{"id":1859448,"date":"2026-04-01T14:33:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T11:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1859448"},"modified":"2026-04-01T14:33:00","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T11:33:00","slug":"date-my-friend-is-pitching-your-friends-the-secret-to-finding-love","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1859448","title":{"rendered":"Date My Friend: Is pitching your friends the secret to finding love?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/1200\/0-593-1988-1325\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442867.JPG&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article class=\"main-article standard \">\n<div class=\"article-main-content article-wrapper has-media-but-its-an-image\" data-status=\"loaded\" data-primary-article=\"true\" data-url=\"\/life-culture\/article\/70026\/1\/date-my-friend-new-york-pitching-your-friends-secret-finding-love-dating\" data-article-id=\"70026\">\n<header class=\"article-header has-portrait-image no-media\">\n<div class=\"wrapper dg-max-width\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<figure class=\"main-img has-figcaption\" data-img-aspect-ratio-type=\"portrait\" data-img-aspect-ratio=\"0.66\" data-template=\"Standard Article\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"portrait\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Date My Friend\" class=\"img\" height=\"3000\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/1280\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442867.JPG\" width=\"1988\"><\/span><\/span><figcaption class=\"img-caption\"><span class=\"inner\"><span class=\"credit\">Photography Marc Giufree<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"meta\">\n<div class=\"inner\"><time datetime=\"2026-04-01T14:33:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"01 April 2026\"><span class=\"month\">April<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"1\">1,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<div class=\"titles\">\n<div class=\"tags\">\n<div class=\"sections\"><a class=\"category vertical - life-culture\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\">Life &amp; Culture<\/a><br \/>\n\/<br \/>\n<a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/feature\">Feature<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"standard-tag-container\"><a class=\"standard-category\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\">Life &amp; Culture<\/a> \/<br \/>\n<a class=\"standard-series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/feature\">Feature<\/a><\/div>\n<h1 class=\"title\"><span>Date My Friend: Is pitching your friends the secret to <span class=\"nowrap\">finding love?<\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n<div class=\"standfirst\">\n<h2>\u2018I like the idea of hearing about someone who\u2019s already vetted\u2019: We went to the first Date My Friend event in New York, where your closest friends do the selling <span class=\"nowrap\">for you<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<p><time datetime=\"2026-04-01T14:33:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"01 April 2026\"><span class=\"month\">April<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"1\">1,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><time datetime=\"2026-04-01T14:33:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"01 April 2026\"><span class=\"month\">April<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"1\">1,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/p>\n<div class=\"providers\">\n<div class=\"contributors\"><span class=\"contributor\" data-contributor-role=\"Text\"><span class=\"contributor-role\">Text<\/span><a class=\"contributor-name\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/user\/isabelbekele\">Isabel Bekele<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"article-body-container\">\n<div class=\"article-body wrapper\">\n<div class=\"dazed-gallery has-18-images \">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<header>\n<div class=\"info\"><span class=\"heading\">Date My Friend<\/span><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"gallery\">\n<div class=\"gallery-thumbs\">\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/gallery\/36906\/0\/date-my-friend\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Date My Friend\" class=\"img\" height=\"1325\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-863-1988-1325\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442852.JPG\" width=\"1988\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/gallery\/36906\/1\/date-my-friend\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Date My Friend\" class=\"img\" height=\"1325\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-593-1988-1325\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442845.JPG\" width=\"1988\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/gallery\/36906\/2\/date-my-friend\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Date My Friend\" class=\"img\" height=\"1325\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-0-1988-1325\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442840.JPG\" width=\"1988\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/gallery\/36906\/3\/date-my-friend\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Date My Friend\" class=\"img\" height=\"1325\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-540-1988-1325\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442848.JPG\" width=\"1988\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/gallery\/36906\/4\/date-my-friend\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Date My