How a High-End Matchmaker Tells Clients Why They Got Rejected with Alina Fattakhova

Jen: I’m so excited to talk to you. I am so interested. What does a matchmaker do in a day? I’ve loved looking at all of your Instagram content over the past few weeks, and I really, really admire how you talk about prioritizing authenticity and people showing up as their best selves first. I think that sounds opposite of what I’d imagined previously, a matchmaker to really lean in on. So it’s really amazing and inspiring to hear you talk about just the importance of being authentic and being your best self. I love to start every interview by asking, how do you normally answer the question, what do you do?

Alina Fattakhova: So I basically just give a kind of analogy that I’m like a consultant. Let’s say if you wanna go to the gym, you know you need a fitness trainer. If you wanna open a business, you need an advisor. So this is what I do for people when they’re trying to find their life partner and romantic partner. So I not only match people, but also see what has to be done, whether it’s a strategy, whether it’s some behavior during the day that somebody’s performing, maybe someone needs a great photo session. So all of that is basically all in one that we do. So we analyze the client and see what’s point A and what’s the goal? What’s point B? Right? So it’s kind of a personal journey that everyone needs to go through to find that person. And of course we match you with people who are as aligned as you are based on values. So what I do if in the nutshell.

Jen: Amazing. Something you said just triggered me thinking about this one post that you did about how people are always making their kind of to-do list and five year plans and stuff for their career, but they’re not doing that for their personal life. Could you just kind of reiterate that post, ’cause it was really powerful.

Alina Fattakhova: Yes, absolutely. So if you wanna have family and kids, if that’s your goal, especially if you wanna have two kids, you need to kind of plan ahead because it takes time to get to know someone. It takes time for you to be intentional and focus and actually go on dates. So you need to reverse engineer it. So if you have a goal of meeting someone and have, let’s say, one kid, you need to look forward and kind of plan it five years backwards, right? So that means, let’s say if you’re wanna do it by 35, you have to start doing it when you’re 30. So at least try to focus, try to go on dates and see what you like, what you don’t like, reflect, and see where you can meet that type of person. So all of that takes planning, whether we like it or not. So.

Jen: Yeah. Yeah. I really, I really like how you bring structure to something that people, I feel so many people have this idea that romance is only romantic if it’s completely spontaneous and no prior thought has gone into it. And I think that. Completely insane, I think. I think what is really romantic is putting intention and showing up and treating it like something that is as important to you as anything else. So I really love the way you break that down and to create systems.

Alina Fattakhova: Thank you. Yeah, the same analogy, you wanna, let’s say, lose 10 pounds, right? It’s not just because you kind of like, oh yeah, put the thought out there. You have to see what your diet is like. You have to exercise, you know, you have to find you and for everyone it’s really different. So the same thing or applying for a job. Why do people apply to 200 jobs, you know, in two weeks and they’re not doing the same thing for dating sometimes. So.

Jen: That’s such a good one. That’s a really great comparison. Can you walk me through, I know, well, it seems like you have event days and then maybe what non-event days, and I’m sure those are very different. But could you walk me through a normal day, either an event day or a non-event day, what’s the first thing you do when you wake up and open your laptop or check your phone or whatever?

Alina Fattakhova: Sure. So a lot of times I have meetings in the morning for people who signed up for a consultation and they will wanna learn if matchmaking is for them. And we are also selective, so we need to know if that’s a potential client of ours. That takes about two hours of my time, typically, and then I do the matchmaking part where I already help the clients that I have and source the matches for them. And there’s totally different ways that I do so from my own database. Then I also collaborate with my colleagues. You know, basically that also takes that time. I do social media, so about an hour or so I plan social media and also try to plan what’s next in terms of whether it’s an event, whether I need to remind someone about an event that they’ve wanted to come, but they need a little nudge, and things like that. So in the evening time, I do also have meetings with potential matches. So even there in our system, we do need to see if they still are single, if they wanna meet that my client, you know? So it has to be mutual, so it takes time to screen them. And also I do try to take time for myself during the evening time. So that means going for a workout, maybe for a little walk, just to kind of clear my head, listen to some music. And then I have a building where there’s spa. So that also is a bit of me time, and it’s usually from seven to 9:00 PM. So.

