World Commerce: A Perfect Match Q&A With Amber Kelleher-Andrews, CEO of Kelleher International 

World Commerce Review June 2014

A Perfect Match

For over 28 years Kelleher International has been creating exclusive matches. In a Q&A with World Commerce Review, Amber Kelleher-Andrews talks about how her company finds love for top-level executives

Can we begin by learning about the history of Kelleher International?

My mother, Jill Kelleher, founded Kelleher International in 1986 after working for a video dating service in the early 80’s. Similar to online dating, people would go through photographs and videos of members and select who they wanted to meet based on pictures. If people had really good photographs they would get asked out more than others. My mother felt compelled to start matching the clients before they went through the superficial selection process and in doing so, was very successful in putting relationships together. She realized there was a need for this personalized service and started her own matchmaking company in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1986. Nine years later, I joined my mother as CEO of Kelleher International. Shortly after, I became a partner as we expanded the business across America and into Europe and still remain today remain a family-owned business.

Kelleher International is renowned for ensuring compatibility between individuals; how does your unique approach work?

Our clients tend to be very similar. We receive thousands of submissions globally but look for similarities that match well with our existing clientele base. They are cultured, educated professionals, who are stylish, interesting, and ready for a serious relationship. When interviewing our clients we find out what’s important to them and then customize a search for the person that they wish to meet.

It is important that our matching process stays close to our clients’ original criteria, and that the learning curve for us as facilitators goes up after each introduction. We also truly love putting people together and enjoy working with such a fascinating and exciting group of eligible singles. I have always said that I love to live vicariously through our clients and because of them I have truly discovered the world.

What is your message to those who are slightly nervous about finding their partner?

Dating for many can be a stressful experience but it doesn’t have to be. You simply need to change your point of view on dating. Keep in mind that this is just a date. You are going to

meet someone new for a few hours and see if you want to see this person again. It’s best to have no expectations other than the fact that you will have company over a meal. Let’s face it you won’t meet anyone if you stay at home, so it is important that you increase your social opportunities. Meeting new people must be a priority if you truly wish to find the one.

The concept of using a professional matchmaker can remove a lot of the stress from the dating game. The advantage of working with Kelleher International for example is that we meet your match first so that there is no room for misrepresentation. This is the catalyst for so much frustration with online dating- no one is screening the people who post themselves, so time is wasted meeting incompatible matches.

As professional matchmakers we not only screen everyone, but we meet everyone in person that we work for and hand select introductions for our clients based on their personal criteria. Sometimes, best friends forget to consider your criteria, and in neglecting to do so, are responsible for very uncomfortable dates being set up with the best of intentions. We like to call these spaghetti matches… friends will throw you and another friend together, and wait to see if the match sticks.

From our client’s experiences, simply by putting a few simple measures in place, dating can be both enjoyable and meaningful!

What sort of people do you help?

We work with passionate people who are single, divorced, and widowed. We are not a dating service nor fill a need for a social calendar. Those that we invite into our exclusive group are searching for a lasting relationship usually leading to marriage. Our clients range from 22 to 80. Most of our clients are between 25 and 60, they are picky, worldly, passionate and refuse to settle. They are accomplished and selective. When describing a lifetime partner, they see Kelleher as an executive search firm designed to save them time, money and frustration.

Kelleher International has an amazing record of matching people. What contributes to this success?

We have been matching clients for nearly three decades with tremendous success. Longevity, experience, and hiring the right people contribute to this success. We interview each and every client we work with and we closely follow their experience throughout their membership. If not the ‘one’, each match helps us get to know that much more about our clients, hence we move closer to reaching our goal.

Over 40% of our clients come from referrals. We started matching people before the .com era and we made the conscience decision to stay personalized, as a boutique family-owned business. We continue to learn and grow as a matchmaking company year after year.

It must be hugely satisfying to see couples you have matched succeed in their relationship.

