CEO, Courtland Brooks & OnlinePersonalsWatch.com
Ed Baker
Head of Growth at Uber, former CEO of Friend.ly
“I first met Mark at the iDate conference in Miami, where I saw firsthand that he is one of the most knowledgeable thought leaders in the internet dating space. Since then, Courtland Brooks has helped us redefine our strategy, conduct a marketing campaign, and think about PR in a different way. Mark is a high integrity individual, and it has been a pleasure working with him.”
November 14, 2010, Ed was Mark’s client
Dennis Yu
Chief Technology Officer at BlitzMetrics
“Mark knows the dating and social media space better than anyone I know.”
November 26, 2007, Dennis was Mark’s client
Marc Lesnick
CEO of Ticonderoga Ventures: HVC.com, Mosocial.com, iDate Internet Dating Conference, Social Media Conference & others
“I have worked with Mark for over a decade. I have grown to highly value both his advice and his work ethic. Mark fully understands the markets he covers; including the trends and the financials. Adding to this is Mark’s uncanny ability to discover the latest technology. Whether a website, an app or a real world product, Mark is always showing me and others unique productivity tools, wearable tech and new media outlets. Where most have stopped learning, Mark continues with Harvard and other institutions. He has an open mind and believes in work efficiency. He is able to identify root causes of problems in nearly any company he consults for.”
October 6, 2014, Marc was with another company when working with Mark at Courtland Brooks & OnlinePersonalsWatch.com
Connie Gougler
Director of Marketing at iovation Inc.
“Mark is a major force in the internet dating and social networking space. He is very well connected with industry leaders and visionaries. Mark provides his clients with first class service including media relations, business development and marketing strategy. Mark and his team have been an absolute pleasure to work with. Truly a high-integrity organization that is passionate and dedicated to its clients.”
March 19, 2010, Connie was Mark’s client
David Siegel
The business and investing agility expert
“I’ve known Mark for almost five years. Simply put: if Mark has time to work with you, take advantage of it. He’s a visionary, a down-to-earth realist, and a hub for the dating industry. He’s the central node. He hires great people who do superb work. I can’t say enough good things about Mark, his work, his career, and his fair dealings with people. He’s fun, engaging, and always listening for the next big thing in social.”
July 5, 2010, David was with another company when working with Mark at Courtland Brooks & OnlinePersonalsWatch.com
Chris Terrill
CEO of HomeAdvisor.com, formerly VP at Match.com
“Mark is well schooled in the online dating and social networks space and has proven tenacity when it comes to pursuing where the trends are moving. He is entrepreneurial in nature and the consummate connector, willing to help bring the right two parties together to exploit a mutually beneficial win.”
February 29, 2008, Chris was with another company when working with Mark at Courtland Brooks & OnlinePersonalsWatch.com
Fred Davis
Mentor at Runway Incubator
“Mark is the ultimate expert in the online dating and relationship field. He is not only perceptive and insightful, but he can apply his insights to help companies solve critical business problems. His newsletter is the most respected in the industry, and he was a great speaker at the events where I heard him speak. To top it off, he’s a fun guy, and a pleasure to do business with.”
November 27, 2007, Fred was with another company when working with Mark at Courtland Brooks & OnlinePersonalsWatch.com
Katherine Harvey
Cofounder at Bare Bones Broth Co., formerly Business Reporter at The San Diego Union Tribune
“You were full of fantastic info and colorful quotes. Loved the interview.”
January 16, 2015, Katherine was with another company when working with Mark at Courtland Brooks & OnlinePersonalsWatch.com
Matt Tatham
Public Relations and Corporate Communications at Experian
“Mark is the leading expert when it comes to online dating and social networking. He is a true thought leader within the industry offering great insights and I would recommend him to anyway wanting to know more.”
October 29, 2008, Matt was with another company when working with Mark at Courtland Brooks & OnlinePersonalsWatch.com
Stephen G. Barr
North American Senior Advisor at Control’s Force Inc
“I am a longtime subscriber to Mark’s social media newsletter and also know of him through his multiple dealings within the online dating industry. He is a thought leader and innovator who is very insightful and who’s judgement I trust above all others. I greatly appreciate all that he does!”
April 2, 2013, Stephen G. was Mark’s client
Jerome Chasques
Digital Entrepreneur – Directeur Général Comparadise, formerly co-Founder of Matchmaking Pro, Inc.
