Daily Inspiration: Meet Tadzia Lee

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tadzia Lee

Hi Tadzia, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
The idea for Well-Lived stems from my childhood and a personal journey with mental health and self-expression. When I was in middle school, life felt overwhelming. After a significant move, being one of the few minorities in my classes, and navigating challenging family events, I struggled to understand and communicate my emotions. One day, my mom and I started something that was so simple but made a big impact; writing notes to each other on torn notebook paper. We would slip the notes under the door or drop it off on each other’s beds and it created a safe space for me to share what was on my mind. This small act of connection became the foundation for my journaling journey and opened the door to understanding the importance of mental health.
Fast forward to December 2023, when I officially launched Well-Lived. By then, I had a vision to create something bigger than a product line—I wanted to build a safe space for people to feel seen and heard while providing tools to support them on their healing and mental health journey.
Well-Lived was never just about selling journals, but helping people thrive within their mind, body, and soul. Rather than solely focusing on the mental benefits journaling can bring, we are addressing the person as a whole.
Early on, I realized that journals alone weren’t resonating with everyone. So, I listened. I pivoted and expanded into offering products like candles and other tools designed to create well-lived moments. This shift was guided by a core principle: Well-Lived isn’t about what I want to create—it’s about what people need to nurture their well-being.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I think in general, entrepreneurship is not a smooth road, but it’s worth it if you truly care and believe in what you are doing. For me, mental blocks and finances seem to make the journey a bit bumpy. Financially, I am bootstrapping while building this business. Applying for grants is something that I plan to prioritize more, but outside of that, I started with a few hundred dollars and I’m putting each penny the business earns back into it. Mental struggles are tough. Thankfully I have a supportive system, a mentor, and therapy to keep me grounded, but you learn so much about yourself when building a business. Perfectionism is one thing that used to set me back, but I learned that there is beauty in trial and error. Also, right now, as of December 2024, I am not well known. I have the space to make mistakes and redo things fifty times with no one really noticing, and I am learning to take advantage of that.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I come from a background of digital marketing but have always been passionate about and put mental health and wellness in the forefront. Mental health is something I plan to pursue as a career in the future to do something that brings me purpose, but also can spill into Well-Lived. Within the next year, we are hoping to expand our products, which will be very exciting. Unlike most brands that sell journals or candles, we like to focus on a person’s overall well-being. That includes the mind, body, and soul, not just one. I believe this holistic approach is what will set us apart as we continue to grow and learn what ways we can better help our target audience.
I’m most proud of how I continue to keep going. Through the moments of doubt or when things do not go as planned, there is something in me that pushes me to keep going. Starting and growing a business is not an easy thing to do, but I knew that after years of dreaming, if I did not go for it when I did, it may not have happened at all. Along with that, so many opportunities have come into play, like winning grants, pivoting our product focus, and even changing our names. None of them were easy things to do, but there were moments when I had to sit with myself and make big changes that got us to where we are today. Including doing this interview with you all! One thing I am very grateful to have done was tune into my inner child, that 12-year-old version of me, and get back on YouTube. It’s been a great platform for me to share my journey as a business owner, connect with others, and learn so much. I may or may not have private videos from 2013 of me getting ready for the day or sharing DIY room decor ideas. Getting back into YouTube has been somewhat fulfilling.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up, I would honestly say my personality is a little close to what I am like today. A mix between introverted and extroverted. I may seem closed off, but I promise it’s only because I am quiet, shy, and sometimes in my head! Once I start talking to someone, I am pretty much an open book. Now, in my twenties, compared to when I was younger, I am much more confident and secure in myself and the way I choose to live my life. Growing up with social media, being one of few Black girls in my classrooms, and growing up very different from many of the people around me, I struggled with comparison a lot. Wishing I was something I was not or had something I did not. I did not come to truly appreciate who I am and what I have until high school and the song Love Yourz by J. Cole came out. That was pretty life changing. On the internet, I’m also fairly private, but it depends on the platform for sure. YouTube will get all of me, TikTok will be most of me, and Instagram will get a tiny piece of me. The vibes are just different between them all, I feel like a lot of people can relate to that.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.wearewelllived.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tadzialee
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tadzia-lee/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@welllivedwt
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/wearewelllived/