Ask a Matchmaker

 This week on the hotline, you’re getting not one, but TWO matchmakers to answer your questions! Joining Maria on this week’s episode is her work husband, the Chief Operating Officer and Matchmaker at Agape Match, Louie Felix!  Louie Felix is matchmaking industry leader. His corporate startup and acquisition background brought him to the forefront of the relationship industry when he was contracted for the acquisition for a high end Beverly Hills-based matchmaking company. From there, he went on to serve as the CEO of two of the country’s largest matchmaking companies, as well as simultaneously acquiring and running the largest dating company in California. With these ventures, Louie has been responsible for the successful matchmaking efforts of more than 50,000 clients worldwide.  Sign up for a Dating Assessment with Louis at https://calendly.com/felix-louie/dating-assessment  Find Louie on Instagramhttp://instagram.com/louiefelix To be on an upcoming episode to ask a question, make sure to follow Maria on insta to know when the hotline will be open next! http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria  

 When it comes to modern relationships, our thumbs do the talking. We swipe right into a stranger’s life, flirt inside text bubbles, spill our hearts onto the screen, and use emojis to convey desire, frustration, and rage. Where once we pored over love letters, now we obsess over response times, or wonder why the three-dot ellipsis came. . . and went. Nobody knows this better than our guest this week, Dr. Mimi Winsberg. A Harvard- and Stanford-trained psychiatrist who cofounded a behavioral health startup while serving as resident psychiatrist at Facebook HQ, her work frequently finds her at the intersection of Big Data and Big Dating. Like all of us, Winsberg has been handed many a smartphone accompanied by the urgent plea: “What does this mean?” Unlike all of us, she knows the answer. She is a text whisperer. Pick up her new book, Speaking in Thumbs, at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09J7M5X2P/ Learn more about Dr. WInsberg at https://www.drwinsberg.com/   To learn when Maria will open up the next Ask a Matchmaker Hotline, follow her at http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria Follow Agape Match on Instagram at http://instagram.com/agapematch Follow the podcast on Instagram at http://instagram.com/askamatchmaker 

 You’ve got questions? Maria has the answers! Every week, we open up the Ask a Matchmaker Hotline where YOU call in with any questions you have for Maria… dating, love, life, style…she’s here to help with it all. To be on an upcoming episode to ask a question, make sure to follow Maria on insta to know when the hotline will be open next! http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria  

 This week, Maria is talking to author Cate Doty! Cate Doty is the author of “Mergers and Acquisitions: Or, Everything I Know About Love I Learned on the Wedding Pages.” She is a writer and former editor at The New York Times, where she covered the news of food, weddings, business, New York, and more. Her work has appeared in the Times, Southern Living, Our State, and other publications. Buy Cate's new book at  https://amzn.to/3MbPq5j Follow Cate on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/catedoty To learn when Maria will open up the next Ask a Matchmaker Hotline, follow her at http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria Follow Agape Match on Instagram at http://instagram.com/agapematch Follow the podcast on Instagram at http://instagram.com/askamatchmaker 

Hey-- Maria here. I have but a few platforms, and I'm going to utilize them when it comes to getting unheard stories out, even if it's not "dating and relationship" oriented. I run a dating company and the people in this episode help me spread love. Now I want to spread awareness to the humanitarian crisis unfolding.  In this episode, you'll hear an unedited version of events that our tech team experienced and continues to experience in the current conflict in Ukraine, including Arthur's first hand account of crossing the border and Tim's communication with the rest of the team in Central Ukraine. Since recording, the team in Central Ukraine has found themselves in more danger and are now hiding underground.  Some resources I have found helpful: Why is this happening? https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-daily/id1200361736?i=1000551987275 How you can help: https://www.lphr.org/en/ukraine-hilfe/ Donate here for emergency humanitarian aid: https://www.lphr.org/en/humanitaere-soforthilfe-fuer-die-ukraine/ Follow Maria on Instagram to get updates from the team: http://instagram.com/matchmkermaria 

