89 5th Ave Ste 602.
To most New Yorkers, that is nothing more than an arbitrary address – but to a small, elite community of professionals and experts, that is none other than the hub of some of the world’s most talented love gurus.
The Matchmaking Institute, NYC
New York City’s Matchmaking Institute is the only school in the world authorized to issue certification in the field of matchmaking. Since gaining their license from the New York Department of Education in 2003, the MMI has produced worldwide conferences, live training programs and educational literature for the matchmaking industry. In doing so, they have created a generation of creative, driven and humble matchmakers, part of a vibrant global network.
According to co-founder Lisa Clampitt:
“It was my goal to provide people who were essentially acting as in-demand romance connectors with a place to train; network; and grow their business with a set code of ethics and quality standards, all within a rock-solid community.”
Matchmakers help bring about true, meaningful romantic connections between some of the world’s most exceptional singletons, all the while understanding that many of these individuals are so exceptional because of the extent to which they value their own time.
Clampitt continues,
“While networking and brainstorming with other matchmakers, I began to notice the lack of continuing education, certification process and strong community for us modern-day mediators of love. It seemed like everyone was on a floating island; I realized that, in order to offer the highest quality of service, matchmakers needed a home base.”
This sums up the MMI, which today is the driving force in the industry of love, promoting its ethics, regulation and professional standards, whilst striving to create both public and media awareness of a career path that, to many, is surely only the stuff of fairy tales.
A Matchmaker’s Career Path
In my experience, matchmakers seldom cite matchmaking as their original aspiration in life! It is far more often described as something they just fell into – much to their delight! Many matchmakers have backgrounds in either psychology, business or some form of HR – but are all, without exception, warm, smart, funny, caring, and deeply, sincerely invested in increasing the long-term happiness of others.
Matchmakers are consummate networkers, savvy businesspeople, with an inherent knack for tuning in to what makes people tick, a natural comprehension of what they need out of life (sometimes even more so than those people realise themselves).
Being a matchmaker is not some enigmatic clique that you yourself have no hope of gaining entry to! If the description above resonates with you – if you’ve just this second realized that all of the traits required in a good matchmaker are traits you already possess by the bucketload! – then a career in matchmaking could be for you.
The matchmaking industry is one of the fastest growing, and matchmaking itself is an extremely flexible career. People from all walks of life are drawn to the job for a variety of reasons, be they psychologists, coaches or lawyers, to name but a few. Be your own boss; pen your own schedule; and feel a deep satisfaction in the knowledge you are immeasurably improving the lives of others.
Maclynn and the Matchmaking Institute
In 2011, Rachel MacLynn, fellow of the British Psychological Society, took that very leap of faith. She founded Maclynn (formerly Vida), which has since become one of the world’s most renowned matchmaking agencies. In 2017 alone, Maclynn was named not only UK and European Matchmaking Agency of the Year, but awarded the much-coveted title of International Matchmaking Agency of the Year.
Rachel herself is not only heavily affiliated with the MMI, but sits on their Advisory Committee, a fact of which she is immensely proud. Rachel is now fulfilling her own personal and professional dream of raising the professional and ethical standards of the matchmaking industry. She regularly provides advanced training in the psychology of matchmaking (upon which her own matchmaking consultancy is fundamentally predicated) to new, up-and-coming matchmakers at the MMI, and hopes that her story will pave the way for others to get in some of that sweet sweet lovin’.
If you’d like to discuss what a career in matchmaking entails, we love to share our industry know-how and speak to like-minded souls. For more information on the MMI or Maclynn (formerly Vida), or just for a general enquiry, please contact me at info@maclynninternational.com.
Or, perhaps, you are yourself on a quest for love? Bored of idle bar chat, uncommitted city-goers, the seemingly indefinite rinse-and-repeat nature of online dating? At Maclynn (formerly Vida), our network consists solely of exceptional singletons, both from NYC and beyond, all of whom are waiting to settle down with that special someone. With a plethora of prestigious industry awards to our name, we have been creating long-lasting, authentic, meaningful relationships for over seven years.
Get in touch today – and see if our expert team of matchmakers can’t weave their magic on you, too.
