Melissa Hobley, the Chief Marketing Officer of Tinder, may work for the biggest dating app globally, but she is also a firm believer in the power of offline connections. Despite spending much of her career in the online dating world, she has been moonlighting as a real-life matchmaker for over a decade, working with 50 to 100 singles around the world at any given time.
While dating apps like Tinder have been hugely successful, with 50 million users in 190 countries and a new relationship starting every three seconds, Ms. Hobley still sees value in traditional matchmaking. She believes that meeting in person and forming connections offline is important, even in today’s digital age.
For Ms. Hobley, in-person matchmaking is more than just a hobby – it’s a passion. She has never been paid to do it, but she often finds herself helping singles find love in various ways. Whether it’s through email, social media, or striking up conversations with strangers at events or coffee shops, she is always looking to bring people together.
Despite the challenges faced by dating apps in attracting younger users and monetizing their platforms, Ms. Hobley remains optimistic about the future of online dating. She believes that there is room for both online and offline connections in the dating world, and she is committed to being a part of both.
In a world where technology has become increasingly prevalent in our lives, Melissa Hobley’s advocacy for offline connections serves as a reminder that sometimes the best relationships are formed face-to-face. So next time you’re at a party or out and about, take her advice – put your phone down and see where a real-life conversation might take you.
