Matchmakers are a throwback to a quainter time, but Three Day Rule CEO Talia Goldstein, 34, takes a modern approach.
“The ‘three-day rule’ [to contact someone after a date] is a line from ‘Swingers.’ I don’t think there are rules anymore,” Goldstein said. “You know if somebody got your text.”
Today’s challenge isn’t knowing when to text back — it’s finding time for romance in the first place. “People are working more and more, then they wake up in their mid-thirties and realize they should prioritize their love life,” Goldstein says.
Three Day Rule launched here this week, just in time for holiday parties and Thanksgiving with the auntie who really wants you to meet someone nice. The dating service allows busy clients to outsource romance to professional wooers.
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The Los Angeles-based company is backed by Match.com, and Goldstein pulls from the online dating site’s pool to find matches. But she and her team also host mixers and attend networking soirees, prowling for paramours.
“I’ll walk up to someone and say, ‘Are you single?’ I don’t make small talk. I’ll tell them I’m a matchmaker and have amazing clients. Almost always, they’ll meet with me. I could match them with the love of their life,” she says.
Goldstein and team then arrange an hour-long screening over coffee before making introductions to a client.
Though many singles have gotten used to using free dating apps and swiping right for a match, true love doesn’t always come cheap. In this case, for example. Three-month packages cost a cool $3,500, which includes a compatibility assessment, vetting for each date, and feedback after each rendezvous. Six-month packages — with services like professional photography and a personal styling session — will run you $5,000.
McKenzie Faucher, Three Day Rule’s local matchmaker, thinks it’s worth it, of course. The 27-year-old Back Bay resident dated here for years before marrying in August, and she’s constantly looking for matches.
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Q. What’s challenging about Boston’s dating scene?
A. It can be pretty tough in Boston, especially for an outsider, someone who just moved here for a job or graduate school, which is what I did. The roots in Boston, historically and socially, are very deep. It can be hard to crack into those circles. It takes time. At the same time, Boston has such an incredible population of singles who are professionals—very successful, driven people.
Q. What’s hard about modern dating in general?
A. A big problem is not connecting with someone who has a mutual goal of being in a serious relationship. Matchmaking can cut through all of that and make it more efficient. There are so many hardworking, busy professionals here. Finance is huge. Work-life is intense. There are a lot of doctors as well, and we all know doctors work around the clock.
Q. What do you ask potential matches when screening them?
A. What brought you here? Why do you feel ready to find someone? We ask about family history: Are your parents married, are you close to your family, do you have siblings? We also tackle tough questions that are uncomfortable to ask on a first date: Do you want kids? Are you planning on staying in Boston? We also dive into dating history: What worked in your past, what didn’t?
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Q. Where do you find potential matches?
A. Anywhere from the line at the grocery store to events that I research and go to throughout the week. For example, this week I’m going to a networking event at the Vault, and even something as particular and specific as a Jewish MBA mixer at Sonsie.
Q. What’s an ideal Boston date?
A. There’s a new place called Liquid Art House. It’s a combination between a modern art exhibit and a cool restaurant. That’s a fun one. Another one I’d recommend, especially in the summertime, is the Seaport. The Legal [Harborside] roof deck is awesome. It has an amazing view of Boston and it’s right on the water.
Q. Any dating advice?
Have an open mind. Don’t be picky about every single thing. Don’t go in with a checklist. Know what’s a deal-breaker and what’s not.
Kara Baskin can be reached at kcbaskin@gmail.com.