OPW INTERVIEW -- June 28 -- Sparkbliss is a tiny upstart startup dating site. Here's our interview with the Joel Blatt, the CEO and Founder. - Mark Brooks
What is your founding story?
I started Sparkbliss because I had a personal need to meet eligible people myself and I also saw a growing market opportunity in terms of what I deemed the conventional online dating approach as being flawed, not providing the results that we expect in typical business models.
What makes Sparkbliss different?
It's a private online dating site. We understand the the importance of protecting and controlling your personal information and not broadcasting it over the internet and not exposing it where it could compromise you. With Sparkbliss you truly control that information. So unlike every other social networking and online dating site, which enables you to search a database of photos and profiles, Sparkbliss doesn't allow that. The only way you can view Sparkbliss members is if you are invited by an existing member to view their bios. You can also forward the bios to your friends who you think would be interested in that person.
So it sounds like you are encouraging people to become matchmakers. Is that correct?
Yes. And I see incredible benefits to that approach. We hear about romance scams and sweetheart swindles, so I truly wanted to provide that truly safe and private forum for dating and meeting people. And by having the matchmaking model, people that you know, people you trust, are going to be doing your bidding and they will not make an introduction if you have outdated photos or plagiarized descriptions of your likes and dislikes. The matchmakers not only provide the introductions but they also add a testimonial or reference.
How do you motivate and reward the matchmakers?
For them, the motivation is the satisfaction that they're helping people they care about.
How do you make money? Is it free?
It is an advertising based model. It's a free online dating and matchmaking site.
How are you priming the pumps?
I've just been doing a lot of PR and conducting a lot of interviews. As of today, for example, I was interviewed by ABC radio.
I'm very confident now, especially from the reaction from the investment community. The need for protecting private information is emerging and Sparkbliss just fits nicely in saying 'look you do need to consider your personal privacy and here's how to do so without taking a whole lot of risk.'
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