Hamptons-based matchmaker Janis Spindel, owner of Serious Matchmaking Inc., knows a thing or two about helping singles find love. In fact, over her 20-year career she has matched just shy of 1,000 happy couples.
A real life cupid, Spindel is an entrepreneur with a background in fashion and has authored several books, and appeared on television shows including Dr. Phil, The Today Show, Nightline, 60 Minutes II, Fox and Friends, The Early Show, The O'Reilly Factor and more.
Spindel started matchmaking with friends, and soon realized she could turn her gift into a career. According to Spindel, 15 percent of her clients marry their first introduction, and 97 percent are involved or pursuing somebody by their sixth introduction. “It’s just who I am and what I do. I have an uncanny sixth sense and am somewhat clairvoyant,” she said.
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Spindel, who has offices in Manhattan and Bridgehampton, travels the world to meet male clients ages 27 to 78 and find them the perfect match from her database of more than 30,000 women.
“My clients are upscale, well groomed, well educated, successful professionals who are looking to settle down and get married,” she says. “I don’t want clients looking for dates, or sex, or a trophy wife, or arm candy. I’m looking to form committed relationships.”
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For Spindel, finding the right person is all about being in the right place at the right time, and with millions of men and women in the tri-state area, being in the right place at the right time can be a difficult task. “I deal with a very serious, but very busy guy, who wants the perfect girl,” she said.
“Janis stands by her business and she’s wonderful to work with," said a former client who wished to remain nameless. "She’s super sharp and totally committed to her clients. She becomes a family member whether you like it or not.”
In the wake of New York State legalizing gay marriage, Spindel has also started matchmaking gay couples. “It’s going really well,” she said. “It’s different.”
Once clients are interested in working with Spindel, they enter a rigorous screening process to ensure that they have all the qualities Spindel is looking for, which often includes non-smoking, athletic and commitment-minded.
After the screening process, Spindel makes a home visit to learn more about the client. “I don’t take someone on as a client unless they’re awesome,” she said. “I over deliver and under promise.”
With 20 years of experience, Spindel has a word of advice for those in their early to mid twenties: Don’t rush to get married. “Fifty percent of the people I work with got married young and then grow apart and I end up with the guy or girl as a client,” she said.
