We were lucky to catch up with Stephiney Foley recently and have shared our conversation below.

Stephiney, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

Naming a company is no easy feat—it can feel like naming your child! I went through almost 100 names, considering everything from “Village” to more abstract ideas. But what really stuck with me was this concept of creating something that not only had roots in tradition but could also scale and become part of everyday language. That’s how I landed on *Yuzi*, which is a derivative of “yuezi,” an ancient Chinese practice of postnatal care. In Asia, these retreats are everywhere—there are over 7,000 of them, and about 80% of women in countries like China and Taiwan use them. The care they provide to new mothers is critical, but it’s something we don’t see enough of here in the U.S.

When I created Yuzi, my vision was to bring this powerful concept of postpartum care to America, where our maternal care system is struggling. With rising maternal mortality rates, especially in marginalized communities, it’s become clear that we need to rethink how we support mothers. Yuzi is here to fill that gap, offering personalized, wraparound care that’s rooted in tradition but adapted for modern families. And just like how we say “Google it” or “Uber a ride,” I wanted a name that could one day be synonymous with holistic postpartum care. That’s the future I see for Yuzi—transforming the way we care for mothers, one retreat at a time.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Steph Foley, the founder and CEO of Yuzi, and my journey into the world of maternal care started from a very personal experience. After having my second child, I went through postpartum depression. At the time, I was working 100 hours a week as a product leader at Amazon, juggling a career and motherhood, and it opened my eyes to the massive gap in postpartum care in America. There wasn’t enough support for mothers during that critical recovery period, and I realized I wasn’t alone—so many other women were feeling isolated and overwhelmed.

That experience is what fueled my passion for creating Yuzi, a company dedicated to reimagining postpartum care in the U.S. Our mission is to provide a holistic, wraparound service for new mothers and their families, offering the support that’s often missing in traditional care models. We’ve brought the concept of postnatal retreats—something that’s incredibly common in Asia—to America, where the maternal mortality rate is alarmingly high, especially for women of color. In countries like China, there are 7,000 of these retreats, and 80% of women use them to rest, recover, and bond with their babies. That level of care is desperately needed here, and that’s what Yuzi provides.

At Yuzi, we offer multi-modal services, including luxurious postpartum retreats, in-room care, daily meals, baby supplies, foot baths, and 24/7 professional care for both mother and baby. What sets us apart is our commitment to creating a personalized, concierge experience for each family. We leverage hotel vacancies and our innovative tech platform to streamline everything from booking to reimbursement, ensuring mothers can focus on healing without the added stress of managing logistics.

What I’m most proud of is the community we’ve built. We’re not just a service provider—we’re creating a movement to change how society cares for mothers. I want people to know that Yuzi is here to support them in their postpartum journey. We’re combining the best practices from both East and West, rooted in tradition but powered by modern technology, with one goal in mind: to revolutionize maternal care and ensure no mother feels alone during one of the most challenging and important times of her life.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

My life is full of pivots, and I’ve learned to embrace change at every turn. I started my journey by graduating from West Point and becoming a U.S. Army officer, which led to a deployment to the Middle East. After the military, I pivoted to academia, becoming an associate dean at the Defense Language Institute, managing curriculum for military linguists. Then, I found myself drawn to the tech world, where I worked at Tesla during the scale-up of the Model 3, which was a game-changer for the company. From there, I transitioned to Amazon, where I launched technical products and learned the ins and outs of scaling in a fast-paced environment.

But hands down, the most difficult and transformative pivot I’ve ever made was becoming a mother. No career move or military mission prepared me for the challenges of motherhood. After the birth of my second child, I experienced postpartum depression while working 100 hours a week. That was my biggest wake-up call—no amount of professional success could make up for the lack of care and support I felt during that vulnerable time.

That personal experience led me to my latest pivot founding Yuzi, a maternal care company focused on reimagining postpartum care in America. I saw firsthand the gap in support for mothers and decided to do something about it. It’s been the most meaningful pivot of my life, combining my background in leadership, tech, and operations to build something that truly makes a difference for families. Every pivot I’ve made has been challenging, but becoming a mother and creating Yuzi has been the most rewarding by far.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.yuzicare.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yuzicare/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Yuzicare
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/96649640
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/yuzicare
• Other: https://tiktok.com/yuzicare

Image Credits

Yuzi Care