“Mark may be the most knowledgeable expert you can find in the dating industry. He’s been a keynote speaker at many conferences and his opinion is always highly regarded.”
December 13, 2010, Jerome was with another company when working with Mark at Courtland Brooks & OnlinePersonalsWatch.com
Josh Gray
CEO – SpinWidgets Agency, formerly Sales and Business Development Executive at Perfspot
“Mark is an extremely insightful person and the consummate professional. His expertise on the 2.0 web, internet dating and online marketing make Mark a very valuable asset to any online organization.”
August 29, 2008, Josh was with another company when working with Mark at Courtland Brooks & OnlinePersonalsWatch.com
Julie Ferman
Dating Coach & Personal Matchmaker, Julie Ferman Associates, LLC
“Mark Brooks knows about as much about the business of dating as any human alive on the planet. His industry overview conference presentations and the insider info which we all use to stay current in this rapidly changing business environment are always timely and so useful. I recommend Mark as a conference presenter and as a consultant to the dating industry.”
February 18, 2008, Julie worked directly with Mark at Courtland Brooks & OnlinePersonalsWatch.com
Robert Wuttke
Serial Entrepreneur and Super Angel Investor, formerly CEO of be2 and C-Date
“If you want to know anything about the international dating scene, mark is your man! on top of that, he has a lot of experience in how to promote websites successfully.”
December 1, 2007, Robert was with another company when working with Mark at Courtland Brooks & OnlinePersonalsWatch.com
Elizabeth Wasserman
Co-founder and C.E.O. at Mate1.com
“Mark is an encyclopedic resource on the social networking and online dating industry- his blog is a must-read for anyone in the business. He’s always two steps ahead of the rest of us when it comes to trends, and he’s the first guy I consult when investigating third-party services.”
December 21, 2007, Elizabeth was with another company when working with Mark at Courtland Brooks & OnlinePersonalsWatch.com
Rich Orcutt
VP Sales at BeehiveID Biometrics, formerly Head of Sales at iovation
“Mark is an excellent business resource and analysis for consulting with your business. You will find he is very down to earth but has the ability to think out of the box to help you differentiate your business.”
August 15, 2014, Rich was with another company when working with Mark at Courtland Brooks & OnlinePersonalsWatch.com
Moses Brown
President, Mobeze Inc.
“Mark is a man of action. He is very organized and gets things done. Mark has been a mentor to me and has been generous with his time without expecting anything in return. I have learned a lot in my industry because of him.”
January 10, 2008, Moses was with another company when working with Mark at Courtland Brooks & OnlinePersonalsWatch.com
Ross Williams
Award-winning Entrepreneur and CEO of Venntro Media Group
“Mark really is online dating personified – he knows what works, what doesn’t and who to speak to. He’s always a step ahead of the crowd and a great source of advice for strategy and partnerships.”
January 2, 2008, Ross was with another company when working with Mark at Courtland Brooks & OnlinePersonalsWatch.com
Dominic Penaloza 卢汉森
Entrepreneur, executive, product strategist, investor; formerly CEO of World Friends Networks
“I’ve met with Mark several times, including being interviewed by him for his industry blog. He is very well informed about the social Internet scene, not only in North America, but also internationally.”
December 13, 2007, Dominic was with another company when working with Mark at Courtland Brooks & OnlinePersonalsWatch.com
Robert Chieffo
Real Estate Investor, formerly co-Founder, VP and COO of Cupid.com
“Mark has his finger on the pulse of the online dating industry. His insights into the industry enabled him to offer many recommendations were valuable to the growth of Cupid.com.”
December 10, 2007, Robert managed Mark indirectly at Courtland Brooks & OnlinePersonalsWatch.com
Pete Salcido
Strategic Advisor to Communications, Technology and Content Providers; formerly VP, Strategic Accounts at Experian
“Mark is a dynamic thinking professional. He is passionate about online communication sites and very knowledgeable about online dating.”
December 10, 2007, Pete was Mark’s client
Michael Cerda
Entrepreneurial product, tech, business, general management; formerly CEO of Jangl, also VP Product & Technology at MySpace
“Mark is a stand up guy who knows everyone there is to know in the online dating space. He’s also an analyst which brings great credibility to his clients who possess his target market value.”
