The GDI & Social Discovery Podcast

The GDI & Social Discovery Podcast
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Global Dating Insights (GDI) is the leading source of news, information and analysis for the online dating industry. The site serves a highly engaged trade audience of over 30,000 unique monthly visitors, and is read in over 100 countries. Since launching in 2013, we have published over 5,000 stories. Our articles and interviews provide executives and professionals worldwide with up-to-the-minute, authoritative dating sector coverage. We pride ourselves on being the go-to publication when a story breaks. Our reports and analyses give readers a detailed look into one aspect of the dating industry. The GDI Power Book, released on Valentine’s Day, lists the influencers, start-ups and movers that have impacted the market over the course of the year. Our conferences and events bring together some of the biggest names in dating for conversations, presentations and networking opportunities. Speakers from Grindr, OkCupid, Spark Networks, and more have featured in recent years. We hold ourselves to the highest standards of journalistic integrity. Global Dating Insights is monetised by a) content partners, b) ticket sales, c) sponsorship of events, and d) sponsorship of reports. Global Dating Insights is an independent publication run by a small team of professional journalists.

  1. Brittnee Barnes, CEO and Founder of Vybes

    3D AGO

    Brittnee Barnes, CEO and Founder of Vybes

    In this episode, Brittnee talks about her mission to tackle dating app fatigue by reintroducing intentional connection into online dating. Barnes, whose background is in building and scaling consumer brands, co-founded Vybes after sharing frustrations with friends—now co-founders—about the time-consuming and often unrewarding nature of modern dating apps. While swiping delivers matches at scale, she argues that users struggle not with attraction, but with meaningful connection after matching. Rather than relying on traditional paid advertising, Vybes is bringing creators into its ecosystem as aligned partners with vested interests in the brand. Barnes believes this approach resonates particularly strongly with Gen Z, who are increasingly skeptical of inauthentic sponsored content. Having completed a seed round, the company is now in growth mode and expects to raise a Series A later this year. Barnes’ vision is clear: move dating beyond gamified swiping and build a culturally relevant, creator-powered, community-driven platform that prioritizes confidence, chemistry, and authentic connection.

    21 min
  2. Candice Gallagher, Dating Entrepreneur

    JAN 29

    Candice Gallagher, Dating Entrepreneur

    In this episode of the GDI Podcast, host Mark Brooks speaks with Candice Gallagher, founder of SinglePore and 30 Girls Club, about how dating culture is evolving for people in their 30s and 40s. Candice shares her journey from creating dating content in Singapore to launching sold-out matchmaking and social events that blend online tools with real-world connection. She explores the emotional realities of modern dating, the rise of activity-based events, and key cultural differences between dating in Singapore and London. The conversation also looks ahead to where dating is heading, highlighting growing fatigue with apps, the demand for more meaningful connection, and new opportunities for curation, community, and discovery in the dating ecosystem.

    22 min
  3. Lavina Lim, Product Manager - Core, Feeld

    12/18/2025

    Lavina Lim, Product Manager - Core, Feeld

    In this episode of the GDI Podcast, host Bill Alaina sits down with Lavina Lim, Product Manager at Feeld, to explore how the app is redefining dating through curiosity, fluidity, and self-discovery. Lavina shares Feeld’s origin story and explains how the platform was built to challenge heteronormative, destination-focused dating models in favour of more open, exploratory approaches to connection. The conversation dives into how Feeld designs for non-linear dating journeys, supporting singles, couples, and ethically non-monogamous communities alike. Lavina outlines how product features such as flexible identity expression, browsing without forced decisions, group chats, and linked profiles reflect the realities of modern relationship dynamics and the growing demand for community-driven experiences

    24 min
  4. Emma Sayle, CEO and Founder of Killing Kittens and WAX

    12/11/2025

    Emma Sayle, CEO and Founder of Killing Kittens and WAX

    n this episode of the GDI Podcast, host Mark Brooks sits down with Emma Sayle, the powerhouse founder & CEO behind Killing Kittens and WAX, to unpack how a rebellious idea from a frustrated 26-year-old became a global movement empowering women, redefining intimacy, and reshaping the future of sex-positive communities. Emma shares the unfiltered founding story of Killing Kittens, how its unapologetic ethos grew into worldwide events, a thriving digital ecosystem, KK Cruises & Retreats, and now the fast-growing WAX platform—home to verified members, community-driven groups, workshops, dating, and even built-in sexual health features. She also reveals: ✨ The wild origin behind the “Killing Kittens” name ✨ Why WAX became the brand members named themselves ✨ How KK built safety tech like SafeDate ✨ The strategy powering WAX’s rapid growth in the UK & US ✨ A bold future vision—from ad-tech to global expansion to even a KK Hotel

