# Fran Maier
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{{Short description|American entrepreneur}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Fran Maier
| birth_name = Fran Allocca[{{Cite news |last=Krasnow |first=Bruce |date=2016-06-28 |title=Baby gear on demand |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/239139183/ |access-date=2025-08-31 |work=[The Santa Fe New Mexican](/source/The_Santa_Fe_New_Mexican) |pages=B4 |via=[Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)}}]
| birth_place = New Mexico, U.S.
| alma_mater = [Stanford University](/source/Stanford_University) (AB, MBA)
| occupation = Entrepreneur
| years_active = 1994–present
| known_for = {{unbulleted list|[Match.com](/source/Match.com) (co-founder)|[TRUSTe](/source/TrustArc) (former president and CEO)|[BabyQuip](/source/BabyQuip) (co-founder and CEO)}}
}}
'''Fran Maier''' ({{nee}} '''Allocca''') is an [American](/source/American_citizen) technology entrepreneur, best known as the co-founder and chief executive officer of BabyQuip, a global marketplace for baby-gear rentals.[{{Cite news |last=Garcia |first=Kylie |date=2025-06-29 |title=Two New Mexico businesses reflect on 'Shark Tank' and life beyond |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/two-mexico-businesses-reflect-shark-030600176.html |access-date=2025-08-31 |work=Yahoo News}}][{{Cite news |last=Firshien |first=Sarah |date=2019-12-17 |title=How to Pack for Children? Leave It to the Experts (Published 2019) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/17/travel/family-travel.html |access-date=2025-08-31 |work=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times) |language=en-US}}]
She previously served as president and chief executive officer of the privacy-focused technology firm [TRUSTe](/source/TrustArc). She is also the co-founder of the online dating platform [Match.com](/source/Match.com).[{{Cite news |last=Garcia |first=Justin |date=2025-03-14 |title=Breaking barriers: National magazine names two New Mexicans as top female entrepreneurs |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/breaking-barriers-national-magazine-names-190300399.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall |access-date=2025-08-31 |work=Yahoo Finance}}]
== Early life and education ==
Maier spent her early life in [New Mexico](/source/New_Mexico) and graduated from [Santa Fe High School](/source/Santa_Fe_High_School_(New_Mexico)) before entering [Stanford University](/source/Stanford_University), where she earned an AB in public policy in 1984 and an MBA from the [Stanford Graduate School of Business](/source/Stanford_Graduate_School_of_Business) in 1989.[{{Cite web |last=Stengel |first=Geri |title=Latina Founder Overcame Sexism And Ageism To Raise $8.5 M, Now She Faces VCs Spooked By The Collapse Of SVB |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/geristengel/2023/03/15/latina-founder-skips-male-sexism-and-ageism-by-raising-capital-from-women-investors/ |access-date=2025-08-31 |website=Forbes |language=en}}][{{cite web |last=Warner |first=Andrew |date=2010 |title=How the Founder of Match.com Lost Her Business (And Went On to Found TRUSTe) |url=https://mixergy.com/interviews/fran-maier-match-truste/ |access-date=16 June 2025 |website=Mixergy}}]
== Career ==
=== Match.com (1994–1998) ===
Maier joined the nascent [Match.com](/source/Match.com) in late 1994. She co-founded the online dating platform in 1995, and under her management, it grew to about 100,000 subscribers across major U.S. cities.
