Atlantic Ave Magazine April 2024
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BLACK TIE CLUB<br />
Dating in South Florida in<br />
the Eyes of a Matchmaker<br />
BY NICOL JENKINS | PHOTOS BY MELISSA KORMAN<br />
What is it like to date in South Florida?<br />
If you ask seasoned matchmaker Cheryl Maida,<br />
matchmaking is the best avenue to find your person.<br />
I started in the matchmaking business 14 years<br />
ago, the apps existed but were not that popular. Fast<br />
“When<br />
forward to Covid, and the apps went crazy. With<br />
so many people exploring the apps over the years, they have become<br />
watered down. Some people are dishonest about their age or<br />
putting photos up from 20 years ago. People are wasting a lot of<br />
time and money on the apps. We alleviate the time spent scrolling<br />
through hundreds of profiles and narrow it down. We have quality<br />
over quantity,” said Cheryl Maida.<br />
74 | APRIL <strong>2024</strong> | WWW.ATLANTICAVEMAGAZINE.COM<br />
Cheryl’s matchmaking company, The Black Tie Club, has become<br />
an exclusive dating service for busy professionals of all<br />
ages. Cheryl started the matchmaking company in 2010, and it<br />
expanded three years ago through a partnership with John Ferber,<br />
a successful technology entrepreneur. They have joined forces<br />
to combine the best aspects of traditional matchmaking with the<br />
technological advances of online dating and address and eliminate<br />
the pain points that everyone hates with traditional dating<br />
apps and services. Their niche is successful professionals in their<br />
20s and up to 83; some in their 30s and 40s who have never been<br />
married, others in their 50s or 60s who are widowed or divorced.<br />
The company specializes in South Florida, anywhere from Miami<br />
to Port Saint Lucie, and recently, the West Coast of Florida and a<br />
database of clients from New York.<br />
Unlike other matchmaking services and dating apps, The Black<br />
Tie Club has thousands of vetted clients in its database who receive<br />
dating coaching. Their matches see photos of each other before the<br />
date, but they do not receive each other’s phone numbers, so they<br />
can get to know one another on the date. This has been successful<br />
among clients, with many going on second dates and having longterm<br />
relationships. Cheryl says the second date is when people really<br />
get to know each other and are not as nervous.<br />
“What makes us different is that everyone in our database can<br />
financially take care of themselves, and they are localized. We personally<br />
interview every client; no one will get catfished on our site.<br />
We provide our clients with a professional photo shoot and pair<br />
them up to work with a matchmaker,” added Cheryl.<br />
The Black Tie Club offers more than just matchmaking. The<br />
matchmakers take the time to listen to their clients and what they<br />
are looking for in a partner. They do all the work; they set up the<br />
date and make the introductions. They also offer coaching before<br />
and after a date so clients can find out what they are doing right and<br />
what they can do better. During the interview process, they learn<br />
about the client’s background, personality, and lifestyle.<br />
“Our job doesn’t stop after the first date. We form a very good<br />
bond and relationship with our clients. We still offer advice to our<br />
clients who have been together for a year. We have their best inter-<br />
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