heavy.
The unwavering belief that God is my CEO and purpose is my compass.
I built a strong heart, a sharp mind, and a soul anchored in faith — quietly, consistently, and without applause.
This inner structure is my true masterpiece.
It’s invisible to the world, but it’s the reason I stand tall in the world.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am Dr. Alizé Utteryn — known globally as AlizéLaVie — a media executive, award-winning French serial entrepreneur, and humanitarian leader shaping impact from New York to the world. I am the Founder and CEO of AlizéLaVie Corp, soon to evolve into AlizéLaVie Group, a global powerhouse uniting AlizéLaVie Media, Magazine, Publishing, Agency, and Charity under one visionary umbrella — all dedicated to storytelling, empowerment, and sustainable impact across the Caribbean, Africa, Europe, and the United States.
Alongside this, I also own AlizéGreenInfra, my independent green-infrastructure company focused on solar energy, agrivoltaics, sustainable development, and humanitarian impact throughout Africa and the Caribbean. Through this entity, I work directly with governments, private partners, and investors to bring clean energy, innovation, and dignity to underserved communities.
In addition to my entrepreneurial ventures, I serve as the President for Africa & Caribbean Markets at Hydron Group, where I lead the expansion of autonomous green-hydrogen and pure-water microgrid projects. My role involves building high-level partnerships, driving sustainable innovation, and advancing technologies that support long-term environmental and economic growth.
What makes my journey unique is its multidimensional nature — from fashion to media, diplomacy, immigration advocacy, business strategy, and now next-generation clean-energy development. Each chapter reflects my mission to build bridges between continents, elevate diaspora voices, and drive purposeful impact. I see myself as a builder of impact — “The Maker” — creating platforms that uplift communities, amplify global voices, and connect international opportunities.
Today, I am advancing major publishing projects — including the global release of From the Pit to the Palace by Her Excellency Cynthia “Mother” Pratt — while simultaneously expanding clean-energy initiatives across Africa and the Caribbean through both Hydron Group and AlizéGreenInfra.
Guided by faith, discipline, vision, and alignment, my purpose is to create, inspire, and build — leaving a legacy that elevates people and transforms communities across the world.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
The part of me that I am releasing is the version of myself that felt the need to overprove, to constantly push, carry everything, and operate in survival mode.
That version served me well — she built my resilience, my discipline, my strength, and my ability to rise from every challenge. She was necessary for the battles I had to fight and the mountains I had to climb.
But today, she is no longer required.
I am releasing:
• The habit of doing everything alone
• The weight of over-responsibility
• The urge to shrink or apologize for my greatness
• The instinct to move from urgency instead of alignment
• The version of me that worked from pressure, not peace
I am stepping into a new chapter where I lead with ease, alignment, divine guidance, and strategic clarity — not survival energy.
I honor the old version of me, because she carried me here.
But I release her, because the woman I am now is ready to rise higher, build with intention, and embody her calling without fear, without guilt, and without limits.
“To fully embrace this new chapter, I will be releasing my first book, Rich at 50: From Trials to Triumphs — God Was My CEO, in the first quarter of 2026 — a testament to my evolution, my resilience, and the woman I have become.”
What’s something you changed your mind about after failing hard?
I changed my mind about always saying “yes” just to be kind, and about believing that passion alone is enough to build a successful business. For years, I gave so much of myself — my time, my expertise, my network — without thinking with a true business mindset. I wanted to help everyone, uplift everyone, and make things happen for people, often for free or far below my value.
I operated with heart but without a real return-on-investment mindset.
I had no concrete business model, no financial structure, no plan — just passion, generosity, and the desire to elevate others.
But that kindness, without boundaries, came with a cost.
While I was elevating others, I couldn’t even pay my own bills.
I was pouring into everyone else but leaving myself empty.
I was building other people’s success while neglecting my own stability.
That was a hard wake-up call.
I created, produced, and delivered incredible work — sometimes the most creative and attractive products — but because I wasn’t charging correctly or thinking strategically, there was no real business behind it. I was uplifting everyone around me while I struggled to cover my own basic needs.
I realized that:
passion does not pay bills
kindness without boundaries leads to self-sacrifice
generosity must coexist with strategy
saying “no” is necessary for growth
valuing yourself teaches others how to value you
you cannot lead or elevate others if you are drowning
Most importantly, I learned a tough but necessary truth:
If your work doesn’t generate revenue, it’s not a business — it’s a hobby, no matter how brilliant it is.
