“You know that saying, ‘everyone has the same 24 hours in a day’? It’s not true,” declares Giuliana Passarelli, a 31-year-old Brazilian woman who works as a personal assistant to a billionaire. “He uses my 24 hours too.”
Giuliana dedicates her days to managing a myriad of tasks her 35-year-old entrepreneur boss prefers not to handle himself. These responsibilities range from selecting a US$5,000 suit and organizing elaborate birthday parties to purchasing school supplies for his son, showcasing the diverse demands of her role.
Her routine is anything but predictable. She once received an urgent call, requiring her to fly to France solely to retrieve a Ferrari, an experience that perfectly encapsulates the spontaneous nature of her job.
“I had to pack at midnight because he bought a special, collector’s edition [car]. We arrived in a city near Paris, and I had to handle all the bureaucratic procedures to bring the car back to Brazil,” she recalls, highlighting the unexpected complexities involved.
Her work defies a fixed schedule. One day might involve taking her employer’s dogs to the vet; another could be spent scheduling dental appointments. Even managing various household bills falls within her extensive scope of responsibilities, illustrating the comprehensive support she provides.
On social media, Giuliana has earned the moniker “billionaire nanny,” a term born from a playful exchange between her and her boss, reflecting the close, informal dynamic they share.
“I was just joking around because our relationship is very close,” Giuliana clarifies, underscoring the friendly bond that underpins their professional arrangement.
Giuliana explains that her boss often goes into “airplane mode,” effectively making himself unreachable, and it’s then that she steps in to manage all affairs, ensuring everything runs smoothly in his absence.
“You know that feeling when you have to watch a two-year-old child and can’t blink for a second? It’s like that with him. I am responsible for another person’s life, and everything can change at any moment,” she remarks, conveying the intense vigilance and adaptability required.
A graduate in advertising with a postgraduate degree in marketing, Giuliana left the world of agencies and events to take on the demanding role of overseeing the entrepreneur’s entire life.
“I actually liked my old job, but I hadn’t found the right rhythm. I couldn’t imagine working from 8 AM to 6 PM, stuck behind a computer,” she says, explaining her desire for a more dynamic and less conventional career path.
The unique opportunity arose during the pandemic when an acquaintance recommended her for the position as a billionaire’s personal assistant, opening doors to an entirely new professional landscape.
Following a brief, five-minute interview, her potential employer decided to give her a trial period. Five years later, Giuliana remains an indispensable part of his life, a testament to her capabilities and the rapport they built.
“Even though there’s no fixed routine, it’s not a problem for me because I’ve never been the type of person tied to a pattern,” she notes, embracing the fluidity and spontaneity inherent in her role.
“I actually prefer it, because every day there’s always something new to do and learn. I really have to learn a lot,” she adds, highlighting the continuous professional growth and intellectual stimulation her unique career offers.
The billionaire also has his eccentricities. Giuliana recounts a story where, after reading an article about billionaires’ obsession with mini chickens, her boss decided to join the trend, showcasing his whimsical side.
Serama chickens, also known as bantam chickens, are now being bred in São Paulo state for sale as pets. Originally from Malaysia, their average size is just 15 cm, though the largest can reach up to 75 cm, making them a peculiar yet fashionable choice for the ultra-wealthy.
“He came into the office with two of them, and I literally became a mini chicken nanny,” Giuliana exclaims, illustrating yet another unexpected duty that landed on her plate.
These two prized birds, each costing around US$586, now reside on a farm owned by one of the entrepreneur’s employees. Giuliana, however, continues to receive photos and updates to relay to her boss, ensuring his connection to his feathered companions remains unbroken.
To further her education and share her unique experiences, Giuliana began creating online content. Her TikTok account has since amassed over 5 million likes and more than 140,000 followers, featuring videos that offer a captivating glimpse into her life as a “billionaire nanny.”
Time and Status
The profession Giuliana embodies is far from new. These specialized roles have a deep-seated history within affluent households.
Cristina Proença, a professor at the School of Advertising and Marketing (ESPM) in São Paulo who leads the postgraduate program in Contemporary Luxury Business and Marketing, confirms that such roles are common among the super-rich, much like housekeepers and butlers have been for generations.
“They have always existed in traditional families; there are even employees who work across generations, people who help take care of the house,” Proença explains, underscoring the long-standing demand for personalized domestic and administrative support.
She further notes that the increasing concentration of wealth at the top echelons of society is a significant driver, fueling a growing demand for these highly specialized and discreet services.