December 7, 2007, Michael was Mark’s client
Marina Glogovac
CEO at CanadaHelps.org, formerly CEO of Lavalife
“In my role as CEO of a leading Singles-oriented dating and entertainment company, I have come to rely on Mark’s insight and expertise of the online dating and social networking industry as well as on his many contacts in the industry. His Online Personals Watch newsletter is an invaluable industry voice that has helped shape the identity of our industry.”
December 7, 2007, Marina was with another company when working with Mark at Courtland Brooks & OnlinePersonalsWatch.com
Nisan Gabbay
CEO, Sociable Labs
“I have sought Mark’s council a number of times for online dating market expertise. Mark is a terrific resource for any information in this area. Very professional and knowledgeable.”
October 1, 2006, Nisan was Mark’s client
Charles Wasserman
Entrepreneur & Digital Marketing Specialist | Co-Founder & President at Mate1.com Inc.
“Mark Brooks is your go-to man for deep and insightful information on any aspect of the online dating industry. He is approachable, helpful, and knowledgeable and is, without question, the ultimate referral resource in this industry. Not to mention that his website Online Personals Watch is an essential read (I recommend daily) for anyone involved in this industry.”
November 27, 2007, Charles was with another company when working with Mark at Courtland Brooks & OnlinePersonalsWatch.com
Harald Kratel
Gesellschafter-GF mlv Werbeagentur GmbH, formerly COO / CMO of Parship
“Mark is one of the most experienced experts when it comes to internet dating as well as online communities. Very highly appreciate is his expertise and sense for practical aspects. And he is a very helpful person and a nice guy, too.”
November 27, 2007, Harald was with another company when working with Mark at Courtland Brooks & OnlinePersonalsWatch.com
Amanda Stergianos
Business Unit Director at King James Group, formerly co-Founder and MD of YesNoMaybe
“Mark’s content has been superbly useful to me while writing and researching the industry. Through email correspondence Mark has shared some very useful industry analysis with us . Even though I have not retained Mark Brooks (yet!) I hope to do so in the near future as he has proved such a valuable resource in helping us cut to the chase and making the right introductions to the right people – such as 3rd party providers that compliment our strategy. My thanks to Mark in working with us in such good faith and the encouragement.”
November 27, 2007, Amanda was Mark’s client
Arthur Radulescu
Business Development Manager ShopMania Net, formerly MD of AsesoftNet
“It was great working with Mark… He referred us some of our best clients. He knows a lot about the online dating industry and definitely knows a lot of people in the space.”
November 27, 2007, Arthur was with another company when working with Mark at Courtland Brooks & OnlinePersonalsWatch.com
Hadley Wilkins
Head of Marketing at Redpoint Ventures, formerly SVP at Fleishman & Hillard (managed consumer branding/influencer programs for Yahoo! Personals)
“Mark is a thoughtful and strategic consultant and brings deep insights on the online dating industry and social networking space. He is a great collaborator and really looks at the larger industry picture and asks probing questions when forming positions on the industry.”
November 26, 2007, Hadley was with another company when working with Mark at Courtland Brooks & OnlinePersonalsWatch.com
Mike Zhang
CMO at Kurbo Health, formerly CEO of FriendFinder Networks
“Mark is someone with great vision and excellent network. He is driven, resourceful and of highest personal ethics. He get things done and a friend you want to keep for lifetime. Mike”
November 26, 2007, Mike was Mark’s client
Nelson Rodriguez
CEO at LoveAccess.com and Owner, LoveAccess.com
“I’ve worked with Mark over several years and found him to a wealth of information, very well connected with a deep understanding of the online space. I would recommend him to anyone interested.”
November 3, 2012, Nelson was Mark’s client
Patrick Jeffrey Marshall
Brand Management, Storytelling, Finance; formerly Director at Thomas Technologies International
“A lot of folks try to position themselves as experts in online dating and social networking. Mark Brooks doesn’t need to position himself, he’s the real deal. He works hard to stay on top of news that is relevant to the industry, does a great job of analyzing the trends and above all remains totally approachable to anyone who wants advice.”
June 11, 2007, Patrick Jeffrey worked with Mark at Courtland Brooks & OnlinePersonalsWatch.com
Dennis Yu
Chief Technology Officer at BlitzMetrics
“Mark is intimately aware of what drives on-line communities– a wealth of knowledge and advice on what to make of the latest happenings and how we may adjust our strategies to best take advantage. Not only does he keep up with the latest news in dating and social networking, but he can see 5-10 years out. At Yahoo!, we called on his services frequently.”
