Jasbina Ahluwalia
Title:
Founder and President, Intersections Matchmaking
Profession:
Business Owner
I Founded Intersections
Matchmaking. We help
selective South Asians
nationwide in the U.S. find
their significant others. This is
a highly-personalized service
- NOT Online. I do a
comprehensive personal
consultation with each client
to understand their needs,
paradigms regarding
relationships and blind spots.
There is extensive feedback
after each introduction.
EDUCATION |
BA and MA in philosophy
from Vanderbilt University; JD from The
University of Michigan Law School;
Certification from Matchmaking Institute
HOW TO GET STARTED |
Do market
research to see where there's a need
which you can uniquely fulfill, speak with
other matchmakers as well as people who
have had experience with matchmakers,
and read voraciously.
MUST HAVE TRAITS |
You have to be
trustworthy, to engender trust. You need to
be able to establish rapport with a wide
variety of people. You need curiosity and
interest in people.
how I got started |
Previously I worked as an attorney. I liked the work and found it intellectually
stimulating. My work involved a great deal of research and analysis, but I didn't spend much time
with people, which I missed. While I was working as an attorney, I noticed many young professionals
had difficulty balancing their professional life with their personal life. They have very demanding
schedules, and they want to spend the limited amount of free time they do have to date with people
who have the potential to become their life partners. In particular, this can be a common issue for
young professionals from South Asian backgrounds, people whose cultures discourage early dating
and teach young people to first focus on their educations and other self-development. I wanted to
bring the same level of professionalism to my matchmaking business as I did to my law practice, so I
attended the Matchmaking Institute in Manhattan.
why this job?|
I've always been interested in developing a business focused on having a strong
positive impact on people's lives. I also wanted to design a life of my own choosing. And, for me
personally, I wanted to build a business that would balance well with my family life. I am a happily
married mother.
why I love this job!|
I love making a high impact on people's lives, and I've always found
interpersonal dynamics fascinating.
my typical day|
I do personal consultations with clients, typically spending one and a half to two
hours with each client. I learn what makes them tick, what is most important to them in a
prospective mate, and identify any potential roadblocks to their developing a successful relationship.
I run a criminal background check on each client, as well as any prospective dates. I have scouts
who aid in our searches for prospective matches for my clients, and I spend time working with them.
I also spend time setting up introductions for my clients, and getting feedback from my clients
afterwards. The feedback is a very important part of the process. It feels good when clients tell me
some version of, "I feel like you really understand me."
what they are |
Overcoming misperceptions regarding matchmaking.
all about growth |
I think at the end of the day, people want that human connection. People lead
very busy lives, and a matchmaking service helps them maximize the limited time they are able to
devote to meeting that special someone. Especially in difficult economic times, people want a partner
to weather the storm with.
my website|
http://www.IntersectionsMatch.com
