Susan Trombetti Helps D.C. Singles Navigate the Modern Dating World
Susan Trombetti, matchmaker and CEO of Exclusive Matchmaking is an investigator turned love expert. Her time as an investigator gave her the skills she needed to make her a matchmaking extraordinaire. Her keen eye for what makes people tick, her ability to understand what people are looking for and what motivates them, and — perhaps most importantly — her incredibly thorough background check skills make her a wonderful matchmaker for anyone looking for a relationship that lasts.
Susan Trombetti founded her own company, Exclusive Matchmaking, to foster this talent and bring more people onto her team. It has become a wildly successful dating service for singles in the greater Washington, D.C. area. Susan has been featured in Cosmopolitan Magazine, Shape Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, and more for her insights into the modern dating world.
Full name: Susan Trombetti
Company: Exclusive Matchmaking
Job Title: Matchmaker and CEO of Exclusive Matchmaking
Current home base: Annapolis, Maryland
Originally from: Baltimore, Maryland
Superpower: My ability to connect with people.
One thing on your bucket list:
I want to kiss my husband at midnight on New Year’s Eve as the ball drops in NYC in a suite overlooking Times Square. It isn’t that far. Living so close to NYC, you always say you are going to do it. I always wanted to see the Thanksgiving parade and never did until a few years ago. We had seats at the Marquis and it was one of the most memorable things we did that I could scratch off my list. I will never forget it! My husband made it happen.
A woman in history you admire & why:
Mother Teresa — She is a saint, for heaven’s sake! Need I say more?! She won the Nobel Peace Price, but I am pretty sure she wasn’t moved by any of that. She did so much good in the world, caring for the sick and poor. She was a truly humble woman who worked tirelessly for no accolades or fanfare. We should all carry a little of her in us.
A present-day woman you admire & why:
Megan Markle. She is royalty at this point, but hasn’t always been. She has the same crazy family that many people have, but she carries herself with grace and polish like a princess. Her upbringing is humble, but now she is on a world stage with a platform to take on more important causes. Even at a young age, she stood up for women’s rights. She is the American that captured the heart of the playboy prince, and I love that — but it’s her ability to come from nowhere and catapult herself to where she wants to go that I most admire. She is an inspiration for many women and all people: that life is what you make it, no matter your opportunities at birth. You need to seize the day and it’s your choices that get you somewhere in life. One minute, you [may be just] a kid outside of Buckingham Palace, and the next, you are part of history and the Royal Family, creating change.
Quote/piece of advice that you live by:
Like my mother said, [I live by] the golden rule — treat others like you want to be treated.
Personal Anthem (a song that really speaks to you):
I am sure later another song will come to me later, but [for now, I’m going to say] “Boogie Shoes” by KC and the Sunshine Band. Don’t ask me why I love that song, but I just want to dance and have fun when I hear it. It reminds me to have fun.
A book or article you read in the past ~year that you would recommend:
Omg! I read a lot, but I like The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing [by Marie Kondo] just for the simple fact that [I think] if your space is cluttered, your mind is cluttered [as well]. [I believe that] you need to declutter in order to have a happy and productive environment. I am such a slob, so [the lessons in this book] help [me].
What is one of the best pieces of advice you’ve ever received & why?
Okay, so it wasn’t personally to me, but [the original inspiration to start my own company] came from a Cosmopolitan magazine article about starting your own business. It said to find the thing that comes easily to you, but everyone else thinks is hard — and that’s your talent. Boom! I immediately knew what it was, and I started a business around my talent for finding people. That advice has paid off to this day. Back then, I was finding people as an investigator, and now, I find [dating] matches for people. It was the most awesome article I ever read.
What inspired you to start or join your current company/line of work?
I thought about what I wanted to do next that would make me happy and utilize my talents. Remember the Cosmo article I talked about? I used that same bit of advice again [when I was looking to move on from my work as an investigator]. I remembered a time that I had been able to reconnect an old lady to her long lost love. She told me that she had been involved with a military man during the war and they had a passionate love affair. Her mother had caught drift of the affair and pulled her back home to Cape Town, South Africa. They had been abruptly separated and never saw each other again. It was over 50 years later when she told me this, and she’d never forgotten him. I found him that night and called him. I asked him if she was the love of his life, and he said there had never been another. I was stunned to find out that he’d never married all those years.
Her story had a huge impact on me. Reconnecting the two of them that night made me so happy. Although I had helped this woman as a favor, as I was reflecting on all the things I might like to do [as a career], I remembered this story and decided to go into the love business.
How do you feel yourself making an impact and generating positive change through your work?
Not only do I find love for people by making introductions, but I help people turn their life around by changing what they are doing in a way that sticks. I love helping people to find happiness and love, one person at a time. That makes me happy. It’s rewarding, especially when I see little Exclusive Matchmaking babies as a result of my work.
What is one thing you have accomplished through your work that you are most proud of?
[I am most proud of] running a successful matchmaking company, or even just a successful company [in general]. Also, [I’m proud of] Exclusive Matchmaking’s charitable giving to support children.
What is one major work milestone that you would like to accomplish in the next year?
I want to appear on the Today show, dishing love advice and talking about all things love — like helping people learn how to find love, talking about why they aren’t finding it, and discussing all the issues around dating.
What is one new project/endeavor (personal or professional) you are currently working on that you
are most excited about?
I love working on my video recaps of The Bachelor and [I feel like I’m] getting better at it all the time. It’s just a fun project where I talk smack about the show. I really do believe that a lot of dating mistakes regular people make can be witnessed on The Bachelor/The Bachelorette. Since the relationships [on the show] are happening at warp speed, you can really see the cause and effect of these dating mistakes. You can possibly spot your own mistakes if you [use what happens on the show to] reflect on your own dating life. The Bachelor certainly shows the types of people and dating behaviors that [are not well-received], and it may let viewers see which traits are most desirable in the real dating world.
What is a trend in your industry that you foresee becoming popular in the future?
[I believe that] the idea of [using] a personalized service to find love is going to become more
mainstream, and it may even outpace online dating.
What were you doing before your current role?
I ran an investigations company liquidating bank portfolios and fraudulent credit card portfolios. Today, I use my investigation skills to vet the people coming into my clients’ lives. It really helps create a better match. Anyone can pass a background check with a fake name, but i can tell you if it’s really their name. Also, background checks don’t weed out, say, married people, or people whose main motive is to use someone for their money — but I can.
Can you tell us about a time when you took a huge risk/did something you were scared to do, and it totally paid off?
I would have to say it was starting my own business. I left a good job that I hated on a Friday, and didn’t have any clients [for my new matchmaking business] yet. I jumped. By the end of the following week, I had several clients. I made it happen. I was a single parent, but I took the risk and it paid off.
Are there any great personal or professional resources you love that you would like to share?
This is something everyone already knows: YouTube. Want to know how to do something? Go to YouTube. There is always a great instructional video to be found. My other advice is to step outside the box and employ a consultant or a business coach. It’s always enlightening and you’ll learn something new.
Is there a charity or cause you care about that you would like to share?
I love and support Johns Hopkins Children’s Center. It’s local, and we all know it’s a great hospital. They depend on endowments and every little bit helps and adds up. When Exclusive Matchmaking has parties, we always have a donation aspect to give back. When I partner with a magazine for a singles party, I negotiate donations from the magazine. My business gives back to the community in the form of sponsorships as well. We always make sure that the charities we work with support children.
Fun fact about yourself:
I love reading trash mags on the treadmill. There— I said it!
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