Ask a Matchmaker (Maria Avgitidis)

Happy New Year! On this special episode of Ask a Matchmaker, Matchmaker Maria is joined by the dynamic duo behind the Dateable podcast, Julie Krafchick and Yue Xu! They're here to talk about their brand-new book, How to Be Dateable,  and officially hitting shelves on January 28th 🎉

In this fun and insightful conversation, Maria dives into the origins of Julie and Yue’s decade-long podcasting journey, their mission to uncover the mysteries of modern dating, and what makes someone truly dateable. The authors share personal stories, defining moments in their friendship, and their thoughtful definition of what it means to show up authentically in love. Plus, Julie dishes on her engagement (!) and the inspiration behind the book.

Julie and Yue discuss their bestselling book, How To Be Dateable?, which was inspired by their observations of modern dating culture and their parents' enduring relationships. They share how their parents' commitment to mutual respect and shared values shaped their perspectives on love. Together with Maria, they dive into why being "dateable" isn’t about settling but about finding a partner who truly respects you, aligns with your values, and supports a future you BOTH envision!

Whether you're looking to elevate your love life in 2025 or curious about what goes into creating a book like this, you'll leave inspired and entertained. Don’t forget to check the show notes to preorder How to Be Dateable and follow along with Maria’s weekly adventures in love and matchmaking.

Let’s make 2025 your most dateable year yet!

Maria has  a book coming out! click here to preorder!! 👉 https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/ask-a-matchmaker-9781250342355/?utm_source=meta&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=SMP+-+Ask+a+Matchmaker+-+Cover+Reveal+Boost+-+9781250342355&campaign_id=6612334231745&utm_term=Fans&utm_content=A&utm_id=6612334231745
 
  
Make sure to subscribe and sign up for notifications for fantastic dating and relationship advice brought to you by Maria  Avgitidis!

#dating #love #podcast 

🤩    Check out My Websites and Socials!    🙃

💖Podcast Website: https://www.askamatchmaker.com/
💖Agape Match Website: https://agapematch.com/
💖Matchmaker Maria TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@realmatchmakermaria
💖Matchmaker Maria Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matchmakermaria
💖Agape Match Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agapematch/
💖Agame Match Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AgapeMatch
💖Agape Match Twitter: https://www.x.com/AgapeMatch

📚Maria has some big news—she's got a book coming out, 

🙋‍♀️Our Producer Venetia AKA V 
Website - https://www.venetiageras.com/
Twitter - https://X.com/venetiaageras
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/venetiaageras/

🎥 by WTF Media Studios
Website - https://www.wtfmediastudios.com/home

ABOUT THIS PODCAST 🔗
Ask a Matchmaker is your weekly go-to podcast for all things love and relationships. Hosted by fourth generation matchmaker and founder of Agape Match, Maria Avgitidis, Ask a Matchmaker gives you no-nonsense insight into dating, relationships, compatibility, and love. Maria and her weekly special guest answer questions to help you venture through the jungle that is modern love. Whether you're looking for someone or you're happily taken, Maria will keep you inspired to keep going down the path of love every week, and hopefully, gain a great tip or two to ignite the spark or keep the sparks flying!

#matchmakermaria  #askamatchmaker  #datingadvice  #datingprofilereview  #podcast

ABOUT THIS PODCAST 🔗
Ask a Matchmaker is your weekly go-to podcast for all things love and relationships. Hosted by fourth generation matchmaker and founder of Agape Match, Maria Avgitidis, Ask a Matchmaker gives you no-nonsense insight into dating, relationships, compatibility, and love. Maria and her weekly special guest answer questions to help you venture through the jungle that is modern love. Whether you're looking for someone or you're happily taken, Maria will keep you inspired to keep going down the path of love every week, and hopefully, gain a great tip or two to ignite the spark or keep the sparks flying!

#matchmakermaria  #askamatchmaker  #datingadvice  #datingprofilereview  #podcast

This week, it’s all about communication. How do you become a better listener? What if you’re dating someone that isn’t listening to you? We’re going to talk about how to be a better communicator AND how to be your most authentic self with #SlayTheMic queen, Jam Gamble!

Jahmeelah “Jam” Gamble is an award winning media personality, sought out keynote speaker, and CEO behind “Slay The Mic”, a program that helps aspiring speakers, content creators, and entrepreneurs transform their voice into their ultimate superpower. Through corporate training, Slay The Mic Masterclass events, virtual learning, private coaching, and now through her recently launched course on Thinkific, she has helped over 700 voices have learned how to #SlayTheMic.

Things discussed in this episode include…

To sign up for Jam’s upcoming training events, visit https://linktr.ee/iamjamgamble

Find Jam on Instagram

Follow Maria on Instagram 

Have a question for Maria? Want to be part of an upcoming live taping of Ask a Matchmaker on Zoom? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com

Join our Facebook group to be part of the ongoing dating conversation. 

To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com

It’s the end of the season and Maria wraps it up with a chat with her husband, George! They talk about the latest Agape Retreat in Greece and the future of upcoming events as well as the importance of dating each other even when you’re married.

Plus, Maria has some homework for you before the final season... it's the Five Fives Challenge!

-Contact five friends — not your core friend group, but in your periphery or acquaintances, and ask them to set you up once before Labor Day.

-Download Tinder (Stop grumbling.. just trust me) and go out with five guys before Labor Day.

-Find Five events on Eventbrite to attend before Labor Day. (It’s okay if it’s a cooking class or a tech event or a lecture… just five five events!)

-If you don’t attend church/temple/synagog, invite yourself to your friends Shabbat or go to your local soup kitchen or community center and volunteer five times before Labor Day. (If you do attend church/synagog/temple.. there ya go. go five times before Labor Day.)

-Go up to five guys and just say hello and start talking.

Follow George on Instagram at http://instagram.com/nerdmeetsfood

Follow George on TikTok at http://tiktok.com@nerdmeetsfood 

Follow Maria on Instagram at http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria

*****Let's work together!*****

Book your dating assessment: https://calendly.com/felix-louie/dating-assessment?back=1&month=2023-07

Enroll in an upcoming Agape Intensive: http://agapeintensive.com 

Pre-Register for Greece 2024 Retreat http://agapeescapes.com 

Maria has a chat with Violetta Lazé on the energetics that shape our relationships.

Follow Violetta on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/violettalaze/

Violetta Lazé is an intuitive guide, astrologer, hypnotherapist, and spiritual psychology coach in life and relationships. She has assisted in the soulful transformation and individuation of high achieving professionals from all over the world to embody their innate power while awakening their divinity. Violetta possesses the gift of foresight where her sharp intuitive readings offer depth and insight. In her relationship work, she has counseled couples and helped single men and women to step into their authenticity and confidence while dating. The synthesis of jungian psychology, eastern philosophy, metaphysics, and the numinous is a strong motif in her private practice.  

To book a session with Violetta, go to https://healingwithvioletta.as.me/schedule.php?notembedded=1

Follow Maria on Instagram for more dating and relationship content: http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

Want to work with Maria? Book a Dating Strategy call with a member of her team and learn more about her matchmaking and coaching programs. https://calendly.com/felix-louie 

Want to join Maria on her next retreat to Greece? June 24- July 1, 2023  #Escape2Paros registration is officially open. http://agapeescapes.com 

Maria is taking a few weeks off. Before we start our new season in September, we’re looking back at some of her favorite episodes! 

He’s been answering dating and relationship questions for years on the JTrain podcast! Now he’s our special guest this week to answer YOUR questions… it’s Jared Freid!

Jared Freid is a comedian based out of New York City. His comedy is current and reflects the ordinary daily thoughts of everyone you know, especially if everyone you know is a millennial, obsessed with dating apps, trying to be a real adult and worried about their body. He’s a regular at the Comedy Cellar, Caroline’s on Broadway, and Gotham.

He hosts the JTrain podcast and co-hosts a modern dating podcast called “U Up?” with Jordana Abraham of Betches.

Find Jared on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/jaredfreid

Check out the JTrain podcast on Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-jtrain-podcast/id672249013

Find more about Jared at http://jaredfreid.com 

Enroll in the next Agape Intensive: https://agapematch.com/agape-group-coaching-intensive/ 

Follow Maria on Instagram Follow Maria on TikTok Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com

 You’ve heard Maria talk about the Agape Intensive program. But what is it like? What happens? This week, Maria speaks with Elena and Amanda, two graduates from the program to tell you their experience being in the program and about how they ended up meeting their person after the program!It’s more than just a way to help you meet your person. It’s a community of people going through the same thing that become friends that support each other.  Also, be sure to check out Elena’s awesome podcast, Blind Date with a Book, which Maria was a guest on!Follow Elena on Instagram and Twitter Follow Amanda on InstagramWant to join the community? Sign up for an Agape Intensive at http://agapeintensive.com Join Maria and the crew in Mexico! Register at http://agapeescapes.com  Follow Maria on Instagram to know when the Ask a Matchmaker Hotline will open again for calls! http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria To learn more about how Maria and her team can help you, visit http://agapematch.com 

This week Maria welcomes your new gay best friend, Matthew Anchel, to help with your dating and relationship questions!

Maria and Matthew tackle body image in dating as well as some unique insight into dating from around the world.

Follow Matthew on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matthewanchel/

Visit Matthew's website: https://www.matthewanchel.com/

Enroll in the next Agape Intensive: https://agapematch.com/agape-group-coaching-intensive/ 

Follow Maria on Instagram Follow Maria on TikTok Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com Enroll in Agape Match’s Group Coaching Intensive: https://agapematch.com/events To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com

Is Valentine's Day worth the hype? This week, Matchmaker Maria is joined by dating coach and relationship expert Erika Ettin to dive into the origins and modern-day debates surrounding this love-it-or-leave-it holiday.

💘 Highlights: The ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia and its connection to modern Valentine’s Day How a martyred Saint Valentine became the symbol of love The influence of Hallmark and commercialization on Valentine's traditions Maria and Erika share hot takes on the holiday, debating whether it should be cherished as a meaningful celebration of love or dismissed as an overrated marketing ploy.

From grand gestures to skipping the day altogether, they break down why Valentine’s Day sparks such strong opinions. Tune in for thought-provoking insights and tips for making the day your own—whether you're single or in a relationship! 

Tune in for insightful, practical advice on modern dating and making every connection count! 

Maria has  a book coming out! click here to preorder!! 👉 https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/ask-a-matchmaker-9781250342355/?utm_source=meta&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=SMP+-+Ask+a+Matchmaker+-+Cover+Reveal+Boost+-+9781250342355&campaign_id=6612334231745&utm_term=Fans&utm_content=A&utm_id=6612334231745
 
  
Make sure to subscribe and sign up for notifications for fantastic dating and relationship advice brought to you by Maria  Avgitidis!

#dating #love #podcast 

🤩    Check out My Websites and Socials!    🙃

💖Podcast Website: https://www.askamatchmaker.com/
💖Agape Match Website: https://agapematch.com/
💖Matchmaker Maria TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@realmatchmakermaria
💖Matchmaker Maria Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matchmakermaria
💖Agape Match Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agapematch/
💖Agame Match Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AgapeMatch
💖Agape Match Twitter: https://www.x.com/AgapeMatch

🙋‍♀️Our Producer Venetia AKA V 
Website - https://www.venetiageras.com/
Twitter - https://X.com/venetiaageras
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/venetiaageras/

🎥 by WTF Media Studios
Website - https://www.wtfmediastudios.com/home

ABOUT THIS PODCAST 🔗
Ask a Matchmaker is your weekly go-to podcast for all things love and relationships. Hosted by fourth generation matchmaker and founder of Agape Match, Maria Avgitidis, Ask a Matchmaker gives you no-nonsense insight into dating, relationships, compatibility, and love. Maria and her weekly special guest answer questions to help you venture through the jungle that is modern love. Whether you're looking for someone or you're happily taken, Maria will keep you inspired to keep going down the path of love every week, and hopefully, gain a great tip or two to ignite the spark or keep the sparks flying!

#matchmakermaria  #askamatchmaker  #datingadvice  #datingprofilereview  #podcast

This episode is sponsored by First Rounds on Me. Download here: https://firstroundsonme.co/?utm_source=Maria&utm_medium=Ad&utm_campaign=December 

Maria’s guests this week are the hosts of the True Romance podcast, Carolina Barlow and Devin Leary. They guide you through the trials and tribulations of public and personal love stories. They’ve been there for each other’s best and worst romantic moments because that’s what friends do. Both have become obsessed with relationship dramas. As romantics, they want to hear and discuss everyone’s love stories. How they made it, how they did it and in what positions. 

Listen to "True Romance" HERE. 

True Romance is from Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio. 

Follow Carolina on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/carolinarosebarlow/

Follow Devin on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/devin_hunter_leary/ 

Follow Maria on Instagram for more dating and relationship content: http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

Want to work with Maria? Book a Dating Strategy call with a member of her team and learn more about her matchmaking and coaching programs. https://calendly.com/felix-louie

Lolita Jackson MBE is the Executive Director of Sustainable Cities at Sustainable Development Capital LLP, a multibillion-pound climate investment firm.  She is the link to governments around the world, also working on business development and origination.  Lolita previously worked for the NYC Mayor’s Office for 15 years in a variety of roles.  She last served as the Special Advisor for Climate Policy & Programs, where she was the climate diplomat for NYC and lead for the administration regarding global work on divestment and climate finance. Prior to her tenure in the NYC Mayor’s Office, Lolita worked for Morgan Stanley Investment Management for 12 years as a Vice President and helped manage a $10 billion product line. 

Lolita is an Adjunct Professor at Penn in the Masters in Environmental Studies Program, Senior Advisor of Penn Perry World House, a member of the British American Project U.S. Advisory Board, a Global Scot, Trustee of the Jazz Museum in Harlem, a board member of the Saint Andrew’s Society of NY, a US-Japan Leadership Program Fellow, and President of the Penn Alumni Class of 1989.   She was named to the City & State Energy & Environment Power 100 list for 2022 and was named a Member of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 2021.  Lolita is a professional singer, having performed on four continents and at Carnegie Hall. She is an alumna of the Penn School of Engineering, majoring in Applied Science with a concentration in Chemical Engineering.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ri4TIroreeE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwBIWHJ67lM

Make sure to subscribe and sign up for notifications for fantastic dating and relationship advice brought to you by Maria Avgitidis!

