H4M: Gay & Lesbian Matchmaker Tammy Shaklee Arranges Dates to Enhance Long-Term Affairs

The Scoop: H4M is a top gay and lesbian matchmaking organization based in Austin, Colorado. Since 2012, this boutique firm has started to become an ally to LGBTQ singles selecting really love. Head matchmaker Tammy Shaklee worked difficult to generate old-fashioned matchmaking and matchmaking training services open to LGBTQ singles across the nation. Thanks to the woman inclusive and collaborative nature, H4M has actually successfully obtained the hearts of countless significant daters.

After the woman divorce, Tammy Shaklee relocated to Austin, Colorado, to create a fresh beginning. She got a leadership position for the Make-A-Wish basis and centered on residing the woman most useful life. She thought she’d fulfill guys and carry on dates naturally, but a two-year matchmaking dried out enchantment shown normally.

Tammy don’t need to publish her information that is personal on a dating internet site, thus she decided to look for a more exclusive and tailored remedy. She hired an expert matchmaker, and therefore performed the secret. Tammy and her second partner met through an arranged go out, plus they cannot end up being more content today.

Years afterwards, Tammy attempted to recommend certainly the woman single buddies on the matchmaker and learned that the service ended up being for directly singles just. The woman pal was a gay man, so he cannot make use of the same source Tammy did to find love.

“I happened to be stunned by that,” she informed all of us. “used to do a bit of research and noticed that not one from the matchmakers in your community obtained homolocal casual sexual guys as customers. Thus, I made the decision to start a matchmaking company on their behalf.”

H4M started as a niche matchmaking solution for homosexual guys, it provides since expanded to incorporate lesbian singles, bisexual singles, transgender singles, and queer singles. Tammy has now reached out over the LGBTQ area and discovered their own online dating requirements by conducting focus groups, one-on-one interviews, and personal talks.

Today, Tammy is actually a knowledgeable straight friend and matchmaker with the connections and expertise to fit clients in fantastic partnerships.

“We lead with love,” Tammy mentioned. “Our matchmakers originate from varied backgrounds, but each one of you thinks that really love is love.”

an Inclusive deal with typical Matchmaking Services

H4M matchmakers tend to be concentrated on providing a good internet dating experience, and this requires plenty of careful hard work. They carefully display new clients in two separate phone/Skype phone calls assure their particular matchmaking experience the best match. Tammy mentioned she actively seeks customers just who know very well what they really want and are usually willing to be in a relationship. H4M’s process was created to assist people discover a committed and enjoying spouse.

H4M presently has 100 productive consumers from coast to coast. The youngest client is actually 23, as well as the earliest client is 77, but the majority are located in their unique 30s, 40s, and 50s. The matchmakers offer the entire LGBTQ range, and additionally they anticipate range inside their ranks. Tammy said the conventional client is actually well-educated, relationship-minded, and fed up with internet dating. They want to take to something totally new, and H4M is actually a trusted lover throughout the dating procedure.

The matchmakers tend to be traditionalists, so they cannot program consumers any photographs of the prospective fits. They don’t focus on superficial traits. Rather, they appear for usual objectives, lifestyles, and interests while the basis for an introduction. It can take some understanding and plenty of instinct, but H4M’s group has years of experience setting it up appropriate.

“The matchmaking could be the hardest part, but it’s by far the most fun also,” Tammy stated. “It is therefore fulfilling at the end of a single day as soon as you make a good match.”

H4M organizes both very first and second times for consumers, and so they inquire about comments in the process so that they can fine-tune their unique matches to make them a confident experience.

Several of Tammy’s consumers break through referrals from either an old client or any other matchmaker. Tammy said she’s always thrilled to deal with her colleagues when you look at the internet dating sector to ensure consumers get the best possible knowledge. Her collaborative nature features enabled the woman to cultivate the woman business and help love stories for singles of most orientations.