So I stopped saying “yes” out of guilt or fear, and I changed my approach.
I embraced my worth and started charging accordingly — even if it meant losing clients who were never aligned with my value.
I began valuing my expertise, building proper business structures, and making decisions based on strategy, alignment, and sustainability. I stopped giving away my expertise for free and started operating with intention, pricing, and a clear ROI model.
Now, I lead with both passion and profit — because the two must coexist for a legacy to grow.
This mindset shift allowed me to stand in my power, honor my work, and build a sustainable legacy — not just for others, but for myself.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
What you see is truly me — but it is the controlled version of me, not the unfiltered one. People often see the glamorous side: the woman always smiling, polished, confident, and strong. But behind the curtain, they don’t see the sleepless nights, the sacrifices, the moments of loneliness, or the reality of living far from my family in French Guiana. New York was my choice, but it has become a luxury — a demanding city that forces you to grow, work smarter, and push harder than anyone imagines.
I choose to be authentic, but never vulnerable without boundaries.
In business, authenticity is valuable — it builds trust, credibility, and connection — but you must never forget why you are in the room. You are there to create impact, make deals, and build success, not to be liked or to attract friends.
Authenticity must support your purpose, not distract from it.
So yes, what people see is the real me… just not the entire me.
I learned that:
You can be real without oversharing.
You can be warm without losing focus.
You can be approachable without lowering your standards.
You can be honest without exposing your whole story.
The public version of me is the part that serves my mission — the woman who leads with discipline, faith, and intention. The private version is the foundation: the quiet work, the growth, the prayers at 4 a.m., and the moments nobody sees.
Both are real:
one is for the world,
the other is for my alignment, my protection, and my purpose.
I commit to being the real version of myself because authenticity is what builds a strong reputation — and a strong reputation doesn’t just get you noticed, it gets you trusted. It opens doors, attracts opportunities, and positions you as someone people want to work with, learn from, and promote.
Self-promotion has its place, but true reputations are built on consistent impact. When your actions reflect your values and your behavior reflects your integrity, people advocate for you without you ever having to ask. Your reputation works in the background — creating opportunities, expanding your influence, and preparing the next chapter long before you step into it.
So today, I practice strategic authenticity:
I show the real me, but not the unprotected me.
I share my story, but not my deepest vulnerabilities.
I create connection, but I don’t lose direction.
I stay relatable, but always aligned with my mission.
Because in business, the goal is not for people to simply “love you” —
the goal is for people to respect you, trust you, and partner with you.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
want to be remembered as someone who genuinely did good for others — a servant leader, a builder, a Maker, and a key person of influence. A woman of impact who remained real, humble, and grounded even as she rose, and who became “rich” in every sense by blessing others.
I hope people say that I did business with values, integrity, and purpose. That I didn’t just chase success — I created it for myself and opened the way for others. That I expanded my brand, AlizéLaVie, across the world not for fame, but to bring the change I wanted to see within the diaspora, in Africa, and in the Caribbean.
I want to be remembered as the woman who dreamed of self-dependence for our communities — water, green energy, land, opportunity — and worked tirelessly to make it possible. Someone who helped Africa and the Caribbean rise with confidence, dignity, and sovereignty, empowered by their own resources and vision.
I hope people say that I inspired a new generation of young leaders to take ownership, to believe in themselves, and to build boldly. That they followed my example not because I was perfect, but because I showed them what was possible.
I want them to remember my humility, my strong character, my passion, my unstoppable energy, and my spirit as a warrior who never gave up.
A woman of faith, guided and led by God every step of the way, who allowed purpose — not ego — to direct her path.
Most of all, I want to be remembered as someone who opened doors, lifted others, and left the world — and her people — stronger than she found them.
I hope people tell the story of a woman who left a legacy that continues long after she is gone — a legacy of empowerment, resilience, opportunity, and love. A woman who didn’t just chase success, but chased impact. A woman who didn’t just dream, but built.
I want them to say:
“She made the world better — and she made us believe we could, too.”
That Alizé — AlizéLaVie — was real about life, a beautiful soul inside and out, who carried her mission on earth extraordinarily, with greatness, grace, humility, faith, and excellence.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://utteryn.alizelavie.com https://alizelavie.com https://alizegreeninfra.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alizelavie/. https://www.instagram.com/alizelaviemedia/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-alizé-utteryn-94722264/
- Twitter: https://x.com/AlizeLaVieMedia
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alize.lavie/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@alizelaviemedia
Image Credits
AlizéLaVie
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