🤩 Check out My Websites and Socials! 🙃

💖Podcast Website: https://www.askamatchmaker.com/

💖Agape Match Website: https://agapematch.com/

💖Matchmaker Maria TikTok: realmatchmakermaria

💖Matchmaker Maria Instagram: matchmakermaria

💖Agape Match Instagram: agapematch

💖Agame Match Facebook: AgapeMatch

💖Agape Match Twitter: AgapeMatch

ABOUT THIS PODCAST 🔗 Ask a Matchmaker is your weekly go-to podcast for all things love and relationships. Hosted by fourth generation matchmaker and founder of Agape Match, Maria Avgitidis, Ask a Matchmaker gives you no-nonsense insight into dating, relationships, compatibility, and love. Maria and her weekly special guest answer questions to help you venture through the jungle that is modern love. Whether you're looking for someone or you're happily taken, Maria will keep you inspired to keep going down the path of love every week, and hopefully, gain a great tip or two to ignite the spark or keep the sparks flying! #matchmakermaria #askamatchmaker #datingadvice #datingprofilereview #podcast

You loved it! We loved it! So we’re doing it again!

This week on the podcast, Maria is reading your closure letters with her friend Katie Morse. Those words you wish you could say to someone but you know it’s better you don’t. But you still need to get the words and feelings out!

We happily read them and put them out in the universe for you!

Plus, Maria and Katie talk about how they became friends. Spoiler alert: It started when they realized that at one point they both were with the same guy!

To learn how Maria can help you find love in 2021, go to: https://linktr.ee/agapematch

Follow Maria on Instagram Follow Maria on TikTok Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com Enroll in Agape Match’s Group Coaching Intensive: https://agapematch.com/events To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com

It’s another hotline and this week, Maria is joined by her friend and comedian Joyelle Johnson! Follow Joyelle on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/joyellenicole/

If you want to ask Maria a question on an upcoming hotline, be sure to follow her on Instagram to know when she’ll be going live: http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

Questions this week include…

• How do you stay hopeful when you have bad dating moments?
• Should I ask “what are you looking for?” when you first meet someone? When is the time to ask it?
• I keep finding unavailable men. How do I change that?
• I want to date someone who is going through a divorce. How do I do that?

Want to work with Maria? Book a Dating Strategy call with a member of her team and learn more about her matchmaking and coaching programs. https://calendly.com/felix-louie

Want to join Maria on her next retreat? #Escape2Paros 2023 registration is officially open. http://agapeescapes.com

This week on the pod, Maria chats with the founder of one of her favorite apps to meet people, MeetMe’s Catherine Cook Connelly! 

Catherine is co-founder and SVP, Marketing at The Meet Group. The Meet Group owns and operates the most engaging dating communities in the world, spanning five apps including MeetMe, Skout, Tagged, LOVOO and GROWLr. Serving millions of daters daily, our community sends 70 million chats per day. Each month, our livestreaming solutions entice our community to spend 1.1 billion minutes in video. Our network size, technology, and leading moderation and talent teams enable us to partner for and acquire new audiences, including through video platform-as-service products. The Meet Group, Inc. is a subsidiary of ParshipMeet Group, a diversified international market leader in online dating, which also owns and operates leading matchmaking brands eharmony, Parship, and ElitePartner.

In this episode, Maria and Catherine discuss…

- The history of MeetMe and why the app was created. - How MeetMe is different from every other app out there. (it’s not all about dating!) - How to connect and chat with someone in a speed dating situation. - How to handle a potential long distance relationship at the beginning. - Great ice breaker questions to get a conversation going with someone. 

Follow Catherine on Twitter

Connect with Catherine on LinkedIn

To learn how Maria can help you find love in 2021, go to: https://linktr.ee/agapematch

Follow Maria on Instagram Follow Maria on TikTok Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com Enroll in Agape Match’s Group Coaching Intensive: https://agapematch.com/events To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com

We all have one of two things: a romance we’ve seen on TV or a movie that we LOVE and a romance we’ve seen on TV or a movie that we can’t stand. Maybe because we don’t like the people OR we think “There’s no way that would actually happen!”

So much of our society’s ideas on what a relationship could be or how it forms comes from movies. It’s screwed up how we look at romance.

This week, we’re doing something different. We’re diving into pop culture and finding out what’s good, what’s bad and what’s wrong with love and relationships in movies, TV and music. 

And we have our resident pop culture geek with us to help, comedian Gus Constantellis!

Gus Constantellis is a first generation Greek-American LGBTQ+ stand up comedian/writer. He regularly performs at Caroline's on Broadway, Stand Up NY, and all over the tristate area. He brings his unique perspective of growing up in NYC with immigrant parents to his standup, writing, and vibrant personality. If you’re Greek, you probably know him from the “Greek Mom” bits that we all are obsessed with.

Find Gus on Instagram

Watch Gus’s stand up special “Pepper” on Instagram

Follow Maria on Instagram

Have a question for Maria? Visit askamatchmaker.com

Join our Facebook group to be part of the ongoing dating conversation. 

To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com

This week, Maria sits down with Melanie Cooke and has a deep conversation into attachment theory. You’ll learn the different types of attachment, how avoidant attachment is prevalent in today’s dating environment and what you can do to make sure you are your best for a healthy relationship. 

Melanie Cooke is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and private practice owner. She works with high performers who are outwardly successful, but struggle with feelings of dissatisfaction, emptiness, and confusion--who feel that something is missing and who want to feel whole, but don't know how to. She helps them better understand their emotions, establish boundaries, balance control with acceptance, and work through conflict in order to have more fulfilling relationships. She practices trauma-informed Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Gestalt therapies, along with body based mindfulness because our emotions, fears, and wounds are as much in our bodies as they are in our minds. So is healing.

Learn more about Melanie at https://www.melaniecookelmhc.com/

Join Maria and Melanie on the next Hotline - Wednesday, July 5: https://agapematch.wufoo.com/forms/z1ou628l1vanjkl/

*****Let's work together!*****

Let’s work together! https://calendly.com/felix-louie 

Register for our Tulum retreat! http://agapeescapes.com (a few spots left!)

or join an upcoming virtual  Intensive! https://agapematch.com/agape-group-coaching-intensive/  

Follow Maria on instagram at http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

Make sure to subscribe and sign up for notifications for fantastic dating and relationship advice brought to you by Maria Avgitidis!

🤩 Check out My Websites and Socials! 🙃

💖Podcast Website: https://www.askamatchmaker.com/

💖Agape Match Website: https://agapematch.com/

💖Matchmaker Maria TikTok: realmatchmakermaria

💖Matchmaker Maria Instagram: matchmakermaria

💖Agape Match Instagram: agapematch

💖Agame Match Facebook: AgapeMatch

💖Agape Match Twitter: AgapeMatch

ABOUT THIS PODCAST 🔗 Ask a Matchmaker is your weekly go-to podcast for all things love and relationships. Hosted by fourth generation matchmaker and founder of Agape Match, Maria Avgitidis, Ask a Matchmaker gives you no-nonsense insight into dating, relationships, compatibility, and love. Maria and her weekly special guest answer questions to help you venture through the jungle that is modern love. Whether you're looking for someone or you're happily taken, Maria will keep you inspired to keep going down the path of love every week, and hopefully, gain a great tip or two to ignite the spark or keep the sparks flying! #matchmakermaria #askamatchmaker #datingadvice #datingprofilereview #podcast

The cold weather in Texas has been all over the news the last two weeks.

This week, Maria talks to someone on the ground and is dealing with it first hand... lifestyle blogger, Danielle Price.

After graduating from film school at the University of Southern California in 2014, Danielle worked at a content creation focused ad agency & house of lifestyle magazines in Los Angeles.

Danielle quit her job and put her whole life into a storage unit in January 2020 (great timing!) to take the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to live in the South of France where she planned to learn to cook from the chef/owner of a bed & breakfast in Provence in exchange for overhauling the social media of the business. However, the pandemic struck and she unexpectedly ended up back in her childhood bedroom in the middle of the West Texas desert instead.

While spending 2020 soaking up precious time with her parents, Danielle dove into writing and creating social media videos for She’s Fun, her lifestyle blog for all things feminine & fun. She continues to help small businesses with unique content creation and branding.

Find Danielle on Instagram

Visit Danielle’s website, She’s Fun

To help the people of Texas, Venmo to these great organizations: Feed the People Dallas: http://venmo.com/feedthepeopledallas Mutual Aid Houston: http://venmo.com/mutualaidhou Mutual Aid Austin: http://venmo.com/austinmutualaid Mutual Aid Trinity/San Antonio:  http://venmo.com/trinitymutualaid

To learn how Maria can help you find love in 2021, go to: https://linktr.ee/agapematch

Follow Maria on Instagram

Follow Maria on TikTok

Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com

Enroll in Agape Match's Group Coaching Intensive: https://agapematch.com/events

While Maria takes a few weeks off, we’re revisiting some of her favorite episodes! The new season of the podcast starts in September! 

Long distance relationships are brought up every week on Ask a Matchmaker on Instagram. 

This week, we dig deep into the topic with The King and Queen of Long Distance, Maria and her husband, George!

They met in Boston while George was living up there and Maria was still in New York City. For the next SIX YEARS (!!), they dated, got married and had a kid while living hundreds of miles apart!

Don’t worry, they’re finally together in New Jersey!

But how did the two of them do it for so long? What could you learn from their journey?

Check out this very personal and heartfelt episode.

Enroll in the next Agape Intensive: https://agapematch.com/agape-group-coaching-intensive/ 

Follow Maria on Instagram Follow Maria on TikTok Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com

This week, Maria is so excited to welcome Dr. Helen Fisher to the podcast to answer your dating and relationship questions!

Fisher has written several books about  the evolution and future of human sex, love, marriage, gender differences in the brain, how your personality style shapes who you are and who you love, and more. Her books include Anatomy of Love: A Natural History of Mating, Marriage, and Why We Stray and Why Him? Why Her? Finding Real Love by Understanding your personality type. 

She is also the Chief Scientific Advisor for the internet dating site Match.com. 

Dr. Fisher is a senior research fellow at The Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, and a member of the Center For Human Evolutionary Studies in the Department of Anthropology at Rutgers University. Prior to that, she was a research associate at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

Fisher holds a B.A. in Anthropology and Psychology from New York University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Physical Anthropology from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Visit Helen's website: https://helenfisher.com/

Follow Hellen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helenfishersexandlove/

Purchase Hellen's books: https://www.amazon.com/Helen-Fisher/e/B000API2K0

Enroll in the next Agape Intensive: https://agapematch.com/agape-group-coaching-intensive/ 

Follow Maria on Instagram Follow Maria on TikTok Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com Enroll in Agape Match’s Group Coaching Intensive: https://agapematch.com/events To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com

One of our goals on Ask a Matchmaker is to have real, authentic conversations about all things related to love and relationships. Cut through the BS and talk about things that really matter.

This week is no exception. 

We’re talking about sex.

We’re talking about the sexual trauma and shame that we come across over the year. What it is, how to deal with it and how to talk about it.

Joining us this week is Dr. Celeste Holbrook.

Dr. Holbrook is a sexologist, speaker and author who has dedicated her life to helping women achieve soul-centered sex through perfectly planned mental and behavioral changes.  She inspires women to move through mental blocks surrounding their intimate lives to truly experience the sex that was spiritually designed for her.  Hundreds of women have dramatically changed their relationships by following the sexual and spiritual strategies that Dr. Holbrook has created and tailored specifically for them.  Her favorite moment is the spark that appears in a woman’s eyes the instant her sensual confidence is re-awakened.

Visit Dr. Holbrook’s website

Find Dr. Holbrook on Instagram 

Find Dr. Holbrook on Facebook

Follow Maria on Instagram Follow Maria on TikTok Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com Enroll in Agape Match’s Group Coaching Intensive: https://agapematch.com/events To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com

A new documentary on Amazon Prime “Shiny Happy People”  about the Duggar family has been sparking up conversations about the Institute in Basic Life Principles, or IBLP. 

Today, Maria talks to an anonymous guest who grew up in IBLP and how it affected her life. She talks about her cheating husband, what it was like when she had to have an abortion and what she’s doing now moving forward.

WaPo article referenced in episode: https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/interactive/2023/christian-home-schoolers-revolt/

*****Let's work together!*****

Let’s work together! https://calendly.com/felix-louie 

Register for our Tulum retreat! http://agapeescapes.com (a few spots left!)

or join an upcoming virtual  Intensive! https://agapematch.com/agape-group-coaching-intensive/  

Follow Maria on instagram at http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

It’s a special episode as Matchmaker Maria celebrates her milestone 40th birthday with this month's new co-host, comedian Edson! Between birthday hats, balloons, and confetti-free festivities, Maria and Edson dive into a lively conversation about love, connection, and the dynamics of open relationships.  

Edson shares his personal journey of being in an open relationship with his long-term partner, discussing how they set boundaries, explore new experiences, and maintain trust while navigating both emotional and physical connections. Along the way, Maria provides her signature no-nonsense insights into how open relationships work, how to have honest conversations about intimacy, and why understanding your own “sandbox” of desires is key to any relationship—open or monogamous.  

Whether you’re single, partnered, curious about open relationships, or just here for the laughs, this episode offers a candid and thought-provoking look into modern love. Plus, a reminder: Maria’s book, *Ask a Matchmaker*, is now available for preorder!  

Key Topics 
- Setting boundaries and terms in open relationships  
- Maintaining trust and communication  
- Exploring intimacy in a safe, judgment-free way  

📚 Don’t forget to share this episode, preorder Maria’s book, and wish her a happy birthday on December 5th!👏

Maria has  a book coming out! click here to preorder!! 👉 https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/ask-a-matchmaker-9781250342355/?utm_source=meta&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=SMP+-+Ask+a+Matchmaker+-+Cover+Reveal+Boost+-+9781250342355&campaign_id=6612334231745&utm_term=Fans&utm_content=A&utm_id=6612334231745
 
  
Make sure to subscribe and sign up for notifications for fantastic dating and relationship advice brought to you by Maria  Avgitidis!