Jen: Nice. That’s a very full interesting day. How do you track people and their preferences and their feedback and everything like that? Is it all, is it in your brain? Is it in spreadsheets?

Alina Fattakhova: So it’s a combination of both. So I do have a system, it’s a special CRM system that is built by an amazing matchmaker, and now it’s her full-time job and she’s basically sharing it where we can also, whatever matches that we have, other matchmakers can potentially tap into that. So that’s definitely something that’s really helpful. That’s where you keep track of preferences, whether they’re a match or not. You can see overall compatibility and you can also track dates. So for instance, one of my clients, he said yes to a match. The match said yes to him, and now it’s his time to plan a date. So, you know, I’m helping to kind of coordinate that and once we finalize it, they do have basically a task to do. And after the date, the system is great because it also collects feedback. So it’s about two minutes that they kind of saying what they thought about the match, what they thought about the client, and whether they wanna continue that connection or not. So in that sense, it took off a lot of administrative work that I needed to do off my plate. So.

Jen: That’s awesome. When you first are doing a new client intake, do you have a running list in your mind of, Ooh, this sounds like somebody that would be really good to be matched with this person, or do you have to always go and check the database? Okay.

Alina Fattakhova: Absolutely. It’s usually I do have people in mind right away. This is the person that always gonna connect because we like it or not, when we talk to people, some people are just more memorable because maybe they’re really soft-spoken or energetic or they’re really kind of positive. So you remember them somehow. Right? And they’re also very aligned, so when you talk to someone and you kind of understand what they’re looking for and what’s really important to them, you do have a couple of people in mind simply because you’ve interacted with them. Maybe they came to my in person and some people come for years to my event, so I get to know them through that. So they get into a relationship. They get out of a relationship. So I’m happy that, you know, people do get into a relationship and then they learn something and then they come back. So yeah, I do get to know them through that. And that’s why, let’s say if I have work with client who is not attending any of my events, I do know who I can potentially match him with or her with, you know, outside of basically outside of the circle, meaning it’s my database or my colleague’s database, so.

Jen: You do a lot of content that I feel is almost like coaching. Do you keep that type of vibe and relationship with your actual clients where they might be saying, oh, I want this, this, and this in a person, and you go, oh, well, why don’t you think about, you know, improving this about yourself, or, you know, thinking about, how much are you giving feedback and trying to push them towards growth in a different way than what they’re showing up with.

Alina Fattakhova: Yes, absolutely. So in matchmaking, sometimes the challenge is someone has really high expectations, but they don’t, the person that they wanna date don’t really wanna date them back. Sometimes for certain reasons, you know, whether it’s the way they communicate, whether it’s the way they show up, or maybe they need to fix their teeth. It’s so many different reasons, right? I do tend to be very transparent and really honest with them, without trying to hurt them. So if somebody, let’s say he likes blonde blue eyes, let’s say really stunning ladies, right? I do give them the reality check and I say, look, these are the ladies that unfortunately rejected you, and these are the reasons why they rejected you. It’s not even sometimes really about the looks. It’s maybe the way that the person came off at the event. Maybe he was talking to so many women that the women that would be interesting to him, they thought that it was just, he’s not serious, you know? So of course I try to give them that transparent message because it is all about self growth. And they do pay me to give them the reality and the feedback. And sometimes, and I think the benefit of a smaller firm where you know, the founder really cares about the clients is part of it has to be honesty. So even if it hurts. So yes, I do sometimes have to give them certain feedback.

Jen: Did you see the movie that came out last year? The Materialists.

Alina Fattakhova: Absolutely that was, I dragged boyfriend, though it’s a chick flick in the sense that it’s only mostly women would go see it. But yeah, we both saw it. And did you watch it? I’m curious.

Jen: Yeah. Yeah. I would love to know, is it accurate at all?

Alina Fattakhova: I would say that from the perspective of there were so many employees in their company, it does look like a bigger company. Boutique matchmaking, they usually have, there are two types of businesses is massive matchmaking companies that take anyone and everyone kind of right. And there are boutique ones that’s kind of selective about their clients. And from the movie it seems like it was a massive company just simply because boutique matchmaking doesn’t have that many staff. So I would say the expectations and the job itself was pretty much realistic, but sometimes the client who’s 40-year-old and he wanted to date a 20-year-old. Right. And if she was going to be, I think she was really transparent about, what do you have in common? Right? And her boss was like, next time you have to be really nice. But some people who, they get challenged and they don’t answer these questions or they keep being a little bit delusional. They’re not really usually taken by boutique matchmaking companies that care about the reputation. And something else, oh, about the bad that happened at the movie. I’m not sure if your audience watched it or not, so I don’t wanna spoil it for them.

