As this November marks the milestone 5th anniversary of Gina Yannotta joining Maclynn, we sat down with our lovely COO-USA to find out more about how she got started, what motivates her and what’s in the works for the next 5 years.

How did you end up joining Maclynn?

I’ve dedicated most of my career to the matchmaking industry and love helping people find love! I’ve always had a strong passion for helping others and an interest in working with an international company. Having worked as a matchmaker for a boutique firm in New York for a few years, I realized I had ambition to be part of something much bigger. In 2017, my life changed forever. I was introduced to Rachel Maclynn, who founded a matchmaking agency in London in 2011 and the stars just simply aligned. Within a few hours of meeting, we agreed to become business partners! This all happened less than a week before I was due to get married, so we shook hands and I went off to have my wedding in New Jersey and a honeymoon in South Africa. As soon as I got back I set off on my mission to bring Maclynn to the USA by opening our first office in New York. We’ve since opened two more, in California and New Jersey.

I can’t believe how quickly 5 years with Maclynn have flown by but at the same time I wonder how we haven’t known each other longer. Rachel is not just a business partner in my eyes – she’s my sister and precious friend. I value our friendship the most, and cannot wait to see what we can accomplish together over the next 5 years.

What does it mean to you to be a female entrepreneur? 

When I took my first step into the real world, I didn’t know what I wanted to do at first, but I knew what kind of woman I wanted to become – an influencer, a wife, a business-owner and a mom. If there’s one thing I learned since then, it’s that growth and comfort are never used in the same sentence. Mindset is half the battle and gratitude lists go a long way.

The people I’m surrounded by daily are incredible. Our combination of psychological expertise, international network and a welcoming team is like nothing you will find elsewhere. We are bigger than most agencies but when you step inside, you feel like you have a group of friends championing you. The atmosphere is really special.

Working on a daily basis with some of the most dynamic, successful and exceptional individuals in the world is incredible – it’s a career I wake up grateful for every day. Finding someone the love of his or her life? Job satisfaction does not come much truer than that.

That said, running my own business while also being the CEO of my own home can be challenging but it’s something I’m very proud of.

Have you met your true match?

Yes I have!! My husband is extremely modest and doesn’t love the limelight, however it’s integral that he’s mentioned because none of this would be possible without his constant support since day one. If there’s one piece of advice I can give, it’s the person you spend the rest of your life with matters. We talk about this daily with our clients, and I stand by this statement whole-heartedly as I could not imagine doing any of this without him.

My one-year-old son is the light of my life. Being a new mom this past year has been by far one of the most incredible experiences I’ve had to date. And I’ve got another little one on the way due in April! So as you can imagine, I’m kept very busy at home these days. We’re very excited to add one more to the crew and become a family of 6 (can’t forget about our two pups, Nikki & Finn).

Tell us about your life outside of work. What are your hobbies?

Peloton… period. If you are questioning getting one, YES it’s 100% worth it! I wouldn’t necessarily categorize this as a hobby, but more-so a way of life. It’s important for me to live an active, healthy lifestyle and the Peloton allows me to do this in a timely fashion.

Dance has always been a huge part of my life – I competed in dance for 20 years. While I’m not nearly as flexible and couldn’t do a split if I tried, I tend to express myself through movements (without even realizing it). Like doing a happy dance when a client falls in love or gets engaged.

Family – My work is very social and keeps me at the forefront of trends, so when I am home, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. We try and get together almost every Sunday for dinner- a family tradition we’ve enjoyed since I was young.

I’m a multi-tasker by heart, so it’s so important for me to switch off daily in some way or another just to catch up with myself and put my thoughts in order. Meditation has been a game-changer for me. Taking 5-10 minutes to simply be present, no matter how jam-packed my day is has been crucial. I also enjoy taking a quick walk outside to get some fresh air, weather-dependent of course!

Who are your clients looking for?

All our clients are looking for a truly compatible match. We help them achieve this by centering the search on values, but also considering superficial factors such as appearance and location too. Our clients are high achievers and seek the best in life, so they seek someone who complements their life – this could mean searching for a partner who is also high achieving, or perhaps someone who will take on more of a homemaker role.

Why are they seeking your services?

Our clients are time-poor and value outsourcing major goals to experts. We search for their ideal partner discreetly, tapping into our exclusive network of singles, which allows our clients to avoid the chaos of online dating and instead meet a series of hand-selected matches who have genuine potential.

How do you help your clients?

We combine world class expertise with our global network and a service that is delivered by a team who truly care. Some of our experts have been helping singles find love for over 15 years and over 50% of the team have a degree in psychology.  We guide our clients through our 5-stage matchmaking methodology, helping them identify their own values, who they are compatible with and the relationship they are seeking, before developing a plan that is delivered by their dedicated matchmaker. The service brings moments of growth and insight, and an overall sense of empowerment, but of course the overall objective is to match each client successfully with someone compatible.

What makes your matchmaking so successful?

All our success stories share something in common – they are all couples with complementing values. They live and breathe life in the same way as their partner. This is why we are investing so much into developing the way in which we assess values amongst our members and, at the same time, educating our members on the importance of recognizing their own values and hence the values that should be displayed in their future partner.