Maier subsequently became Match.com’s director of marketing.[{{cite news |last1=Angwin |first1=Julia |author-link= |date=February 12, 1998 |title=LOVE'S LABOR LOST Online matchmaker still seeks love, money |url=http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/LOVE-S-LABOR-LOST-Online-matchmaker-still-seeks-3013097.php |access-date=2017-09-28 |publisher=San Francisco Chronicle |pages=B3}}] ''[The Atlantic](/source/The_Atlantic)'' later noted that she played a key role in shaping the site’s business approach, introducing a subscription model and expanding its reach to varied groups, such as tech professionals and [LGBTQ](/source/LGBTQ_people) users.[{{Cite web |last=Kushner |first=David |date=2019-04-06 |title=Recruiting Women to Online Dating Was a Challenge |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2019/04/how-matchcom-digitized-dating/586603/ |access-date=2025-08-31 |website=The Atlantic |language=en}}]
=== Women.com and BlueLight.com (1999–2001) ===
Maier served as [chief marketing officer](/source/chief_marketing_officer) at Women.com and later at [Kmart](/source/Kmart)-backed BlueLight.com, overseeing its e-commerce and [internet service provider](/source/internet_service_provider) businesses during the dot-com boom.[{{Cite web |last=March |first=Leah |date=2025-08-26 |title=From Match.com to Forbes: Fran Maier's success story |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/news/2025/08/26/new-mexican-to-know-fran-maier.html |access-date=2025-08-31 |website=Alburquerque Business First}}]
=== TRUSTe/TrustArc (2001–2014) ===
In 2001, Maier joined [TRUSTe](/source/TrustArc) as executive director.[{{cite news |author=Hansell |first=Saul |date=2008-07-15 |title=Will the Profit Motive Undermine Trust in Truste? |url=http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/15/will-profit-motive-undermine-trust-in-truste/ |access-date=2025-08-31 |work=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)}}]
=== BabyQuip (2016–present) ===
In 2016, Maier partnered with entrepreneur Kerri Couillard, who had founded the baby-gear rental start-up Babierge, to relaunch the business as a C corporation.[{{cite web |last=Pofeldt |first=Elaine |date=2017-01-29 |title=This Startup Aims to Take the Pain Out of Traveling with Babies |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/elainepofeldt/2017/01/29/this-startup-aims-to-take-the-pain-out-of-traveling-with-babies/ |access-date=2025-08-31 |website=Forbes}}][{{Cite web |last=Krabbe |first=Collin |date=2022-04-28 |title=Baby gear rental startup from Match.com co-founder raises $3 million |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/bizwomen/news/latest-news/2022/04/santa-fe-startup-babyquip-raises-3-million.html?page=all |access-date=2025-08-31 |website=The Business Journals}}] Together, they co-founded the company and expanded its platform, which allows local providers, referred to as “Quality Providers”, to rent baby gear to travelers.[{{Cite web |last=Gollan |first=Doug |date=2022-04-03 |title=BabyQuip Aims To Revolutionize Travel With Young Children |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/douggollan/2022/04/03/babyquip-aims-to-revolutionize-travel-with-young-children/ |access-date=2025-08-31 |website=Forbes |language=en}}]
In 2017, Couillard departed the company, and Maier’s son, Joseph Maier, joined as chief technology officer.[{{Cite news |last=Firshein |first=Sarah |date=2020-01-12 |title=Leave anxiety behind. Let experts pack for kids. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/838557448 |access-date=2025-08-31 |work=[Richmond Times-Dispatch](/source/Richmond_Times-Dispatch) |pages=D13 |via=[Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)}}] By 2023, BabyQuip reported more than 1,500 operating locations and US$8.5 million in capital raised.[{{Cite web |last=Garcia |first=Kylie |date=2025-06-28 |title=Two New Mexico businesses reflect on 'Shark Tank' and life beyond |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/business/article_790735b1-210b-4171-92ae-b80d75fa07bb.html |access-date=2025-08-31 |website=Albuquerque Journal |language=en}}]
== Personal life ==
Maier has two adult sons; her older son, Joseph Maier, serves as BabyQuip’s [chief technology officer](/source/chief_technology_officer) and appeared with her on ''[Shark Tank](/source/Shark_Tank)''.[{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Andrew |date=2023-10-17 |title=BabyQuip Baby Gear Rental Update {{!}} Shark Tank Season 11 |url=https://sharktankrecap.com/babyquip-baby-gear-rental-update-shark-tank-season-11/ |access-date=2025-08-31 |website=Shark Tank Recap}}]
== Awards and recognition ==
In 2016, Maier received the Jerry I. Porras Latino Leadership Award from the [Stanford Graduate School of Business](/source/Stanford_Graduate_School_of_Business).[{{cite web |date=2016 |title=20th Annual Latino Leadership Banquet Celebrates GSB Diversity |url=https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/experience/news-history/20th-annual-latino-leadership-banquet-celebrates-gsb-diversity |access-date=16 June 2025 |website=Stanford Graduate School of Business}}] In 2025, Maier was included in [Forbes](/source/Forbes)’s ''50 Over 50: Lifestyle'' list.[{{Cite web |last=McGrath |first=Maggie |date=2025-07-30 |title=50 Over 50: Lifestyle |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/maggiemcgrath/2025/07/30/50-over-50-lifestyle/ |access-date=2025-08-31 |website=Forbes |language=en}}] The same year, she was also included in [Inc. magazine’s](/source/Inc._(magazine)) Female Founders 500 list.