Jen: Okay.

Alina Fattakhova: Yeah, so there was something that’s really bad happened during that movie, and I think that it’s not as often that it happens actually, because I never heard about it. Maybe it happens once or twice, but we would know all about it because usually this is posted in the groups and beware and kind of flagged, blacklisted for in, you know, in boutique matchmaking. But in that particular movie, I guess that was the, you know, they kind of made it seem like it happens a lot, but typically it doesn’t happen a lot.

Jen: Well, that’s good to know.

Alina Fattakhova: Okay.

Jen: How do you design an event so that people actually talk to strangers and make deeper connections?

Alina Fattakhova: Sure. So typically either I know people that come because they’re in my database or I’ve spoken maybe they came to other events. So I would say the majority are repeat attendees, and I already know them. I know their preferences. We’ve spoken for the people that I don’t know. We schedule zoom meeting, it’s 15, 20 minutes and we get to know a little bit about them. And at the event itself, we have icebreakers and a lot of times I’m really, oh, hi. You know, great to meet you. I do wanna introduce you to someone. So I’m kind of really trying to connect them and that’s how a lot of connections happen. That’s how a lot of couples got formed. I think sometimes it’s intuitive and not really explainable in the sense. So yeah, that’s what happens as well. And then of course, people, you know, approach people that they feel they can have a connection with. Some people are a little more shy, some people are not. I just tell them just have a couple of drinks first and then, but yeah, basically it’s not just strangers coming, but people that I typically get to know a little bit before the event.

Jen: What type of icebreakers are there?

Alina Fattakhova: So sometimes we divide into the groups and give them a little quiz. Truth or dares sometimes I used once, called Matchbox. It’s a special platform that they register people, you answer some questions and it kind of breaks you into the, you know, certain groups based on how you answered those questions. And that was a great way to connect people as well. And then at the end of it, it will reveal your match and you have to find that match. Or there was a game that, let’s say Barbie and Ken and for whoever I thought were a match, I gave the guy, Ken and I gave the girl Barbie, right. On the piece of paper and they just had to find each other the crowd and.

Jen: Cute.

Alina Fattakhova: Yeah. So all.

Jen: Is there a common pattern that you see in New York City dating that people don’t realize is a common pattern?

Alina Fattakhova: Of course, I think the common pattern is illusion of choice that people think that, you know, there’s millions of people out there and I’m not really gonna dive in, or there’s a certain ick I have. Maybe this person said something that really rubbed me the wrong way, so I’m gonna not continue this, so I’m gonna try to find someone new when the reality is sometimes you just need to peel the layers, right? You need to go on, not just first dates, but go on a second date if you felt like it was, pretty decent connection and you felt spark in a sense of curiosity. Oh my God, this person is artistic. So that’s really amazing. So sometimes it’s all about to discover the same connections. I think that’s what’s lacking sometimes. And then also too many people are just busy and stuck in their workplace and they just don’t have any energy to connect with new people anymore. Some people finish their work at eight and when do they have time? And during the weekend they only distress themselves. So that’s also really, I think, part of the reason why so many people are constantly, you know, looking for a relationship. So yeah. It’s all about the stress that we have in New York City as well.

Jen: Absolutely. And as you’re always pointing out on your posts, now more than ever, people are either working from home and not seeing people, or they’re in the office all day and then exhausted and it’s just not allocating and prioritizing that energy in the way that leads to happiness and love.

Alina Fattakhova: If you’re someone who is really shy or someone who is working from home, maybe has a business or you know, wants to really find that person, I do inspire people to create a blog about it or Instagram, you know, a page where it’s only about you and dating experience. I know so many bloggers that you don’t have to become famous, but it’s your personal challenge because people that are your followers, they will kind of keep you accountable. So it will make.

Jen: That’s a really good idea.

