Kelleher International

Back from Europe!

It has been an exciting month at Kelleher International.  We spent two weeks in Europe meeting new clients, interviewing prospects and debating whether the overcast sky was fog or volcanic ash. We also made our way to the London Stock Exchange where we were honored with a Global Matchmaking award from Overseas Living (read a great article they wrote about us here). It wasn't until we were due to jump on the long flight from LHR back to SFO that the volcanic ash shut down European travel. As much as we loved London, this seemed like the perfect cue to jump back in the Chunnel and head to Paris for a few nights and some sightseeing.  "If you got lemons... make lemonade", shared Jill as she smiled at the thought of another week on the Continent. 

So we were off to the races and left the tens-of-thousands scrambling for London accomodations.  We found a great hotel in the Latin Quarter of Paris and enjoyed a few days of great restaurants, wonderful museums and all that the romantic city of Paris had to offer.  We continued our tour through Lyon and then Monte Carlo and St. Tropez.  Gorgeous!!!  When things happen that you don't predict, go with the flow and it can be the best of times!  Like relationships, you have to trust that things will happen, be open to new possibilities and don't second guess.

There was a splashy article about us in In Touch magazine (here) – it was good celebrity fluff, all of the clients in the article agreed to be mentioned and we’ve had a great bump up in client requests since it hit the newsstands. We’ve also had a couple of more engagements announced, a wedding, and we are looking forward to some more great summer weddings.

The three new engagements in the Kelleher family make me particularly happy because they are all wonderful people, and the success is the result of very motivated clients and "The Kelleher System".  By "The Kelleher System" I mean the Kelleher International process for developing profiles, matching clients, and then creating a feedback loop to make even better matches.  All three clients had been with Kelleher for more than 7 months before meeting "The One".  Each of them had been through an early patch of hit-and-miss matches as we collectively focused their priorities and refined their selection criteria.  It was a joy to work with each of these clients who understood that matchmaking is equal parts art and science, and that as matchmakers we can only be as successful as our clients allow us to be.  These clients were engaged, had their eyes on the prize, and allowed us to make their experience more successful.

For those of you that have not yet taken the steps to find your match, I urge you to look forward to your summer vacation or long Labor Day weekend and ask yourself “How would it be different with my heart on fire?”

At Kelleher International we hope you are having a love-filled May and are eagerly anticipating summer!

                    

Preparing for a First Date

First Dates have a bad rap.  It's time to rebrand the First Date and set yourself up for greater success and enjoyment.

Starting Point: The world is full of interesting people, and the only way you can enjoy the full glory of that is to meet them.  Almost everyone on earth has at least a few hours of “interesting” in them. So the better prepared you are to find those nuggets of gold, the more you will enjoy those first dates and bring a fresh attitude and energy to them.  Also, how many times would you be willing to spend three hours with someone if there was a 5% chance you could win $1MM.  Now replace that pile of money with the phrase “a lifetime of love” and going on a handful of first dates seems like a very small investment.

Prepping for Success: now that we have adjusted our perspectives and are eagerly anticipating our next first date, it's time to do three simple things to make the most of the night:

• Date #1 is a Marketing Event – what's your Brand?  Picture our date on the phone tomorrow with her best girlfriend answering the question “so how was he?”  What do you want her answer to be?  Think about your best characteristics (what really makes you, YOU) and make sure they become part of the evening’s discussion.  If a characteristic is that you're “well-traveled”, tell her about a trip you took and what it meant to you.  If you want her to remember you as “intellectually curious”, tell her about a book you are reading and why you find it so fascinating.  Find ways to weave interesting stories into the conversation that are examples of the virtues you like most about yourself.
   
• Share the “why” along with the “what” – A common mistake of first dates is the resume dump -- getting every job, degree, and professional accomplishment out on the table, in hopes of impressing your date.  Bad idea! Women tend to care more about the "why" than the "what", as that's the path to understanding who you really are. "He went to Harvard Law" leads to "he must be smart", but doesn't create a connection.  However, personal details like "he's fascinated with how the law can be used to empower the less fortunate" gets you both "he's smart" AND "he's passionate about helping others."  The touchy-feely clearly makes you more interesting.  Follow “I moved to NYC after college” with “because I wanted to test myself in the most challenging city in the world."  Color “I never miss Opening Day” with “because baseball, especially the beginning of a new season, reminds me of going to games with my grandfather.”  As you begin to get to know your new match on a first date, also engage her on the "why" of her story.  Ask probing questions that delve deeper into her hopes, dreams, and motivations, and you will be rewarded with much greater insight of what makes her tick -- as well as a more exciting conversation!  You will make much stronger connections with your date as you share your “why’s” and also explore theirs.
  
  
• Date #1 is just that, a date – a date isn’t a thirty-foot jumper at the buzzer, it isn’t an interview, and if it doesn’t work out, there are few repercussions.  Enjoy.  A date is an exciting chance to meet someone new and thrill in the uniqueness of all people. Prepare yourself with the mindset of open opportunity and joy and you will create the greatest potential for making a connection.
  

Now you are ready for a first date and should be eagerly anticipating your next chance at meeting “The One”.

Fresh Feedback - The Voice of Our Clients

"It was the wedding of my dreams! We can't thank you enough for making this all happen. We love you guys, and yes, we will send you our single friends!" 

"Please put my status on hold. I want to thank you and the other staff members for helping me to find Sarah!"

"Dear Jenny - I cannot tell you how much I admire the work you have done and really how difficult the task at hand must be to match people up. You are as gracious as can be, and I love working with you and the Kelleher Team. Sincerely, I do want to meet the right match for me, and I do so think it is highly more likely with a team effort helping me."

"I am actually off the market as I am exclusively dating one of your referrals. Thank you sooooo much!"

Cities of Love - Monte Carlo, Monaco

Romantic Hotel
    Hôtel Hermitage Monaco

Romantic Restaurant
   Restaurant Joel Robuchon

Romantic Setting
  Prince's Palace at Night

 

Ask the Matchmaker - Julia

We’re in the middle of both the NHL and NBA playoffs and I feel like I’m already a sports widow (and we’ve only been dating 3 months) – is this a bad sign?

It’s great when guys like sports.  It feels masculine, it builds healthy relationships with other men, it can be a cornerstone of a father/son bond, and more importantly, it can be the impetus for establishing regular “boys’ nights” and “girls’ nights”. 
No matter how wonderfully in love you become and how deep the passion will burn for decades, it will be important for you and your match to maintain some relationships that flourish outside of the two of you as a couple.  Nights out with your ladies will help you hold on to your current identity and pour energy into your relationship. His nights out with the fellas will reinforce his masculinity (also good for you) and stengthen his appreciation for your partnership.

Playoff season doesn’t mean just let him go off with his buddies to drink beers and watch the games -- this is also a chance for you to get to know him better.  I don’t advise that you create a new-found interest for the Philly Flyers (although Mike Richards is very cute), but you can begin to ask your partner more about what formed his love of the games – did he play as a kid, did his dad take him to the games, what role does he think organized sports play in the raising of children.        

So don’t despair, it will all be over in a couple of weeks, and it’s a great opportunity to grow your relationship.