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M/A Exclusive:
Be Well to Lead Well with Dr. Waajida Small
Manhattan Avenue | January 14, 2026
Waajida Small has built a life and career rooted in grace, grit, and generational strength. A Bronx native shaped by the love and leadership of her mother and grandmother, she has long stood at the intersection of purpose and presence - first as an HR executive, now as the founder of Lead Well, a movement dedicated to reshaping the way we understand wellness, leadership, and legacy. But her story isn’t simply about accolades or titles. It’s about survival, intention, and what it means to choose wholeness in a world that constantly can pull you to pieces. In 2023, while navigating postpartum recovery, a NICU journey with her twins, and her husband’s cancer diagnosis, Dr. Small didn’t just hold all that weight of life - she transformed it. From that season of unimaginable intensity, Lead Well was born: a space for real leaders, real life, and radical self-care.
Today, through her book Be Well to Lead Well, her digital community on the AuraHealth app, and her unmistakable presence as a mother, wife, executive, and voice for intentional living, Dr. Small is rewriting the rules. She reminds us that luxury isn’t always found in material things—it’s in reclaimed time, purposeful boundaries, and the courage to rest without apology. In this conversation, Dr. Small opens up about motherhood, marriage, leadership, and the small sacred rituals that keep her grounded. It’s a story of wellness not as a trend or task - but as a birthright.
Q&A
Q: Can you share a bit of your story - where you come from, what shaped you, and how that’s influenced the woman you are today?
A: I was born and raised in the Bronx, New York and lived there my whole life until a few years ago when I moved to Westchester, NY. When I think about what shaped me and how it has influenced the woman I am today, they are my mother and grandmother. All credit goes to them. I was raised by my mom, a single mother, with the support of my grandmother. My mother taught me how to be independent, self-sufficient, and loving. My grandmother taught me how to know and love God and how to forgive. Through them I learned and lived in service, gratitude and love, aloof which are foundational to who I am.​
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Q: You’ve built an inspiring career at the intersection of wellness and leadership. What inspired you to launch Lead Well, and what is the heart behind the brand?
A: My life experience in a moment of time inspired me to launch Lead Well. While I have always tried to be intentional about well-being in all that I do and with all whom I cross paths with, when you are in the thick of all the things, it can become a second thought. Allowing it to be a second thought changed for me in 2023. That’s when I became really intentional about my well-being. 2023 was the year my twins were born. They were born 11 weeks early. Just 10 days after a 5-week hospital stay to prevent preterm labor and increase their chance of survival. Being born at just 29 weeks, they also had to stay in the NICU for 8 weeks. 2023 was also the year my husband was diagnosed with Stage III Colon Cancer. Within a span of 6 months, I had given birth, was dealing with my newborns not being home with me for the first two months of their life, a cancer diagnosis and chemotherapy postpartum depression and a return to work. The question constantly going through my head was how can I be effective as a leader at work or at home when I am not well. I needed to do something, because I had to be present for my children, my husband, my team and most importantly myself.
Photo Shot by Nate Pennington
Q: Can you share the mission behind Lead Well? What do you hope to cultivate for those who join your community?
A: The mission of Lead Well is to cultivate a supportive community where leaders at work, at home, and in their communities can grow, thrive, and lead from a place of wholeness and well-being. We exist to empower individuals to lead with clarity, compassion, and purpose, while prioritizing their humanity every step of the way. Through intentional connection, learning, and care, we help leaders not just do the work but be well while doing it. I hope to cultivate Wholeness, Inner Peace,Confidence, Connection, Community, Permission to Rest and Redefine Success and Tools for Purposeful Growth
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Q: For those who might be new to Lead Well, how can people get involved or be part of what you're building?
A: There are several ways people can get involved with Lead Well. The first is to join the community. The community is located on the AuraHealth App. It is currently free to join. If you join while it is free, it will be free for the lifetime of your membership. The really incredible thing is that you do not have to have a membership with AuraHealth to join the community. You can also attend one of my workshops or Live Webinars. These are free with membership. You can also purchase my book, Be Well to Lead Well- A Self-coaching Guide to Support Personal Development and Well-Being at Work. Many of the topics I teach and coach on are in the book.
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Q: If you could describe your personal wellness philosophy in three words, what would they be?
A: Restorative because my wellness philosophy centers healing, reflection, and wholeness as essential, not optional for people, especially women in leadership. I aim to create space for recovery and resilience. Intentional because nothing about how I live or lead is accidental. I believe in conscious choices that align with purpose, values, and boundaries. Liberated because my wellness is not about fitting into systems. It’s about freedom. The freedom to define success on my terms, reclaim my time, protect my peace, and lead from a place of truth.