Tired of the entire online dating drill where you match with numerous prospects, exchange texts for long that ultimately doesn’t culminate into any possibility of romance? Going through a string of matches and only stumbling upon catfishes, creeps and people who ‘just want to have fun’ can get frustrating and exhausting. This is a problem that is increasingly marring people who are seriously looking to find their soul mate and we do not blame you if you are losing faith in finding someone special online.
It was this important concern and intervention that lead Alexandra Partow and Josh Wittman to come up with a unique dating app called Dapper.
The Alexandra & Josh Power Team!!!
It all began with Alexandra Partow’s growing fascination with the tech industry after a two-decade career in public relations and marketing for museums and cultural institutions (including heading up MoMA’s communications office). She met Josh Wittman who has a background in finance and who at that time was working on an idea for a cab-sharing app.
Together they launched ‘Cab With Me’, an app that connects people to split taxis or car services for savings using mobile phones. The app went live in New York City in August 2014 amid a G-train shut down. It has been since growing slowly but steadily.
While working on ‘Cab With Me’, Alexandra came up with the concept for Dapper dating and asked Josh to build it. He had also been thinking that the dating space needed some shaking up. This lead the team to focus on using technology to bring people together offline.
How Did It all Start?
Alexandra came up with the idea for Dapper after speaking with friends about dating sites and apps. Her main inference from this was the fact that her friends where fed up with too many guys on the site looking for some quick fun and not relationships. Other common complains where having to deal with creeps that only want to sext, and the amount of time the entire process took to even meet someone through the app only to realize that they had no romantic chemistry.
Alexandra felt there had to be a better way of connecting eligible people for dates. Josh agreed that the process of scheduling a date on existing apps and sites took too long. Aligning schedules alone sometimes required three emails. Some women wanted a lot of messaging before meeting, and in many cases online profile pictures did not resemble the girls he met in real life.
Both Alexandra and Josh felt the best solution was to create an app for serious daters: one that would weed out creepers, catfishers and game-players. An app that performs the job of a full service matchmaker, but is affordable and enables people who like each other’s profiles to meet offline effortlessly. Thus the idea for Dapper was born!!!
How is Dapper Different?
Do not confuse it with your average dating apps and sites. Dapper is unique and functions as a full service matchmaker that arranges for people to meet matches offline and helps then eliminate games, busywork and creeps from online dating. The app does this by verifying its members’ information, arranging matches, aligning schedules and setting up dates at reputable Manhattan wine bars and lounges. First drinks are free, so the experience of the date from start to finish is friction-less and fast. Also, members must agree to the rules and the Dapper Gentleman Pledge in order to use the service.
In an era dominated by the virtual, Dapper believes in the primacy and pleasures of unscripted, face-to-face interactions. Dapper members meet in person to see if they have romantic chemistry; there is no messaging within the app. Dapper was created for busy professionals and others who don’t have the time or inclination to play the online dating game.
‘’Dapper makes meeting new people safe and effortless. Dapper suggests matches based upon real matchmaking—interests, personality traits, and preferences are taken into account as well as mutual availability for a rendezvous. When members select each other, Dapper sets up and confirms a date. Unlike other dating apps where users exchange phone numbers or email addresses to facilitate logistics, Dapper members remain totally private. Dapper charges men and women $14 per date with one drink included (a $9 value), so the cost of the service itself is minimal’’, adds Alexandra.
The Biggest Hurdle their Startup has Faced?
“We did our homework. We talked to a number of matchmakers about their process. We did a lot of research on dating algorithms to find our own “secret sauce” for matching people based on personality traits and interests. We wanted to streamline the process, and so far it’s working great! Also, getting the word out about Dapper was not easy in the crowded dating app space, but since we are the first to set up actual dates–Dapper is gaining a lot of attention from the press and public. We receive many emails from women thanking us for creating the app”, says Alexandra.
What Problem is Dapper Addressing?
Dating online is a risky business. Women and men alike often spend hours trying on a dating app only to be disappointed when nothing culminates into something meaningful. Also, in the background there is always a looming menace from creeps, fake profiles, and catfishes.
Well the good news is that Dapper is the awesome solution that annihilates these problems. It only attracts serious daters who want to schedule dates. Not having a messaging feature works to their advantage as it curbs the activities of rogue elements. Also, by pre-paying for the first drink, Dapper insures people will show up for dates and are serious about using the service.
Too Awesome to Have Competition!!
Dapper is developed over an extremely one-of-a-kind concept in the tech world. The main feature of this app is that it schedules actual dates, a vital feature that is missing in other dating apps. Dapper competes more with matchmakers–but the cost of using Dapper is very affordable which makes it accessible to most people.
Dapper also has a unique financial model. It charges each user a small fee to set up dates when compared to hundreds of dollars major matchmaking companies charge in the market.
On the Future of Dapper
The app wants to make its presence felt in at least 10 U.S. cities by 2015. Dapper is quickly gaining popularity and Alexandra and Josh have already received heaps of emails asking them to “please launch” it in other cities as well.
Dapper is Meant For…
“Right now our target audience is single men and women of all ages in the New York City region, including Westchester, Connecticut, New Jersey, etc. Basically, anyone who would like to have a date at a reputable Manhattan wine bar or lounge with someone we have screened and they have chosen”, adds Alexandra.