    27 min
  5. Ikuho Nakahata, Marketing Lead at Tapple

    11/27/2025

    Ikuho Nakahata, Marketing Lead at Tapple

    In this episode of the GDI Podcast, host Mark Brooks (CEO, Courtland Brooks) sits down with Ikuho Nakahata, Head of Marketing at Tapple, one of Japan’s largest and most influential dating apps. Ikuho offers an insider’s look into the Japanese online dating market—its unique dynamics, user behavior, government involvement, and how modern dating apps in Japan are evolving to meet shifting societal expectations. Ikuho shares the story of Tapple, now a 20-million-user strong platform centered around shared interests, and explains how its simple, swipe-based UI and trust-focused features helped it overcome the lingering negative perception of “deaikei” services from Japan’s past. The conversation also dives into competitors such as Pairs and with, and how TAPL positions itself as the more casual, youth-oriented option in a mature, highly competitive market. Ikuho then reveals details about Coigram, TAPL’s new free-to-use, MBTI-style personality-matching dating app designed to lower barriers for men and women and bring a fresh, shareable UX to Japanese dating.

    25 min
  6. David Vermuelen, Co-Founder and CEO of Inner Circle

    11/13/2025

    David Vermuelen, Co-Founder and CEO of Inner Circle

    In the latest episode of the GDI Podcast, Mark Brooks, CEO of Courtland Brooks, speaks with David Vermeulen, co-founder and CEO of Inner Circle, about the brand’s curated approach to dating, its explosive growth in Latin America, and its vision for 2027. Vermeulen shares the origins of Inner Circle, which began as a response to the impersonal and time-consuming nature of early online dating. His mission was clear: to create a community for like-minded singles focused on quality connections and meaningful interactions. The conversation also touches on Inner Circle’s “Date Conscious Suite,” an initiative to promote respectful behaviour and reduce ghosting. Vermeulen emphasizes that users are expected to act online as they would offline — with manners and accountability. Misconduct is swiftly addressed, maintaining the platform’s high trust levels and offline-oriented ethos. Looking ahead, Vermeulen envisions Inner Circle evolving into a community-driven lifestyle platform, helping people not only find love but also connect through shared experiences. As he puts it, “We bring people together and change the course of their lives.”

    23 min
  7. Maxime Barbier, CEO and Founder, TimeLeft

    08/11/2025

    Maxime Barbier, CEO and Founder, TimeLeft

    In this week's episode, we speak with Maxime Barbier, founder and CEO of TimeLeft. The fast-growing social dining platform is bringing strangers together for shared experiences around the world. Launched in 2020, TimeLeft has evolved through four major pivots before finding its winning formula: small-group dinners in cities worldwide. Today, the subscription-based service operates in 250+ cities across 50+ countries, matching groups of six for midweek restaurant meetups, with new formats including women-only nights, bar meetups, and even group runs. Barbier shares the lessons learned from his early career as a nightclub promoter, through building social media brands, to creating a platform designed to fight loneliness by fostering in-person connections. TimeLeft deliberately avoids the trappings of dating apps—no profile pictures, minimal preconceptions—to focus on authentic interactions and friendships, though romance sometimes blossoms. The company’s matching algorithm uses personality testing, language preferences, budget, and group balance to create engaging, comfortable evenings for its 3 million users. With word-of-mouth growth fuelled by media interest in combating loneliness, TimeLeft has become a leader in the emerging “IRL tech” space. Looking ahead, Barbier envisions TimeLeft not only helping people meet new friends but also strengthening existing friendships—potentially using AI to prompt and arrange meetups. For him, the mission is clear: use technology to create more meaningful moments in the limited “time left” we all have.

    28 min
  8. Mark Rollings, Co-Founder at Paranormal Date

    07/28/2025

    Mark Rollings, Co-Founder at Paranormal Date

    Mark Rollings, Co-Founder at Paranormal Date by The GDI & Social Discovery Podcast

    19 min
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About

Global Dating Insights (GDI) is the leading source of news, information and analysis for the online dating industry. The site serves a highly engaged trade audience of over 30,000 unique monthly visitors, and is read in over 100 countries. Since launching in 2013, we have published over 5,000 stories. Our articles and interviews provide executives and professionals worldwide with up-to-the-minute, authoritative dating sector coverage. We pride ourselves on being the go-to publication when a story breaks. Our reports and analyses give readers a detailed look into one aspect of the dating industry. The GDI Power Book, released on Valentine’s Day, lists the influencers, start-ups and movers that have impacted the market over the course of the year. Our conferences and events bring together some of the biggest names in dating for conversations, presentations and networking opportunities. Speakers from Grindr, OkCupid, Spark Networks, and more have featured in recent years. We hold ourselves to the highest standards of journalistic integrity. Global Dating Insights is monetised by a) content partners, b) ticket sales, c) sponsorship of events, and d) sponsorship of reports. Global Dating Insights is an independent publication run by a small team of professional journalists.

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