The Story Exchange, Romella Battle, FeaturedDate.comYour Name: Romella Battle, CEO/Founder

Business Name: FeaturedDate.com, “Finally, it’s all about you”, an online matchmaking service

Type of Business: Matchmaking Service

Business Location: Milpitas, California, United States

Reason for starting
As the CEO/Founder of FeaturedDate.com©, I wanted to create a platform where everyone is treated like a VIP, which is not based on how much you pay but simply by the top of the line service you receive. After years of research and as a Professional Matchmaker, I decided to step out on faith, with a great business concept that has not been undertaken before. Which inevitably has proven to be, a very hard journey. However, in my heart I truly believe that, when you do anything with the true intention to help others, only good things will come from it. With traditional matchmaking services ranging from $1500 to $30,000 and up, what are serious relationship seekers actually left with? Except for online dating, which can actually be fun for a period of time but can also be very deceptive and misleading. As a result, many singles feel the possibilities for finding true love has seemingly become non-existent. As someone, who has tried it all in my single days, I wanted to provide my clients with an affordable service, backed by the assurance that only the highest quality and most deserving singles would be introduced to them.FeaturedDate.com© has revolutionized traditional matchmaking which at one time would have been taboo and unaffordable to the average single person looking for love. By creating a powerful and unified team committed to our clients dating success. The greatest advantage for singles, is to be able to connect with singles anywhere in the United States who have all been screened and background checked. All of our matchmakers are trained and experienced professionals and have been counseling and advising singles, couples and families for at least 2 or more years. With our team of matchmakers working on our client’s behalf, they can spend their valuable time attending to other things. As we guarantee singles, that they will meet other serious relationship seekers and are confident in our results. By delivering matchmaking services online and performing compatibility assessments of our clients as well as potential mates, including post-date feedback, and pre-introduction background checks which is accessible online. We are in a position to redefine traditional matchmaking and finally provide a viable option for online daters. FeaturedDate provides our clients with an experience they should expect from dating which includes personalized service and quality dates, who are introduced to them on their own time and on their own terms.

How do you define success?
My individual and team success is defined by the number of lives effected by the work we do. As a believer in knowing that, what you put out in the universe, it will inevitably come bring back. The true measure of success is not based on monetary gain, but acknowledged in the affect your service has on others.

Biggest Success
The biggest success has been in assembling a professional and dedicated team of nationwide matchmakers consultants, sales associates and dating scouts. We have hired and continue to bring on talented and inspired staff and consultants that share the vision of genuinely wanting to help others as well as bringing a quality and affordable service to singles on their quest for love. Our clients are able to experience one on one service in dealing with a professional staff, who share our company mission to make it all about the client. Where at FeaturedDate, we tell our clients, “Finally, it’s all about you”

What is your top challenge and how have you addressed it?
The top challenge in starting a new business model in this type of industry. Has been in educating potential clients about the industry and the actual cost of matchmaking services. As a new company providing services that have not always been accessible to the general population, mainly due to it’s excessive cost. The only obstacle has been in conveying to singles who have become jaded and frustrated by online dating sites, that we are not a online dating site and operate as a traditional matchmaking agency with a online platform. As we provide a one on one introduction service to clients as well as pre-screen and background check all members.

Who is your most important role model?
My most important role model’s would have to be all the generations of women in my family. As a woman, I have learned from the women before me, who have endured various hurdles in their life and have each experienced the joys and pitfalls of life’s lessons. That, those essential moments are the key elements that have made me the woman I am today. Their role’s in my life have left a profound and lasting legacy which I will pass on, along with a life model to live by. This has essentially given me the gift of knowledge to respect the hard times and embrace the good times, for each is significant in your growth. Which has allowed me to share my life lessons with someone else, as everything you do, can be used as a teachable moment to share with those that I am blessed to meet.