Rachel is the Founder & CEO of Maclynn. Founding the agency in 2011, she took a leap of faith as a solo matchmaker and has grown the business to what it is today – an exclusive, transatlantic dating agency that connects exceptional individuals across the globe with their life partners.
She has been a Chartered Member and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society for 10 years and with her expertise and leadership, Maclynn has gone on to win Matchmaking Agency of the Year at the UK Dating Awards.
Rachel’s journey in psychology began with her Bachelor’s Degree at Northumbria University. With a natural interest in people, human behaviour and the workings of the inner mind, as well as a strong sense of empathy towards others, psychology was a clear choice.
After completing her undergraduate degree, Rachel continued her studies at Northumbria University, accepting the opportunity to study a one-year Master’s in Occupational Psychology. She achieved both of her degrees without financial support, building the independence and resilience that would see her through her career.
During this time, Rachel took up a voluntary position at Rehab UK, a rehabilitation centre for adults with acquired brain injury. She would eventually take up a full-time position in this role, working there after graduating with her Master’s.
Rachel’s career took her to the Department for Work and Pensions, where she was responsible for assessing adults with learning difficulties, and subsequently to a recruitment agency where she worked as an occupational psychologist. Here, she designed and delivered psychology-based assessments, helping businesses to successfully hire high-value positions including CEOs and CFOs.
Faced with sudden changes in her personal life, Rachel began looking for a job in London, where she had always wanted to be. In 2007, she came across an advert for a psychologist to join a dating agency. Intrigued by the job description – an opportunity to continue working with high-achievers and the potential for international travel – Rachel realised this really was her “dream come true job” and applied.
She worked there for five years before founding Vida (now Maclynn) and the rest is history. She hasn’t looked back since!
Before her academic and professional work in psychology, Rachel’s vision for Maclynn started with her parents. A Catholic and a Protestant who met in Ireland at the height of The Troubles and faced intense prejudice, they showed Rachel what love really was:
“I’ve always been brought up to believe that you can fall in love with someone because you live and breathe life in the same way and you share the same values, no matter external labels or stereotypes.”
This, along with her background in matchmaking, had a profound impact on Maclynn’s core values. With a commitment to a matchmaking methodology grounded in psychology, Maclynn officially opened its doors in 2011.
“10 Best International Matchmakers of 2024” – DatingNews.com
“12 Tips For Dating After Divorce” – SheerLuxe Man
Relationships & Seasonal Affective Disorder – Daily Mail
“7 Things You Should Talk About With Your Partner Before Getting Engaged” – Huffington Post
“Why Do People Cheat?” – The i
“Can Age Gap Relationships Ever Work Out?” – Metro
Initially a solo venture with Rachel managing every aspect of the business, her first focus was establishing her new agency:
“It took 10 years before I was really able to come up for air.”
With hard work and a perfectionist mindset, Rachel was able to grow Maclynn intuitively, taking every opportunity that crossed her path to build a business she believed in and that lived up to high expectations.
She continues to be fully immersed in the day-to-day running of Maclynn, as well as taking on a number of VIP clients every year, and has nurtured the business from a one-woman operation to a team of over 25 leading matchmakers in the UK and USA, without compromising on her core values.
Enquire about bespoke matchmaking by our Founder and CEO, Rachel MacLynn.
Rachel’s personal matchmaking philosophy has always been authenticity. This has manifested through Maclynn’s psychology-led approach, helping her and the team to find genuinely compatible partners for those seeking long-term love.
“We want to take a more empowering approach with our clients and educate them on how they can help to navigate themselves along their dating journey.”
Integrity, inclusion and self-empowerment are intrinsic to Maclynn. Always doing the right thing by clients, Rachel and the team are upfront about their processes, as well as any challenges.
Constantly striving for the best, and working with customers who have a similar life philosophy, the level of expertise that Rachel has built across her team of seasoned matchmakers is offered directly back to clients.
Working with clients over the years, Rachel has seen connections grow into successful relationships time and time again. One of her most memorable pairings was a couple who met through Maclynn in 2019:
“My client had grown up in China and was now a doctor, living and working in different parts of the world – at the time, the Middle East. She came to us seeking a life partner and one of her matches was a gentleman who lived in Switzerland.
“The interesting thing about them was that their lives, on paper, were very, very different, both in the environment that they grew up in and the world in which they were living when they were introduced. They initially met over Skype and had a few calls, and then he invited her to Switzerland.
“They ended up getting married – they’re just really, really happy. Their story inspired a lot of the changes I see in the service today because it accentuated the importance of assessing people’s values rather than allowing ourselves or clients to form stereotypes.
“It’s particularly rewarding for me when I see a couple unite, especially when they’re so geographically separate and nothing else would otherwise link them together. It really is a case of bringing two people together.”
Rachel’s work in shaping Maclynn’s service continues to this day. With a greater focus on research, talks, masterclasses and workshops in recent years, she is keen to continue Maclynn’s work as educators for anyone seeking dating support.
With interest in their services from across the globe, Rachel is also passionate about expanding Maclynn’s physical presence in the USA and growing operations across Asia and Australia. Pioneering the marriage of psychology and matchmaking, she hopes to leave a lasting, global legacy that helps more young psychologists discover matchmaking.
For Rachel, the most rewarding aspect of leading Maclynn is her team, who consistently receive high praise from clients and external consultants. The respectful, supportive and passionate environment that Rachel has curated through authentic leadership positively impacts every aspect of Maclynn and the service they provide.
In recent years, as well as continuing to lead Maclynn, Rachel’s personal life has centred around raising her two young sons – her pride and joy – with her partner, Jamie. As a mother and business owner, she has a balanced presence in both worlds, fulfilling her ultimate goal of having a family while building a business.
Rachel’s focus, integrity and high standards for herself and Maclynn provide exceptional results. As for her idea of the perfect date, after years of matchmaking experience?
“The perfect date could be absolutely anything, as long as it creates laughter – nothing greater can spark chemistry between two people than making each other laugh.”
