Society / Profiles

Millionaire Matchmaker Tells You How to Dodge Rich Narcissists and Find a Worthy Mr. Right: Real Talk From the Elite Dating World

BY // 10.05.17

If you’ve been looking for love in all the wrong places, high-end matchmaker Sameera Sullivan has a few suggestions for you. And unlike Town & Country magazine, which recommended Brasserie 19 as fertile ground for sourcing millionaires, Sullivan offers some surprising advice for locating Mr. Right.

While she is in the business of primarily finding mates for very rich men, she is well versed in the art of effective feminine flirting. Her company, Lasting Connections, not only engages in elite matchmaking across the globe but also in divorce rehabilitation for men, image consulting and luxury retreats for women hoping to revamp their love lives.

The B-19 trap, she explains, revolves around the guys driving Maseratis and Bentleys, the guys who talk too much about their money and themselves. “These guys are very hard to match because they are narcissists,” she says, adding in her saucy manner, “So many of these guys are douchebags, plain ole douchebags who are going to be mean to women.”

Her gentleman, on the other hand, are “men who respect women, who are nice, who are generous, who don’t treat women like commodities, and not somebody who’s just looking for hookups. I am not an escort service.”

Women interested in joining Sullivan’s stable of intelligent, accomplished and reasonably attractive femmes typically join the fold through the Lasting Connections website. There is a vetting process involving interviews and background checks and a fee of $500 to be included on her priority team.

For the gents looking for a second or even a third chance at love, it’s a pricey commitment with services starting at $45,000 and going as high as $250,000 depending on the degree of attention desired. Which is why it is referred to as “elite” matchmaking. Individuals on both sides of the aisle, so to speak, are thoroughly researched and scrutinized. To insure the quality of her matchmaking, Sullivan limits the number of clients she handles at any one time.

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For women striking out on their own to meet Mr. Right, Sullivan has some rather down-to-earth recommendations.

  • First, ditch the list of requirements for the perfect mate. Instead look for parallel core values.
  • Get thee to Starbucks, Whole Foods and Home Depot — these are locales where the “good/normal men hang out.”
  • Be more alert and attentive to your surroundings. Get off the phone and see who is there.
  • Go to a different Starbucks than the one you usually frequent.
  • Don’t be afraid to make the first move. Make eye contact. Smile.
  • Praise something about the man — I love your shoes. That food in your grocery basket looks so good, etc.

“Men are scared sometimes to come up to you and they’re afraid of rejection,” she adds. “If you give them a hint, they will flock to you.”

Originally from Sugar Land, now based in Manhattan, Sameera Sullivan has been matchmaking since 2012 and boasts 81 clients that are in relationships that have lasted longer than a year. Since February, she has orchestrated serious relationships for eight of her clients. Sullivan was in Texas in September working with clients in Houston and Dallas. We visited over coffee at the Hotel Granduca.

What sets Lasting Connections apart from other high-end matchmaking companies? “My clients have my cell phone number and they have access to me at all times,” she says. “I care about them. I personally know them. I have four-hour meetings with them over lunch.

“I look into their homes, their lifestyles. I really get to know them. I want them to have a long lasting relationship so I want to know everything about them. This is not like a two-year relationship.

“I charge a lot more, but you get the value. I stay involved once they are in a relationship. I provide relationship maintenance. I get feedback and talk to both in the couple to help the deal with communication problems. I help them navigate through the relationship and solve any misunderstandings.”

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