This week, we’re opening up the hotline again BUT we’ve brought in extra support to help! Joining Maria this week to help you with your online dating problems is Agape Match’s Online Dating Manager, Erika Ettin.  Erika Ettin is an online dating expert and dating coach who helps people navigate the world of online dating. Her expertise includes profile creation, photo selection and photography, message writing, and date planning. She is also the author of the book Love at First Site: Tips & Tales for Online Dating Success from a Modern-Day Matchmaker and the co-host of the popular dating podcast “So, We Met Online…” Our next Online Dating Tech Support is on March 10th at 9PM ET. To register and receive a link to join visit: https://agapematch.wufoo.com/forms/z1s18kn10qpwm8f/  Find Erika on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ALittleNudge/  To learn when Maria will open up the next Ask a Matchmaker Hotline, follow her at http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria Follow Agape Match on Instagram at http://instagram.com/agapematch Follow the podcast on Instagram at http://instagram.com/askamatchmaker

This week, Maria sits down with an old friend, Paul Carrick Brunson. The two talk about everything from raising a family in the UK, how socializing norms really vary across parts of the world, Paul’s tips to help you create goals that stick and Maria shares her favorite question to ask on a first date. Spoiler: After Maria answered it, her now husband George said that’s when he knew he wanted to marry her. Paul is a serial entrepreneur, television host and columnist whose specialty lies in teaching others. He’s an internationally recognized expert in interpersonal relationships, personal development and entrepreneurship. He’s a featured business columist for USA Today. He’s the co-host of Celebs Go Dating and Married at First Sight on Channel 4 in the UK. He’s also the host of the Better with Paul Live podcast. The heart of his work is centered on impacting lives through mentorship and developing a new generation of servant leaders with the desire to change the world. Paul is the founder and chair of Give Love Build Hope, a non-profit organization dedicated to transforming schools in rural areas of the Caribbean. Follow Paul on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/paulcbrunson/ Follow Paul on Twitter at https://twitter.com/paulcbrunson To learn when Maria will open up the next Ask a Matchmaker Hotline, follow her at http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria Follow Agape Match on Instagram at http://instagram.com/agapematch Follow the podcast on Instagram at http://instagram.com/askamatchmaker

You’ve got questions? Maria has the answers! Every week, we open up the Ask a Matchmaker Hotline where YOU call in with any questions you have for Maria… dating, love, life, style…she’s here to help with it all. To be on an upcoming episode to ask a question, make sure to follow Maria on insta to know when the hotline will be open next! http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria This week… I live in a small town and my dating options are limited. How do I meet new people? How do I get early conversations in dating to go from interview-like questions to something fun and flirty? I just had breast reduction surgery. Should I tell potential partners about it? Our first man calls in! (brave soul) He has a rant about dating and Maria gives him some dating profile tips. (You can actually see her review of this guy’s dating profile on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@realmatchmakermaria/video/7047348056362339630) To learn when Maria will open up the next Ask a Matchmaker Hotline, follow her at http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria Follow Agape Match on Instagram at http://instagram.com/agapematch Follow the podcast on Instagram at http://instagram.com/askamatchmaker

It’s not easy to raise your hand and say you might need help and want to talk to someone. Especially when you’re in a relationship and you know you and your partner need help. This week, Maria is here to help break the stigma around couples therapy. A couples therapist is a great facilitator for the relationship you want and a great mechanism to have those hard conversations with someone. How do you communicate with your partner that you think you two should talk to someone? How do you find someone to talk to? Talia Litman is a New York-based psychotherapist and writer specializing in couples and sex therapy. From an early age, Talia has encouraged open conversations about relationships and sex. Her goal is to help others feel more comfortable discussing these topics and, in turn, to deepen the pleasure and fulfillment in their relationships. Prior to this, Talia had a successful career as a global strategy & marketing consultant, which she left to pursue her dream job as a couples therapist. Learn more about Talia at http://www.taliamft.com  Follow Talia on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/talia.mft Follow Talia on LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/in/talialitman To learn when Maria will open up the next Ask a Matchmaker Hotline, follow her at http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria Follow Agape Match on Instagram at http://instagram.com/agapematch Follow the podcast on Instagram at http://instagram.com/askamatchmaker

It’s another edition of the Matchmaker Maria Hotline! If you want to ask Maria a question on an upcoming episode, make sure you’re following her on Instagram to know when the hotline will open up next… http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria On this episode… How do I find out if he wants to go on a second date… how do I get him to step up and ask? I feel like I’ve hit a wall when talking to people on the apps, what should I do? We’ve slept with each other and he hasn’t text me in a while. Help! Follow Agape Match on Instagram at http://instagram.com/agapematch Follow the podcast on Instagram at http://instagram.com/askamatchmaker