I Founded Intersections Matchmaking. We help selective South Asians nationwide in the U.S. find their significant others. This is a highly-personalized service - NOT Online. I do a comprehensive personal consultation with each client to understand their needs, paradigms regarding relationships and blind spots. There is extensive feedback after each introduction.

EDUCATION | BA and MA in philosophy from Vanderbilt University; JD from The University of Michigan Law School; Certification from Matchmaking Institute

HOW TO GET STARTED | Do market research to see where there's a need which you can uniquely fulfill, speak with other matchmakers as well as people who have had experience with matchmakers, and read voraciously.

MUST HAVE TRAITS | You have to be trustworthy, to engender trust. You need to be able to establish rapport with a wide variety of people. You need curiosity and interest in people.

how I got started | Previously I worked as an attorney. I liked the work and found it intellectually stimulating. My work involved a great deal of research and analysis, but I didn't spend much time with people, which I missed. While I was working as an attorney, I noticed many young professionals had difficulty balancing their professional life with their personal life. They have very demanding schedules, and they want to spend the limited amount of free time they do have to date with people who have the potential to become their life partners. In particular, this can be a common issue for young professionals from South Asian backgrounds, people whose cultures discourage early dating and teach young people to first focus on their educations and other self-development. I wanted to bring the same level of professionalism to my matchmaking business as I did to my law practice, so I attended the Matchmaking Institute in Manhattan.

why this job?| I've always been interested in developing a business focused on having a strong positive impact on people's lives. I also wanted to design a life of my own choosing. And, for me personally, I wanted to build a business that would balance well with my family life. I am a happily married mother.

why I love this job!| I love making a high impact on people's lives, and I've always found interpersonal dynamics fascinating.

my typical day| I do personal consultations with clients, typically spending one and a half to two hours with each client. I learn what makes them tick, what is most important to them in a prospective mate, and identify any potential roadblocks to their developing a successful relationship. I run a criminal background check on each client, as well as any prospective dates. I have scouts who aid in our searches for prospective matches for my clients, and I spend time working with them. I also spend time setting up introductions for my clients, and getting feedback from my clients afterwards. The feedback is a very important part of the process. It feels good when clients tell me some version of, "I feel like you really understand me."

what they are | Overcoming misperceptions regarding matchmaking.

all about growth | I think at the end of the day, people want that human connection. People lead very busy lives, and a matchmaking service helps them maximize the limited time they are able to devote to meeting that special someone. Especially in difficult economic times, people want a partner to weather the storm with.

my website| http://www.IntersectionsMatch.com