“Really don’t notice it as a tournament. There are numerous singles to go about,” Tammy said. “i’d like all singles for a confident experience, thus I frequently talk to some other matchmakers observe that which we may do to aid one another.”

The Team of Straight Allies Coaches Clients

Feedback is a huge element of H4M’s matchmaking procedure. The matchmakers conduct post-date feedback calls following the first and next times to see how the introductions moved and just how your client is actually feeling.

These dating and relationship specialists provide endless mentoring for the matchmaking experience because they accept it’s important to guide singles while exposing these to potential fits. They want to emotionally and psychologically prepare their clients to knock it out for the park on every day.

A perfect objective would be to instruct customers ways to be effective daters with or minus the help of a matchmaker. By doing this, they are able to bring those classes with these people as they navigate the dating scene independently.

“We coach our very own clients to reach your goals first-date friends,” Tammy described. “quite a few consumers find it energizing. They would like to have someone they’re able to depend on to enable them to present their utmost selves.”



H4M matchmakers can provide insight on sets from what questions to inquire of on an initial big date to building a first step toward have confidence in a connection. They can address the emotional issues and insecurities encountered by LGBTQ singles and gives useful remedies for assist them to move forward.

Tammy informed us that while LGBTQ singles have some distinctive dating issues, they also have a lot in accordance with straight singles regarding love.

“exactly what my personal customers are searching for is the identical thing many people are looking for,” she stated. “Whether you’re directly or gay, you need someone special to get into lifetime. The internet dating sector can serve every person if we teach and teach ourselves to get more inclusive.”

Having a Positive affect People’s Lives

H4M is actually a boutique organization on an objective adjust everyday lives one match at the same time, additionally the matchmakers make this happen by paying attention to their customers and using every introduction severely. They do not merely throw darts on wall surface and combine up times randomly. They thoroughly organize very first dates (and 2nd dates, too) to suit the tastes and targets of each individual.

Throughout the years, H4M’s curated matchmaking procedure features yielded good results, additionally the team provides many good reviews with their credit.

“i can not reveal exactly how grateful i’m that you’re around and doing this for people,” mentioned a 50-year-old customer exactly who lives in Austin. “I don’t go to taverns, Really don’t go surfing, I’m not very social actually, and I also love my job. Thanks a lot for these introductions.”

“he could be the things I could start thinking about a fantastic match,” praised a Tx bachelor. “although circumstances don’t work on for people, I’m entirely obsessed about H4M.”

A former client from San Antonio mentioned employing the matchmakers and happening times motivated him to reduce 90 weight. “I’m really grateful that I did it,” the 33-year-old single stated. “I believe plenty better. Now I am prepared.”

Whether they’re increasing an individual’s self-confidence or assisting a few beginning an existence collectively, the matchmakers go the extra mile with regards to their consumers and get a vested interest in watching all of them be successful. “our very own reviews are concrete — you will find the difference within faces,” Tammy mentioned. “We really realize and value our consumers, and we like to hear your matchmaking knowledge provides generated a relationship or a brand new point of view on online dating.”

H4M continues to Support LGBTQ Singles

When Tammy discovered homosexual singles in Austin, Tx, did not have usage of similar dating services as straight singles, she got motion to fill that emptiness and make certain those voices happened to be represented inside the matchmaking globe. Today this lady has broadened her process to serve the LGBTQ neighborhood everywhere.

H4M makes a huge selection of effective fits, and it’s really only starting. Tammy happens to be raising her system of bisexual and transgender singles, and she told all of us she actually is thrilled to listen their particular stories which help them conquer their unique online dating challenges.

Going back six many years, this rainbow matchmaking organization is a pal, coach, and wingman to lgbt singles that happen to be serious about locating love, and Tammy never missing look of importance of that goal.

“We accept people throughout the spectrum,” Tammy said. “it will require lots of knowledge, comprehension, no judgment to inquire of the proper concerns and take singles for who they really are.”