FORBES – Nov 20 – Alexandra Chong is the Founder & CEO of Lulu, the provocative female app that allows users to rate men.
Q: What inspired you?
A: I graduated with a law degree from LSE, and I went to work in the legal department of a music licensing start-up. I quickly realized I wanted to start my own business. I went to a brunch with a group of girls after Valentine’s Day. It was a table of just women sharing stories about guys. I concluded that women needed their own network for sharing with other women.
Q: What were some of the tactics you used to get Lulu off the ground fast?
A: We went directly to our customers. College sororities and fraternities seemed like a great fit, so we ran a beta at two colleges in Fl. Within just a few weeks, we had 40% of girls and 60% guys on a campus on Lulu!
Q: What were some of the challenges you faced?
A: I don’t have a technical background, so I needed a very strong technical lead. Our CTO, Hassan Chahrour, was one of my first hires.
Q: What do you see as the future of dating and the emergence of accompanying tools, in particular?
A: Online dating is now the norm. We hear from users that dating without a reference is a scary thing. Lulu provides a critical information layer for the dating industry.
Q: What successes have you achieved so far at Lulu?
A: We’ve reached millions of girls in the US, including one in four US college girls. We hit #1 in the App Store in Brazil just one week after launch.
Q: Do you have any advice for other professionals aspiring to start their own business?
A: It all starts with the team. Find people that are smarter than you who you believe in and want to work with.
by Tiffany Pham
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FORBES – July 23 - Instant Chemistry helps couples understand the science behind their attraction. The site was founded in 2013 by Ron Gonzalez, who has a PhD in neuroscience. In the early days, Instant Chemistry worked with a dating site Singledout. They ended this partnership 8 months later. Gonzales doesn't regret. He received several emails from couples asking if they could use his test to determine whether they are a good match. Instant Chemistry’s kit tests for three Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) immune system genes and four behavioral genetic variants. It also includes a psychological assessment. Although the market for DNA testing for love hasn’t yet been proven, Instant Chemistry’s growing customer base gives Gonzalez high hopes.
