Malu Daily Life: From Attorney to Running Entrepreneur
The content creator and Zilla partner discusses finding ease in sports, career transition, and the power of intuition.
In her third appearance on Girls Who Run, Malu Daily Life shares her incredible journey from lawyer to entrepreneur in the running world. She discusses the pursuit of ease in sports, the importance of self-awareness, and how Zilla's technology democratizes access to safe and personalized training for runners of all levels.
In the latest episode of the Girls Who Run podcast, hosts Mari Real and Ma Fanti welcome Malu Daily Life for the third time, marking a face-to-face reunion that reveals the guest's extraordinary evolution. From a lawyer with content creation aspirations to a full-time influencer, Malu now embraces a new phase as an entrepreneur and partner at Zilla, an innovative AI-powered running coaching platform.
The conversation delves into Malu's journey, who started running in 2020 to quit smoking, inspired by Drauzio Varella. From someone who "had no talent for running," she became an experienced marathoner, with four marathons under her belt, including London and Chicago. Today, Malu describes herself as someone who approaches running with ease, prioritizing respect for her various phases and seeing the sport as a therapeutic hobby, in contrast to the "obsessed Malu" of the past.
Running with Ease: The Price of Performance and the Peace of Self-Knowledge
One of the central points of the discussion was the pressure for performance and the trap of comparison. Malu reports feeling this pressure, especially while training for the London Marathon as Zilla launched its marathon plan. However, she emphasizes the importance of listening to oneself and understanding that progress in running (and in life) is not always linear.
Malu shares her perspective on comparing herself to other runners, some of whom started with her and are now significantly faster. Her reflection is clear: "I didn't pay the price that person paid. There's no way I can expect to reap what they reaped." She argues that peace lies in understanding that you don't have to be the best at everything and that running can fit into different stages of life, whether as a primary goal or a light pleasure. Performing at a high level demands a "price" – intense dedication, a disciplined routine – and it's up to each individual to decide if they want and can afford to pay it.
Overcoming Imposter Syndrome and Reinventing a Career
Malu's transition from law to entrepreneurship was a challenging process. She confesses to having been "extremely unhappy" as a lawyer, even in a positive work environment, and that the change made her discover she didn't hate working, but rather the profession. Entering the world of content creation and, subsequently, Zilla, brought out her passion for marketing, strategy, and productivity.
Malu reveals that she intensely dealt with imposter syndrome, especially at the beginning of her career as an influencer and upon receiving the invitation to Zilla, where co-founder Guilherme saw in her a talent for brand and community building that she herself didn't perceive. Her story resonates with the experience of many women, who tend to underestimate their capabilities and demand 150% preparation before taking on new challenges, in contrast to the self-confidence often displayed by men. Accepting the challenge and Zilla's resounding success served as a great validation for her, although imposter syndrome still accompanies her.
Zilla: Technology and Care for All Runners
As a Zilla partner, Malu describes the app as an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered running coaching platform, but with a methodology developed by a human coach. The AI personalizes training based on pace, availability, and individual athlete data (age, gender, history), as well as analyzing performance to adjust subsequent weeks. The goal is to offer a quality and accessible service, with a monthly fee of R$39.90 and integration with Wellhub.
Zilla aims to simplify running, demystifying the idea that expensive equipment and extensive prior knowledge are required. The coaching platform adopts a conservative approach to prevent injuries: beginners train a maximum of three times per week, and marathon plans require proof of a recent half-marathon. Furthermore, the app does not allow users to set their own pace for marathons, focusing instead on developing the athlete's best possible pace. With an impressive growth of 113,000 users in just a few months, Zilla also offers an engaged community, in-app chat, and in-person events, combating the idea that AI isolates runners.
The Future of Zilla and Malu
Looking ahead, Zilla plans to focus even more on community and in-person events across Brazil, delivering "grade-A experiences" to its athletes. Malu, for her part, has an ambitious personal desire: to bring Zilla to a Major Marathon, aiming to complete the Tokyo and Boston Marathons. Her journey is a testament to passion for work, the courage to take risks, and the ease of living through one's own phases, both in and out of running.
In a casual "Final Sprint," Malu shares that a beginner needs Zilla to start running, not a carbon plate shoe. A watch, a feasible routine, personalized technology feedback, and human contact at events are essential. She concludes that Zilla represents a "dream I didn't even know I had" and that today she feels "fulfilled."