Tammy Shaklee started H4M at the request of her friend. After much research on LGBTQ matchmaking services, she was so disheartened to find that there just wasn’t enough out there, and definitely not any worthy matches for a close friend of hers who was looking to couple up. With this in mind, this friend became Shaklee’s first client. Since 2012, she has grown her business to offer services for many LGBTQ singles looking for love.
With her matchmaking skills, Shaklee gave GO some insight on how to spend Valentine’s Day when you’re single and ready to mingle.
Shaklee said that her number one suggestion for singles is to host a Valentine’s party the weekend after the holiday. Choose a friend who has a different circle of community and bring everyone together around a delicious meal. “If a couple is invited, they cannot come without a dateable single,” Shaklee said. “When I was single, this party gave me something to do with all the cooking, baking and planning of the party. So many friends met new people at these parties and I think many follow dates came of it. It was a thing to really look forward to.”
10 Tips on How to Find Love in 2017
Close the Laptop. Turn off the device and try things differently, or more traditionally.
Get Fresh. Cute outfit, makeover, teeth whitening, new trendy frames or contacts.
Meet Up. Check out the social online site of MeetUp.com ONLY long enough to find and schedule three events to attend.
Volunteer. Sign up to work events, registration table, for your passion, politics or for pets.
Go Shopping. For two weeks or up to two months, try a new gym, new coffee shop or new church.
Break Up. For two months, shake up your routine—try out different grocery stores, dry cleaners or car wash.
Call Your Crushes. You know who they are, so set a goal to invite three of them for a coffee or one drink.
Headshot. Update your online profile, LinkedIn, Google+, Instagram, Facebook, with a new photo.
Plan a Holiday or New Year Mixer. Buddy up with a friend or neighbor to have a social with strategy, every couple must bring a dateable single, for example
Start 2017 Fresh. If you do any or all of the above, in 2017, you’re going to be a more refreshed and interesting single, with new topics, new places to talk about, and a renewed you having met new places and people
Shaklee’s favorite love story of late happened just last week when she paired up two women who were looking for something new. Their two-hour dinner turned into four hours and both women reported in the morning that it as the first time they felt butterflies in a long time. The trick is that these women weren’t, respectively, their usual “types,” but Shaklee saw something they couldn’t—a potential match.
For those of you who are madly in love and looking to keep the passion burning, Shaklee said, “There are ebbs and flows in every relationship, it won’t be fireworks every day. I encourage all couples to step it up every once in a while. Buy a card for no reason, make the dinner plans when that’s not your usual role. Whatever you can do to make that person feel amazing on that day.”
However, Shaklee’s number one tip continues to be to get offline. “Too common singles make it online and look and look and chat and chat and all the while have never left their apartment,” she said. “I really recommend you follow your passions and politics. Go volunteer, even just once, walk a dog at the shelter to sign up for voting registration, or attend a meetup. Any of those three things gets you out of your house meeting other like-minded single people. That’s the first step.”
Are you ready to find love this V-Day? Take Tammy’s tips and get out there! Shaklee provides her matchmaking services to LGBTQ women across the state of Texas.
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