Online Dating Insider » Rumors

eHarmony to Target Christians?

David Evans — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 16:56:28 +0000

Notasinner wrote in to say that he has heard rumors that eHarmony is going to focus more on the Christian dating market. Given the background of eHarmony founders, I don’t see how that is possible, and I would think international expansion would be top of their ToDo list.

I’ve been underwhelmed with the dating industry’s foray into the Christian market, save for a few early sites that have been successful on a small scale, but haven’t been able to take full advantage of the enormous number of Christian singles and lack of quality sites catering to their needs.

Is Christian dating the next big market for dating sites? Sign up a network of mega-churches, filter people based on faith, tie in social networking and you have yourself a nice business.

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What Happened to Vintacom?

David Evans — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 18:41:48 +0000

An anonymous tipster wrote in asking:

You should ask why Vintacom has only one person left from management and why Websourced ceased to exist? The only person left at Vinta is Mike Baldock and a couple of IT people. All have gone on to better (non THK) opportunities.

I haven’t exactly been a fan of the recent THK/mining/shell company goings on, seems like a lot of financial activities in play where we won’t know the real outcomes for quite some time.

More on the Think acquisition of Vintacom and it’s sale of Vintacom to a mining company.

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Troubles at New Jewish Dating Site?

David Evans — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 21:28:56 +0000

From the rumor mill: Word is filtering back from iDate that a new Jewish dating site has not been paying affiliates for while and they are considering shutting down due to financial problems.

True.com’s Pert Advertising

David Evans — Mon, 06 Nov 2006 16:45:11 +0000

The marketing hypocrisy at True.com continues. Really, this is the last time I’m ever going mention it. Who am I kidding, True is the dating service the entire industry loves to hate on. But secretly want to score with their models.
Herb Vest is obviously no longer in control of the company. There is not way the king of safer dating would have approved this ad, which features a blonde woman playing with her nipple. This is the company touting background checks and dating site labeling legislation?
I’m waiting to hear back from the President of Psychology Today, whom I contacted to ask his thoughts on his brand being associated with nipple-tastic True.com. True and PT make strange bedfellows, know what I mean?

Technorati Tags: marketing, partnerships

OkCupid False Alarm, Boston Dating Industry

David Evans — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 23:24:09 +0000

Today, Markus incorrectly guessed that Union Square Ventures funded OkCupid to tune of $6 million earlier this year.
BZZZZZ Wrong.
I just got back from having a coffee (venti chai latte with soy) with OkCupid founder Sam Yagan in the Boston gardens. It was our first time meet and we lounged in the warm October New England sun, talking about our business pasts, why free dating could take even more users and revenue away from paid dating sites and the need for better metrics to measure success in the online dating space (advertisers want one number, site owners want another, users couldn’t care less about either).
I found Sam to be an extra-sharp guy, knowledgeable about the power of “Free” and he has a track record (SparkNotes, eDonkey) and refreshing perspective that puts my confidence level in a good place when talking about the future of his business and the models that drive it. I’m always on the lookout for interesting free dating sites. The problem is that most don’t meet both criteria. Anyone can buy traffic, all it takes is the right amount of bank(True.com). I’m not sour on paid dating, just hearing from some kick-butt entrepreneurs who are hell-bent on making life for Match, Spark Networks and eHarmony miserable. A breath of fresh air. But Sam, seriously, take the damn beta sign off the home page.
It’s about time there was another free dating site to talk about, besides PoF. Does Markus get his own conference track at iDate this year? Just kidding Markus, keep stirring up the pot, we need more people like you in the industry outrageous claims and all. Markus says he’s thinking about doing an affiliate program, I wonder how that’s going to work out? How many layers to the pyramid can PoF add to the mix?
As always, show me the innovation/traffic/revenue and tell me a good story about why your site matters and I’m all ears.
I had no idea Sam was only a few miles away in Cambridge. Boston recently lost 8 Minute Dating to Florida; Tom Jaffee was a frequent lunchmate, our offices were only a few blocks apart, Tom I miss you buddy.
Every once in a while I see Nelson, who runs LoveAccess, in Boston, although he got married this summer, which may explain his absence at our past few industry lunches. Nelson has jumped on the personal matchmaking bandwagon. Nothing like getting members to pay someone else to pick people up for them. I love that model and I can’t wait to see if that actually works.
Sam, you’re definitely invited to the next lunch. Are there any other Boston-area dating or social networking entrepreneurs that want to get together? Let me know and I’ll add you to the invite list for our next lunch, sometime in November. Who knows who else is lurking on here.
The networking scene in Boston is pretty much spent after you hit a few rubber chicken dinners. In general I avoid them like the plague. This town is too small and unless you need legal advice or a CPA, I avoid handing out my business card whenever possible. Call it network protection. You gotta earn your right to LinkIn to me and most people at these things are mid-level Account People and social malware.
Feels like it’s time to pony up and get some of that Boston internet buzz going again. Been very quiet the past few years, here’s to hoping that will change, because I really don’t want to move to San Francisco, much as I love visiting. Kind of how I feel about New York.
Gregpc and I are going to throw some sort of social/tech networking event here soon. He used to to PR for eHarmony and is now at Weber Shandwick. Greg, I just redesigned my other blog and added you to my blogroll, you can quit bugging me now.
Rumors, networking and rubber chickens, feels like Monday to me.

