Need a date for this Valentine’s Day? Step away from the Tinder: Three Day Rule, an LA-based matchmaking company, launches in DC on Wednesday.
Founder Talia Goldstein got started in the biz while working at E! Entertainment, where she’d become the office go-to for dating advice. As more friends started asking for her to set them up, she began hosting singles events—which quickly boomed to 600-person guest lists.
It was then that Goldstein decided to quit her job and launch TDR, her answer to the high-performing, busy modern women and men who want to find their soul mate without wasting time on bad first dates.
Anyone can join TDR as a free member, which puts them in a database of potential matches for the paid clients. But the company’s most popular offering is a $5,000 six-month matchmaking package, which includes TDR representatives hunting down candidates and meeting them in person to vet them for compatibility, plus access to TDR events, a photography session, dating coaching and styling, and feedback after each date. There’s also a $3,500 package, which provides three months of personalized matchmaking without any of the added perks.
We asked Goldstein to give us a bit of background on this “white-glove” matchmaking company and what made Washington next on their list for launching the service.
Why should singles sign up for Three Day Rule, rather than just using OkCupid or eHarmony?
Think of us as the solution to outsource your dating life. We’re not another online dating site or mobile app. We put the human touch back into dating. Our white-glove service means that we hand-select and vet every potential match in person before making any formal introductions to clients. We get answers to the questions that you’d like to know but might be awkward or uncomfortable to ask: Do you want kids? Do you want to settle down in the suburbs or city? We also go to specific events looking for matches on the client’s behalf. As an example, if our client wants a corporate type, our matchmakers will infiltrate finance events and lawyer conferences to meet matches for them.
Walk me through the TDR matchmaking process. I sign up for TDR—now what?
You grab coffee with your matchmaker and get to know her, and she gets to learn about you and your preferences. She then goes back to our database and finds about 100 people who seem to fit what you are looking for based on their profile. She starts meeting with potential matches in person to vet them and make sure they would be a strong match. When she finds someone she truly believes is a great match for you, she will send you a bio she has written and photos and ask if you’d like to meet them. If you say yes, you go on a date and then give your matchmaker feedback after the date. We also gather feedback from the match to share with you.
Why launch the next branch of TDR in Washington?
The DC dating scene can be difficult due to demanding work schedules and the transient population. There is a huge opportunity for TDR to help DC’s large population of accomplished, busy professionals who are single and looking for a committed relationship.
Who’s your target clientele in DC?
Singles who are ready for a committed relationship and want a partner in that process. We work with both men and women and with all types of people—busy professionals, Fortune 500 executives, successful entrepreneurs, screenwriters, teachers, and artists. Our clients tend to range in age from 28 to 65, but we are always on the lookout for quality singles of any age.
What do you love about matchmaking?
There is nothing more fulfilling than helping the singles we work with make meaningful connections and find love. I really enjoy meeting all of the amazing singles we work with—everyone is unique and interesting and has so much to offer. And I obviously love attending weddings of the couples that I’ve matched!
Caroline Cunningham joined Washingtonian in 2014 after moving to the DC area from Cincinnati, where she interned and freelanced for Cincinnati Magazine and worked in content marketing. She currently resides in College Park.