#dating #love #podcast 

🤩    Check out My Websites and Socials!    🙃

💖Podcast Website: https://www.askamatchmaker.com/
💖Agape Match Website: https://agapematch.com/
💖Matchmaker Maria TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@realmatchmakermaria
💖Matchmaker Maria Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matchmakermaria
💖Agape Match Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agapematch/
💖Agame Match Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AgapeMatch
💖Agape Match Twitter: https://www.x.com/AgapeMatch

📚Maria has some big news—she's got a book coming out, 

🙋‍♀️Our Producer Venetia AKA V 
Website - https://www.venetiageras.com/
Twitter - https://X.com/venetiaageras
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/venetiaageras/

🎥 by WTF Media Studios
Website - https://www.wtfmediastudios.com/home

ABOUT THIS PODCAST 🔗
Ask a Matchmaker is your weekly go-to podcast for all things love and relationships. Hosted by fourth generation matchmaker and founder of Agape Match, Maria Avgitidis, Ask a Matchmaker gives you no-nonsense insight into dating, relationships, compatibility, and love. Maria and her weekly special guest answer questions to help you venture through the jungle that is modern love. Whether you're looking for someone or you're happily taken, Maria will keep you inspired to keep going down the path of love every week, and hopefully, gain a great tip or two to ignite the spark or keep the sparks flying!

#matchmakermaria  #askamatchmaker  #datingadvice  #datingprofilereview  #podcast

ABOUT THIS PODCAST 🔗
Ask a Matchmaker is your weekly go-to podcast for all things love and relationships. Hosted by fourth generation matchmaker and founder of Agape Match, Maria Avgitidis, Ask a Matchmaker gives you no-nonsense insight into dating, relationships, compatibility, and love. Maria and her weekly special guest answer questions to help you venture through the jungle that is modern love. Whether you're looking for someone or you're happily taken, Maria will keep you inspired to keep going down the path of love every week, and hopefully, gain a great tip or two to ignite the spark or keep the sparks flying!

#matchmakermaria  #askamatchmaker  #datingadvice  #datingprofilereview  #podcast

Joining Maria on the hotline this week is Seeing Other People podcast host Ilana Dunn!

Check out the Seeing Other People podcast on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/seeingotherpeople/ 

Follow Ilana on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/ilana.dunn/ 

Follow Ilana on TikTok at https://www.tiktok.com/@ilana.dunn 

Follow Maria on Instagram for more dating and relationship content: http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

Or join Maria on an upcoming Agape Intensive! http://agapeintensive.com 

Want to work with Maria? Book a Dating Strategy call with a member of her team and learn more about her matchmaking and coaching programs. https://calendly.com/felix-louie

This week on the podcast, Maria is reading your closure letters with one of her good friends, Katie Murphy!

Katie took the crazy situation of 2020 and made something amazing out of it! When she lost her job at the beginning of the pandemic, she bought a tent, packed her car and camped out across the country!

Plus, they will share a letter Maria received from someone that was gaslit by a man last year. It involves travel, facetime calls and even her daughter. You’re not going to want to miss this.

Follow Katie’s adventures on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/katiewisdm/

To learn how Maria can help you find love in 2021, go to: https://linktr.ee/agapematch 

Follow Maria on Instagram: http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

Follow Maria on TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJaSAhfw/ 

Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com 

Enroll in Agape Matchs Group Coaching Intensive: https://agapematch.com/events 

To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit http://agapematch.com

*********

Pre-Registration for Tulum 2023 is open! Visit http://agapeescapes.com. 

Or enroll in a virtual Agape Intensive instead: http://agapeintensive.com 

*********

It feels like narcissism has taken a bigger role in society in the last few years. What might start off as charming and great can quickly turn negative and unhealthy. 

How do we make sure we don’t get caught up with someone who is a narcissist? What should we look out for? How can you know if your partner IS one?

Dr. Ramani Durvasula (better known as Dr. Ramani)  is a licensed clinical psychologist in Los Angeles, CA and Professor of Psychology at California State University, Los Angeles. She takes on our modern scourges of entitlement and incivility in the book  “Don’t You Know Who I Am”: How to Stay Sane in the Era of Narcissism, Entitlement and Incivility She is the author of the modern relationship survival manual Should I Stay or Should I Go: Surviving a Relationship With a Narcissist.  The focus of Dr. Ramani’s clinical, academic and consultative work is the etiology and impact of narcissism and related high-conflict, entitled, antagonistic personality styles on human relationships, mental health, and societal expectations. 

Dr. Ramani is an honest, authentic, and brutally honest voice on the struggles raised by narcissism in the US and globally.

Follow Dr. Ramani on Instagram at http://instagram.com/doctorramani 

You can find Dr. Ramani’s books on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Ramani-Durvasula/e/B00C2C5U0O 

Find Dr. Ramani at her website http://www.doctor-ramani.com 

Let's work together! 

Schedule a Dating Strategy call: https://calendly.com/felix-louie 

Follow Maria on instagram at http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

This week, we’re opening up the hotline again BUT we’ve brought in extra support to help! Joining Maria this week to help you with your online dating problems is Agape Match’s Online Dating Manager, Erika Ettin. 

Erika Ettin is an online dating expert and dating coach who helps people navigate the world of online dating. Her expertise includes profile creation, photo selection and photography, message writing, and date planning. She is also the author of the book Love at First Site: Tips & Tales for Online Dating Success from a Modern-Day Matchmaker and the co-host of the popular dating podcast “So, We Met Online…”

Our next Online Dating Tech Support is on March 10th at 9PM ET. To register and receive a link to join visit: https://agapematch.wufoo.com/forms/z1s18kn10qpwm8f/ 

Find Erika on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ALittleNudge/ 

To learn when Maria will open up the next Ask a Matchmaker Hotline, follow her at http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria

Follow Agape Match on Instagram at http://instagram.com/agapematch

Follow the podcast on Instagram at http://instagram.com/askamatchmaker

New episode with Matchmaker Maria and comedian @jennyzigrino ! Maria has some big news—she's got a book coming out, and the cover reveal is happening right on air! Check it out out on YouTube!  Maria and Jenny chat about the book, manifesting success, and the importance of preorders. Jenny’s been busy with her comedy tour, sharing funny stories from Alaska.

The conversation shifts to Jenny’s online dating life, and Maria checks in on the changes Jenny made to her profiles after some advice. They explore what it means to be an “alpha” or “beta” in dating, poking fun at modern labels while celebrating the beauty of sensitivity in men. Wrapping things up, Jenny shows off her updated dating profile, where the changes have led to some interesting interactions, and they share more tips for listeners looking to date smarter.

We learn about Jenny's latest dates, she's had 2 in the last couple of weeks using dating apps like Hinge and Field.  They explore why certain apps might feel like they’re hiding potential matches, with Jenny sharing her theory about Hinge limiting her visibility to more attractive users. As Maria reviews Jenny's dating profile photos, she provides constructive feedback, including suggestions on removing certain photos that don't seem to work, like one featuring a dog that isn’t hers. They also delve into the mechanics of dating, reflecting on the awkwardness and lack of chemistry during a recent coffee date Jenny had, where the conversation felt forced and disengaged. Maria and Jenny humorously debate the merits of coffee shop dates and express a strong preference for more dynamic or engaging activities, offering tips on how to avoid the interview-style vibe that can kill chemistry on early dates.

To round out the conversation, a listener from London calls in seeking advice on how to deal with FOMO (fear of missing out) in dating while going through a tough time professionally. The hosts advise focusing on personal growth and self-care before jumping back into dating, emphasizing that love and connections aren’t in short supply, and rushing into relationships when you’re not in a good headspace can lead to poor decisions.

Make sure to subscribe and sign up for notifications for fantastic dating and relationship advice brought to you by Matchmaker Maria!

🤩    Check out My Websites and Socials!    🙃

💖Podcast Website: https://www.askamatchmaker.com/
💖Agape Match Website: https://agapematch.com/
💖Matchmaker Maria TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@realmatchmakermaria
💖Matchmaker Maria Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matchmakermaria
💖Agape Match Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agapematch/
💖Agame Match Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AgapeMatch
💖Agape Match Twitter: https://www.x.com/AgapeMatch

🙋‍♀️Our Producer Venetia AKA V 
Website - https://www.venetiageras.com/
Twitter - https://X.com/venetiaageras
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/venetiaageras/

🎥 by WTF Media Studios
Website - https://www.wtfmediastudios.com/home

ABOUT THIS PODCAST 🔗
Ask a Matchmaker is your weekly go-to podcast for all things love and relationships. Hosted by fourth generation matchmaker and founder of Agape Match, Maria Avgitidis, Ask a Matchmaker gives you no-nonsense insight into dating, relationships, compatibility, and love. Maria and her weekly special guest answer questions to help you venture through the jungle that is modern love. Whether you're looking for someone or you're happily taken, Maria will keep you inspired to keep going down the path of love every week, and hopefully, gain a great tip or two to ignite the spark or keep the sparks flying!

#matchmakermaria  #askamatchmaker  #datingadvice  #datingprofilereview  #podcast

ABOUT THIS PODCAST 🔗
Ask a Matchmaker is your weekly go-to podcast for all things love and relationships. Hosted by fourth generation matchmaker and founder of Agape Match, Maria Avgitidis, Ask a Matchmaker gives you no-nonsense insight into dating, relationships, compatibility, and love. Maria and her weekly special guest answer questions to help you venture through the jungle that is modern love. Whether you're looking for someone or you're happily taken, Maria will keep you inspired to keep going down the path of love every week, and hopefully, gain a great tip or two to ignite the spark or keep the sparks flying!

#matchmakermaria  #askamatchmaker  #datingadvice  #datingprofilereview  #podcast

Christine Emba is an opinion columnist and editor at The Washington Post, where she focuses on ideas, society, and culture. Her first book, Rethinking Sex: A Provocation is about the failures and potential of the sexual revolution in a post-#MeToo world. She was named one of the World’s Top 50 Thinkers by Prospect Magazine in 2022.

Make sure to subscribe and sign up for notifications for fantastic dating and relationship advice brought to you by Maria Avgitidis!

🤩 Check out My Websites and Socials! 🙃

💖Podcast Website: https://www.askamatchmaker.com/

💖Agape Match Website: https://agapematch.com/

💖Matchmaker Maria TikTok: realmatchmakermaria

💖Matchmaker Maria Instagram: matchmakermaria

💖Agape Match Instagram: agapematch

💖Agame Match Facebook: AgapeMatch

💖Agape Match Twitter: AgapeMatch

ABOUT THIS PODCAST 🔗 Ask a Matchmaker is your weekly go-to podcast for all things love and relationships. Hosted by fourth generation matchmaker and founder of Agape Match, Maria Avgitidis, Ask a Matchmaker gives you no-nonsense insight into dating, relationships, compatibility, and love. Maria and her weekly special guest answer questions to help you venture through the jungle that is modern love. Whether you're looking for someone or you're happily taken, Maria will keep you inspired to keep going down the path of love every week, and hopefully, gain a great tip or two to ignite the spark or keep the sparks flying! #matchmakermaria #askamatchmaker #datingadvice #datingprofilereview #podcast

This week, Maria’s husband, George, is once again on the podcast. This week, the two talk about the fun that was had during Maria’s birthday weekend, the new upcoming Agape Intensive on the road and a continuation of the conversation that’s been going on since last week’s episode: dating outside your religion and culture.

Share your name and email and you will be notified first when details for the Agape Intensive Retreat - April 29- May 1, 2022 - are released! https://agapematch.wufoo.com/forms/z14chqhd03yfh04/

Follow George on TikTok at https://www.tiktok.com/@nerdmeetsfood?

Follow Maria on Instagram to find out when the Matchmaker Hotline will be open to talk! http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

Follow Agape Match on Instagram at http://instagram.com/agapematch

Follow the podcast on Instagram at http://instagram.com/askamatchmaker

I had to get my work husband and fellow matchmaker, Louie Felix to take your hotline questions, discuss why Bumble is blocking ghosters, how to ask for a second date, and more! INDULGE! Want to book a sess with Louie? https://calendly.com/felix-louie and follow him on IG @louiefelix Make sure to subscribe and sign up for notifications for fantastic dating and relationship advice brought to you by Maria Avgitidis!

🤩 Check out My Websites and Socials! 🙃

💖Podcast Website: https://www.askamatchmaker.com/

💖Agape Match Website: https://agapematch.com/

💖Matchmaker Maria TikTok: realmatchmakermaria

💖Matchmaker Maria Instagram: matchmakermaria

💖Agape Match Instagram: agapematch

💖Agame Match Facebook: AgapeMatch

💖Agape Match Twitter: AgapeMatch

ABOUT THIS PODCAST 🔗 Ask a Matchmaker is your weekly go-to podcast for all things love and relationships. Hosted by fourth generation matchmaker and founder of Agape Match, Maria Avgitidis, Ask a Matchmaker gives you no-nonsense insight into dating, relationships, compatibility, and love. Maria and her weekly special guest answer questions to help you venture through the jungle that is modern love. Whether you're looking for someone or you're happily taken, Maria will keep you inspired to keep going down the path of love every week, and hopefully, gain a great tip or two to ignite the spark or keep the sparks flying! #matchmakermaria #askamatchmaker #datingadvice #datingprofilereview #podcast

This week, Maria takes your questions with Celebrity Dating Coach, Damona Hoffman!

Damona Hoffman has been coaching singles on how to find love online and offline for over 15 years. Damona Hoffman is the dating expert of the new generation. An online dating early-adopter and success story, she has been showing singles how to harness the power of technology to find love for over a decade.

Her articles appear regularly in The LA Times and The Washington Post. Plus, she’s a regular on-air contributor to The Drew Barrymore Show, NPR, and NBC’s Access Daily. Damona also starred in two A+E Networks’ TV shows: #BlackLove and A Question of Love. Her weekly podcast Dates & Mates has been featured in Cosmopolitan, Huff Post, Bustle and tops the charts in the Relationships category on the major podcast platforms.

Check out the Dates and Mates podcast at https://damonahoffman.com/dates-and-mates-podcast/

Follow Damona on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/damonahoffman 

Learn more about Damona at https://damonahoffman.com/ 

Follow Maria on Instagram for more dating and relationship content: http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

Want to work with Maria? Book a Dating Strategy call with a member of her team and learn more about her matchmaking and coaching programs. https://calendly.com/felix-louie 

Want to join Maria on her next retreat to Greece? June 24- July 1, 2023  #Escape2Paros registration is officially open. http://agapeescapes.com 

This week’s guests are Drs. Glenn and Phyllis Hill.

Dr Glenn & Phyllis Hill spent the first 30 years of their marriage living in disconnect. Their first sexual experience sent them into years of avoidance and pain. Dr Glenn was so determined to find out what went wrong that he went back to school & became a Marriage & Family Therapist and a Clinical Sexologist. But, it wasn't until he dug deep into emotional regulation where he discovered the source of all of their disconnect.

From there, Dr Glenn & Phyllis created The Connection Codes which is a framework to help couples connect emotionally and physically using their 4 minute tool. Now, they are authors, speakers, and have Connection Coders in over 50 countries who are living in peace in their relationships.

