Meet Maggie Zheng, a dynamic entrepreneur and the founder of Court and Crew, a unique activewear brand born out of her love for pickleball and community-building. With a background in tech and a passion for connection, Maggie is blending sport, style, and purpose to bring people together in meaningful ways. Her story is a testament to following your instincts and taking bold steps toward the life you want to live. Humans of Fuzia is proud to feature Maggie as a beacon of inspiration for our 5-million-strong global community of creators, founders, and changemakers—because we believe in He for She and She for She.
Tell us about your journey before founding Court and Crew.
I used to work in tech and spent most of my career building early-stage startups. My last role was at an investment platform, where I helped founders craft their pitch decks, refine their brand stories, and successfully raise funds for their companies.
How did Court and Crew come to life?
When I moved from the Bay Area to LA, I started playing pickleball to meet new people—and I fell in love with how inclusive and social the sport is. Pickleball has become the fastest-growing sport in America, but there wasn’t a brand that represented its vibrant, modern culture through apparel. That’s when I realized there was a gap—and Court and Crew was born.
What exactly does Court and Crew offer?
We’re an activewear brand focused on pickleball and other racket sports. We design clothing for both men and women that reflects the spirit of the game—colorful, diverse, and fun. Beyond apparel, we host monthly large-scale events and weekly meetups to bring the community together through play.
Who is your target audience?
Our community is mostly made up of active young professionals, typically between the ages of 22 to 38. But really, anyone who’s curious about pickleball and wants to connect with others is welcome. Even those who aren’t athletic have found joy and community at our events.
How do people discover your brand?
Social media, especially Instagram, has played a huge role. When I started hosting events, I shared reels and videos online, and they really resonated with people. That helped us grow organically and attract a diverse community.
What challenges have you faced while building your business?
Managing logistics for a physical product business is tough—manufacturing timelines and import delays are hard to predict. Plus, organizing in-person events is very manual and time-intensive. Being the only founder means I can’t physically be everywhere at once, so I’m working on building a team to help run things more smoothly.
Are you running this venture solo or with a team?
I’m the solo founder, but I have a wonderful team of volunteers, interns, and part-time helpers. They’ve been instrumental in supporting our mission and keeping things running.
What are your short-term goals for this year?
Right now, we’re focused on launching our next apparel collection. We’re also setting up Court and Crew Chapters—local groups led by community members who want to host their own pickleball meetups. It’s all about expanding our impact while staying true to the spirit of connection.
What message would you like to share with women professionals or aspiring entrepreneurs?
Don’t delay building the thing you truly want to do. I didn’t have experience in apparel or event hosting before starting this, but I took the leap anyway. You don’t need all the answers upfront—you just need to decide to start. The rest, you’ll figure out along the way.
“Just decide to do it—and everything else will figure itself out,” says Maggie. Her story is a beautiful reminder that courage and community can change everything.
Connect with Maggie Zheng:
Instagram: @courtandcrew
LinkedIn: Maggie Zheng
Want to be featured?
If you’d like to be featured in the Humans of Fuzia series, email us at fuziatalent@fuzia.com.
