Dear Evan,

I have been wanting to send you this email for quite some time to thank you for your advice (by way of your website, emails, podcasts, blogs, etc.), which have changed my life.

I am now 35 years old but stumbled across your website two and a half years ago after a bad breakup. The breakup left me devastated, and there was a point that I had resigned myself to being the stereotypical spinster cat lady for the rest of my life. I felt frustrated that despite dating seemingly different men (in terms of age, race, religion, socio-economic status, educational backgrounds, etc.), they all seemed to either be emotionally unavailable or lack stability (financial, professional, mental) or a combination thereof. Some say that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over again and expecting a different result – and I realized then that if I continued to date as I had been, I would essentially be attracting more of the same men. I don’t quite remember what I typed into the search engine, but I believe it was something to the effect of “why is it hard for beautiful successful women to find a decent guy”. And ergo, I came across one of your blogs and became acquainted with your work. One of the first blog posts that I read was about online dating and how the percentage of eligible partners is fairly small and how to essentially separate the wheat from the chaff.

I was hooked! For a time, I lived and breathed your material. I listened to your podcasts when I was getting ready in the morning and while I walked to work. I purchased your book, “Why He Disappeared” and poured over it while eating dinner at a local Vietnamese restaurant. I felt enlightened and inspired. You helped me identify my blind-spots (acting as though I am the prize, being a little bit of a diva) and provided me with tools that helped me be a better date (being positive and pleasant, being gracious – no matter the date) and saved me time and energy (the 2-2-2 rule). As substance filled as I would have liked to believe that I was, you helped me realize how superficial I had been at times (for example, I love Mexican food and a guy I had just started dating took me to this horrible Mexican restaurant to make me happy- rather than being appreciative of the thought, I became upset because the food wasn’t to my liking).

Before re-entering the online dating forum, I purchased the e-Cyrano Gold package, and worked with a talented and supportive writer who helped me develop one of the best online dating profiles out there (according to my husband!). I was on it for a month before I met my now husband. In the time leading up to our first date, my husband had messaged me several times but I paid him no mind as I went about talking with a few other men. Though my husband took the time to write me thoughtful messages that were tailored to my profile (no copying and pasting here!), I wasn’t interested in him namely because he is five years younger than me and isn’t exactly the tall, dark and handsome type who I gravitate towards (he is more short, fair, and nerdy). He was persistent, though, and eventually I decided to respond to him. After abiding by the 2-2-2 rule, he picked me up for our first date at an Italian restaurant in Baltimore’s Little Italy neighborhood called La Scala. Over two years later, we got married and had our wedding reception there.

Brandon is nothing like the type of man who I had been attracted to – younger, shorter, fair, and nerdy. But Brandon is one of the best men I personally know. He is honest, he is reliable, he is a man of character. He is a gentleman. He is grounded, mentally and emotionally stable, and hard-working. While I can’t say our relationship has been peppered with emotional highs (like the ones I’ve experienced in previous relationships), my love for Brandon continues to grow with each passing day as we navigate through this thing called life. He has been there for me through thick and thin (from cheering me on at awards ceremonies to comforting me when my grandmother passed away in the hospital). He challenges me and helps me grow into a better person.

Through your advice and the services you offer, you have improved my life immensely. You have given me the tools, information, and know-how to choose a better partner, which will, in turn, benefit any children that I may be so blessed to have. Though I am married, I continue to sing your praises and refer you to any single person that I hear may have difficulty dating (I have even interjected myself at restaurants where I overheard a group of people at a nearby table talk about the challenges of online dating and referred them to your site). The amount of times my single friends have heard “Evan Marc Katz” from my lips could have driven the Davidians out of Waco, I talk about you so much! I just can’t thank you enough, and I wish I could adequately convey just how appreciative and grateful I am to have come across your site. You gave me answers when I felt lost and confused. You gave me hope when I was ready to throw in the proverbial towel and give up. You helped me identify areas of improvement, which prompted me to modify my behavior to attract more of the type of man I sought. It’s not just smart, strong, successful women that you help – but each and every person who comes into contact with them because the improvements they make inwardly are reflected outwardly. I don’t think you will ever know how truly profound of an impact you make on the lives of others through your coaching.

Eternally grateful,
Lauren B.