PRESS RELEASE – UK matchmaking service Club Introductions is expanding into the US. Founded by Lorraine Adams, it offers six months of personal matchmaking for £1,000, with up to three introductions each month. Adams is exploring partnerships with US agencies seeking a more affordable option for their clients.
ALL ABOUT COOKIES – PeopleFinders, a US data broker and people-search company operating since 1999, has launched Stud or Dud, a dating verification service. Users can search for someone by name, phone number, or location. A $5 report can include marriage, criminal, employment, property, financial, and social media records, along with AI-generated safety and compatibility scores. The person being searched is not notified. Critics warn that the service makes personal information easier for stalkers, scammers, and identity thieves to access. People can submit an opt-out request asking PeopleFinders to remove their details from Stud or Dud’s search results, although it may take up to 45 days to process it.
THE VERGE – Several dating apps linked to a China-based AI catfishing operation remained available through Apple and Google after Anthropic discovered the network. The apps included Dora, Romi, Doni, Jovia, Luma, GraceChat, Kira, Nalo and Eterna. Most were removed during August and September, but Kira was still available on Google Play as of Sep 16. The apps reportedly concealed their AI personas and external payment systems during the review process.
OPW – Global Dating Insights (GDI) has been acquired by Courtland Brooks, the online dating consultancy founded by Mark Brooks. The acquisition begins a new chapter for GDI, almost 13 years after Simon Corbett founded the publication in 2013. Since then, the GDI editorial team has published thousands of news stories, interviews, features and analysis pieces, alongside the GDI Podcast, annual Power Book, special reports, newsletters and other industry content. The deal brings together two businesses that have worked closely within the online dating industry for many years. “The acquisition comes at a time of major change in online dating, driven by AI, regulation, safety concerns, new revenue models and consolidation. GDI will continue covering these issues and the people and companies shaping the industry,” Mark Brooks said.
LTR – In this conversation, Mark Brooks sits down with Eric Strauss, former Founder and CEO of Cupid.com and President of Transworld Business Brokers in Manhattan, to explore the realities of building a business with an eventual exit in mind.
Eric reflects on the sale of Cupid.com and Regional Help Wanted, before sharing lessons from his years helping entrepreneurs sell their companies. They discuss how to prepare a business for acquisition, why clean and transparent financials matter, how valuation and pricing affect the sales process, and why overpricing can actually make it harder to attract serious buyers.
The conversation also explores how buyers are identified, how a competitive process can help drive the best outcome, and why founders should start preparing for a sale long before they are ready to put their business on the market.
[**See the video here on YouTube**]
The February LTR was kindly sponsored by HubPeople, LeadThink and Courtland Brooks
INC – Wellness-focused dating and social platform ATEAM has launched its app after building a 10K+ person waitlist and hosting ~30 IRL events attended by 2K people. The $39.99/month membership connects people around shared health and wellness values for both romantic and platonic relationships. ATEAM has partnerships with SoulCycle and Lifetime Fitness and backing from a 35-person investor group, including former NFL player Dale Moss. After launching in New York, it plans to expand to Miami, West Palm Beach, Austin, Dallas, and Los Angeles.
OPW – We’re dedicated to providing you with quality daily executive summaries and intelligence. Subscribe here, and send to a friend. We find news and info that will help make you smarter and help you make better informed decisions. Online Personals Watch has been run by the Courtland Brooks team since 2004.
GDI – Mark Brooks spoke with Christopher Alesich, founder and CEO of Sister Wives and Matchmakers. Sister Wives is a dating site for people looking for polyamorous or polygamous relationships. Christopher Alesich discussed why mainstream dating apps do not work well for this market. He talked about changes to the Sister Wives matching system and Matchmakers’ 200-question matchmaking process. He also plans to launch more dating brands.
OPW – I've been working in dating since the late 90's and running Online Personals Watch since 2004, and IDEA since 2006. At this stage I have a database of over a 1000 people who have worked in the dating industry and left. Invariably they miss us. I often find myself delving into this database for clients to offer up experienced personnel for their teams, or to recruit new people onto the Courland Brooks team. We're here to help you grow your company, and hire great people.
For the price of a marketing manager you can get access to a seasoned team of online dating professionals. See Testimonials here. See pricing and service overview. Email mark@courtlandbrooks.com or simply book an opening call here.