Friend\" class=\"img\" height=\"1989\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-0-2983-1989\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442853.JPG\" width=\"2983\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/gallery\/36906\/5\/date-my-friend\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Date My Friend\" class=\"img\" height=\"1325\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-728-1988-1325\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442868.JPG\" width=\"1988\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-footer\">Gallery \/ 18 images<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Susannah Schaff is a speed dating aficionado \u2013 or, as she puts it, a \u201cspeed queen\u201d. As someone who doesn\u2019t enjoy dating apps, the single 33-year-old makes a concentrated effort to get out there IRL. On the night I meet Schaff in a crowded East Village basement, we\u2019re at <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/datemyfriendevent\/?hl=en\"><span>Date My Friend<\/span><\/a><span>, an event series where people pitch their friends to a live audience. Think <em>Shark Tank <\/em>or <em>Dragon&#8217;s Den<\/em>, but with your best friend as the startup founder, you as the product, and a room full of potential suitors as the judges. Schaff isn\u2019t among the 11 duos presenting tonight; she\u2019s here to watch. \u201cI\u2019m not pitching. I\u2019m fishing,\u201d she says.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Date My Friend launched in January 2026, founded by Brit O\u2019Brien and Petro AP \u2013 two Californians who are, fittingly, longtime friends themselves. The idea came after O\u2019Brien saw a similar event in San Francisco and decided to bring the format to Los Angeles, where both are based. Since then, the pair have hosted seven more events, with their two most recent taking place in New York last week. \u201cThe common thread is that people just don\u2019t want to be online,\u201d says O\u2019Brien. \u201cThey want to meet in person and get to know each other.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>At Nightclub 101, the live music venue chosen for Date My Friend\u2019s New York debut on March 25, Schaff\u2019s proverbial pond is teeming. Around 125 people have packed into the space, with more than 40 pitch applications submitted in the week leading up to the event. As kick-off approaches, the compact venue fills with eager, expectant attendees.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"inline-img expandable dev-view-hide\" data-img=\"43a76da2-6d8d-4382-a200-b41e012cc32a\" data-src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/1988\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442855.JPG\" data-img-aspect-ratio-type=\"portrait\" data-img-aspect-ratio=\"0.66\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"portrait\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Date My Friend\" class=\"img\" height=\"3000\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/786\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442855.JPG\" width=\"1988\"><\/span><\/span><figcaption class=\"img-caption\"><span class=\"credit\">Photography Marc Giufree<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Under the dim glow of a disco ball, 11 pitchers take to the stage, each given three minutes to sell the crowd on their friend. Some read from a sheet of paper; others recite their speeches from memory. There is at least one person who comes with a prepared slideshow presentation, and another who, to their friend\u2019s surprise, finishes by handing out business cards with their contact details.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The event is one of many increasingly creative, in-person dating events cropping up across the city, but it\u2019s among the first to tap into friendship as a resource. If the opinion of an expert like Schaff is any indication, the format has resonated with daters. \u201cI wanted to hear the best parts of a potential partner from people they have really close platonic relationships with,\u201d Schaff says. \u201cI like the idea of hearing about someone who\u2019s already vetted, and of a person whose friends are so passionate about them that they&#8217;re willing to talk them up a bit.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<blockquote>\n<p><span>\u201cI wanted to hear the best parts of a potential partner from people they have really close platonic relationships with. I like the idea of hearing about someone who\u2019s already vetted, and of a person whose friends are so passionate about them that they&#8217;re willing to talk them up a bit\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Because everyone stays and mingles at the bar after the pitches end, there\u2019s ample opportunity to approach someone in real time. While dating apps have made hitting on someone IRL feel oddly intimidating, the built-in playfulness of events like Date My Friend offers a natural way in \u201cTalking about the speeches is such a great icebreaker,\u201d O\u2019Brien says. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of deep, platonic love in the space, which I feel disarms people.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Platonic love is certainly the case for Brandon Epstein and Nicky Khor. Epstein is here to pitch the \u201camazing, lovely, fantastic, but tragically single\u201d Khor, whom he met through his wife. \u201cAt first, I was thinking \u2018How can I embarrass him most entirely?\u2019\u201d Epstein jokes. \u201cBut really, it was about why I think this person is special, why they are important to me, and how I can share that in a way that\u2019s accessible.