Download the Core Emotion Wheel, THE tool to conquer conflict in just 4 minutes for FREE at https://www.connectioncodes.co/matchmaker 

Learn more about the Connection Codes at https://www.connectioncodes.co/ 

Pick up a copy of “The Connection Codes: The Blueprint & Tools for Creating the Relationships You Crave” at https://www.amazon.com/Connection-Codes-Blueprint-Creating-Relationships/dp/B09BSKMCJM/ 

Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/connectioncodes/ 

*****Let's work together!*****

Is matchmaking right for you? Let’s find out!  https://calendly.com/felix-louie 

Follow Maria on instagram at http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

And join an upcoming Intensive! https://agapematch.com/agape-group-coaching-intensive/  

Pre-Registration for Tulum 2023 is open! Visit http://agapeescapes.com

Or enroll in a virtual Agape Intensive instead: http://agapeintensive.com 

*********

Joining Maria on this week’s hotline is Logan Ury, the Director of Relationship Science at Hinge, who has the awesome job of conducting research into modern dating. 

Logan Ury is a behavioral scientist turned dating coach and the author of the bestselling dating book How to Not Die Alone. She studied psychology at Harvard and ran Google’s behavioral science team, the Irrational Lab.

Sign up for Logan's Love Letter, her weekly newsletter and learn about her online courses at https://www.loganury.com/

Pick up Logan's book, How to Not Die Alone, here.

Follow Logan on Instagram at  https://www.instagram.com/loganury/

Let's work together! 

Schedule a Dating Strategy call: https://calendly.com/felix-louie 

Follow Maria on instagram at http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

It’s another edition of the Matchmaker Maria Hotline! If you want to ask Maria a question on an upcoming episode, make sure you’re following her on Instagram to know when the hotline will open up next… http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria

Follow Agape Match on Instagram at http://instagram.com/agapematch

Follow the podcast on Instagram at http://instagram.com/askamatchmaker

In this episode of Ask a Matchmaker, Matchmaker Maria teams up with comedian  Jenny Zigrino to talk all things dating apps and relationship deal breakers. They explore how to navigate the world of dating apps, why it's sometimes better to swap swipes for real-life experiences like pottery classes, and what it’s really like to date… a puppeteer.

Next, Maria dives into Jenny’s Hinge profile, uncovering stunning photos but advising some key updates to her first few picks. From refreshing profile prompts to optimizing her photos, Maria is on a mission to help Jenny put her best foot forward. The conversation then takes a turn to FEELD, an app for those exploring alternative relationship styles and connections, sparking a candid discussion on modern ways to date.

Finally, the episode wraps with tips on how to update your profile, take fresh, fun new photos, and approach dating apps with a mindset that attracts the right match!
Make sure to subscribe and sign up for notifications for fantastic dating and relationship advice brought to you by Maria  Avgitidis!

🤩    Check out My Websites and Socials!    🙃

💖Podcast Website: https://www.askamatchmaker.com/
💖Agape Match Website: https://agapematch.com/
💖Matchmaker Maria TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@realmatchmakermaria
💖Matchmaker Maria Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matchmakermaria
💖Agape Match Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agapematch/
💖Agame Match Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AgapeMatch
💖Agape Match Twitter: https://www.x.com/AgapeMatch

🙋‍♀️Our Producer Venetia AKA V 
Website - https://www.venetiageras.com/
Twitter - https://X.com/venetiaageras
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/venetiaageras/

🎥 by WTF Media Studios
Website - https://www.wtfmediastudios.com/home

ABOUT THIS PODCAST 🔗
Ask a Matchmaker is your weekly go-to podcast for all things love and relationships. Hosted by fourth generation matchmaker and founder of Agape Match, Maria Avgitidis, Ask a Matchmaker gives you no-nonsense insight into dating, relationships, compatibility, and love. Maria and her weekly special guest answer questions to help you venture through the jungle that is modern love. Whether you're looking for someone or you're happily taken, Maria will keep you inspired to keep going down the path of love every week, and hopefully, gain a great tip or two to ignite the spark or keep the sparks flying!

#matchmakermaria  #askamatchmaker  #datingadvice  #datingprofilereview  #podcast

ABOUT THIS PODCAST 🔗
Ask a Matchmaker is your weekly go-to podcast for all things love and relationships. Hosted by fourth generation matchmaker and founder of Agape Match, Maria Avgitidis, Ask a Matchmaker gives you no-nonsense insight into dating, relationships, compatibility, and love. Maria and her weekly special guest answer questions to help you venture through the jungle that is modern love. Whether you're looking for someone or you're happily taken, Maria will keep you inspired to keep going down the path of love every week, and hopefully, gain a great tip or two to ignite the spark or keep the sparks flying!

#matchmakermaria  #askamatchmaker  #datingadvice  #datingprofilereview  #podcast

This week, Maria is back with another hotline episode with award-winning writer, actor, comedian, and musician Lane Moore!

Her first book, How To Be Alone: If You Want To And Even If You Don’t, became an instant #1 bestseller and was praised as one of the best books of the year by The New York Times, New York Magazine, NPR, Good Morning America, Fast Company, Marie Claire, and many others

Her second book, You Will Find Your People: How To Make Meaningful Friendships As An Adult, will be released on April 25, 2023. Pre-order now!

https://www.amazon.com/You-Will-Find-Your-People/dp/1419762567 

Follow Lane on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/hellolanemoore/ 

Follow Lane on Twitter at https://twitter.com/hellolanemoore 

Learn more about Lane at https://www.lanemoore.org/ 

*****Let's work together!*****

Is matchmaking right for you? Let’s find out!  https://calendly.com/felix-louie 

Follow Maria on instagram at http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

And join an upcoming Intensive! https://agapematch.com/agape-group-coaching-intensive/ 

We’re answering YOUR questions again this week! If you have a question you’d like to personally ask Maria, be sure to follow her on Insta to know when the hotline will open up next! @MatchmakerMaria 

This week, we’re talking about…

• How do I know if someone is stringing me along? How do I trust my gut?
• Am I being ghosted by someone?
• How do I not move too quickly when I’m dating someone new?

Follow Maria on Instagram at http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

If you’d like to learn more about Agape Match’s services or enroll in an upcoming Agape Intensive, visit agapematch.com/services 

This episode is sponsored by First Rounds on Me. Download here: https://firstroundsonme.co/?utm_source=Maria&utm_medium=Ad&utm_campaign=December 

Humble the Poet is a Canadian born rapper, spoken word artist, poet, international best selling author and former Elementary school teacher who began reciting spoken word poetry in coffee shops to impress girls evolved into a creative adventure that has spanned across the last 10 years, crossing genres, mediums and oceans. His first two releases, Unlearn and Things Nobody Can Teach Us, have become international best sellers.

Pick up Humble’s new book, How to Be Love(d), at https://amzn.to/3BNzwdR

Learn more about Humble the Poet at http://humblethepoet.com 

Follow Humble the Poet on Instagram at Instagram http://instagram.com/humblethepoet 

Follow Maria on Instagram for more dating and relationship content: http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

Want to work with Maria? Book a Dating Strategy call with a member of her team and learn more about her matchmaking and coaching programs. https://calendly.com/felix-louie

This week, Maria is talking to singer and songwriter Evangelia!

She grew up commuting between her grandmother’s small farm on the Greek island of Crete and her parents’ home in New Jersey. Two completely different music worlds, both of which influenced her style. Her music blends modern pop music with sounds from her Greek roots, contemporary club beats and catchy melodies by fusing American pop culture with traditional Greek elements.

Follow Evangelia on TikTok at https://www.tiktok.com/@evangeliamusic

Follow Evangelia on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/evangelia/

Want to join an upcoming Agape Intensive? 2022 dates just announced! http://agapeintensive.com

Follow Maria on Instagram to find out when the Matchmaker Hotline will be open to talk! http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

Follow Agape Match on Instagram at http://instagram.com/agapematch

Follow the podcast on Instagram at http://instagram.com/askamatchmaker

It feels like narcissism has taken a bigger role in society in the last few years. What might start off as charming and great can quickly turn negative and unhealthy. 

How do we make sure we don’t get caught up with someone who is a narcissist? What should we look out for? How can you know if your partner IS one?

Dr. Ramani Durvasula (better known as Dr. Ramani)  is a licensed clinical psychologist in Los Angeles, CA and Professor of Psychology at California State University, Los Angeles. She takes on our modern scourges of entitlement and incivility in the book  “Don’t You Know Who I Am”: How to Stay Sane in the Era of Narcissism, Entitlement and Incivility She is the author of the modern relationship survival manual Should I Stay or Should I Go: Surviving a Relationship With a Narcissist.  The focus of Dr. Ramani’s clinical, academic and consultative work is the etiology and impact of narcissism and related high-conflict, entitled, antagonistic personality styles on human relationships, mental health, and societal expectations. 

Dr. Ramani is an honest, authentic, and brutally honest voice on the struggles raised by narcissism in the US and globally.

Topics discussed on the podcast include…

Follow Dr. Ramani on Instagram

You can find Dr. Ramani’s books on Amazon

Find Dr. Ramani at her website.

Follow Maria on Instagram

Have a question for Maria? Want to be part of an upcoming live taping of Ask a Matchmaker on Zoom? Visit askamatchmaker.com

Join our Facebook group to be part of the ongoing dating conversation.

To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com

This episode is sponsored by First Rounds on Me. Download here: https://firstroundsonme.co/?utm_source=Maria&utm_medium=Ad&utm_campaign=December

We start the new year taking your dating and relationships questions with online dating expert, Erika Ettin!

To find out when we open up the next hotline, follow http://instagram.com/askamatchmaker 

Things we talk about on this week’s episode… 

• How long should I give a guy a chance? I’m not really attached to him physically.
• How do I tell a guy that he should plan a date?
• How do I get out of a date that I’m just not feeling?
• What can we do with our online dating to have more fun dates?
• How do I know if I want a hoe phase or if I want a relationship?

Erika Ettin is an online dating expert and dating coach who helps people navigate the world of online dating. Her expertise includes profile creation, photo selection and photography, message writing, and date planning. She is also the author of the book Love at First Site: Tips & Tales for Online Dating Success from a Modern-Day Matchmaker and the co-host of the popular dating podcast “So, We Met Online…”

Find Erika on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ALittleNudge/ 

Follow Maria on Instagram for more dating and relationship content: http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

Want to work with Maria? Book a Dating Strategy call with a member of her team and learn more about her matchmaking and coaching programs. https://calendly.com/felix-louie

Did you know there is actually a process to falling in love and staying in love? It’s called the LovePath, and Kimberly Beam Holmes has been teaching people this proprietary process for the past decade. 

This week, Kimberly reveals the four steps to falling in love and how individuals can use this process for better relationships in every area of their lives, including their marriage!

Kimberly Beam Holmes has applied her master’s degree in psychology for over 10 years, acting as the CEO of Marriage Helper & CEO and Host of her own podcast It Starts with Attraction, being a wife and mother herself, and researching the ways that attraction affects people personally and the relationships that they hold dear. Her videos, podcasts, and following reaches over 200,000 people a month who are making changes and becoming the best that they can be. She is currently working on her PhD in psychology. Kimberly lives in Franklin, Tennessee with her husband, Rob, and two beautiful children from India.

Find Marriage Helper on the web at https://marriagehelper.com 

Follow Marriage Helper on Instagram at  https://www.instagram.com/marriagehelper/

Follow Marriage Helper on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MarriageHelper/

Check Marriage Helper on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/c/MarriageHelper/

 Let's go to Tulum! Agape Intensive IRL registration is open! agapeescapes.com 

Join the next Online Dating Tech Support - Monday 5/16 at 12PM https://agapematch.wufoo.com/forms/z1s18kn10qpwm8f/ 

Follow Agape Match on Instagram at http://instagram.com/agapematch

Follow the podcast on Instagram at http://instagram.com/askamatchmaker 

***Matchmaker Maria’s Eurovision Party in NYC this weekend, Saturday, May 13! Get tickets now! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/matchmaker-marias-eurovision-party-tickets-617316860347 ***

This week on the hotline, Maria is joined by her BFF and fellow matchmaker, Laurie Berzack! She’s the founder of Carolinas Matchmaker and the host of the Love on the Go podcast.

Read the VOX article mentioned in the episode: https://www.vox.com/policy/2023/5/3/23707936/surgeon-general-loneliness-epidemic-report 

Follow Laurie on Instagram at http://instagram.com/carolinasmatchmaker 

Follow Laurie on TikTok at http://tiktok.com/@carolinasmatchmaker 

Listen to the Love on the Go podcast on…

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/love-on-the-go/id1631398944 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4ZLPYIsjL3p8HYYjaAXwax 

*****Let's work together!*****

Is matchmaking right for you? Let’s find out!  https://calendly.com/felix-louie 

Follow Maria on instagram at http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

And join an upcoming Intensive! https://agapematch.com/agape-group-coaching-intensive/ 

Today, Maria welcomes author Tara Schuster.

Tara Schuster is an accomplished entertainment executive turned mental health advocate and best selling author. On February 28th, she’ll be releasing her highly anticipated new book, “Glow in the F*cking Dark: Simple Practices to Heal Your Soul, from Someone Who Learned the Hard Way.” 

Pre-order your copy of “Glow in the F*cking Dark: Simple Practices to Heal Your Soul, from Someone Who Learned the Hard Way” at https://amzn.to/3QGDU4F.

Follow Tara on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/taraschuster/  

Follow Maria on Instagram for more dating and relationship content: http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

Or join Maria on an upcoming Agape Intensive! http://agapeintensive.com 

Want to work with Maria? Book a Dating Strategy call with a member of her team and learn more about her matchmaking and coaching programs. https://calendly.com/felix-louie

This week, Maria welcomes author Nancy Jo Sales.

Nancy Jo Sales is a New York Times bestselling author and award-winning journalist who has written for Vanity Fair and Harpar’s Bazaar among others. Sales famously exposed Hollywood’s “Bling Ring," a group of teens who broke into the homes of celebrities like Paris Hilton and Orlando Bloom, stealing millions of dollars’ worth of luxury goods. Known for her stories on youth culture, celebrity culture, and the effects of tech on kids as well as dating and courtship, Nancy Jo is also a filmmaker. 

Her feature documentary, "Swiped: Hooking Up in the Digital Age," which premiered on HBO in 2018, is an investigation into how technology has changed the landscape of sex and dating, promoting sexism, sexual harassment and sexual violence.