A study by the consulting firm Bain & Company predicts a substantial expansion in Brazil’s luxury market, which recorded a turnover of approximately US$14.4 billion in 2022. It is projected to reach around US$29.2 billion by 2030, propelled primarily by families with assets exceeding US$1 million.
Brazil’s “super-rich” demographic, categorized by the government as “high-income taxpayers,” comprises around 141,400 individuals with incomes above US$9,000, according to federal government data, highlighting a concentrated segment with substantial purchasing power.
As the market increasingly pivots towards exclusive services, hyper-personalization has emerged as a cornerstone of the luxury experience, making tailored assistance more valuable than ever.
“A personal assistant is someone who understands their client so deeply that they can tailor experiences exactly to what they are truly looking for: something extremely exclusive, something inaccessible to others,” Proença emphasizes, defining the unique value proposition of these roles.
Ultimately, the most coveted commodity among the ultra-wealthy isn’t a material possession, but rather something far more precious: time itself.
“When you talk about hiring staff like this, you are essentially acquiring time by buying someone else’s time,” Proença states, capturing the fundamental exchange at the heart of these professional relationships.
“There are things you simply have to do, like managing a household, but that prevents you from doing other things. If a third party can handle everything, you don’t have to be involved,” she continues, highlighting how delegation liberates the wealthy to pursue other interests.
“It also becomes a status symbol: having time,” she concludes, underlining that freedom from mundane tasks signifies a certain level of affluence and privilege.
Cristina Proença explicitly expresses her disapproval of the term “billionaire nanny,” arguing that it carries a diminutive connotation, implying that the employer is incapable of self-care.
“As if that person is unable to take care of themselves. When I use the word ‘nanny,’ I mean a nanny for a child or a baby who doesn’t yet have independence,” she clarifies, drawing a clear distinction between childcare and adult assistance.
The rationale, she argues, is fundamentally different for an extremely wealthy individual who consciously chooses to utilize such services, seeing it as a strategic lifestyle choice rather than a necessity due to incompetence.
“Even the simplest tasks can be delegated. Sometimes, it’s something as small as getting a glass of water,” she points out, illustrating the extent to which the wealthy seek to offload minor inconveniences.
“It’s about the mentality of wanting to be fully served—not because they are unable to do it themselves, but rather as a choice, as an attitude of ‘I prefer to pay so I don’t have to do this’,” Proença concludes, defining the core motivation behind employing personal assistants.
Experience and Discretion
João Victor Marques, 29, leads a life mirroring Giuliana’s, having forged a career in the luxury sector that took him to Monaco, Dubai, London, and Zurich, working for a British entrepreneur.
“One of the most unusual experiences I ever had in this job was dining on Leonardo DiCaprio’s yacht, which was docked in Monaco. My former boss’s husband was invited for dinner, and we were invited along,” João Victor shares, recounting a moment of extreme privilege.
Eventually, a yearning for home led him back to Brazil. He now serves as a private advisor to an entrepreneur known as the “motel queen,” effectively acting as an extension of her professional and personal reach.
“I essentially become her spokesperson,” he explains, detailing the significant communicative role he plays. “I manage her entire life—her home, her activities, and all the marketing affairs for her motel chain,” he adds, showcasing the broad spectrum of his responsibilities.
João mentions that while he lives independently, his daily work is conducted at his employer’s residence. He emphasizes that this position demands immense trust and responsibility, involving the safekeeping of bank accounts and highly sensitive personal secrets.
João Victor openly admits his attraction to the unparalleled access his job provides to the world of the super-rich, viewing the profession as a unique pathway for social mobility and personal advancement.
“Since childhood, I always had everything good and sufficient, but never anything extraordinarily grand—just basic necessities. So what attracted me were the experiences I gained and the compensation I received,” he reflects, outlining his personal motivations for pursuing such a demanding role.
Giuliana, by contrast, cherishes the autonomy to manage her own life while simultaneously overseeing the complex affairs of another, finding satisfaction in the delicate balance of her dual existence.
“For me, quality of life—being able to live where I want, having my own schedule—is far more valuable than any salary figure,” she asserts. She emphasizes that a personal assistant doesn’t literally dedicate all 24 hours of their day to their employer. “I can still take care of all my personal matters… I’m with my family, but at the same time, I also manage my boss’s entire life,” Giuliana clarifies, explaining the nuanced flexibility of her role.
Living in close proximity to extreme wealth every day evokes a complex mix of emotions for Giuliana. She admits that witnessing lavish expenditures daily can be astonishing, particularly in a country like Brazil, where social inequality remains stark. The World Inequality Report 2026 confirms that inequality in Brazil “remains among the highest in the world.”