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Epstein succeeds, as his pitch seemed to be one of the most popular of the night. While he rattles off his friend\u2019s professional accolades, he also shares more personal sentiments about Khor. The fact that he \u201ctakes really good care of his mom\u201d, in particular, earns him a chorus of \u201cawws\u201d from the crowd.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"inline-img expandable dev-view-hide\" data-img=\"b0d82164-22b3-43a8-8c45-b41e012c2676\" data-src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/2000\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442836.JPG\" data-img-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\" data-img-aspect-ratio=\"1.51\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Date My Friend\" class=\"img\" height=\"1989\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/786\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442836.JPG\" width=\"3000\"><\/span><\/span><figcaption class=\"img-caption\"><span class=\"credit\">Photography Marc Giufree<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Next up is Joyce Kang, who is there to pitch her friend Mandy Castellanos. \u201cI\u2019ll always sing her praises, but I want to see her flourish, have a good time and have fun with her dating life,\u201d said Kang of Castellanos, pre-pitch. \u201cThe intention out of this isn\u2019t to anchor down a boyfriend, it\u2019s just to see her become more social and make more connections.\u201d For her part, Castellanos cares about hearing her friend\u2019s speech as much as she cares about the actual dating. \u201cI want to know what she\u2019s gonna say because I think it\u2019ll bring us closer as friends, and it\u2019s also nice to see how other people see you,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>As Castellanos suggests, the feeling of being seen \u2013 really, truly seen \u2013 by your friends is pretty unmatched. \u00a0While there\u2019s plenty of flirting as attendees drift around the bar after the pitches, the night\u2019s most touching moments come at the end of each presentation, when duos embrace and the pitcher often looks dumbstruck by the sincerity of what\u2019s just been said. <\/span><span>My favourite pitch comes from Nirosh Ratnarajah, who takes the stage to champion his friend and fellow finance bro Pat. Like others, his speech covers Pat\u2019s career and personal strengths, but it stands out for Ratnarajah\u2019s booming, TV-smooth delivery.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Towards the end of the night, Ratnarajah confesses to me that he spent his entire work day crafting the pitch, even getting his coworkers to help him workshop the speech. \u201cIt was an iterative process, a real nine-to-five hustle,\u201d he jokes. Then, <\/span><span>he <\/span><span>emphasises how much he loves his friend and that he would do anything for him. \u201cIf he finds someone tonight, I\u2019ll be the happiest guy ever,\u201d Ratnarajah says. \u201cPlus, it means I get automatic best man.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-inline-last\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-small\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<h1 class=\"newsletter-title\">Escape the algorithm! 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online?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"swiper-slide list-element\">\n<div class=\"scard-latest__section\">\n<div class=\"card-latest__wrapper\"><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69969\/1\/how-to-get-offline-spend-less-time-on-phone-brick-opal-print-media\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Not Okay (2022)\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/0-0-1556-1035\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442367.jpg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">We asked young Americans how they\u2019re getting offline<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69961\/1\/funmaxxing-should-we-all-be-playing-more-alysa-liu-community-games\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"GettyImages-2267046189-2\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/0-100-2745-1826\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442312.jpg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">Funmaxxing: Should we all be playing more?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69956\/1\/5-hidden-easter-eggs-in-the-world-cup-2026-away-kits\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"20260319_AdidasKitCampaign_26 Above_1973_R01_3x4\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/0-615-2000-1330\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442323.jpg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">7 easter eggs hidden in the World Cup 2026 away kits<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-inline\" data-newsletter hidden>\n<div class=\"newsletter-small\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<h1 class=\"newsletter-title\">Escape the algorithm! Get The Drop<\/h1>\n<div class=\"meta-row\">\n<p class=\"meta\">Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"confirmation\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<p class=\"confirmation-title\">Thank you. You have been subscribed<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"article-body wrapper\">\n<div class=\"dazed-gallery has-18-images \">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<header>\n<div class=\"info\"><span class=\"heading\">Date My Friend<\/span><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"gallery\">\n<div class=\"gallery-thumbs\">\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/gallery\/36906\/0\/date-my-friend\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Date My Friend\" class=\"img\" height=\"1325\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-863-1988-1325\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442852.JPG\" width=\"1988\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/gallery\/36906\/1\/date-my-friend\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Date