Words: Dr. Cybil Bonhomme
Interview: Devyn Simone & Laura Jacobs
As beautiful and amazing as we find Miami to be, our dating scene…not so much. Dating in Miami can be a rollercoaster ride filled with its fair share of horrors. The vibrant city known for its beautiful beaches, lively nightlife, and diverse culture may seem like the perfect backdrop for romance, but beneath the surface lies a unique set of challenges that can make the dating scene in Miami a daunting experience. From the prevalence of superficiality to flakey no shows, these common dating dilemmas found in Miami’s courtship didn’t scare off celebrity matchmakers, Devyn and Laura from choosing Miami as the “it spot” for the concept of their upcoming
show on Roku, MATCH ME IN MIAMI.
With 10 years of experience in matchmaking and dating coaching, Devyn has become internationally known for her skillful guidance in helping countless singles find and create happy sustainable relationships. Devyn Simones is often featured as a dating and relationship expert for news and talk shows including the Today Show, Good Morning America, and The Doctors. Laura Jacobs has made a name for herself as one of Miami’s premiere matchmakers and dating coaches. But now partnering with Manhattan-based matchmaking legend, Devyn, her goal is to be the most successful matchmaking agency in the city.
Dr. Cybil Bonhomme: You two have chosen Miami....the city with the WORST dating scene. We're all dying to know. What were you thinking? Were you guys completely coherent or slightly inebriated? Walk me through this decision making process. [laughs]
Devyn Simone: Wait, you said the worst?! Not you saying this, Ms. Miami Vibes Magazine! [laughs] I mean, we go where we're needed. So, it seemed like there needed to be a little bit of tough love and guidance in Miami, and so we answered the call. It is funny seeing how different cities are when it comes to the dating scene. Both Laura and I have worked for nationwide matchmaking companies and each city tends to have their own 'je ne sais quoi.'
Laura: Honestly, you're right. The dating scene in Miami has a bad rep, so we thought ‘let's come in and help it.’ I mean, I do believe you can find a gem here. I moved here and four months later met my husband. So, I believe anything's possible in Miami, and I think it's getting better.
Dr. Cybil: How many souls have you successfully matched?
Laura: So, I would say for sure over 10 marriages, which is amazing and so awesome. Especially when they have babies too....you're like, ‘oh my God,’ I did that. But I have matched over a hundred in relationships. Maybe they're together for a year, maybe, unfortunately, it doesn't work out, then they come back to us trying to find the one.
Devyn: When you’ve been doing this for so long, almost a decade for me, it can be hard to keep track. But, similar to Laura at this point, hundreds of relationships and as far as couples that I have married, I would say in the 10 to 20 ballpark range and growing.
Dr. Cybil: What makes you a relationship guru?
Devyn: It started when I dated a dumba$$, so other people didn’t have to [laughs]. I dated a lot, so that’s part of it. I was so fascinated about what it is like to date someone on a ranch versus dating someone who is a billionaire versus dating a fellow college student. You learn a lot by experimenting. Then the other piece is just honestly like continuing education and studying the anthropology of it all.
I've actually partnered with Tinder as their resident's dating expert, and what I love about that partnership is that I have access to the studies that they conduct around singles, what they're looking for and what the trends are. Which is really meaningful, but also helpful to our clients because it's not just my guesstimation, rather real time statistics.
Laura: I was always so interested in interpersonal relationships, but I would really say the experience of matchmaking with a couple of different really good firms before we started our own, really helped me deal with people on a daily basis. You are able to see the mistakes they're making, and then also, of course, like Devin said, our own prior experiences. So I just find it so fascinating, just talking to different people, seeing them make the same mistakes and then correcting them. Then I was able to correct my own love life and finally find a secure partner. A great secure partner that I really never thought would happen. My story also gives our clients hope that they too can find the one.
Cybil: Well ladies, thank you for coming to Miami and blessing us with your expertise. Perhaps you two are the beacon of hope and game changers this city so desperately needs.
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