Alina Fattakhova: Yeah, you can do it with humor. You can do it from some of my clients are engineers and they have a spreadsheet of people they went out with. You can do it from that angle. So, you know, especially, or with some kind of a challenge like today I’m gonna go to a singles event. Today I’m gonna go to networking event and see if I find any singles and let me count the singles or let me interview the singles. Something like that. I think it would be great.

Jen: Yeah. That’s so interesting. Are there any common green flags that you hear from clients that tend to lead to relationship success?

Alina Fattakhova: A lot of the green flags are someone who is genuinely kind. Definitely someone who has their life together in the sense they are, you know, they can deal with unpredictability if they’re a business owner. If they are working, they have some career planning, or maybe they purchased a property or they’re just, you know, having a side hustle. And definitely someone who is just overall a nice human being, respectful, curious about life, and also wants to learn more about themselves. Not just, you know, it’s not all about white and black type of thinking in a sense. We’re not rigid. We always constantly have to learn and you know, expand ourselves and be curious about this life because technically we don’t know a lot of things. We only think we know, but we don’t really, so that’s the common green flags that are people in my circle, in my dating club, they’re looking for. So.

Jen: Is there anything that you do to try to encourage people to cultivate that or do you think that is something that can be cultivated or does it have to show up naturally?

Alina Fattakhova: I think some of those are natural traits, and some of them are being cultivated by kind of challenging yourself. Maybe you have to deal with trauma and go to therapy or work with a coach, like a life coach. We are coaching just only on the dating side, and obviously we do tend to attract people who are naturally curious. And yes, they are, of course, they’re scared at first, but then they’re also excited to, you know, go through this journey. And then self-reflective, self-aware, that’s also really, really something that, you know, is attractive to anyone. And one of the other things, I do have some nerdy clients that to research or they have a spreadsheet of people, you know, that they data. So they take those data points actually, and then they kind of, oh, this is what the pattern is, so this is really interesting. And then they learn something from it. So I love that everyone has.

Jen: I love that.

Alina Fattakhova: Yeah, everyone has their own way because there is, they’re correct. There’s definitely some pattern, you know, that we tend to have and we just need to break it. So.

Jen: Would you say your job is kind of split into three parts of admin coaching and marketing, or Yeah. Does that feel accurate?

Alina Fattakhova: Yes, absolutely. So would say one of the best analogies is a real estate company, right? There is a buyer and there’s a seller. So our job is to connect them, right? So my client is basically someone who is, you know, really looking for relationship and they have a certain idea of the person they’re looking for. So my job is to package them the right way. Take the pictures, see what is really good about them. Because a lot of people I work with, they initially don’t see what is really good about them. Maybe they’re a little shy or maybe they’re just didn’t think about it in certain way. And so we find all of that we market with the people who are as aligned, right? So we are there to, and then also get the feedback. So let’s say there were two perfect people for each other, but maybe they didn’t have chemistry or maybe he said something that threw her off. And sometimes it’s about reassuring, you know, and communication. So I’m there like mediator sometimes just to connect them, things that they probably didn’t see on the first date. Just kind of inspired to go on a second and third date, and that’s how connections are being built. So.

Jen: You have a very interesting background in having worked in a luxury jewelry gallery doing something with government projects. How does all of that lead into what you do now? What things that you learned from those jobs lend to supporting your work today?

Alina Fattakhova: Well first of all, I really appreciate your deep diving into what I did before. Yes. So basically all of that that I worked with mostly was sales. And I love sales for the reason that it’s all about a little bit of psychology curiosity, because you need to learn what do they want. It’s not about you in the process about them and try to solve their problems. So I’ve worked in very high net worth jewelry sales, where I learned that sometimes it’s not about how the person looks. Sometimes it’s about the intuition, how they behave themselves and it’s really, you just have to treat everyone with kindness. And obviously that’s part of who you have to be, but also it’s not about labeling anyone, because I’ve had instances where they would come in and they look almost like they’re homeless, but they would just go for the biggest piece. And it’s not about the money, but it’s just interesting observation. People are just, especially when they’re old money, they just, they’re very confident. They know what they want and it’s about their poster, you know. And that experience of talking to people, finding what they want, and you know, communicating with ’em. I took that into construction, which is a very big business in New York City. There’s a lot of projects going on, so I’ve taken that in a B2B world where I was selling to other companies and learned how to, you know, bid on government projects and how to get those government contracts, which was a great journey in itself too. And in that all of that process, I’ve learned how to connect people. Some of the people I connected, they became best friends. Some of them, you know, become, became romantic couples. Some of them they became business partners or still doing business. So basically that was my passion. My passion was to connect people. And I’ve taken that passion to establish my own club in a sense where the community, where I can actually connect people in the romantic sense. So.