My Friend\" class=\"img\" height=\"1325\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-593-1988-1325\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442845.JPG\" width=\"1988\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/gallery\/36906\/2\/date-my-friend\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Date My Friend\" class=\"img\" height=\"1325\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-0-1988-1325\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442840.JPG\" width=\"1988\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/gallery\/36906\/3\/date-my-friend\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Date My Friend\" class=\"img\" height=\"1325\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-540-1988-1325\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442848.JPG\" width=\"1988\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/gallery\/36906\/4\/date-my-friend\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Date My Friend\" class=\"img\" height=\"1989\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-0-2983-1989\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442853.JPG\" width=\"2983\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/gallery\/36906\/5\/date-my-friend\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Date My Friend\" class=\"img\" height=\"1325\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/320\/0-728-1988-1325\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442868.JPG\" width=\"1988\"><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"gallery-footer\">Gallery \/ 18 images<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Susannah Schaff is a speed dating aficionado \u2013 or, as she puts it, a \u201cspeed queen\u201d. As someone who doesn\u2019t enjoy dating apps, the single 33-year-old makes a concentrated effort to get out there IRL. On the night I meet Schaff in a crowded East Village basement, we\u2019re at <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/datemyfriendevent\/?hl=en\"><span>Date My Friend<\/span><\/a><span>, an event series where people pitch their friends to a live audience. Think <em>Shark Tank <\/em>or <em>Dragon&#8217;s Den<\/em>, but with your best friend as the startup founder, you as the product, and a room full of potential suitors as the judges. Schaff isn\u2019t among the 11 duos presenting tonight; she\u2019s here to watch. \u201cI\u2019m not pitching. I\u2019m fishing,\u201d she says.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Date My Friend launched in January 2026, founded by Brit O\u2019Brien and Petro AP \u2013 two Californians who are, fittingly, longtime friends themselves. The idea came after O\u2019Brien saw a similar event in San Francisco and decided to bring the format to Los Angeles, where both are based. Since then, the pair have hosted seven more events, with their two most recent taking place in New York last week. \u201cThe common thread is that people just don\u2019t want to be online,\u201d says O\u2019Brien. \u201cThey want to meet in person and get to know each other.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>At Nightclub 101, the live music venue chosen for Date My Friend\u2019s New York debut on March 25, Schaff\u2019s proverbial pond is teeming. Around 125 people have packed into the space, with more than 40 pitch applications submitted in the week leading up to the event. As kick-off approaches, the compact venue fills with eager, expectant attendees.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"inline-img expandable dev-view-hide\" data-img=\"43a76da2-6d8d-4382-a200-b41e012cc32a\" data-src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/1988\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442855.JPG\" data-img-aspect-ratio-type=\"portrait\" data-img-aspect-ratio=\"0.66\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"portrait\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Date My Friend\" class=\"img\" height=\"3000\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/786\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442855.JPG\" width=\"1988\"><\/span><\/span><figcaption class=\"img-caption\"><span class=\"credit\">Photography Marc Giufree<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Under the dim glow of a disco ball, 11 pitchers take to the stage, each given three minutes to sell the crowd on their friend. Some read from a sheet of paper; others recite their speeches from memory. There is at least one person who comes with a prepared slideshow presentation, and another who, to their friend\u2019s surprise, finishes by handing out business cards with their contact details.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The event is one of many increasingly creative, in-person dating events cropping up across the city, but it\u2019s among the first to tap into friendship as a resource. If the opinion of an expert like Schaff is any indication, the format has resonated with daters. \u201cI wanted to hear the best parts of a potential partner from people they have really close platonic relationships with,\u201d Schaff says. \u201cI like the idea of hearing about someone who\u2019s already vetted, and of a person whose friends are so passionate about them that they&#8217;re willing to talk them up a bit.