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Two Mums, One Big Idea: How Maggie Is Lightening the Mental Load
Parenting can feel relentless. From nap schedules and snack negotiations to the dreaded “what do we do today?” question, parents are constantly juggling. Two mums who felt that chaos firsthand decided to turn frustration into innovation — and that’s how Maggie, the app that’s making life easier for families, was born.
Meet Eimear Colleran and Olivia Luker, co-founders of Maggie, and your new parenting sidekicks.
The “If Not Now, When?” Moment
“You created Maggie in the chaos of early motherhood. What was the moment you both decided to stop asking ‘why is this so hard?’ and actually build the app?”
“Liv and I met working at a tech startup in the mobile app space, and we happened to become mums around the same time after leaving that job. We already had the tech background, so it wasn’t completely foreign. I did a pre-accelerator program to nut out the idea, then pitched it to Liv over a glass of wine with the roughest deck you’ve ever seen. She went away, ran the numbers, and kept coming back saying how good it was.
I thought I’d need a technical co-founder, but honestly, Liv brings so much with her commercial brain. And because we’ve both worked in and around tech, we speak the language. We’re not developers, but it’s not scary to us. Other mums often ask, ‘How on earth did you build an app?’ and the truth is, we just know how to project manage and how to be ruthless about what we wanted. It was very much a ‘if not now, when?’ moment, so we jumped straight in.”
Lightening the Mental Load
“Parenting often feels overwhelming, especially with the mental load of ‘what do we do today?’ How does Maggie help lighten that load for families?”
“The mental load is enormous. Parenting today feels relentless, not just the logistics but the judgement too. Are you feeding them organic? Are they allowed sweets? Screen time? Only if it’s educational? Are you gentle parenting or just winging it like our parents in the 90s? It’s constant.
When it comes to finding things to do, it’s another minefield – Googling, blogs, Instagram, TikTok. Half the time you can’t remember where you saw something, or the information is out of date. Even council websites make you click a thousand times just to find what’s on. We wanted to cut through all that.
Maggie makes it simple. You can search by day, by age, and the map shows you what’s nearby. No overthinking, no endless tabs open. If we can get parents out making memories instead of scrolling, we’ve done our job.”
Built With Love (and Wine)
“Behind the scenes, Maggie is powered by serious tech, but the experience feels effortless for parents. Can you share how you trained the app to take 40,000+ data points and turn that into a ‘what should we do today?’ solution?”
“From day one we were clear, it had to feel like an Airbnb/Uber-style map where you can instantly see what’s around you. We started building while still collecting the data, which meant a very agile approach.
We did the data entry ourselves, countless late nights on our laptops with wine and the whole back end is basically a giant Google Sheet. It’s scrappy but it works and the MVP is strong because of how much love went into it. Over time, we’ll add more features, like icons for toilets, fencing, or whether a park is pram-friendly. But as a starting point, we’re proud of how clean and simple it feels.”
What Parents Really Want
“In your survey of over 200 mums, 93% said they wanted help finding casual care providers and 91% casual kids’ classes. How do you see Maggie evolving to meet those needs in its next phase?”
“We see huge potential for Maggie to grow beyond what it does today. Parents have told us loud and clear that they want more flexibility – whether that’s in how their kids take part in activities or how they manage care. Those insights are guiding where we go next.
What we can say is that we’ll keep building in ways that genuinely reduce the mental load, while making sure Maggie always stays free and accessible for families. The details will come in time but the direction is exciting.”
Why Free Matters
“Many parents cut back on spending in a cost-of-living crisis. Why was it important for you to make Maggie focused on free and accessible activities?”
“It’s tough right now. Care has never been more expensive, interest rates have been high, and even groceries are painful… I put back a $20 bag of grapes the other day. Families are doing it hard, and getting out of the house shouldn’t always mean spending money.
That’s why free and accessible activities are our foundation. Councils and libraries already offer so much, but parents often don’t know about it, or only know what’s in their own council. Maggie brings it all together in one place.
And it’s not just about saving money – it’s about connection. Going to a new park or a rhyme time might mean meeting another parent and starting a friendship. Some of my best friendships started with a chance chat at a playground. Those free moments matter. And yes, some of the best memories are the simple ones: beaches, parks, adventures that cost nothing. That will always be core to Maggie.”
Solving Isolation
“Parenting can feel isolating, especially in the early years. How do you see Maggie not just as an app, but as a way for parents to connect and feel less alone?”
“Both Liv and I had babies during COVID, so isolation shaped our early motherhood. My mother’s group met sitting apart with masks on. The reality is, you often lose your tribe – friends are at different life stages, nap schedules don’t align and suddenly you’re on your own. I remember days where my main adult interaction was the barista making my coffee.
That experience really drove us. We know how important it is to get out, whether it’s rhyme time at the library, a walk in the park, or a quick chat with another mum in a coffee line. Those tiny interactions can turn your whole day around when you’re deep in the trenches.
Maggie is designed to make that easier. It’s the tool in your pocket that helps you get out, connect with your community, and feel a sense of accomplishment. Sometimes just leaving the house is a win, and we want to make that as easy as possible.”
The Big Picture
“Looking ahead, what’s your big-picture vision for Maggie — both for parents using it every day, and for businesses or councils who might want to share events and services through the platform?”
“Our vision is for Maggie to be the ultimate parenting sidekick… like a third parent or the second if you’re solo. One that takes the thinking out of the day so you can focus on your child, have fun, and make memories. Parenting doesn’t need to be all logistics and stress; there’s plenty of room for heart.
For businesses and councils, the next step is partnerships. We want to bring in kid-friendly venues and one-off events like festivals or workshops, while keeping the app free for parents. Councils already do so much, and Maggie is the perfect platform to get that information to families.
The plans are big – it’s just a question of where we start. But the end goal is clear – to make Maggie the go-to companion that helps parents feel supported, connected, and ready for whatever the day brings.”