January 3, 2007, Dennis was with another company when working with Mark at Courtland Brooks & OnlinePersonalsWatch.com
Chief Entertainment Officer, Ace Club
Tim Ferriss
Bestselling author, human guinea pig. Experiments: http://www.fourhourblog.com
“Mark is one of the few people to successfully create an enjoyable and entertaining format for meeting young professionals with ACE-CLUB, minus the typical “business networking” superficiality that typifies Silicon Valley. I have seen many try to duplicate, without success, the unique flavor of event management that Mark has created.”
August 11, 2003, Tim was with another company when working with Mark at Ace Club
Ken Berger
Tech Tipping Point Practitioner, Mentor Capitalist, Mobile Pundit
“Mark is an innovative yet genteel professional with a can-do attitude. When called to action, he exhibits the epitome of grace under pressure.”
August 11, 2003, Ken worked directly with Mark at Ace Club
Chris James
Branding and Naming Strategist
“Mark is one of the brightest minds I know. His understanding of branding, business, and what it takes to get noticed is spot-on. He’s also a great amount of fun to work with and be around.”
June 30, 2004, Chris managed Mark at Ace Club
VP Marketing & Business Development, Cupid.com
Eric Straus
President at Transworld Business Advisors of NY and CEO at RegionalHelpWanted.com; formerly President at Cupid.com
“Mark knows more about the online dating business than anyone! A great resource for any company looking to grow in the online dating/social networking space.”
November 3, 2007, Eric managed Mark at Cupid.com
Senior Marketing Manager, FriendFinder
Mike Stocker
Senior Director, Business Development at Marketo; formerly Senior Marketing Manager at FriendFinder Networks
“Mark is a tremendous person to work with here at FriendFinder. He has a tremendous energy and drive, and a great personality as well.”
October 27, 2003, Mike worked directly with Mark at FriendFinder
Director of Events & PR, Friendster
Kevin Metz
Ubuntu Cloud Consultant at Canonical Ltd., formerly Network Engineer at Friendster
“When it comes to an event, you want Mark running it. He’s got attention to detail, an eye for flair and chances are he knows everyone who’s going to be there. He exudes confidence, and should there be a problem he’s always swift with a resolution. Working with Mark was always a pleasure and I’d do so again.”
October 28, 2015, Kevin worked with Mark at Friendster
Ken Berger
Tech Tipping Point Practitioner, Mentor Capitalist, Mobile Pundit
“I highly enjoyed working with Mark coordinating social events for Friendster in the early days of the formative and then-exploding social network. Mark is a true leader, gifted in dealing with people, and has endless great business ideas and always a can-do attitude.”
October 3, 2014, Ken worked with Mark at Friendster
Sales Manager, Keyence Lasers
Steve Bonacich
Regional Manager at Panasonic Electric Works Corp. of America
“In the time Mark Brooks and I spent at Keyence, I came to realize what a tremendous asset he was to the corporation. Not only was he highly technical, working with laser and confocal measurement products, but he was highly attentive to the needs of his customers. Mark had a very large and diverse territory to cover, from the high tech of the Silicon Valley to packaging machinery in the Western US and Canada.
Mark did an outstanding job with his distribution network, by working closely with them he would get to know their territory, their weaknesses and strengths. I recall him frequently conducting trainings and seminars in an effort to grow his region. Mark was well liked by his customers, distributors and his colleagues at the office.
I would highly recommend Mark in any of his future endeavors, he is an aggressive yet empathetic individual, which I find to be very important traits in an organization focused on growth. His entrepreneurial spirit and ability to understand the “big picture” was key to his success, he is a self starter who could be asked to do a project and trusted to take the appropriate steps to realize his goal.”
January 14, 2016, Steve managed Mark indirectly at Keyence Lasers
PLD – Harvard’s Alternative to an Executive MBA, Harvard Business School
Reuven Gorsht
Strategy & Transformation Leader, Writer & Speaker
“I had the pleasure and privilege of working closely with Mark during our time together at the Harvard Business School. Mark is naturally curious person who is always learning and stays on top of trends and the industry. His ability to see things from a different perspective is very unique and always insightful. I learned a great deal from Mark and cherish our friendship.”
January 15, 2016, Reuven studied with Mark at Harvard Business School