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<blockquote>\n<p><span>\u201cI wanted to hear the best parts of a potential partner from people they have really close platonic relationships with. I like the idea of hearing about someone who\u2019s already vetted, and of a person whose friends are so passionate about them that they&#8217;re willing to talk them up a bit\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Because everyone stays and mingles at the bar after the pitches end, there\u2019s ample opportunity to approach someone in real time. While dating apps have made hitting on someone IRL feel oddly intimidating, the built-in playfulness of events like Date My Friend offers a natural way in \u201cTalking about the speeches is such a great icebreaker,\u201d O\u2019Brien says. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of deep, platonic love in the space, which I feel disarms people.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Platonic love is certainly the case for Brandon Epstein and Nicky Khor. Epstein is here to pitch the \u201camazing, lovely, fantastic, but tragically single\u201d Khor, whom he met through his wife. \u201cAt first, I was thinking \u2018How can I embarrass him most entirely?\u2019\u201d Epstein jokes. \u201cBut really, it was about why I think this person is special, why they are important to me, and how I can share that in a way that\u2019s accessible.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Epstein succeeds, as his pitch seemed to be one of the most popular of the night. While he rattles off his friend\u2019s professional accolades, he also shares more personal sentiments about Khor. The fact that he \u201ctakes really good care of his mom\u201d, in particular, earns him a chorus of \u201cawws\u201d from the crowd.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"inline-img expandable dev-view-hide\" data-img=\"b0d82164-22b3-43a8-8c45-b41e012c2676\" data-src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/2000\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442836.JPG\" data-img-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\" data-img-aspect-ratio=\"1.51\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Date My Friend\" class=\"img\" height=\"1989\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/786\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442836.JPG\" width=\"3000\"><\/span><\/span><figcaption class=\"img-caption\"><span class=\"credit\">Photography Marc Giufree<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Next up is Joyce Kang, who is there to pitch her friend Mandy Castellanos. \u201cI\u2019ll always sing her praises, but I want to see her flourish, have a good time and have fun with her dating life,\u201d said Kang of Castellanos, pre-pitch. \u201cThe intention out of this isn\u2019t to anchor down a boyfriend, it\u2019s just to see her become more social and make more connections.\u201d For her part, Castellanos cares about hearing her friend\u2019s speech as much as she cares about the actual dating. \u201cI want to know what she\u2019s gonna say because I think it\u2019ll bring us closer as friends, and it\u2019s also nice to see how other people see you,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>As Castellanos suggests, the feeling of being seen \u2013 really, truly seen \u2013 by your friends is pretty unmatched. \u00a0While there\u2019s plenty of flirting as attendees drift around the bar after the pitches, the night\u2019s most touching moments come at the end of each presentation, when duos embrace and the pitcher often looks dumbstruck by the sincerity of what\u2019s just been said. <\/span><span>My favourite pitch comes from Nirosh Ratnarajah, who takes the stage to champion his friend and fellow finance bro Pat. Like others, his speech covers Pat\u2019s career and personal strengths, but it stands out for Ratnarajah\u2019s booming, TV-smooth delivery.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Towards the end of the night, Ratnarajah confesses to me that he spent his entire work day crafting the pitch, even getting his coworkers to help him workshop the speech. \u201cIt was an iterative process, a real nine-to-five hustle,\u201d he jokes. Then, <\/span><span>he <\/span><span>emphasises how much he loves his friend and that he would do anything for him. \u201cIf he finds someone tonight, I\u2019ll be the happiest guy ever,\u201d Ratnarajah says. \u201cPlus, it means I get automatic best man.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-inline-last\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-small\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<h1 class=\"newsletter-title\">Escape the algorithm! Get The Drop<\/h1>\n<div class=\"meta-row\">\n<p class=\"meta\">Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"confirmation\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<p class=\"confirmation-title\">Thank you. You have been subscribed<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/70026\/1\/date-my-friend-new-york-pitching-your-friends-secret-finding-love-dating&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/1200\/0-593-1988-1325\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442867.JPG&#8221;] Photography Marc Giufree April\u00a0 1,\u00a0 2026 Life &amp; Culture \/ Feature Life &amp; Culture \/ Feature Date My Friend: Is pitching your friends the secret to finding love? \u2018I like the idea of hearing about someone who\u2019s already vetted\u2019: We went to the first Date My Friend event in New York, where [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,76],"class_list":["post-1859448","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-dazeddigital-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1859448","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1859448"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1859448\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1859448"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1859448"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1859448"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}