New matchmaking service aims to find love for older singles

Kane County’s newest matchmaking service Swipe Right now is open at 28 S. Fifth St., in Geneva, offering its services to those looking for love in the Tri-Cities.

Swipe Right is designed to help people between 40 and 60 years old in St. Charles, Geneva and Batavia who are ready to ditch the dating apps, find their match and settle down.

The business’ slogan is “We swipe right so you don’t have to,” which may resonate with those familiar with popular online dating apps, alluding to the common platforms that prompt users to scroll through potential matches, swiping right if they are interested or left if they are not.

Swipe Right aims to offer a better alternative to the dating scene and other matchmaking services by thoroughly vetting candidates, offering relationship coaching, and allowing clients to choose their matches after meeting face-to-face at social events.

Clients start by attending one-on-one preliminary interview sessions with Swipe Right’s team of professional matchmakers, followed by an online evaluation to assess candidates’ emotional intelligence, love languages and personality attributes. Clients then are assigned a personal matchmaker with whom they explore their results.

Founder Melissa Williams describes her budding business as a revolution in the dating scene, offering unique and personalized matchmaking experience to quality candidates, with relationship coaching along the way.

“I want to make sure that you are Mr. Right rather than looking for Mrs. Right. You have to know who you are and what your values are and have that confidence before you can be ready to meet somebody,” Williams said.

Williams said she came up with the concept last winter, and designed it based on her experience as a licensed clinical therapist, as well as her own dating experiences. She said during her career counseling couples and individuals, she became an expert in personality and attachment styles.

“I’ve always wanted to help people since high school,” Williams said. “I knew I wanted to be a therapist to help people and this is like a whole other level. Finding someone love, I mean, it doesn’t get much better than that. I don’t know what other job could be so rewarding.”

Swipe Right has three employees, including Williams. Meg Lindemulder is a matchmaker, the marketing director, events coordinator and writes the company’s blog. Nick Rodriguez is a dance instructor and the men’s relationship coach.

Williams said one thing she wants to do differently is focus on making sure her clients know themselves and are ready to start a healthy relationship before trying to meet the right person. Swipe Right’s clients are vetted thoroughly before they are accepted, with background checks, in-person meetings with the team, and personality inventories and assessments.

Williams said there are no alternatives to the dating apps for people her age, so she created Swipe Right for people in their 40s and 50s ready to find real love.

“This is for people who are sick of the dating apps and are ready for the real deal,” Lindemulder said. “There’s comfort in knowing that a qualified specialist has taken up all that dirty work for you, the background check, the screening, the personality test, so you don’t have to waste your time.”

Once potential clients have undergone the vetting and assessments, a team member will review their profiles with them and may offer some coaching and advice to help them prepare before social events.

“There is something kind of warm and fuzzy going into it, knowing everyone is there for the same reason; to find their person,” Lindemulder said. “That’s when the organic magic happens. There is nothing that makes sense more than knowing that this room of people are all excited to be there and meet you.”

Another of Swipe Right’s advantages over other matchmaking services is their unique social mixers, where potential matches can connect organically before committing to one-on-one dates, fostering genuine connections and increasing the likelihood of a successful match. Their matchmaker then facilitates a one-on-one date with those interested in learning more about each other.

Williams said they intend to partner with local businesses to host social mixers where clients can meet and get to know each other in a relaxed environment. She said they want to provide fun, local settings for social events and activities like bike rides, picnics and kayaking.

“I’m not psychic, I don’t know who you’re going to match with or who you’re going to find interesting, so we just allow it to happen organically,” Williams said. “After the social events, the participants will tell us who they’re interested in learning more about, and then we’ll set up the one-on-one dates.”

Williams said a key feature of what they offer is education. She said part of the vetting process is determining how ready a client is to put themselves out there and be open to a relationship, and if they need help getting there, her team can provide the guidance and coaching to get them ready and instill courage.

“We want quality people, we’re not here to give you quantity,” Williams said. “You know that whoever is at that social event is ready for a relationship. They’re not there for hookups, they’re not there because they have nothing else to do, they’re very serious about the event.”

Swipe Right’s services are offered in different packages. The basic package, which costs less than $3,000, gives clients access to six months of events, includes the vetting process and relationship coaching, access to all social events and provides up to three one-on-one dates per month. Other package options are available that include more dates, coaching sessions and longer duration.

Swipe Right also offers a money-back guarantee if clients are unhappy with the service. Williams said the guarantee was included because she wants clients to feel safe going into the process.

“My biggest dream is for someone to meet their person,” Williams said. “That’s my sole aim, and we’ll do whatever we can to make that happen.”

Swipe right is in the outreach stage, spreading the word and bringing on clients. Williams said they already have several people on the waitlist and are hoping to have enough to start hosting their first social events later this summer.

One-on-one sessions are by appointment only. To schedule an appointment or for more information, visit the Swipe Right website at swipe-right-matchmakers.com/get-started, call (855) SWIPE-RT (855-794-7387) or email Find-Love@Swipe-Right-MatchMakers.com.