Nancy Jo's new memoir, "Nothing Personal: My Secret Life in the Dating App Inferno," is now available.

Get Nancy’s new book at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HLYW53K/

Go to Nancy’s website at http://nancyjosales.com 

Follow Nancy on Instagram at http://instagram.com/nancyjosales

Follow Nancy on Twitter at http://twitter.com/nancyjosales

Enroll in the next Agape Intensive: https://agapematch.com/agape-group-coaching-intensive/ 

Follow Maria on Instagram Follow Maria on TikTok Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com

Money parties? Amazon 30? Budgeting while dating? We've got the answer this week with personal finance expert Ashley Feinstein Gerstley! Ashley is a CFP®, speaker, and the author of Financial Adulting and The 30-Day Money Cleanse. She founded The Fiscal Femme, a feminist money platform and has helped thousands of people feel financially confident, achieve major financial goals, and destress their relationships with money.

Follow Ashley!
Instagram: @thefiscalfemme
TikTok: @thefiscalfemme
LinkedIn: knowingyourworth

Buy her books:
The 30-Day Money Cleanse https://amzn.to/3V3cdqI
Financial Adulting - https://amzn.to/3V23RzG

In this episode of the “Ask a Matchmaker” podcast, Matchmaker Maria is joined by dating coach and author Lily Womble to celebrate the release of her new book, “Thank You, More Please.” They dive into the core principles of feminist dating, discussing how traditional dating advice often fails women by perpetuating patriarchal norms. Lily shares insights on her 12-Date Rule method, designed to shift focus from physical to emotional compatibility, and offers practical steps for a dating detox to help reset your approach to finding love. They also explore the importance of agency and self-compassion in dating, and discuss strategies for meeting emotionally secure partners. Whether you’re hitting the patios this season or navigating online dating, this episode provides valuable tips to empower your love life. Tune in to learn how to stand in your power and find meaningful connections on your own terms.

Lily Womble is the Founder and CEO of DateBrazen, whose mission is to help badass, feminist humans build joyful, fulfilling, and confident-as-hell dating lives that lead to extraordinary love. 
 
In 2015, she moved to NYC to try a new career in musical theatre.During that time she worked various side hustle jobs and on a whim took another as a matchmaker (because if anything it would make for a good story). Turns out she wasvery good at it! During her matchmaking days, she set up 399 dates and became the 3rd most successful matchmaker out of 160 around the country. In setting up all these dates, she realized that dating is a microcosm of our overall wellbeing and working with women on their love lives really fit into her heart’s purpose.

LINKS: 
https://www.datebrazen.com/ (https://www.datebrazen.com/)
https://www.datebrazen.com/book (https://www.datebrazen.com/book)
https://www.tiktok.com/@datebrazen (https://www.tiktok.com/@datebrazen)
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-date-brazen-podcast/id1498856353 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-date-brazen-podcast/id1498856353)

https://www.instagram.com/datebrazen (https://www.instagram.com/datebrazen)

We have some exciting news to share with you about Season 3 of Ask a Matchmaker, which returns next week on Tuesday, September 27th!

Remember new episodes this season come out on TUESDAYS!

Follow Maria on Instagram at http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria

 This week, Maria talks with Logan Ury! The two talk about everything from her recent wedding, how time is different in online dating apps, the science behind online dating and even circumcision. (Seriously!) Plus the two talk about how to really have deep, compelling conversations early on in dating.Logan Ury is a behavioral scientist turned dating coach and the author of the bestselling dating book How to Not Die Alone. She works as Hinge’s Director of Relationship Science, conducting research into modern dating. She studied psychology at Harvard and ran Google’s behavioral science team, the Irrational Lab. She lives in the Bay Area with her husband Scott. Sign up for Logan's weekly newsletter and learn about her online courses at  https://www.loganury.com/ Pick up Logan's book, How to Not Die Alone, here.Follow Logan on Instagram at  https://www.instagram.com/loganury/  Want to join the community? Sign up for an Agape Intensive at http://agapeintensive.comJoin Maria and the crew in Mexico! Register at http://agapeescapes.com Follow Maria on Instagram to know when the Ask a Matchmaker Hotline will open again for calls! http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria To learn more about how Maria and her team can help you, visit http://agapematch.com 

This March, Matchmaker Maria is joined by comedian Kaneez Surka as her cohost! Kaneez, originally from South Africa and having lived in India, opens up about her journey through marriage, divorce, and self-discovery. She shares how realizing she and her ex-husband were too young and had different values led to their split — and how reading Calling in The One helped her break free from patterns of dating the wrong people.

Now in her "decentering men era," Kaneez and Maria dive into the idea that life isn’t about settling down but finding your true teammate. They explore the power of latching on to the right person — not settling, not overthinking every potential ick, but embracing connection when it feels right. It’s a fun, insightful episode packed with laughter, honest reflections, and reminders that love is about partnership, not perfection.

Tune in for real talk, honest advice, and plenty of laughs as Maria and Kaneez help listeners navigate the wild world of modern dating.

Make sure to subscribe and sign up for notifications for fantastic dating and relationship advice brought to you by Matchmaker Maria !

#dating #love #podcast 

🤩    Check out My Websites and Socials!    🙃

💖Podcast Website: https://www.askamatchmaker.com/
💖Agape Match Website: https://agapematch.com/
💖Matchmaker Maria TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@realmatchmakermaria
💖Matchmaker Maria Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matchmakermaria
💖Agape Match Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agapematch/
💖Agame Match Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AgapeMatch
💖Agape Match Twitter: https://www.x.com/AgapeMatch

🙋‍♀️Our Producer Venetia AKA V 
Website - https://www.venetiageras.com/
Twitter - https://X.com/venetiaageras
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/venetiaageras/

🎥 by WTF Media Studios
Website - https://www.wtfmediastudios.com/home

ABOUT THIS PODCAST 🔗
Ask a Matchmaker is your weekly go-to podcast for all things love and relationships. Hosted by fourth generation matchmaker and founder of Agape Match, Maria Avgitidis, Ask a Matchmaker gives you no-nonsense insight into dating, relationships, compatibility, and love. Maria and her weekly special guest answer questions to help you venture through the jungle that is modern love. Whether you're looking for someone or you're happily taken, Maria will keep you inspired to keep going down the path of love every week, and hopefully, gain a great tip or two to ignite the spark or keep the sparks flying!

#matchmakermaria  #askamatchmaker  #datingadvice  #datingprofilereview  #podcast

Every year, Match’s Singles in America study shows how the latest trends are shaping what it means to fly solo.

In this bonus episode, the Agape Match team gives their analysis on this year’s study. 

In the study, Match revealed that singles are redefining the new sexy. Spoiler alert: Physical attraction is no longer enough. From social movements to self-improvement, the study dives deep to see how emotional maturity has become the new “it” factor.

Read the study at https://www.singlesinamerica.com/

Want to join an upcoming Agape Intensive? 2022 dates just announced! http://agapeintensive.com

Follow Maria on Instagram to find out when the Matchmaker Hotline will be open to talk! http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

Follow Agape Match on Instagram at http://instagram.com/agapematch

Follow the podcast on Instagram at http://instagram.com/askamatchmaker

It’s a holiday week, so we brought back an old friend to help answer your dating and relationship questions!

Sit down, grab a drink and listen in on a chat with these friendly voices, like you’re sitting down with two old friends having a great conversation. 

Erika Ettin is an online dating expert and dating coach who helps people navigate the world of online dating. Her expertise includes profile creation, photo selection and photography, message writing, and date planning. She is also the author of the book Love at First Site: Tips & Tales for Online Dating Success from a Modern-Day Matchmaker and the co-host of the popular dating podcast “So, We Met Online…”

In this episode, we discuss…

Frustrated with online dating? Want Erika to makeover your profile or takeover your profile? Schedule a consultation to learn more. 

Find Erika’s book, Love at First Site on Amazon. (

Find Erika on Instagram 

Follow Maria on Instagram Follow Maria on TikTok Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com Enroll in Agape Match’s Group Coaching Intensive: https://agapematch.com/events To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com

She’s the post-millennial version of Sex and the City…. except she’s here to help guide you through YOUR dating and relationship questions!

This week’s guest is Tik Tok influencer and dating coach Tiff Baira. She hosts Take Me Out, a podcast that follows Tiff as she defines what it means to date in New York on her own terms.

Together, they answer this week’s dating questions.

Follow Tiff on TikTok

Follow Tiff on Instagram

Visit Tiff’s website to learn how to work one-on-one with her.

Check out Tiff’s podcast, “Take Me Out”

Follow Maria on Instagram

Follow Maria on TikTok

Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com

 Enroll in Agape Match’s Group Coaching Intensive: https://agapematch.com/events 

To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com

This week on the pod, Maria welcomes her first male guest! Not only is he a good friend, you could consider him the male version of Maria-- in that no nonsense dating advice sort of way. And boy does the conversation get heated!

Billed as a “personal trainer for smart, strong, successful women,” dating coach Evan Marc Katz has been helping singles since 2003. He is the author of four books, most recently, “Believe in Love,” and has been featured in hundreds of media outlets, including Today, the New York Times, and CNN. Since 2015, Evan’s blog has had over 30 million readers and 12,000 women have graduated from Love U, his six-month video course that helps women understand men and find love. Evan is very happily married and lives in Los Angeles with his wife and their two children.

Even though they may disagree on some things, Maria and Evan bring it back to help dish out advice that you can use and relate to.

Things talked about in this episode…

Follow Evan on Instagram 

Learn more about Evan at evanmarckatz.com

Follow Maria on Instagram 

Have a question for Maria? Want to be part of an upcoming live taping of Ask a Matchmaker on Zoom? Visit askamatchmaker.com 

Join our Facebook group to be part of the ongoing dating conversation. 

To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com.

This week, Jenna Langbaum joins us to discuss her new book, “Me in Seach of You”, which is a collection of stories inspired by her dating life as well as others through prose. “Me in Search of You” is the kind of book you’re going to stop after every story and reflect on your own dating experiences. It is available where all books are sold. 

Jenna Langbaum is a creative director, copywriter, poet and playwright. Her original play, The Night of Blue and Salt, was produced through the New York City International Fringe Festival in in 2016.

Purchase Me in Search of You on Amazon

Follow Jenna on Instagram

Enroll in the next Agape Intensive: https://agapematch.com/agape-group-coaching-intensive/ 

Follow Maria on Instagram Follow Maria on TikTok Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com Enroll in Agape Match’s Group Coaching Intensive: https://agapematch.com/events To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com

Join Matchmaker Maria in this engaging episode of the “Ask the Matchmaker Hotline,” recorded from the comfort of her home. Maria shares the whirlwind of her current life, from finalizing her book manuscript to preparing for an extended stay in Greece. Alongside special guest and fellow matchmaker, Louie Felix, they dive into the intricacies of dating assessments and the art of matchmaking.

Louie, the Chief Operating Officer at Agape Match, brings his extensive experience to the table, discussing the evolution and significance of dating assessment calls. The episode explores the impact of personalized advice on dating success, highlighting heartwarming stories of clients finding love soon after their assessments.

The conversation takes a deeper turn as Maria and Louis discuss the latest news from Japan about government-sponsored dating apps, reflecting on cultural differences and the challenges of modern dating. They also address common dating dilemmas, such as setting boundaries and navigating the pressures of societal expectations.

Listeners will gain valuable insights into the world of matchmaking, the importance of clear communication in relationships, and practical tips for improving their dating profiles. Whether you’re single and searching or just curious about the matchmaking process, this episode offers a blend of personal anecdotes, professional advice, and thoughtful commentary on the evolving landscape of love and relationships.

Tune in for an episode filled with laughter, learning, and a touch of wanderlust as Maria prepares to bring the podcast to Greece, promising exciting future episodes from the picturesque backdrop of her summer retreat.

Want to book a sess with Louie? https://calendly.com/felix-louie and follow him on IG @louiefelix

It’s all about confidence in dating. It’s easy to second guess yourself. Ask your friends what you should text him. Survey the crowd to find out what you should do next.

This week, we’re gaining our power and confidence back. 

This week’s guest is Candice Jalili. She is the Senior Dating Writer at Elite Daily and has written over 3,000 articles in the relationship space. Outside of Elite Daily, Candice also write for Cosmopolitan, Tinder Swipe Life, and more.

Her book, Just Send the Text, a guide to letting go of your dating anxiety, will be out with Tiller Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, on February 2nd.

This week, we talk about:

- Why you should just send the text you’re thinking. Be confident. Take back your power. - The most important texts and emails Maria and Candice have ever sent in their dating lives. - How to handle rejection when you’re dating. - Why it’s okay to take a break from online dating. - What to do if you meet someone that might be moving away soon. - A discussion on whether it’s a good idea to try a long distance relationship.

Order "Just Send the Text" from The Strand Bookstore

Order "Just Send the Text" from Amazon

Follow Candice on Instagram

Visit Candice's website

To learn how Maria can help you find love in 2021, go to: https://linktr.ee/agapematch

Follow Maria on Instagram Follow Maria on TikTok Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com Enroll in Agape Match’s Group Coaching Intensive: https://agapematch.com/events To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com

How do you embrace your sexuality when you’re not having sex?

This week’s guest has such a unique story and lives such a unique life… and is the perfect person to talk about this!

Meet Kat Karris!

Kat Harris is a Brooklyn-based online educator, digital content creator, female empowerment advocate. Her vision is for women to know their beauty, identity and value. She is co-founder of the The Refined Woman and the host of The Redefined Collective Podcast. Her new book “Sexless in the City: A Sometimes Sassy, Sometimes Painful, Always Honest Look at Dating, Desire, and Sex” comes out in April. 

Visit The Refined Woman

Find Kat on Instagram

Check out Kat’s podcast, The Redefined Collective

Pre-order Kat’s new book, “Sexless in the City: A Sometimes Sassy, Sometimes Painful, Always Honest Look at Dating, Desire, and Sex”

Follow Maria on Instagram Follow Maria on TikTok Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com Enroll in Agape Match’s Group Coaching Intensive: https://agapematch.com/events To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com

While Maria takes a few weeks off, we’re revisiting some of her favorite episodes! The new season of the podcast starts in September! 

This week, Maria is joined by Rayna Greenberg and Ashley Hesseltine, the co-hosts of Girls Gotta Eat podcast! Girls Gotta Eat is a comedy podcast about dating, sex and relationships. 

