In this episode, we explore how AuPairWorld, the world’s leading au pair matching platform, manages global digital operations across six languages, multiple markets, and thousands of daily users.
Sara Redondo, Operations Manager at AuPairWorld, shares insights from her 12-year journey—starting as a linguist and customer support agent to leading digital transformation across content, marketing, and product development.
[00:00:00] Jules:
Hello and welcome to Digital Transformation Survivors, the podcast where we speak with industry professionals about the challenges of managing complex web estates. I’m your host, Julian Tedstone, Managing Director at Coherence, where we specialize in helping businesses navigate digital complexity.
A complex web estate might involve multiple sites, applications serving different markets or audiences, or different stages of the user journey. This podcast explores these challenges and shares insights from business leaders, technologists, and marketing practitioners who have been on this journey.
[00:01:06]
Jules: Today, I’m very excited to introduce our guest, Sara Redondo, Operations Manager at AuPairWorld—the world’s leading website for matching au pairs with families. With over 5 million accepted users, the platform supports 30,000 active au pairs and 14,000 families daily, operating in six languages worldwide.
Sara brings a wealth of experience, from marketing and content strategy to a background in linguistics. Who better to help us explore this topic?
Jules: Sara, welcome to Digital Transformation Survivors! How are you doing this morning?
Sara: Hello, Julian! Thank you for having me. I’m doing great. I’m really excited to showcase our platform because, to be honest, I didn’t realize how challenging it was until I took a step back. It’s our daily business, but when you look at it from the outside, you see how complex it really is.
[00:02:43]
Jules: Let’s start with your background. You’ve had quite a journey—from linguistics to managing digital operations and marketing. How did that transition happen?
Sara: I’ve been at AuPairWorld for over 12 years now. I started as an intern in 2012 when the company was translating the website into Spanish. My first role involved customer support, helping Spanish and Latin American au pairs and families.
Over time, I began creating content based on the questions and challenges I saw from our users. From there, I took on product management roles, became a Scrum Master, and later moved into marketing leadership. Now, I co-lead the company alongside our CEO. Working in different departments has given me a broad perspective on our customers’ needs.
[00:04:17]
Jules: That’s fascinating. Your journey into digital seems deeply tied to agile methodologies like Scrum. How did that shape your approach?
Sara: Exactly! We had a Scrum Master at the company who taught me how to apply agile principles in every aspect of our work. I was 23 at the time, and learning how to think in an iterative, growth-hacking way was transformative.
At AuPairWorld, we have a massive user base, so we can’t always operate like a startup. We have to balance agility with stability, ensuring the best quality while adapting quickly to change.
Jules: That’s an interesting challenge—on one side, maintaining a stable and reliable platform, and on the other, constantly evolving to meet user expectations. How do you balance those priorities?
Sara: It comes down to having a clear roadmap. Some projects are backend-focused and not immediately visible to users, which can lead to the perception that we’re not making changes. But those infrastructure improvements are crucial for long-term scalability.
For example, I led a massive content migration project nearly 10 years ago. It took two years to complete because we were not only restructuring the website but also consolidating content across six languages. The trend back then was to have more pages for SEO, but now the focus is on reducing clicks and streamlining the user journey.
[00:07:43]
Jules: You mentioned balancing different markets and languages. How do you ensure content resonates with users from different cultural backgrounds?
Sara: We have a diverse team with employees from multiple nationalities, and our translators also work in customer service. This helps us stay attuned to the cultural expectations of both au pairs and families.
For example, Spanish au pairs prioritize learning English, while German au pairs are often drawn to adventure-driven destinations like Australia. Meanwhile, Spanish families typically host au pairs to help their children learn a second language, whereas German families see it more as a childcare solution.
We also adapt our marketing messages accordingly. In Spain, we frame hosting an au pair as “the biggest gift you can give your children,” because emotional appeals resonate more in that culture. In Germany, we focus on the practical benefits.
[00:16:26]
Jules: You mentioned the importance of community. How does social media fit into your strategy?
Sara: Social media has been a game-changer for us. It helps us engage new users and foster a sense of community. We use Instagram and TikTok for au pairs and Facebook for host families.
TikTok presents an interesting challenge because we need to convey serious topics—like contract agreements—in a way that captures attention in just a few seconds. But we’re finding ways to make it work.
We also maintain a cross-channel strategy, ensuring that messages on social media align with our newsletter and blog content.
Jules: So, you’re not just translating language—you’re translating your message across different channels as well.
Sara: Exactly! Social media allows us to showcase real experiences through takeovers and user-generated content. We started a YouTube channel during the pandemic when both au pairs and families had more time to engage with long-form content. Now, short-form video is dominant, and we’ve adjusted accordingly.
[00:26:58]
Jules: Looking ahead, what technology trends are shaping your strategy?
Sara: AI is the biggest disruptor. We’re exploring ways to integrate AI into our internal processes and user experience. Many users already use AI tools like ChatGPT to draft profiles—so why not offer that functionality within our platform?
Personalization is another key focus. My vision is to use AI and tagging to tailor content based on the user’s journey phase. Just like e-commerce platforms recommend products, we want to recommend relevant content.
[00:40:38]
Jules: For young professionals looking to follow in your footsteps, what advice would you give?
Sara: Be curious and proactive. Don’t wait for opportunities—seek them out. When I started, I was translating content and handling customer support, but I told my boss I wanted to learn more. That led me to agile, product management, and marketing.
It’s okay to start small. Just keep learning, take initiative, and push yourself to grow.
[00:41:30]
Jules: That’s fantastic advice. Sara, it’s been an absolute pleasure talking with you today.
Sara: Thank you, Julian! I really enjoyed this conversation.
Jules: Thanks for joining us on Digital Transformation Survivors!
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