Jen: How did you first come up with the idea that that’s what you wanted to transition into?

Alina Fattakhova: I think being an extrovert, I missed a lot of the perks, so to say, or a lot of the communication during COVID and working from home and not being able to go out. But also I read an article about a matchmaker, I think it was in New York Times, or one of those issues, and it sparked my interest and curiosity. And then I saw an, and once you kind of start thinking about it, you start noticing a lot of things that are like that. So then I saw an ad in the magazine. It was about, for this really big company, it’s called Kelleher. They’re also reputable, and I was like, oh my God, that’s actually a profession. So it kind of, you know, reaffirmed what I was thinking about. So then I started to be, okay, I’m actually not really good in dating myself. So I started to reflect on my own dating patterns. And I think all of that curiosity just kind of realized into what I’m doing right now, and especially I had all that experience of sales and talking about people, whether you like it or not, people end up talking to you about their relationships. You know, it’s a really, really primal thing in a sense, and also we’re social human beings, so people to share their and yeah, so I definitely saw that there’s a need for it. There’s a lack of connection sometimes in a romantic sense, so I definitely, I was like, this is what I wanna do.

Jen: Do you feel like this, that you have definitely found your calling and this is something you wanna do? You know, forever?

Alina Fattakhova: I definitely am someone who likes to inspire, and I do know the benefit of a good relationship. Because when you’re feeling down or you’re feeling the world is falling apart, sometimes you do need someone who is there, who’s gonna support you, or they just maybe sometimes they see more about you than you see in yourself at the moment. So I think that’s a really important part of the journey. So whether it is just being in a romantic sense, like a matchmaker, obviously I try to help people in other areas. Let’s say some of my clients, they say, I wanna buy an apartment, or I’m looking for this. And if I know someone who is really good for them, if they’re realtor or not, I will definitely introduce them. Or I’m looking for a project to, if I hear something, if there are two people that will match, I will definitely do my part to introduce ’em. So.

Jen: It seems like no matter what you end up doing, your whole life career, you’re gonna be matchmaking in some way or another.

Alina Fattakhova: Whether it’s gonna be just the romantic matching, but in the end of the day, you just become a source for a lot of people. So yeah, that’s just I guess, part of my personality and that’s how it actually went into my business.

Jen: Very interesting. So how do you manage your day to day? So you sent me kind of an overarching goals oriented to-do list, but I’m curious, yeah, just when you wake up on a Tuesday, are you checking that CRM and seeing, oh, what activities need to happen? Or do you have a written daily to-do list? What do you.

Alina Fattakhova: First of all, I wake up thinking only about coffee. My first.

Jen: Good answer. Good answer.

Alina Fattakhova: Let’s be really honest that sometimes you’re, oh my God, really want a coffee right now. And then, yeah, obviously I have a list typically and calendar that’s really keeping me on track of I have to meet people in person. Sometimes I do zoom calls and you know, get to know what they’re looking for. So usually it’s in the morning, either sometime in the morning or in the evening because people work in New York City and Miami. And of course they only have this much time to also devote to see if matchmaking makes sense to them. And then also I try not to work during the weekends, but sometimes I do. So yeah, basically my morning is all about trying to see potential clients that I’m trying to service my clients. And then I also have to to talk to my staff. I have staff that we need to kind of catch up what’s going on, whether it’s recruiting, which is finding the people their matches. Right. Whether it’s how many people are coming to the events, and all of this also takes time in my day. Later on, I do have to screen those matches, especially people who recruited new or gentlemen and I need to have a Zoom call to get to know them. They probably never heard about me and our company yet, but they signed up and they were curious to see if they’re a match for my client. And then sometime for myself. So, and of course social media too. I try to revive that. Definitely try to connect to more people via Instagram and TikTok and that’s already a little too much, but.

Jen: Yeah.

Alina Fattakhova: But I actually love it as I try to do it with a sense of humor too sometimes.

Jen: You succeed, I’d say a beautiful balance of humor, authenticity, and wisdom.

