Love is ranked between physical safety and self-esteem in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. It may come as no surprise, then, that as people lose their jobs and face other personal crises, they evaluate their lives in terms of having someone to love and lean on or cling to. This intensified awareness has triggered a boom in the matchmaking industry.
Gone are the prim and proper spinsters of the Victorian age placing unlikely partners together to fulfill society’s demands. Matchmakers of today run the gamut from individuals serving local clients to national online dating services.
Matchmakers from all segments of the profession report that their client load is up markedly compared to a year ago.
The Millionaire Matchmaker, a reality show in which Los Angeles-based Patti Stanger uses her matchmaking skills to pair wealthy men with beautiful women, is also finding success in its second season.
All of this goes to show that love is good business.
About 1,500 independent matchmakers operate in the United States, according to the Matchmaking Institute, which offers training and certification. Most rely on questionnaires, interviews and instinct to get a sense of a client’s perfect match. Fees can vary from a few hundred to several thousand dollars, and clients can typically expect a couple of matches a month.
(cnn)
Favorite
Print
;showNav();changeOption('login');)
Log In ;changeOption('guest');)
Guest
Facebook ;changeOption('twitter');)
Twitter 