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Foothills woman revives art of Matchmaking
Divine Introductions brings singles together in social club
By Susie Iventosch Special to the Journal
 Some traditions never die — like the art of matchmaking. Tamara Divine of Meadow Vista is a modern-day Yenta who recently opened Divine Introductions, a social club for singles to meet, have fun and make lasting relationships. Her first book about the dating industry, “Diaries of a Dating Diva,” is scheduled for release in May through Champagne Books of Calgary, Canada. Seventeen years ago, when Divine was a young mother of five, she worked part time at a weight loss center in the Sacramento area. One day her boss announced he’d purchased three dating services. Divine’s first reaction was not positive despite the fact her boss encouraged her to switch to that side of the business. “These are people who just can’t get dates,” she remembers saying. Soon her husband, Joe, was transferred to Kansas, and Divine, home with four of her kids under the age of 5, wanted an outlet — a part-time job. “I wanted the best of both worlds,” she said. “I wanted to find the perfect job, but still have time with my kids.” Then a friend called to suggest she’d found the perfect job for Divine, one that would get her out of the house and out of her comfort zone, selling memberships for a dating service. By then, she was more open to the idea. “It was perfect,” Divine said. “I went to work at 4 p.m. every day for just four hours interviewing prospective clients. I seemed to have a knack for getting people out of their own comfort zones and an intuition of what makes people tick. Someone once told me I was a social scientist. It’s just a matter of getting people to put their fears aside and take the steps they need to meet people.” When the Divines returned to California five years later, she bought into the business and stayed until 2001. After selling her portion of the business, she crisscrossed the country as a consultant before “retiring” from the industry. “For some time I had wanted to write a sitcom,” Divine said. “Finally I took a year off to write “The Diary of a Dating Diva” about what goes on behind closed doors in this industry. I thought the book would bring closure to my career, but instead it served as a catalyst to jump back in, to create a service-based business that was affordable for real people looking for real relationships.” Divine Introductions opened in January as a forum for singles to meet and make lasting relationships. Located in Sacramento near Cal Expo, the business combines travel, dining, events and matchmaking services in a non-threatening atmosphere for singles to get back into the social scene. “We want people to relax and have fun,” Divine said. “When you have fun, you stay in the game and eventually you’ll meet someone. People need to get out from behind their computers or their houses, stop hiding, and meet people!” According to Divine, people who can’t find a suitable match are not terminally unique, but for many, finances get in the way. For others it’s a fear of stepping out of the ego box to join a club. For those who finally take the steps to join, it’s not because they’re desperate, but instead selective about whom they meet and how they want to spend their time. The in-house matchmaker, Andrea Foley, is the only matchmaker in Northern California certified by the Matchmaking Institute of New York, according to Divine. “It’s tough out there,” Foley said. “People are so spread out space-wise. It’s taboo to date someone from work and many people don’t enjoy the bar scene. This leaves few options for meeting someone special.” Foley interviews members at length to determine what they want in a relationship. She expects complete honesty from her clients and has each fill out an extensive profile. Through this, she determines “must-haves” and “deal breakers,” things that might include body type or habits like smoking. For example, Foley says men are generally less forgiving on weight and more selective about looks than are women. The first date is not necessarily just two people out on a trial run, but rather a group dinner or event planned by Divine Introductions event coordinator Lauren Johnson. Divine opened her business to offer people balance in their lives — a balance of work, love and play. When putting people together she focuses on five important building blocks to a relationship — good heart, humor, lifestyle, spirituality and sexual chemistry, she said. Members may join for either one-year or three-year memberships. |