We recently connected with Lisa Craft and have shared our conversation below.

Lisa, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

The idea for Adventure Dating didn’t come to me in a boardroom or after a pitch competition—it came from real life. I had spent years teaching CPR across Southern California, and during that time, I saw how much confidence, connection, and trust could be built through shared learning experiences. Pair that with my lifelong love of surfing and outdoor adventure, and I began to wonder: while on a bike ride in Topanga State Park, why wasn’t there a platform that encouraged people to connect through real-world activities instead of endless swiping?

At first, it was just a spark. I jotted down notes about what it could look like: an app that uses interests and activities as the core of its algorithm, rather than appearances or random scrolling. The next step was research—what were other dating apps doing? What gaps were they leaving? I quickly saw that most were focused on keeping users glued to their phones. I wanted the opposite.

Then came execution. I drew on a line of credit from my other business to fund development and leveraged my background as an educator and entrepreneur to stay organized and disciplined. I worked with developers in India, navigated the trial-and-error of design, and tested version after version. It wasn’t glamorous—it was late nights, endless edits, and a steep learning curve. But every time I felt stuck, I remembered my vision: dating should be exciting, not exhausting. That belief kept me moving forward until Adventure Dating officially launched.

Lisa, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’ve worn a lot of hats: CPR educator, entrepreneur, lifelong surfer, and now tech founder. My journey into entrepreneurship started in 2002 when I launched Southern California CPR with nothing more than a donated computer, a fax machine, and a dream. Inspired by an Oprah segment on female entrepreneurs, I branched out on my own, teaching CPR to colleges, medical offices, and corporate clients. That business has thrived for decades, built entirely through word of mouth and referrals.

Adventure Dating is my latest venture, and it brings together all the threads of my life: wellness, connection, and adventure. The app matches people through activity-based categories—surfing, hiking, biking, golf, you name it—so that instead of wasting weeks in digital small talk, users can get outside, try something new, and meet face-to-face almost immediately.

We don’t just solve the problem of “finding a date.” We solve the bigger issue of swipe fatigue, ghosting, and the lack of authenticity in modern dating. What sets us apart is that we put wellness and real-life experiences at the center of our design.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Three qualities have been key: resilience, authenticity, and vision. Resilience came from weathering setbacks and funding the app without outside investors, which forced me to stay lean and scrappy. Authenticity came from building something that reflects my life and values, rather than chasing trends. And vision came from staying true to the belief that people are craving something more meaningful than screen time.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Early on, I faced a moment where things simply weren’t working the way I envisioned. I had already put in significant time, effort, and resources, and it would have been easy to walk away. Instead, I made the decision to step back, reassess, and find a new way forward. That experience became a turning point—not just for the business, but for me personally. It reminded me that resilience isn’t about avoiding setbacks; it’s about adapting, rethinking, and committing to the process until you break through.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Adventuredating.com
• Instagram: @adventuredating
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578656579391
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@adventuredating
  https://www.Pinterest.com/adventuredating

Image Credits

Jeffrey Miller Photography