A’ja Wilson: From Anxiety to MVP—Authenticity, Brand Deals, and Doing It Her Way
Update: 2025-11-18
Description
A’ja Wilson — WNBA champion & MVP, author of Dear Black Girls, founder of the A’ja Wilson Foundation, and entrepreneur (Burnt Wax Candle). We cover: mental health post-bubble, therapy, boundaries vs public expectations, NIL’s upside and pressure, building authentic brand deals, designing a sell-out signature shoe, dyslexia advocacy, and what a “good life” actually looks like.
Highlights
- Walk Away/Walk Through: burnout, toxic group chats, and Beyoncé-level opportunities
- “My peace is my spirit”: separating work from joy without losing either
- NIL & the college experience: grace while your brand is still forming
- Authentic partnerships: why the right brands let her be fully herself
- Dear Black Girls: embracing complexity — powerful and gentle
- Dyslexia: getting certified support into classrooms; tech that helps
- Coaching: how Staley & Hammon built trust, fun, and excellence • Burnt Wax Candle: a scent line named after A’ja’s accolades
- “Wealthy in more ways than money”: stability across every cylinder
Links
- A’ja’s book — Dear Black Girls - https://a.co/d/bw2eQj4
- A’ja Wilson Foundation (dyslexia awareness) - https://www.ajawilsonfoundation.org/
- Burnt Wax Candle Co. - https://www.burntwaxcandle.com/
Related Do Tell episodes
- Sinead Bovell — AI & digital boundaries: https://youtu.be/wnN7Yw2-Q34
- Etienne Maurice — activism & community: https://youtu.be/0F4O8bkWm_g
- Latham Thomas — motherhood & intuition: https://youtu.be/vdVkJkg4c-8
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