Technorati Tags: boston, networking, okcupid, sam yagan

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Co-founder of JDate has new gig

David Evans — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 17:52:48 +0000

JDate founder Alon Carmel has a new gig. Carmel resigned from Spark Networks less than a month ago. Now we know what he is up to.

The TechCrunch bunch says:

Founder Alon Carmel is a gifted designer and developer and is getting ready to launch his stealth project I4giveu. Very few details on the service were revealed, but as always I love the email collecting landing page with promises of amazement in a very short time. Sign up here. One thing Alon did say was this: “Each user will earn his reputation from angel to devil according to his post ranked by other community users.” Sounds like fun!

Tag line for I4giveu is “Confess, Share Forgive.” Sounds like yet another reputation management company. Hard to believe he left Spark for this but then again I haven’t tried the service.

In Googling him, I also found his political campaign contributions. I was not looking for this in particular, just the usual Zoominfo link to people’s profiles. It’s really amazing how much public information is out there for the Googling.

Thanks Markus.

Technorati Tags: i4giveu

More Brain Drain at Match

David Evans — Thu, 19 Jan 2006 22:54:15 +0000

The Match.com brain drain continues. Several key people at Match have left the company to work at another consumer brand hell bent on putting Reed Hastings out of business.

This is a continuing trend at Match, I get more Plaxo updates from the Texas internet dating giant than any other dating site.

Details are thin, but let’s just say that I’m sure IAC brass are glad they haven’t yet created a tracking stock for Match. We’ll see who they bring as replacements and how long it takes until the new upper management stabilizes to the point where they can get back on track with the battle against Yahoo and Eharmony.

[tags: match.com]

Is Lavalife wearing beergoggles?

David Evans — Thu, 13 Jan 2005 21:38:06 +0000

I received a tip from a Molson drinker that Lavalife paid something like $5 million a year (CDN) for the deal with Sympatico.MSN.ca. That’s about $4.1M USD to us Budweiser drinkers.

Rumors

David Evans — Mon, 13 Dec 2004 14:11:10 +0000

“Matchmaker needs a matchmaker.
Post $10m ad spend, white flag flying.
Suffering from recent bout of brain drain.
Needs TLC, url to die for.
Gr8 potential for right buyer.
$2M or B.O.”

Fat Curves and thin tails

David Evans — Wed, 08 Dec 2004 07:17:34 +0000

A financier’s discourse on the parallels between online dating and investing. Instant classic.

Eric J. Fry, writing for The Daily Reckoning, an investment website:

“You should try Match.com,” a friend suggested to your New York editor recently. “That Website rocks!”

“Yeah, I know about Match.com,” we replied. “That’s the somewhat hip dating site where my ex-wife placed an ad to find a nice Jewish doctor…but I’m not looking for a Jewish doctor, or even a Catholic nurse…in fact, I’m not in any big hurry to look for anyone.”

“But you should give it a shot,” the friend persisted. “It works…I know some guys who’ve met really nice women there. You know Eric, no one meets women in bars anymore…you meet ‘em online.”

“I don’t doubt you one iota,” your editor replied. “But I’m not in any hurry to interact with a bevy of materialistic New York women…that sounds exhausting. And besides, I’m having a great time just hanging out with my kids and writing and playing beach volleyball, and generally enjoying the lowest stress levels of my adult life…why mess that up by dating a beautiful woman?”