Alina Fattakhova: Oh, thank you so much. I appreciate that.

Jen: Absolutely. All right, well let’s get into the to-do list that you sent me. So it seems like it’s kind of a combination of accountability and goals in your to-do list.

Alina Fattakhova: Yes, let’s do it. Let’s dive in.

Jen: All right, so you have exercise four times a week. What does that look like and why you have that on your to-do list? Is that to keep yourself accountable?

Alina Fattakhova: So I do have that on to-do list because a year ago I used to exercise five days a week, and then I did abandon that for a year because I really concentrate. I had to service my clients and grow. It was a growing business, in a sense that I was the last person on that list, you know, so, and then I kind of realized that it’s not serving me, that I need to build some processes and obviously there’s some repetitions that, you know, in every process company that a company has. So I’ve concentrated on that and then I decided to devote more time on myself because otherwise I’m just gonna go bananas and I won’t be able to service my clients. So part of it is also I’m working from home just a lot of people are sometimes, and without being in the four walls. You need to go outside, you need to experience, you need to go and meet other people. And basically that was the idea is to exercise, you know, it’s almost like a meditation in a sense. Also go for a walk and that’s part of, part of it was also go to spa. So it’s all of it a complex that you need to of, you know, after stressful day or just basically focus on yourself a little bit.

Jen: Absolutely. Yes, and I’m sure that’s, you gotta keep your own cup full because you’re spending your whole day and job just giving to other people. So yes, very, very important to take care of yourself. All right. Then you have freeze eggs. That’s more of a, you know, big, big project type thing on the to-do list. Yeah. Walk me through, why is that on the to-do list?

Alina Fattakhova: Yeah, I put it out there because I think important for, especially I’m being in this industry, it’s important to be outspoken about it for someone who owns their businesses or maybe they’re not planning to have kids right away, I’m 34, I’m gonna be 35 in May. So I think that’s the best year to freeze my eggs, even though I do have a partner. It’s not we’re gonna try to have kids right away. So I think it’s important to, no matter what, kind of being selfish in the sense of if that’s gonna keep your mind a little calmer. If you wanna have kids when you’re 38, but you’re not really sure whether you’re gonna have eggs at the time or not. I think it’s a great way to plan ahead and stay calmer. There’s so much technology right now out there, so many different methods, and you can go to a different country to do it, and it’s definitely more accessible than I think it was years ago.

Jen: Absolutely. So part of it is for yourself, but also that you wanna kind of be a role model for your clients and talk about it. Is that right?

Alina Fattakhova: Yes. Yes, and I think we should be open about all of these conversations, and I do have some, see some people who are in their forties and they never froze their eggs, and come to me and they say, oh, you know, I don’t have to freeze my eggs. Or, sometimes you need to be, I don’t know, are totally different for everyone, but if you’re 45, I think there’s a lower of natural, being naturally, you know, pregnant and carrying that.

Jen: Absolutely.

Alina Fattakhova: Yeah, so you need to plan ahead. If you don’t want to be in that situation, if you’re currently, let’s say in your thirties, I think it’s okay to invest some money and just be, whether you wanna have kids. I mean, in the sense that whether that’s your goal right now or not? I think it’s good to have an option, because sometimes I do have women that are, oh, I never wanted to have kids, but then they came to me and they’re 40 and now they’re, you know what? I actually do wanna have a kid. So yeah.

Jen: Yeah, absolutely.

Alina Fattakhova: Excited, I think it’s okay to, to go ahead and do it so.

Jen: Next thing on your list, you have Grow Business two x, is there a time container for that goal?

Alina Fattakhova: Well, yes. So during this year, reason, part of the reason is because we raised prices, because when we work with someone who is very aligned or they understand the value, they do seem to be better clients because they’re invested more into the process, or maybe they’re more self-reflective. So I know it sounds weird, but the more prices you raise, the people that come to you, obviously there’s a reason for the raise, right? But also they’re people who come that are more aligned and maybe they trust you more. And yeah, it’s basically somehow it’s definitely a great policy to screen better clients.

Jen: That makes perfect sense. It’s a self-selecting thing and it’s people who are really wanting to invest in themselves and they’re proving that. Yeah, that makes perfect sense to me.

