Who finds the love of their life by locking eyes across a crowded dance floor? No one, that’s who. Maybe we’ve gotten too busy or too picky, but what we do know is that it’s seriously hard to remember the singles scene before OKCupid, Match.com and Tinder. Even the Millionaire Matchmaker, Patti Stanger, who creates meet-cutes for a living, recommends dating apps, and we’ve found some to help you find true love… or even just true like. Baby steps.
1. Glimpse (Free): Are you an Amaro or a Valencia? This iOS app matches you based on your Instagram feed. So if you’re a foodie, you could be matched with someone who’s up for a culinary adventure. Glimpse offers a platform for you to be paired with someone who sees the world like you do.
2. HowAboutWe (Free): Location. Location. Location. HowAboutWe is all about where you’ll go on your date. Post a date idea or browse others’ and pick a date based on shared tastes! They have a version created for couples, too and we tried it out and loved it — so you can continue your love affair with the app long after that first fun date :)
3. Coffee Meets Bagel (Free): This iPhone app sets you up with one free match a day who’s a friend of a Facebook friend. Your match is a “bagel;” you’re the “coffee.” You have a day to respond to your match. We like that the selection pool comes from friends of friends so there’s less of a chance for creepers.
4. Moonit (Free): Do you believe true love is written in the stars? Moonit uses the “most advanced astrology algorithm ever developed” to match you with your ideal sign. After you connect with someone, you get their compatibility results so you can get stats on if it’s meant to be.
5. Siren: Siren hasn’t quite hit the app world yet, but we’re already on the waitlist. You can control your profile visibility, which will leave you feeling less vulnerable, and make a “Siren call” to see who is up for a spontaneous meetup. But the really fun part of this dating app is that you can respond to Questions of the Day and Video Challenges initiated by “Seattle’s movers and shakers.”
6. Flikdate (Free): The speed date just went digital, people. This Android and iOS app is like FaceTime for dating. You get randomly matched with a local single and video chat in real time! If things are going sour, just swipe to the right. No harm, no foul. But if it’s going well, keep chatting or propose a date IRL. Reviews show it’s a little buggy for now, but it may be worth holding out for future updates.
7. Grouper (Free): Three’s company, but two groups of three could be perfect for matchmaking — if there are solid wing women in your friend group. Grouper matches you and two friends with another group of three friends and picks a place for your entourages to meet. It sounds great, but it’s a blind group date, so, well, you know how those go.
8. Plenty of Fish (Free): This app claims it has the largest dating community around, exchanging more than 200 million messages per week, which is “more than all other online dating sites combined.” So probability is on your side. You can review your matches from your iPhone and see who’s viewed your profile to get you one step closer to finding the perfect mate.
9. Let’s Date (Free): This iPhone app is definitely in the same realm as OKCupid. You scroll through profiles and if two people share a match, you can start chatting. If you want, Let’s Date will pick a date for you.
10. Salad Match (Free): We couldn’t resist this one. NYC restaurant Just Salad made an app matches you based on your favorite salad toppings. The only catch? The iPhone app is only active where there are Just Salad joints, New York City and Hong Kong. Marketing ploy? Maybe. Super fun? We think so.
Has an app led to a successful romance for you? Let us know which ones in the comments!
It can be intimidating to step out on your own and build a business from the ground up. As part of our collaboration with Office Depot, we're talking with Selfmade alum and solopreneur Colette Lawrence, the faith-based motivator and relationship builder behind The M.E.E. Movement, about ways in which women in business can find success.
B + C: How did you know M.E.E. Movement was your business to start?
The M.E.E Movement represents motivation, empowerment, and encouragement for women. It is what represents me. I did not know at first that it was my business to start, but then the thought of monetizing what I loved came to me. It scared me, however. I registered the business in July 2020 and have been slowly building my wings since.
B + C: What's one strategy that's helped you start your business?
Thinking through and researching what the requirements are to start my business, and then asking questions of people who are in the business. Not all advice worked; however, it helped me to figure out what I needed to do and not to do.
B + C: Did you always know life coaching would be your entrepreneurial path?
(Smiles) No, I did not. I 'stumbled" on it. I knew that people were always coming to me for advice and I found that I loved having conversations with them, especially with women, young and old.
B + C: What was your most valuable takeaway from Selfmade?
My most valuable takeaway was the first day of training: Get out of your own way. There were a lot of great moments and important takeaways from every presenter. However, getting out of my own way, pushing past doubts, was for me my most valuable takeaway. Doing something that I had never done before took courage. If I do not focus on what is happening with me mentally then I cannot deliver to my clients successfully.
B + C: What's one piece of advice you would give to female entrepreneurs on the brink of starting?
Get out of your head. You have something to offer. You have what you need to succeed so go ahead and do it.
B + C: How do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated by listening to music and listening to motivational speakers, and sometimes someone will just reach out and talk about the impact that I made in their life. That adds the extra juice or sauce I need to pummel through the day.
B + C: What's your best organizational tip?
Keep a diary and journal. It's the best way for me to keep organized and it also provides a source motivation as I record not only my "losses" but my wins as well.
B + C: Who inspires you in the entrepreneurial space?
Shirley Toliver – She motivates and empowers and makes me always want to show up.
B + C: What has receiving the Office Depot scholarship to Selfmade done to help you start or grow your business?
The scholarship was a blessing in that all the areas that were covered offered valuable information that I needed, from social media to HR. As a new business owner, I needed to know this to increase my own personal awareness in what it takes to run a successful business. The candidness of the presenters made it easy to see myself in their shoes and helped me to realize that I can also get there.
Thanks Colette! You can follow The M.E.E. Movement on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Want to feel motivated to take the next step for your business? Let Office Depot OfficeMax give you the confidence you need with a suite of business services & solutions to help you put your best foot forward. Make a good first impression with business cards & build the business pitch of your dreams with custom presentations. With Office Depot OfficeMax you'll find the tools to reach new customers with confidence.
Head to Office Depot's Selfmade page to check out even more amazing business resources (and discounts!) to help you accomplish more on your entrepreneurial journey. These offers are available for a limited time only, so be sure to take advantage of all this goodness while supplies last. Want to join the next Selfmade cohort this summer? Check out all of the scholarship details right here.