We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sandra Myers a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Sandra, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Looking back, do you think you started your business at the right time? Do you wish you had started sooner or later?

Our business came to life when a life-altering experience occurred for my business partner & CEO, Amber Lee. Amber had a sudden cardiac arrest and survived driving across four lanes of traffic and into a brick home. When Amber woke up in the hospital after surgery, she reached out to me and said, “It’s Time.” Amber & I had worked in the matchmaking industry for over 20 years and constantly challenged clients’ limited opportunities with the firms we had worked for previously. We chose to take a leap of faith and go out on our own, knowing that if we provided a gold standard service and took excellent care of our clients, the clients would, in turn, take care of our business. Now that we’re a few years in and many success stories behind us, I regret not having done this sooner. I wish we had taken the chance earlier in our careers and allowed more singles to work with us in our best light. The one thing Amber & I don’t regret is staying in touch and keeping an open mind to how we could bring an elevated experience to the matchmaking world. When Amber called, we knew we were prepared and ready to make this happen intentionally and effectively.

Sandra, 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?

Select Date Society began with the idea of becoming the “Ritz Carlton” of matchmaking. With 50 years of combined experience in the industry, we have not only created the best dating options for accomplished single professionals but have also hired the best team of professional matchmakers in the industry. Our highly seasoned team has the expertise and experience that deliver clients the results they deserve! Amber and I believe that if our focus is on client outcomes rather than the next new client, the business will take care of itself.

The strength of our company comes from our combined talents. Amber has forged incredible relationships throughout the years and has brought that breadth of resources to the company. Success in this industry is definitely all about the resources you have and the relationships you have maintained. I have focused on the customer’s experience and how SDS could elevate that for our clients. This was accomplished by creating an environment where clients feel like family rather than just another number in a pool of people. SDS is where clients now have a way to engage in their dating life with a positive attitude and a genuine excitement for what’s next. Clients know that the company they invested in is equally as invested in their outcome and will support their efforts in every way possible.

While SDS takes care of our client’s heart, they will take care of someone else’s. Select Date Society donates a portion of all memberships directly to the American Heart Association. Amber’s extraordinary personal story of a sudden cardiac arrest and miraculously surviving was a miracle. In honor of Amber’s story of survival, SDS is committed to giving back to this incredible organization with every heart we touch!

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

New clients have been predominantly from direct referrals or referrals from other matchmakers that trust us to take care of a client they may not have the resources to handle. As a company, I feel our strength is being upfront with a potential client and not overpromising what we can procure. We will let the potential client know that what they are asking for will not work based on our interviewing process. We would rather walk away from business than take on a client we can’t see being successful. Many times a declined potential client has sent someone they know to us because they value our integrity and know we will not take advantage of someone they refer. We typically take one out of every ten people we interview, limiting our client base to providing the highest service level.

Have you ever had to pivot?

When we started the business, we offered lower membership levels to have a broad spectrum of clients. We learned that being everything to everyone was not making our service stand out. We decided to narrow our services to a particular marketplace of wealthy individuals based on our connections. This decision, in turn, allowed us to provide the exceptional level of service most clients complained they did not receive when working with other high-end matchmaking services.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://selectdatesociety.com
• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/selectdatesociety
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/selectdatesociety
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/select-date-society
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj-gv89nx50sEbUJIGc2_eg

Image Credits
Kimberly Wright