That is our goal. Our clientele are educated professionals committed to finding a life partner. When someone gets engaged, the director of matchmaking at Kelleher will announce to the whole KI Team that one of our local matchmakers is responsible for the successful match.

It is very exciting for everyone to acknowledge the one who placed the happy couple together. As an owner, to watch the joy come from the matchmaker(s) who receive the news of the engagement for the first time is wonderful. Followed by the marriage and the children that are born and grandchildren that follow is really something else. You can’t put words to how rewarding this is for all of us.

We have a couple who married through us decades ago and sent us their adult son, and we introduced him to his wife and maybe someday we will work with their children. I remember the card they sent my mother so many years ago to thank her.

The card was of a bicycle in heaven… ‘a match made in heaven…. it said. They told us that their first date was a bicycle ride.

In some faiths, it is said that if you introduce two people and they marry you earn your wings to heaven. Right now relationships are happening more often than ever, which is very rewarding and fulfilling.

How does the CEO Club help elite clients?

Our CEO Club is comprised of elite members at the top of their respective fields of industry: finance, technology, business, medicine, politics, sports, fashion, philanthropy and entertainment, etc. Many are extremely successful entrepreneurs; all prefer to have priority status during our matchmaking and search process.

This level is confidential and perhaps a bit more discreet for those who require it. As owners, my mother and I oversee each Elite membership and I serve as a personal scout/recruiter for the CEO Club when attending functions both in the US and abroad. We also invite our CEO Club members to attend philanthropic events such as Leadership Gatherings on Necker Island and other exciting destinations around the world. Most of our Elite clients come from referrals and we only accept approximately 10 new CEO Club members per calendar year with the intention to keep it small.

You have a global reach; how does this help?

We love having a global reach because our clients can meet interesting people in multiple countries as they travel for work and pleasure. For example, we currently have a beautiful female dient who resides in Chicago but she is spending this summer abroad. I am literally matching her in London as we speak!

I love matching clients in the world’s most romantic cities. My mom and I are romantics at heart! We actually have a young couple who met during our recent philanthropic event in May that I co-hosted in the BVI’s, with Virgin Unite. They are now in Morocco having a wonderful time together seeing the sights!

The world doesn’t seem so big and intimidating when you work with the globe trotters that we have the opportunity to know.

How does the process work within Kelleher International?

The experience begins with the client first. It’s all about timing for those that join… Most come to Kelleher after years of seeing our advertisements. Perhaps they recently broke off from a relationship and now they are available. Many are referred to us or have attended a wedding that resulted from one of our introductions.

But it always does come down to timing, and when the timing is right for the individual, we receive the call. Our prospective clients are fine dating on their own, but they have yet to find that elusive partner. They contact Kelleher because they prefer not to waste their precious time with random dating. The steps are easy; most go to our web-site and simply fill out a confidential form. Once we receive the confidential profile, we set up a complimentary phone consultation. Speaking with one of our team members, whilst being constructive and valuable, is also enjoyable – because we have so much knowledge and insight into the world of dating. Our phone consultations are designed to put you at ease and start the ‘getting to know you process. The next step is a face-to-face meeting.

Kelleher International has representatives in most major cities in the US as well as in London and Stockholm so it’s convenient to meet with us. Once on board, we customize each membership based on your specific criteria.

The search begins! You will have now embarked on an adventure that could prove life-changing!

We currently have over 50,000 files of eligible single men and women to choose from and our incredible database grows every day. We keep our memberships to a minimum to ensure maximum attention unlike the mass-market dating services out there. Our matchmaking firm is the old-fashioned hands-on approach. We meet, screen, and select each match. It’s an enlightening, enjoyable, and extremely effective process and is, of course, highly confidential at every stage.

What is your advice to potential clients seeking their life partner?

Let us do the leg work. Whilst you’re busy working, traveling, and enjoying life, we are busy searching for your lifetime mate!

World Commerce Review June 2014