Listen to Girls Gotta Eat on Applehttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/choosing-to-be-childfree/id1348777092?i=1000501573936 

Listen to Girls Gotta Eat on Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/3Zwh39kXHAk9M6vZvofoxY 

Follow Girls Gotta Eat on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/girlsgottaeatpodcast/

Enroll in the next Agape Intensive: https://agapematch.com/agape-group-coaching-intensive/ 

Follow Maria on Instagram Follow Maria on TikTok Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com

While Maria is taking a few weeks off, we’re revisiting some of her favorite episodes! Season 2 starts in September!

It feels like narcissism has taken a bigger role in society in the last few years. What might start off as charming and great can quickly turn negative and unhealthy.

How do we make sure we don’t get caught up with someone who is a narcissist? What should we look out for? How can you know if your partner IS one?

Dr. Ramani Durvasula (better known as Dr. Ramani) is a licensed clinical psychologist in Los Angeles, CA and Professor of Psychology at California State University, Los Angeles. She takes on our modern scourges of entitlement and incivility in the book “Don’t You Know Who I Am”: How to Stay Sane in the Era of Narcissism, Entitlement and Incivility She is the author of the modern relationship survival manual Should I Stay or Should I Go: Surviving a Relationship With a Narcissist. The focus of Dr. Ramani’s clinical, academic and consultative work is the etiology and impact of narcissism and related high-conflict, entitled, antagonistic personality styles on human relationships, mental health, and societal expectations.

Dr. Ramani is an honest, authentic, and brutally honest voice on the struggles raised by narcissism in the US and globally.

Follow Dr. Ramani on Instagram http://instagram.com/doctorramani

You can find Dr. Ramani’s books on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Ramani-Durvasula/e/B00C2C5U0O

Find Dr. Ramani at her website. http://www.doctor-ramani.com

Enroll in the next Agape Intensive: https://agapematch.com/agape-group-coaching-intensive/ 

Follow Maria on Instagram Follow Maria on TikTok Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com

Last week, it was the 3rd annual Ask a Matchmaker Thanksgiving Week! Non stop dating questions answered on Instagram. And thanks to you, we were able to raise over $1,500 for World Central Kitchen!

This week on the podcast, Matchmaker Chrisoula Mavrianos from the Agape Match team joins Maria to go over the questions you sent in. 

This week, we discuss…

Follow Maria on Instagram Follow Maria on TikTok Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com Enroll in Agape Match’s Group Coaching Intensive: https://agapematch.com/events To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com

This week, Matchmaker Maria is joined by comedian Jessie Lee, known for her hilarious character comedy and spot-on impressions of emotionally unavailable men. Jessie shares why she’s taking a break from dating—after one too many weird encounters, including a post-hookup serenade from a naked guy with a guitar (yes, really).

Maria and Jessie also dive into Jessie’s viral Instagram and TikTok sketches, where she hilariously roasts men who refuse to commit or introduce you to their friends. Then, the conversation takes a turn into flirting—or, more specifically, the serious decline of flirting in Gen Z. With so much interaction happening online, are we losing the art of in-person charm? Jessie confesses she’s got a weak flirt game, so Maria gives her some much-needed tips… and even assigns her flirtation homework!

It’s a fun and insightful episode—be sure to listen and watch!

🤩    Check out My Websites and Socials!    🙃

💖Podcast Website: https://www.askamatchmaker.com/
💖Agape Match Website: https://agapematch.com/
💖Matchmaker Maria TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@realmatchmakermaria
💖Matchmaker Maria Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matchmakermaria
💖Agape Match Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agapematch/
💖Agame Match Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AgapeMatch
💖Agape Match Twitter: https://www.x.com/AgapeMatch

📚Maria has some big news—she's got a book coming out, 

🙋‍♀️Our Producer Venetia AKA V 
Website - https://www.venetiageras.com/
Twitter - https://X.com/venetiaageras
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/venetiaageras/

🎥 by WTF Media Studios
Website - https://www.wtfmediastudios.com/home

ABOUT THIS PODCAST 🔗
Ask a Matchmaker is your weekly go-to podcast for all things love and relationships. Hosted by fourth generation matchmaker and founder of Agape Match, Maria Avgitidis, Ask a Matchmaker gives you no-nonsense insight into dating, relationships, compatibility, and love. Maria and her weekly special guest answer questions to help you venture through the jungle that is modern love. Whether you're looking for someone or you're happily taken, Maria will keep you inspired to keep going down the path of love every week, and hopefully, gain a great tip or two to ignite the spark or keep the sparks flying!

#matchmakermaria  #askamatchmaker  #datingadvice  #datingprofilereview  #podcast

ABOUT THIS PODCAST 🔗
Ask a Matchmaker is your weekly go-to podcast for all things love and relationships. Hosted by fourth generation matchmaker and founder of Agape Match, Maria Avgitidis, Ask a Matchmaker gives you no-nonsense insight into dating, relationships, compatibility, and love. Maria and her weekly special guest answer questions to help you venture through the jungle that is modern love. Whether you're looking for someone or you're happily taken, Maria will keep you inspired to keep going down the path of love every week, and hopefully, gain a great tip or two to ignite the spark or keep the sparks flying!

#matchmakermaria  #askamatchmaker  #datingadvice  #datingprofilereview  #podcast

 This week, we’re bringing in the heavy hitters to help with your dating questions with Agape Match’s Online Dating Manager, Erika Ettin. Erika Ettin is an online dating expert and dating coach who helps people navigate the world of online dating. Her expertise includes profile creation, photo selection and photography, message writing, and date planning. She is also the author of the book Love at First Site: Tips & Tales for Online Dating Success from a Modern-Day Matchmaker.Things discussed in this week’s episode include…

• I’m moving and traveling a lot. Should I be using the apps and dating people when I’m traveling and in transition to my new home? How do I handle those situations?
• I just got out of a year long relationship and started to get into online dating. How do I start the conversations? 
• I keep getting connected to guys in different cities on the apps. Should I ask them if they travel to where I live?
• I’m having trouble dating multiple people at once. I get attached to guys who are unemotionally unavailable. Help!

To join the next online dating tech support, register at  https://agapematch.wufoo.com/forms/z1s18kn10qpwm8f/

To schedule a Dating Strategy Call, go to https://calendly.com/felix-louie

Visit http://AgapeMatch.com to learn more about Maria's company, Agape Match!

Don't forget to follow Maria at @MatchmakerMaria and Erika at @alittlenudge

Finding the right words in a stressed situation can be frustrating. You want to make your thoughts known and it can be tough to say it just right so your message gets across.

Not only is this an obstacle in dating, but in all of our relationships in life!

Hence why Fotini Iconomopoulos is here this week to help you navigate those tricky situations when you need to say the right thing at the right time!

Nicknamed “the negotiator” as a child, Fotini has been honing her skills her entire life.

For the last decade, she’s been empowering Fortune 500 executives and their teams to achieve their objectives through her expertise in negotiation, communication, and persuasion. She guides clients through high-stakes scenarios and creates customized intensive negotiation workshops for clients who want to further develop their teams across all industries.

When she’s not strategizing with clients, Fotini is a frequent guest on CBC and CTV Television, a professor of MBA Negotiations at the Schulich School of Business and offers her experience to non-profit initiatives.

Topics discussed on this week’s podcast include…

Follow Fotini on Instagram

Find Fortini at her website

Have a question for Maria? Want to be part of an upcoming live taping of Ask a Matchmaker on Zoom? Visit askamatchmaker.com

Join our Facebook group to be part of the ongoing dating conversation.

To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com

First things first, happy new year! I’m so glad you’re here! 

Download my 2023 Goal Planner! https://agapematch.wufoo.com/forms/2023-goal-planner/

Let’s work together! Follow this link to learn more about Agape Match’s programs or schedule a Dating Strategy call. https://linktr.ee/matchmakermaria 

Welcome to 2023! This week, Tinder made a major announcement regarding a great change to the app! Joining the podcast this week to talk about it as well as dating in the new year is Tinder’s new CMO, Melissa Hobley!

Follow Melissa on Instagram at http://instagram.com/melissahobley 

Follow Maria on Instagram for more dating and relationship content: http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria  

Want to work with Maria? Book a Dating Strategy call with a member of her team and learn more about her matchmaking and coaching programs. https://calendly.com/felix-louie 

It’s not easy to raise your hand and say you might need help and want to talk to someone.

Especially when you’re in a relationship and you know you and your partner need help.

This week, Maria is here to help break the stigma around couples therapy. A couples therapist is a great facilitator for the relationship you want and a great mechanism to have those hard conversations with someone.

How do you communicate with your partner that you think you two should talk to someone? How do you find someone to talk to?

Talia Litman is a New York-based psychotherapist and writer specializing in couples and sex therapy. From an early age, Talia has encouraged open conversations about relationships and sex. Her goal is to help others feel more comfortable discussing these topics and, in turn, to deepen the pleasure and fulfillment in their relationships. Prior to this, Talia had a successful career as a global strategy & marketing consultant, which she left to pursue her dream job as a couples therapist.

Learn more about Talia at http://www.taliamft.com 

Follow Talia on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/talia.mft

Follow Talia on LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/in/talialitman

To learn when Maria will open up the next Ask a Matchmaker Hotline, follow her at http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria

Follow Agape Match on Instagram at http://instagram.com/agapematch

Follow the podcast on Instagram at http://instagram.com/askamatchmaker

Arguments happen in relationships. That’s just a fact. But we’re not really taught how to handle it when we start dating. There is no rule book on how to handle the situation!

This week, Maria chats with Monica Berg on how to handle arguments and disagreements with your partner in a healthy way!

Monica Berg is a spiritual thought leader and author of “Fear is Not an Option” and “Rethink Love.” She’s also the host of the Spiritually Hungry podcast. She has a fresh voice that channels her many years of Kabbalistic study along with personal life experiences to show individuals how to create a life that not only feels like it’s working, but most importantly, a life in which they are living and loving as the powerful, fulfilled person they’ve always wanted to be. 

Follow Monica on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monicaberg74/

Pick up Monica's Books: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Monica+Berg

Enroll in the next Agape Intensive: https://agapematch.com/agape-group-coaching-intensive/ 

Follow Maria on Instagram Follow Maria on TikTok Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com

 This week, Agape Match’s Online Dating Manager, Erika Ettin, is joining Maria for the Ask a Matchmaker Hotline to answer your questions. If you want to be part of the next tech support, click the link below!Erika Ettin is an online dating expert and dating coach who helps people navigate the world of online dating. Her expertise includes profile creation, photo selection and photography, message writing, and date planning. She is also the author of the book Love at First Site: Tips & Tales for Online Dating Success from a Modern-Day Matchmaker and the co-host of the popular dating podcast “So, We Met Online…”Questions this week include:

• Since the pandemic, I have been in a wheelchair and on crutches as I learn how to walk again. How do I talk about this on the dating apps?
• What kind of screening process should I have before agreeing to a date with someone?
• He loves to text me all day. I am really busy and not comfortable with it. How do I tell him?
• I’m studying to become a Rabbi. It feels like a grind being on the apps. What should I do?

It’s the day after the election. There is a lot at stake. There’s a lot of emotions going around.

So this week, Maria is here to help put a smile on your face with her sister and member of the Agape Mach team, Chrisoula Mavrianos!

We asked you to send us your closure letters. Those words you wish you could say to someone but you know it’s better you don’t. But you still need to get the words and feelings out!

We happily read them and put them out in the universe for you!

Follow Maria on Instagram Follow Maria on TikTok Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com Enroll in Agape Match’s Group Coaching Intensive: https://agapematch.com/events To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com

It’s the first episode of Ask a Matchmaker! 

We start off this new series with a deep dive into the world of online dating! With the coronavirus pandemic, online dating has been taken to a whole other level. Since the in-person meeting options aren’t always available, how do you work through this new, uncharted world?

That’s why Maria has brought on Erika Ettin to answer your questions and help you navigate these different dating times! 

Erika Ettin is an online dating expert and dating coach who helps people navigate the world of online dating. Her expertise includes profile creation, photo selection and photography, message writing, and date planning. She is also the author of the book Love at First Site: Tips & Tales for Online Dating Success from a Modern-Day Matchmaker and the co-host of the popular dating podcast “So, We Met Online…”

Things discussed in this week’s podcast include…

Find Erika’s book, Love at First Site on Amazon.

Find Erika on Instagram

Follow Maria on Instagram

Have a question for Maria? Want to be part of an upcoming live taping of Ask a Matchmaker on Zoom? Visit askamatchmaker.com

Join our Facebook group to be part of the ongoing dating conversation.

To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com. 

 You’ve got questions? Maria has the answers!

Every week, we open up the Ask a Matchmaker Hotline where YOU call in with any questions you have for Maria… dating, love, life, style…she’s here to help with it all.

To be on an upcoming episode to ask a question, make sure to follow Maria on insta to know when the hotline will be open next! http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria

Dr. Celeste Holbrook is a sex educator and speaker who has dedicated her life to helping people achieve pleasurable, connective sex through mental and behavioral changes. She speaks to audiences of all ages, diffusing the sensitive topic of sex through humor and a knack for making the awkward approachable. Celeste believes that everyone deserves to define their own pleasure and uses the lens of sexuality to teach us how.

Erotic Sandbox Free download https://drcelesteholbrook.myflodesk.com/273eb443-bddf-4a8a-be91-47acf3daef41

www.drcelesteholbrook.com

Follow her on Ig @drcelesteholbrook

Make sure to subscribe and sign up for notifications for fantastic dating and relationship advice brought to you by Maria Avgitidis!

🤩 Check out My Websites and Socials! 🙃

💖Podcast Website: https://www.askamatchmaker.com/

💖Agape Match Website: https://agapematch.com/

💖Matchmaker Maria TikTok: realmatchmakermaria

💖Matchmaker Maria Instagram: matchmakermaria

💖Agape Match Instagram: agapematch

💖Agame Match Facebook: AgapeMatch

💖Agape Match Twitter: AgapeMatch

ABOUT THIS PODCAST 🔗 Ask a Matchmaker is your weekly go-to podcast for all things love and relationships. Hosted by fourth generation matchmaker and founder of Agape Match, Maria Avgitidis, Ask a Matchmaker gives you no-nonsense insight into dating, relationships, compatibility, and love. Maria and her weekly special guest answer questions to help you venture through the jungle that is modern love. Whether you're looking for someone or you're happily taken, Maria will keep you inspired to keep going down the path of love every week, and hopefully, gain a great tip or two to ignite the spark or keep the sparks flying! #matchmakermaria #askamatchmaker #datingadvice #datingprofilereview #podcast

We’re living in a revolutionary moment in society. Conversations about race are at the forefront. But how does it affect dating? 