“Of course, it affects us. We live side-by-side with another reality, and sometimes it feels very unfair. Sometimes I think, ‘My God, why is the difference so huge?’ It shouldn’t be like that,” she muses, expressing her internal conflict. “But it’s not my job to judge whether someone wants to spend US$8,000 on a VIP table at a nightclub. I understand that I am just doing my job,” she adds, demonstrating a professional detachment despite her personal observations.
Giuliana views her social media content purely as entertainment, without any intention of lecturing or prescribing rules about her profession. She believes the allure of her videos lies in their ability to showcase a world that is often vastly removed from the experiences of most people.
“I’m not interested in teaching anything or creating a course on how to become a ‘billionaire nanny’,” she states. “Nor do I want you to have a designer bag; I’m just showing that world exists. That’s just their normal world,” she continues. “I didn’t invent this profession; the profession already existed. I just took that slogan and showed that this profession truly exists.”
Specialized Recruitment Agencies
The role of a personal assistant to the wealthy is increasingly professionalizing, marked by the emergence of specialized firms that connect billionaires in need of such services with qualified individuals seeking these unique employment opportunities.
The Lu Xavier agency in São Paulo describes its business as a “boutique specializing in domestic staff recruitment,” focusing exclusively on high-end residences and the discerning needs of their occupants.
Their rigorous selection process includes a thorough “analysis of criminal records, reference checks, debt history, and verification of previous medical examination results,” ensuring only the most trustworthy and capable candidates are presented.
Entrepreneur Luciana Xavier explains that she launched her business after identifying a significant market need. With over 25 years of experience working with high-net-worth families, primarily as a housekeeper, she grew disillusioned with the practices of traditional agencies.
“I would send the profiles of workers I wanted, but they would send me professionals who weren’t suitable. That’s where I saw a gap, especially in the quality of service,” she recounts, highlighting the unmet demand for specialized and high-caliber domestic talent.
Her company now works with a diverse range of domestic professionals, from housekeepers to gardeners. For personal assistant positions, she sets very specific criteria. Foremost among these is that candidates must possess a deep understanding of the luxury world.
“You have to know which florist to call, which caterer to hire, how to organize a dinner. There’s no point if you don’t know that world,” she asserts, emphasizing that practical knowledge of high-end services is non-negotiable.
Despite the profession’s growing visibility on social media, Luciana stresses that confidentiality remains paramount. “Many agencies require confidentiality. They don’t like too much spotlight,” she explains, underscoring the discreet nature of the work.
According to Luciana, the label “billionaire nanny” fails to accurately reflect the reality for most professionals in this field. “People who see it might think the [personal assistant] job is just about traveling and showing off. In reality, this job involves management, responsibility, and meticulousness,” she argues, aiming to dispel misconceptions.
In practice, Luciana explains, a personal assistant often functions as a household manager. “All employees report to them,” she clarifies, indicating the significant authority and coordination inherent in the role.
The duties of a personal assistant are extensive, encompassing routine scheduling, equipment oversight, maintenance and repair coordination, and managing service providers. In some instances, personal assistants are also responsible for scheduling their employers’ personal appointments.
Luciana indicates that the average salary for these roles ranges from US$2,900 to US$5,800, contingent upon the family structure and the level of responsibility demanded, reflecting the high value placed on their expertise.
Giuliana does not disclose her specific salary, stating only that her work provides her with “financial security,” allowing her to maintain a desired lifestyle without revealing precise figures.
Beyond the opportunities for international travel and immersion in luxurious environments, the role of a personal assistant also demands significant personal sacrifices and a specialized skill set. This profession requires a high degree of adaptability to unexpected situations and sudden requests. Recruiters often highlight strong organizational abilities and fluency in English as crucial prerequisites for success.
“I handle many things for my boss abroad. I have to be a connected individual and know what the market is looking for, understand his lifestyle, and bring relevant things to him. For example, with luxury brands, I have to know what’s trending and buy them even before they are launched,” she elaborates, detailing the proactive and informed approach required.
Cristina Proença asserts that a suitable cultural background is exceedingly important for those aspiring to such roles. “To deal with such a demanding clientele, you have to know how to communicate with them,” she explains, highlighting the nuanced interpersonal skills necessary to navigate the world of the ultra-rich.
She adds that ideal professionals often come from backgrounds in luxury hospitality or VIP client management for major brands, as these sectors cultivate the precise skills and discretion required.
According to Proença, a personal assistant’s true value often lies in the extensive network of contacts they cultivate. “You will start to know executive aviation airport managers, florists… That is pure gold, especially for someone just starting out,” she clarifies, emphasizing that a robust professional network is an invaluable asset in this demanding field.
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