“Okay, fine,” the friend said, “but you should give it a shot anyway.”

“Thanks…I’ll think about it.”

A few days later – your editor’s curiosity piqued – he placed a personal ad on Match.com. Three weeks into the mission, he has observed that the process of online “dating” is nearly identical to the process of investing – a blend of quantitative and qualitative processes, guided by diligent risk-management, as well as the intuition born of experience. Please understand that your editor neither approves nor disapproves of the online dating process. He is merely participating in it and recording his observations.

Just like “offline” dating, the Web-based variety is more cruel than kind. Indeed, the process is Darwinian in the extreme – only the fittest thrive in this venue. Thus, for example, if you happen to be a 5-foot 10-inch Victoria’s Secret model, and provide ample photographic evidence within your ad, your “inbound” email box will runneth over with communiqués from cyber-suitors.

These “alpha-females” typically produce ads that feature less kindness than candor. One particularly stunning young woman, for example, greets prospective dates with the following challenge:

“Don’t try to impress me with nonsense…..no matter how intelligent, good-looking or rich you think you are….I have dated someone more intelligent, better looking, who has more money than you….I am looking for something real. I am very picky and will make you work hard for my affection but, if you stick with me…I am a very loyal and loving girlfriend. Good Luck!”

Her guidance may seem a bit harsh, but at least it’s truthful. Most of the ads, by contrast, are far more upbeat and inviting, like a public company’s annual report. Which means that they are also potentially deceptive. No deception is intended, of course. These ads are the work of ordinary men and women expressing ordinary hopes and dreams…while trying to present themselves in the best possible light. Again, much like a public company.

The prudent dater understands, therefore, that reading a personal ad merely begins the due diligence process. He will, like the intelligent investor, conduct a thorough, first-hand analysis before committing to a sizeable investment. This, then, is the first of many similarities between online dating and investing.

But there are many more similarities. Allow us to present a brief list of the valuable investment lessons your editor re-learned from the online dating process:

1) Establish reasonable objectives.

2) Maintain a diversified portfolio.

3) Beware of limited disclosure.

4) Remember that positions with a history of volatility tend to remain volatile.

5) Add foreign exposure to boost returns.

6) Avoid repeating the identical errors.

7) Cut your losses, let your profits run.

8) Do not forget that popularity and value are inversely correlated.

9) Do not overtrade.

And lastly…

10) Keep a sharp eye out for “thin tails.”

Let’s take a closer look at a few of these lessons…

Lesson #6: Avoid repeating the identical errors. Using Match.com’s “Search” function, your editor queried its database to find “compatible” females. Imagine his surprise when the resulting list of candidates INCLUDED his ex-wife! While it’s true that your editor and his ex remain on very friendly terms, their statistical compatibility, as determined by Match.com, is, at best, an “outlying” data point…all investors make mistakes, but they should be vigilant to avoid making the same mistake twice.

Lesson #7: Cut your losses, let your profits run. Bad investments usually subject investors to gut-wrenching volatility, while often eating away at their capital. The effects of which can be psychologically taxing. At best, a bad investment imposes an opportunity cost – continually distracting from the process of identifying more worthwhile investments.

Lesson #8: Do not forget that popularity and value are inversely correlated. A “hot stock” is rarely a worthwhile long-term investment. But most investors just can’t help themselves; they’d rather chase after a fresh, young IPO than to content themselves with a well seasoned large cap stock.

Lesson #9: Do not overtrade. It’s better to identify a few key prospects and to manage those positions wisely, than to engage in short-term activity with tens of stocks at one time. In other words, don’t try to day-trade investments that you should be “buying and holding.”

Lesson #10: Keep a sharp eye out for “thin tails.” This is simply another way of saying, “avoid the fat part of the curve.” Thin tails are those select opportunities that lie on either side of the probability bell curve. Within the thin tails, one may find prospects that are relatively rare, often complex, sometimes exotic and frequently worth pursuing. But beware, thin tails also contain the market’s most dangerous securities. These “high maintenance” stocks are capable of dispensing significant rewards, but frequently dispense continuous pain. These stocks are not for everyone.

If you should ever forget any of these valuable lessons, dear investor, just place an ad on Match.com…and you will quickly remember them all.

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