This week is double the fun! You get not one, but TWO love and dating professionals to answer your questions! Maria is joined by dating coach and media personality Damonda Hoffman! 

Damona Hoffman is a dating coach & media personality who starred in two A+E Networks' TV series: #BlackLove and A Question of Love. She’s a regular contributor to The LA Times, The Washington Post, NPR, CNN Headline News (HLN), BET.com, and more. She also hosts and produces the weekly podcast, Dates & Mates with Damona Hoffman.

Find Damona’s podcast, Dates & Mates

Follow Damona on Instagram

Follow Maria on Instagram

Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com

 Join our Facebook group to be part of the ongoing dating conversation. 

To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com

Years ago he was ready to meet someone. But he wasn’t happy with the apps and ways to meet people.

So, he took things into his own hands and created his own app!

This week’s guest is David Vermeulen. He is the founder of Inner circle, the app where you’ll find some of the world's most inspiring single professionals with similar backgrounds and interests. 

Plus, we take YOUR dating and relationship questions!

Download the Inner Circle app from the Apple App store

To learn how Maria can help you find love in 2021, go to: https://linktr.ee/agapematch

Follow Maria on Instagram Follow Maria on TikTok Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com Enroll in Agape Match’s Group Coaching Intensive: https://agapematch.com/events To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com

In today’s episode, I am speaking with Rachel DeAlto. Rachel DeAlto is a relationship expert, coach, media personality, and speaker. Rachel has appeared as a relationship expert on Lifetime’s Married at First Sight and TLC’s Kate+Date. Rachel has also been featured on a multitude of media outlets including The TODAY Show, Access Hollywood Live, and Fox News.

Rachel is having a fantastic week. Her newest book “relatable: How to Connect with Anyone Anywhere (Even if It Scares You)” was just released by Simon & Schuster’s Tiller Press last week and can be found at your local independent book store and wherever else books are sold.

We talk about how to connect, communicate and inspire others not only online but in person.

If you’re ready to get out of your shell and create new networks for life and love, this is the conversation for you.

Pick up Rachel’s brand new book https://amzn.to/398aNCo 

Follow Rachel on Instagram http://instagram.com/racheldealto 

Follow Rachel on Twitter http://twitter.com/racheldealto

Follow Rachel on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/racheldealto

Follow Rachel on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@racheldealto 

Follow Maria on Instagram at http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

If you’d like to learn more about Agape Match’s services or enroll in an upcoming Agape Intensive, visit agapematch.com/services 

Personality tests have been around for many years. Sometimes they’re used for fun, sometimes your employer might want you to take them to help with your career. This week, we talk about personality tests with Erin Baute and how they can help you in love and dating!

AND Maria takes one on the podcast!

Erin has been studying and working in the field of behavior change for over 20 years and uses the Enneagram, consciousness practices and behavior change theory to help individuals, couples, leaders, and teams in both life and at work. She has a bachelor’s degree in Human Development, Master of Public Health and is finishing her PhD in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, with a focus on coaching and development. She has been studying and using the Enneagram for 11 years as a tool to get clear about behavioral patterns that align with individual, relationship, and team success.  She is a Certified Enneagram Teacher and Trainer, as well as an Accredited Enneagram Professional from the International Enneagram Association.

If you would like to learn your own Enneagram, you can visit Erin’s website to book a session. 

Book a session with Erin at http://livingtheenneagram.com/

Follow Erin on Instagram at http://instagram.com/livingtheenneagram/

Enroll in the next Agape Intensive: https://agapematch.com/agape-group-coaching-intensive/ 

Follow Maria on Instagram Follow Maria on TikTok Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com

What happens when modern dating meets far-right ideology? This week, Matchmaker Maria sits down with journalist and award-winning editor Vera Papisova, who went undercover on conservative dating apps during the 2024 election cycle. Her mission? To understand the rise of red pill culture, Christian nationalism, and the growing appeal of traditional gender roles in far-right dating spaces.

From profiles proudly declaring “pureblood” status to men seeking “biblical wives,” Vera shares what she uncovered while dating undercover and the dangerous ways misogyny is showing up in romantic relationships. The conversation also touches on the backlash Maria and her co-host faced after discussing red pill content last month, revealing the alarming vitriol that came their way.

This isn’t just a chat about dating, it’s a revealing look at how politics, power, and patriarchy collide in the most intimate parts of our lives.

🤩    Check out My Websites and Socials!    🙃

💖Podcast Website: https://www.askamatchmaker.com/
💖Agape Match Website: https://agapematch.com/
💖Matchmaker Maria TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@realmatchmakermaria
💖Matchmaker Maria Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matchmakermaria
💖Agape Match Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agapematch/
💖Agame Match Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AgapeMatch
💖Agape Match Twitter: https://www.x.com/AgapeMatch

📚Maria has some big news—she's got a book coming out, 

🙋‍♀️Our Producer Venetia AKA V 
Website - https://www.venetiageras.com/
Twitter - https://X.com/venetiaageras
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/venetiaageras/

🎥 by WTF Media Studios
Website - https://www.wtfmediastudios.com/home

ABOUT THIS PODCAST 🔗
Ask a Matchmaker is your weekly go-to podcast for all things love and relationships. Hosted by fourth generation matchmaker and founder of Agape Match, Maria Avgitidis, Ask a Matchmaker gives you no-nonsense insight into dating, relationships, compatibility, and love. Maria and her weekly special guest answer questions to help you venture through the jungle that is modern love. Whether you're looking for someone or you're happily taken, Maria will keep you inspired to keep going down the path of love every week, and hopefully, gain a great tip or two to ignite the spark or keep the sparks flying!

#matchmakermaria  #askamatchmaker  #datingadvice  #datingprofilereview  #podcast

ABOUT THIS PODCAST 🔗
Ask a Matchmaker is your weekly go-to podcast for all things love and relationships. Hosted by fourth generation matchmaker and founder of Agape Match, Maria Avgitidis, Ask a Matchmaker gives you no-nonsense insight into dating, relationships, compatibility, and love. Maria and her weekly special guest answer questions to help you venture through the jungle that is modern love. Whether you're looking for someone or you're happily taken, Maria will keep you inspired to keep going down the path of love every week, and hopefully, gain a great tip or two to ignite the spark or keep the sparks flying!

#matchmakermaria  #askamatchmaker  #datingadvice  #datingprofilereview  #podcast

This week, we have reality TV royalty joining us to answer YOUR dating questions! Their unique story of how they became a couple adds some unique insight into the dating arena.

Doug Hehner and Jamie Otis are the "OG" couple of the popular reality series Married at First Sight. After meeting at the alter 6 years ago, they are still happily married and have 2 beautiful rainbow babies, Henley Grace & Hendrix Douglas. Their journey to getting pregnant wasn’t easy, as they had many losses, however like Jamie says, after the storm comes the rainbow! Doug won Jamie over with his wit, charm and patience, just as Jamie won Doug over with her caring nature, and determined spirit. Now, they host the top podcast, Hot Marriage, Cool Parents together, and have a YouTube channel with over 50k subscribers. Jamie also host Married at First Sight: Unfiltered & they are currently filming Married at First Sight: Couples Cam on Lifetime.

In this episode, the three discuss some behind the scenes dirt on Married at First Sight, who should pay on dates, the mental health struggles that come with having a baby and how important looks play in first meeting a match.

Listen to Doug and Jamie’s podcast, “Hot Marriage, Cool Parents”

Follow Jame on Instagram

Follow Doug on Instagram

Find Doug and Jamie on YouTube

Follow Maria on Instagram

Follow Maria on TikTok

Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com

 Enroll in Agape Match’s Group Coaching Intensive: https://agapematch.com/events 

To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com

We’re so excited to have her back!

In episode 2, we welcomed Fotini Iconomopoulos to talk about negotiating in every part of your life, including your relationship!

This week, she’s back to talk about new upcoming book “Say Less, Get More” and share some tactics in negotiating in your job, your relationship and every part of your life! e! 

Nicknamed “the negotiator” as a child, Fotini has been honing her skills her entire life.

For the last decade, she’s been empowering Fortune 500 executives and their teams to achieve their objectives through her expertise in negotiation, communication, and persuasion. She guides clients through high-stakes scenarios and creates customized intensive negotiation workshops for clients who want to further develop their teams across all industries.

When she’s not strategizing with clients, Fotini is a frequent guest on CBC and CTV Television, a professor of MBA Negotiations at the Schulich School of Business and offers her experience to non-profit initiatives.

Pre-order Fortini’s new book “Say Less, Get More” at Amazon 

Follow Fotini on Instagram

Find Fortini at her website 

To learn how Maria can help you find love in 2021, go to: https://linktr.ee/agapematch 

Follow Maria on Instagram: http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

Follow Maria on TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJaSAhfw/ 

Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com 

Enroll in Agape Match's Group Coaching Intensive: https://agapematch.com/events 

To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit http://agapematch.com

It’s another edition of the Ask a Matchmaker hotline!

This week, it’s all about getting back out into the dating world. Maria will explain how to build your own “spider web network” to meet new people. Also, she’ll explain what “the hoephase” is and how you can have one, even if you’re a virgin.

Want to join an upcoming Agape Intensive? 2022 dates just announced! http://agapeintensive.com

Follow Maria on Instagram to find out when the Matchmaker Hotline will be open to talk! http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

For three months of OKCupid Premium for FREE, go to https://agapematch.wufoo.com/forms/get-3-months-of-okcupid-premium/

You have questions, Maria has answers! It’s another hotline edition! If you want to chat with Maria on an upcoming episode, follow her on Instagram so you know when the hotline opens next: http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

This week on the hotline…

• The mindset to have if you’re dating while living with your parents. (it’s okay!)
• They were supposed to have a mini golf date this weekend, but he never finished planning it! Maria tells our caller what to say and texts him live on the show!
• She’s in her 40s and having a hard time finding men on the apps.
• It’s their anniversary and she’s upset that he hasn’t made a grand gesture about it.

*****Let's work together!*****

Let’s work together! https://calendly.com/felix-louie 

Register for our Tulum retreat! http://agapeescapes.com (a few spots left!)

or join an upcoming virtual  Intensive! https://agapematch.com/agape-group-coaching-intensive/  

Follow Maria on instagram at http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

 This week, Maria is talking to author Cate Doty!

Cate Doty is the author of “Mergers and Acquisitions: Or, Everything I Know About Love I Learned on the Wedding Pages.” She is a writer and former editor at The New York Times, where she covered the news of food, weddings, business, New York, and more. Her work has appeared in the Times, Southern Living, Our State, and other publications.

Buy Cate's new book at  https://amzn.to/3MbPq5j

Follow Cate on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/catedoty

To learn when Maria will open up the next Ask a Matchmaker Hotline, follow her at http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria

Follow Agape Match on Instagram at http://instagram.com/agapematch

Follow the podcast on Instagram at http://instagram.com/askamatchmaker 

Maria is joined once again by Melanie Cooke to take your questions on the hotline. If you want to ask Maria question on a future episode, follow her on Instagram to know when the hotline will open up again: http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

Melanie Cooke is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and private practice owner. She works with high performers who are outwardly successful, but struggle with feelings of dissatisfaction, emptiness, and confusion--who feel that something is missing and who want to feel whole, but don't know how to. She helps them better understand their emotions, establish boundaries, balance control with acceptance, and work through conflict in order to have more fulfilling relationships. She practices trauma-informed Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Gestalt therapies, along with body based mindfulness because our emotions, fears, and wounds are as much in our bodies as they are in our minds. So is healing.

Learn more about Melanie at https://www.melaniecookelmhc.com/

*****Let's work together!*****

Let’s work together! https://calendly.com/felix-louie 

Register for our Tulum retreat! http://agapeescapes.com (a few spots left!)

or join an upcoming virtual  Intensive! https://agapematch.com/agape-group-coaching-intensive/  

Follow Maria on instagram at http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

This week, Matchmaker Maria and comedian Tara Cannistraci, AKA Tara Jokes are joined by Ricky Liorti, the man behind the viral "boyfriend application" that took the internet by storm! Despite receiving thousands of DMs from potential matches, Ricky never went on a single date—but now he’s here to talk all things dating in 2025.  

In this episode, Ricky shares his love for marathon first dates, insisting they should be extravagant, unforgettable, and last 7–8 hours. Matchmaker Maria fiercely disagrees, advocating for short and simple coffee dates (no more than 2 hours!) as the perfect way to build a connection without falling into the trap of love bombing.  

It’s a lively debate filled with hot takes about first dates, relationships, and the modern dating world. Plus, Maria shares her expert advice to help Ricky rethink his dating strategy for the year ahead. Don’t miss this fun and insightful conversation!

Maria has  a book coming out! click here to preorder!! 👉 https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/ask-a-matchmaker-9781250342355/?utm_source=meta&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=SMP+-+Ask+a+Matchmaker+-+Cover+Reveal+Boost+-+9781250342355&campaign_id=6612334231745&utm_term=Fans&utm_content=A&utm_id=6612334231745
 
  
Make sure to subscribe and sign up for notifications for fantastic dating and relationship advice brought to you by Maria  Avgitidis!

#dating #love #podcast 

🤩    Check out My Websites and Socials!    🙃

💖Podcast Website: https://www.askamatchmaker.com/
💖Agape Match Website: https://agapematch.com/
💖Matchmaker Maria TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@realmatchmakermaria
💖Matchmaker Maria Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matchmakermaria
💖Agape Match Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agapematch/
💖Agame Match Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AgapeMatch
💖Agape Match Twitter: https://www.x.com/AgapeMatch

🙋‍♀️Our Producer Venetia AKA V 
Website - https://www.venetiageras.com/
Twitter - https://X.com/venetiaageras
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/venetiaageras/

🎥 by WTF Media Studios
Website - https://www.wtfmediastudios.com/home

ABOUT THIS PODCAST 🔗
Ask a Matchmaker is your weekly go-to podcast for all things love and relationships. Hosted by fourth generation matchmaker and founder of Agape Match, Maria Avgitidis, Ask a Matchmaker gives you no-nonsense insight into dating, relationships, compatibility, and love. Maria and her weekly special guest answer questions to help you venture through the jungle that is modern love. Whether you're looking for someone or you're happily taken, Maria will keep you inspired to keep going down the path of love every week, and hopefully, gain a great tip or two to ignite the spark or keep the sparks flying!