Alina Fattakhova: Yes. And they, and they understand that, and I always say it upfront, it’s a 50 50 partnership in a sense. I can do my part of the job, but if we need to fix something or you’re sabotaging. I have some clients who sabotage, we need that from you too. We need you to. So yes, it’s not all about just, you know, introduction. Sometimes people are in their own way of happiness. So definitely helps.

Jen: Absolutely. Then next you have become a public speaker. What does that look like?

Alina Fattakhova: So I actually experienced being a public speaker and organizer. And I’m just trying to be a little more exposed in the media. So part of it, I’m gonna have a radio talk with someone here locally and it’s gonna be on February 12th. So I just wanna keep that going because media learning how to pitch to media being on TV or radio or podcasts, is, you know, it’s basically you have to put yourself out there right as well, not just to wait to be approached by someone, but you also have to be, okay, and it’s a skill in its own as well, so you know.

Jen: Absolutely.

Alina Fattakhova: Yeah, definitely. So whether you wanna be on tv, they need a certain information from you that’s probably gonna serve their public and or maybe some certain contact. So firms do that, but smaller businesses, sometimes they cannot really afford the pr. So somehow you need to do it, whether it’s skill that you learn or just some context that you develop. So.

Jen: Nice. And then finally you have a Launch Mastermind for Women dating. What does that look like?

Alina Fattakhova: So I do have a lot of women who cannot afford matchmaking or they just not sure if that’s something for them. So a part of.

Jen: Excuse me.

Alina Fattakhova: No worries. A way that I can help them is to inspire because women are very powerful in dating, whether we wanna hear it or not, they’re technically the ones that actually choose the partner. And what I want to do, I see a lot of women in their forties and fifties where they’re the ones that are more active and looking for a partner and they just don’t find the quality matches. And basically I wanna help them in the Mastermind, where it’s gonna cost about 3,500 and it’s gonna be two months and they’re gonna have some material that they can watch online. Plus we will be meeting once a week to see how it’s going in their dating journey. Where did they go from all these recommendations, what they’ve done? Maybe brainstorm on some of the, you know, situations that are happening. So basically they can invest into their mindset or maybe their approach or communication. I’ll give them the resource where they can meet quality people. Yes, so that’s the idea behind it.

Jen: That’s so cool. That’s awesome, Perry. It’s great that you want to reach and help people at all levels. It’s really cool.

Alina Fattakhova: I love that. I love helping people. I love inspiring them. So, yes, so I’m up. I’m all up for that, so I need to just basically, finish, put some finishing touches on that and launch it. So that’s my goal.

Jen: Nice. Congratulations. That’s so cool. Okay, final question. If you could see anybody’s to-do list in the whole world, whether that be a specific person or a job title, whose to-do list would you most like to see?

Alina Fattakhova: Oh That’s a great question. You know, who are some of the figures that I think. I would love to see someone’s to do, to-do list that is maybe not out there, but someone that I admire in my own industry. Just because, you know, it’s a great way to see what they’re up to and also get inspired. One of the one of the people that I admire in my industry, her name is of, and she’s Greek, and she’s actually in New York City. We’re supposed to meet tomorrow, but because of the storm it got. But she’s a great mentor in our industry, in New York City, and she, what she’s really good at. She’s actually pitching herself to the media. So she’s very, she’s matchmaker. She owns her matchmaking agency, but she’s also very good at, she just published a book and she is all over, on all these channels like today show, but she does it herself. So I’m definitely very curious to know what. What her plans are like, what does she have, plans for the future and maybe what does she wanna do? And yeah, definitely.

Jen: Great answer. That’s super cool. Wonderful. Well, I’ve learned so much from talking to you. I really love your perspective on everything. Thank you so much for coming on. Is there anything else that you would like to share?

Alina Fattakhova: Sure. I just, since the Valentine’s Day is coming, I want for people to be inspired and maybe to see what is their to-do list in terms of their dating and just go out there. Please meet people in real life and if you have a challenge of meeting the partner, just maybe start blogging or writing or a couple of reels or just going on events and consistency is exactly what will help you in the journey. It’s not only just doing it once. So yeah, I’ll definitely, that’s my 2 cents about a little inspiration this year.

Jen: Excellent advice.

Alina Fattakhova: Thank you, Jen.

Jen: Thank you. Thanks so much for coming on.