Today we’d like to introduce you to Lina Maggi.
Hi Lina, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
When I first became a mom in 2023 and my maternity leave ended after 3 months, I had no idea what my childcare options were. The daycares in my area had a 20-month waitlist, and I couldn’t just rely on my parents to raise my newborn while I returned to work. I had to go back full-time, managing a sales team for an international company, and a very busy schedule after being away. I was shocked after spending lots of time researching and speaking with other friends who were mothers that there was no streamlined solution to finding a nanny, in a time of AI and increased innovation & technology! I signed up for services that charged $40 per month with no guarantee of finding someone, and countless other services that did not meet my demands. Frustrated, I turned to Facebook and joined local mommy groups. I posted a detailed request outlining exactly what I was looking for in a nanny, and within 24 hours, I received 88 responses.
Half of the respondents didn’t meet my criteria—they either didn’t speak the languages I needed, lived 3+ hours away, weren’t comfortable with pets, or lacked CPR certification – the remaining nannies ghosted me after I replied. I felt completely overwhelmed & stressed during a very sensitive postpartum period. It was already a huge transition becoming a new mother, balancing newborn care with my demanding job, and continuing to be a wife and homemaker – I felt absolutely lost. My lightbulb moment came when five of my friends had babies just a month or two after me — and they all asked what I had done for childcare. Everyone was struggling with the same problem: long daycare waitlists, not wanting to rely solely on family, and limited services tailored to the nanny search. That’s when it hit me. A couple of years prior I had met my husband on a dating app – we each entered our preferences, got matched, and took it upon ourselves to vet each other, ask the right questions, and meet in a public place. The app simply facilitated the connection. And that’s how Zuzo was born—a platform designed for parents and nannies to find each other and facilitate the connection.
After 18 months of discussions with parents and nannies, focus groups, surveys, and in-depth research, Zuzo officially launched in Austin, TX, in January 2025. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, largely due to its user-friendly design and the fact that it’s entirely free to sign up. Many parents and nannies have expressed interest in bringing Zuzo to their cities, and after further research into potential markets, the platform expanded to Houston, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Los Angeles/Orange County, and the Bay Area, increasing our potential users 10x—with plans to add even more cities throughout the year.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
With a background in advertising and marketing, the world of apps, platforms, and development was completely foreign to me. Before diving in, I wanted to ensure there was a real market need to fill the gap. I wanted to make sure there was a true problem, before trying to find a solution. Between managing a full-time job that demanded my attention from 9 to 5, Monday through Friday, moving to three different cities in the span of 1 year, and raising an overly energetic and happy 2-year-old son, Zuzo was developed and refined during the “free hours” I could find over the past 18 months. Fortunately, there are countless resources available online to help navigate and learn new skills. AI, in particular, has been incredibly valuable in refining ideas and creating efficiencies for my business.
Currently, Zuzo is entirely run by me—Chief Mommy Officer—with my husband, Chief Daddy Officer, as my confidant and sounding board. I have big ambitions for Zuzo to continue growing and helping parents everywhere eliminate the burden of searching for childcare. The word Zuzo is the Portuguese equivalent of “Aloha.” As a native Brazilian, I want “Zuzo” to embody the feeling we should have when searching for childcare and a nanny—carefree, relaxed, and confident. Ironically, that’s the exact opposite of how I felt during my own nanny search over the past two years.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Zuzo App?
Zuzo is more than just a platform for finding nannies—it’s committed to supporting working mothers and empowering them to balance both motherhood and their careers, whether as employees or business owners. Mothers make 70% of childcare decisions, yet they are often the ones expected to pick up sick children from daycare, miss work when childcare falls through, and adjust their careers to accommodate family needs. As a result, there is a 13% decline in employment among mothers, and 30% of women leave the workforce within a year of giving birth, despite 45% earning as much or more than their partners—with 16% being the primary or sole breadwinner.
With national daycare waitlists averaging six months—and in some cases 20 to 24 months—alongside ongoing pay inequality and other systemic challenges, Zuzo’s mission extends beyond just helping parents find childcare. It also aims to empower nannies by creating better job opportunities. Currently, many nannies struggle to find work, often taking three to six months to find a family. Due to limited hiring options, many ultimately leave the profession and turn to gig economy jobs instead. By streamlining the childcare search for families and improving job accessibility for nannies, Zuzo is working to create a stronger, more sustainable childcare ecosystem.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Having lived in six countries and nine cities throughout my life, I can confidently say that Austin is my favorite, thus far. It’s an incredible place to raise a child and grow my family. What struck me most about Austin from the start was the warmth and friendliness of the people—everyone takes a moment to look you in the eye and say hello when passing by, something I rarely experienced in major metropolitan cities.
Now, a year into our life in Austin, we’ve only scratched the surface of all the city has to offer. Yet, everything we’ve explored so far—both in Austin and throughout Texas—has left a lasting impression, and we’re excited to discover even more.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.zuzoapp.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zuzo.app
