by Timothy W. Martin & Sarah Krouse
See full article at Wall Street Journal
Category: Outlets – Wall Street Journal
Match Group CEO Mandy Ginsberg: How I Work
WALL STREET JOURNAL – Dec 20 – Mandy Ginsberg, CEO of the Match Group, talks to The Wall Street Journal about the best way to run a meeting, how to say no to an executive, and juggling work and parenting.
The CEO Behind Tinder, OkCupid on the Future of Online Dating
WALL STREET JOURNAL – Dec 20 – Match Group CEO Mandy Ginsberg talks about her first year on the job, the Facebook threat and tackling loneliness through technology.
Q: Are you losing a lot of sleep over the Facebook move?
A: There are a lot of other things that make me lose sleep. I worry: "Are we innovating enough? Do we have the right talent?" You can't underestimate Facebook, but I do feel confident that, with Tinder, people who are 21 years old are not going to be like, "Oh, I'm going to get rid of my Tinder app in order to use Facebook."
Q: Who isn't using your apps today, and where do you see the greatest potential?
A: The biggest opportunity is outside of the U.S. and Western Europe.
Q: How have your products changed in the #MeToo era?
A: When I started this year, I thought hard about what else should we do. I kicked off a safety advisory council. Tarana Burke, who founded the #MeToo movement, is on it.
Q: Match Group is ~80%-owned by Barry Diller's IAC. What advice has he given you?
A: He's a very instinctive decision-maker. He likes to get to the heart of a problem, and he pushes individuals and the team to get there. It's more about the dialogue and the discussion.
Q: What's the best career advice you ever received?
A: My mother, growing up, said, "If you want something, open up your mouth and ask."
Q: What will Match look like in 2025?
A: Despite so much technology, people are more disconnected than ever. It's really important that products like ours are all about human connections and connecting people one on one. Video is going to play a role.
Some Tips From a Dating Coach
WALL STREET JOURNAL – Dec 10 – Dating coaches differ from therapists by focusing on the present – helping people modify the behaviors and beliefs that prevent them from finding a romantic partner. They work with clients for short periods to assist them in meeting specific goals. But unlike most therapists, dating coaches don't have to be licensed. "The world of dating coaching is like the Wild West," says David Steele, founder of the Relationship Coaching Institute, an organization that offers training for coaches. So singles should watch out for coaches who come across as too slick or who use fear to motivate them. Why look to a stranger for help with something so personal? Coaches are more objective than friends or family members. The best coaches don't tell people what to do. They help them figure out themselves. Here are some recommendations from Diana Kirschner, founder of Love Mentor Coaching, to her clients:
- Be clear about what you're looking for.
- Casually date three people at first. Don't have sex right away.
- Optimize your profile if you're online dating. Lead with your qualities and don't be afraid to talk about what you want.
- Be open to meeting someone anywhere.
- Practice talking to attractive strangers.
- Be open about your intentions.
- If you like someone, ask the person out.
- Don't take rejection personally.
by Elizabeth Bernstein
See full article at Wall Street Journal
Facebook Considered Charging for Access to User Data
WALL STREET JOURNAL – Nov 30 – Internal emails show Facebook considered charging companies for continued access to user data several years ago. The emails in the document also indicate that Facebook employees discussed pushing some advertisers to spend more in return for increased access to user information. At a congressional hearing in April, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said, "I can't be clearer on this topic: We don't sell data."
by Deepa Seetharaman & Kirsten Grind
See full article at Wall Street Journal
In the Elevator With Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd
Bumble Is Open to a Future IPO
WALL STREET JOURNAL – Nov 14 – Speaking at The Wall Street Journal's WSJ Tech D.Live conference on Wednesday, Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd said an IPO could give her company more momentum to expand further internationally. Wolfe Herd founded the dating app in 2014 as a site where women must make the first move. The company now has ~45M users and is profitable, she said. Still, an IPO is more of an option than a necessity for Bumble right now. Wolfe Herd said her company's next phase of growth isn't contingent on raising this money this way and noted the offering is far from certain. "We're exploring a lot of different options right now," Wolfe Herd said.
How Bumble Plans to Get Buy-In From Women in India
WALL STREET JOURNAL – Nov 15 – Bumble founder and CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd discussed the dating app's strategy for getting women in India to buy in and the company's move to producing primetime video content. "In India, we recruit hyper, hyper local influencers – people who have a voice in a college, people the young women look up to and respect," she said. "No social platform has really been able to create major traction because they have not had the buy in from women in India. Women don't feel safe. Women are not even creating profiles for themselves because of the safety issues", she continued. "We are launching all sorts of safety features. You have to verify yourself as a user, we are letting women register without their first name, just the first initial."
India Has Lots Of Single Women, But Not On Tinder
WALL STREET JOURNAL – June 25 – Tinder's biggest challenge in India appears to be getting enough women to sign on. In many parts of India, arranged marriages remain the norm, and dating in any form still carries a stigma, particularly for women. Indian women who have dabbled with dating apps complain they get overwhelmed by all the attention that comes with the surplus of men. Tinder doesn't disclose a gender breakdown, but among the app's members in India, men far outnumber women. The dating app TrulyMadly, which says women make up ~20% of its users, is trying to introduce women to the concept of "boy browsing" through a YouTube video. Another competitor, Woo, allows women on its app free but charges men, and lets women use initials rather than full names.
by Georgia Wells & Eric Bellman
See full article at Wall Street Journal
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From Spotify To Instagram, The Entire Internet Is Now A Dating Site
WALL STREET JOURNAL – May 14 – Platforms for networking, blogging and more do double duty as matchmakers. Musician Jacoby Jennings doesn't like online dating sites. Yet he found love through the music-streaming service Spotify. Now Facebook is officially getting into the act. Social-media sites are getting better at connecting strangers through mutual interests and friends, says Brooklyn Sherman, who founded a blog and Instagram account called "The Way We Met."