#matchmakermaria  #askamatchmaker  #datingadvice  #datingprofilereview  #podcast

Matchmaker Maria hosts from Mexico! where she’s attending the 12th Annual Matchmakers Alliance Conference. Joining her is guest co-host Louis Felix, a seasoned matchmaker with over 20 years in the industry. Together, they reminisce about the early days of the conference and its mission to bring matchmakers together in a collaborative, supportive community—something Maria co-founded with fellow matchmakers Michelle Jacoby and Laurie Berzack.

Beyond the industry insights, Maria and Louis dive into the shifting landscape of dating in a politically charged era. With the recent election still fresh, they share candid thoughts on how political divides are affecting modern dating dynamics. Answering listener questions, Maria and Louis discuss strategies for navigating political differences on dates and whether single-issue voters are worth the effort. They wrap up the topic with perspectives within political affiliations, showing how even people with the same voting record can hold differing core values. This honest exchange opens the floor to listeners, reminding everyone to keep an open mind in both personal and political connections. 

They move on to another listener asking, if it’s wise to date a man who’s married but in the process of divorce. Maria and Louie offer straightforward advice: tread carefully. Maria shares her thoughts on dating separated individuals, explaining how important clarity is. If you’re seeking a long-term commitment, Maria advises against dating someone not fully divorced. Louie adds some humor by sharing a personal family anecdote, and the two wrap up with laughter, ready to enjoy the sunshine after a rain-soaked stay.

To close the episode, Maria reminds listeners about the Agave Match dating assessments with Louie, emphasizing the personalized approach that has helped countless clients find lasting love.

Make sure to subscribe and sign up for notifications for fantastic dating and relationship advice brought to you by Matchmaker Maria!

🤩    Check out My Websites and Socials!    🙃

💖Podcast Website: https://www.askamatchmaker.com/
💖Agape Match Website: https://agapematch.com/
💖Matchmaker Maria TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@realmatchmakermaria
💖Matchmaker Maria Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matchmakermaria
💖Agape Match Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agapematch/
💖Agame Match Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AgapeMatch
💖Agape Match Twitter: https://www.x.com/AgapeMatch

📚Maria has some big news—she's got a book coming out, 

🙋‍♀️Our Producer Venetia AKA V 
Website - https://www.venetiageras.com/
Twitter - https://X.com/venetiaageras
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/venetiaageras/

🎥 by WTF Media Studios
Website - https://www.wtfmediastudios.com/home

ABOUT THIS PODCAST 🔗
Ask a Matchmaker is your weekly go-to podcast for all things love and relationships. Hosted by fourth generation matchmaker and founder of Agape Match, Maria Avgitidis, Ask a Matchmaker gives you no-nonsense insight into dating, relationships, compatibility, and love. Maria and her weekly special guest answer questions to help you venture through the jungle that is modern love. Whether you're looking for someone or you're happily taken, Maria will keep you inspired to keep going down the path of love every week, and hopefully, gain a great tip or two to ignite the spark or keep the sparks flying!

#matchmakermaria  #askamatchmaker  #datingadvice  #datingprofilereview  #podcast

ABOUT THIS PODCAST 🔗
Ask a Matchmaker is your weekly go-to podcast for all things love and relationships. Hosted by fourth generation matchmaker and founder of Agape Match, Maria Avgitidis, Ask a Matchmaker gives you no-nonsense insight into dating, relationships, compatibility, and love. Maria and her weekly special guest answer questions to help you venture through the jungle that is modern love. Whether you're looking for someone or you're happily taken, Maria will keep you inspired to keep going down the path of love every week, and hopefully, gain a great tip or two to ignite the spark or keep the sparks flying!

#matchmakermaria  #askamatchmaker  #datingadvice  #datingprofilereview  #podcast

This week, Maria welcomes international best-selling author, speaker and intuitive life coach Melissa Lyons to the podcast!

Melissa helps people learn to calm the busy and often overwhelmed thoughts that race through their minds. 

Melissa has an uncanny ability to help people find clarity amidst chaos and she shows them how to get what they want. Quite simply, she inspires one to wake up each morning with a sense of happiness and excitement about the day. 

She leads people to connect with qualities that are aligned with a life purpose that transcends titles and responsibilities. Her work is pioneering and is essential for anyone who finds themselves living someone else's dream or unable to identify dreams and hopes of their own. She is passionate about helping women discover their passions and resolve the inner conflict between who they are truly meant to be and who they think should be. 

Melissa’s heartwarming and profound books, I Will Always Love You and Until We Meet Again, are about finding hope and love when faced with grief, loss and heartache. They have helped thousands embrace fresh perspectives during life’s most challenging events.

Get access to Melissa’s free course, I Have A Choice, at https://melissa-lyons.com/matchmaker

Follow Maria on Instagram at http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

If you’d like to learn more about Agape Match’s services or enroll in an upcoming Agape Intensive, visit agapematch.com/services 

Attachment coach and author Chris Rackliffe returns to the podcast to discuss his new book, Needy No More: The Journey from Anxious to Secure Attachment. In this insightful conversation, Chris breaks down the six origins of anxious attachment, the connection between attachment and addiction, and how trauma influences our relationships. Plus, cohost Kaneez shares her personal experiences with attachment styles and dating patterns. If you've ever struggled with feeling "too needy" in relationships or want practical strategies to build security and confidence, this episode is a must-listen!

📖 Needy No More is available now on Amazon! 🔗 Subscribe and follow for more expert dating advice!!

Chris Rackliffe, or @crackliffe as he is fondly known, is a trauma healer, mental health advocate, anxious attachment style coach, host of the Needy No More podcast, and author of two self-help books: It’s Good to See Me Again: How to Find Your Way When You Feel Lost and Needy No More: The Journey From Anxious to Secure Attachment, both of which are available exclusively on Amazon. Chris has worked with countless clients around the world to help them heal their anxious attachment style and grow more secure, sharing everything he’s learned on his own healing journey—from how to integrate trauma and regulate the nervous system, to how to effectively communicate and set boundaries. To explore working with Chris, visit https://www.crackliffe.com/coaching

🤩    Check out My Websites and Socials!    🙃

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📚Maria has some big news—she's got a book coming out, 

🙋‍♀️Our Producer Venetia AKA V 
Website - https://www.venetiageras.com/
Twitter - https://X.com/venetiaageras
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/venetiaageras/

🎥 by WTF Media Studios
Website - https://www.wtfmediastudios.com/home

ABOUT THIS PODCAST 🔗
Ask a Matchmaker is your weekly go-to podcast for all things love and relationships. Hosted by fourth generation matchmaker and founder of Agape Match, Maria Avgitidis, Ask a Matchmaker gives you no-nonsense insight into dating, relationships, compatibility, and love. Maria and her weekly special guest answer questions to help you venture through the jungle that is modern love. Whether you're looking for someone or you're happily taken, Maria will keep you inspired to keep going down the path of love every week, and hopefully, gain a great tip or two to ignite the spark or keep the sparks flying!

#matchmakermaria  #askamatchmaker  #datingadvice  #datingprofilereview  #podcast

ABOUT THIS PODCAST 🔗
Ask a Matchmaker is your weekly go-to podcast for all things love and relationships. Hosted by fourth generation matchmaker and founder of Agape Match, Maria Avgitidis, Ask a Matchmaker gives you no-nonsense insight into dating, relationships, compatibility, and love. Maria and her weekly special guest answer questions to help you venture through the jungle that is modern love. Whether you're looking for someone or you're happily taken, Maria will keep you inspired to keep going down the path of love every week, and hopefully, gain a great tip or two to ignite the spark or keep the sparks flying!

#matchmakermaria  #askamatchmaker  #datingadvice  #datingprofilereview  #podcast

How we grow up can dictate how we act in our relationships as adults, whether we consciously know it or not. We might learn about these habits the hard way.

How would growing up in a religious movement that some describe as an apocalyptic cult affect you as an adult? Could you imagine that? 

Today, Matchmaker Maria speaks with author Flor Edwards and her twin sister Tamar Edwards. By age twelve, Flor and Tamar had lived in 24 different locations across three continents. Always on the move to escape the Antichrist and in preparation for the Apocalypse in 1993, their nomadic childhood prompted Flor to pen her memoir Apocalypse Child: A Life in End Times. Flor movingly describes her early life growing up with her family and 11 siblings as a member of The Children of God, a controversial religious movement that many describe as an apocalyptic cult. Tamar works in health and wellness and is currently in the process of receiving her certification as a sex and intimacy coach. 

Get Flor’s book, Apocalypse Child: A Life in End Times can be found on Amazon here.

Find Flor on Instagram

Visit Flor’s website

Follow Maria on Instagram

Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com

Join our Facebook group to be part of the ongoing dating conversation. 

To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com

This week, we open up the Ask a Matchmaker Hotline and talk to YOU about YOUR dating questions. Care to ask Maria a question for the next one? Be sure to follow her on Instagram to find out when the hotline will be open again. 

This week…

• I’m feeling fatigued and defeated. What should I do?
• I’ve been dating “by the book” and I’m not sure about a guy.
• I have a really tough schedule, how do I find time to meet people?
• How do I choose whether to connect with someone on a dating app?
• Should I do a video chat with someone before we meet in person?
• My neighbor seems cool. Should I ask him to coffee?
• How do you feel about dating someone who is separated but not divorced? 

Share your name and email and you will be notified first when details for the Agape Intensive Retreat - April 29- May 1, 2022 - are released! https://agapematch.wufoo.com/forms/z14chqhd03yfh04/

Follow Maria on Instagram to find out when the Matchmaker Hotline will be open to talk! http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

Follow Agape Match on Instagram at http://instagram.com/agapematch

Follow the podcast on Instagram at http://instagram.com/askamatchmaker

Alison Leiby is a writer and comedian in New York. She has written for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Life & Beth, The President Show, and many others. Her stand up has appeared on Comedy Central and her solo hour, "Oh God, A Show About Abortion" ran off-Broadway at the Cherry Lane theater with multiple extensions and had a run at the Kennedy Center.

She's the cohost of the podcast Ruined with Halle Kiefer, who runs a different horror movie for Alison each week. @ruinedpodcast on socials!
Follow Alison at @Alison Leiby.

You have questions and Maria has answers! 

It’s another edition of the Ask a Matchmaker Hotline, where you can directly ask Matchmaker Maria your questions. (If you want to call on a future episode, be sure to follow her on Instagram to know when the hotline will be open next)

This week, we talk about...

• It’s the holidays! How to handle dating in your hometown when you go home.
• I think I’m a bad texter. How do I fix that?
• I’m discouraged with dating. What should I do?
• How do I date when I have a demanding job?
• How to handle the holidays with your partner's families.
• How do you meet people outside of your own friend circle?
• What if I’m dating a guy who has a voice I don’t like?

Want to join an upcoming Agape Intensive? 2022 dates just announced! http://agapeintensive.com

Follow Maria on Instagram to find out when the Matchmaker Hotline will be open to talk! http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

Follow Agape Match on Instagram at http://instagram.com/agapematch

Follow the podcast on Instagram at http://instagram.com/askamatchmaker

 It’s another edition of the Ask a Matchmaker Hotline. There’s a real theme this week with all of the questions that you can take away: HAVE FUN! It’s summer! Get out there! Go meet people! Enjoy life! Don’t overthink it!

This week we talk about..

• Why shouldn’t we exchange phone numbers on a dating app before our first date?
• I currently live overseas and will be moving back to the states next year. What can I do to prepare myself for dating in America again?
• I had a long term relationship. When do I know when to start dating again? What are the next moves?

New dates posted for Agape Intensive (virtual) for Fall 2022! http://agapeintensive.com 

Prefer to do the Agape Intensive in real life? http://AgapeEscapes.com 

Follow Maria on Instagram to be on a future Hotline episode at http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria

Visit http://AgapeMatch.com to learn more about Maria's company, Agape Match! 

This week’s guest is truly a wordsmith. Not only does her articles resonate and make you think, her tweets go viral all the time. Just recently, Hillary Clinton even retweeted her!!!

What can we learn about the power of our words to build relationships with others, even getting that first date?

Charlotte Clymer is a writer and LGBTQ advocate. She recently finished a tour as the press secretary for rapid response at the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest LGBTQ civil rights organization. Currently, she is working on her first book, soon-to-be announced.

Find Charlotte on Twitter

Find Charlotte on Instagram 

Follow Maria on Instagram

 Have a question for Maria? Visit http://askamatchmaker.com

Join our Facebook group to be part of the ongoing dating conversation. 

To learn more about how Maria and how her team can help you find love, visit agapematch.com

After two weeks off, Maria is BACK with another edition of the hotline! If you want to join us for a live taping of a future hotline episode, be sure to follow Maria on instagram to know when the hotline will open next: http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

Selena Coppock is a former standup comedian, writer, author, and storyteller based in NYC. She is the creator and voice of @NYTVows, the parody Twitter and Instagram account that lampoons the New York Times Wedding section, the wedding industrial complex, WASPs, and courtship rituals of the rich and insufferable. She is also the creator and host of TWO WICK MINIMUM, America’s favorite and only podcast about candles.

Follow NYTVows at…

http://twitter.com/nytvows

http://instagram.com/nytvows

Find Selena at…

http://instagram.com/selenacoppock 

http://twitter.com/selenacoppock

Check out Selena’s podcast, Two Wick Minimum, on Apple Podcasts

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/two-wick-minimum-with-selena-coppock/id1440652282?mt=2 

*****Let's work together!*****

Is matchmaking right for you? Let’s find out!  https://calendly.com/felix-louie 

Follow Maria on instagram at http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

And join an upcoming Intensive! https://agapematch.com/agape-group-coaching-intensive/ 

This week, Maria is here to answer your questions on another edition of the Ask a Matchmaker Hotline! If you want to talk to Maria on an upcoming hotline episode, be sure to follow her on Instagram to know when the hotline will be open again. http://instagram.com/matchmakermaria 

On this week’s episode, Maria digs into…

• Can you go from being a friend with benefits with someone to dating them?
• My next date with him is at his house to watch sports and I’m not a sports fan. What should I do?
• How do you talk to a potential dating partner about their values?
• How am I supposed to take it when people take days to respond to messages on dating apps?
• The way he’s been communicating has changed. I’m so confused.
• I’m a single mom. What’s the balance between keeping dates fun and sharing about my life?

If you’d like to receive a Dating Assessment with Agape Match’s Louie Felix, use the link to book a time/day that is most convenient for you. https://calendly.com/felix-louie/dating-assessment  

Follow Agape Match on Instagram at http://instagram.com/agapematch

Follow the podcast on Instagram at http://instagram.com/askamatchmaker