“When We First is betting big on the idea that people are suffering major tech-fatigue.”
BY MAGGIE DAVIS
“At the touch of your fingertips.” This phrase has redefined our entire lives. In the digital age, everything from work, play and most of all dating (think: Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, Raya et al.) can be procured online.
But what if people don’t want that anymore?
We’ve handed over nearly every aspect of our lives to technology. Face-to-face moments of genuine connection have become a luxury item – elusive, coveted and sometimes out of reach. Are we so deeply engaged with tech that we’ve let it replace the human touch?
That’s the question behind When We First, a matchmaking service that’s betting big on the idea that people are suffering major tech-fatigue. When We First isn’t just another app to swipe left and right, it’s run by people. At its core is what co-founder Sandra Hatton calls “the human button.” Instead of hours swiping through profiles, users work with matchmakers and coaches who guide them toward what (and who) they’re looking for.
An algorithm-free zone, When We First hosts chic parties like a recent night at the member’s club Casa Tua. “The energy in the room was electric,” says Hatton. “Everyone was excited to be there. It felt good, pure and human.”
Dating has always been vulnerable and complicated. In today’s digital world, it’s also isolating. When We First’s goal is to make the world less lonely. “We’re wired for connection,” co-founder and wellness entrepreneur Mariel Filippone explains. “Dating is hard. Why would you go through it alone?” Hatton adds, “You have these apps with huge networks—millions of people—and yet no one’s meeting anyone. Our app not only lets us expand our network for clients but is also a powerful recruiting tool for events and our matchmaking program.”
With everything face-tuned and OpenAI-ed on dating apps and social media, When We First offers something rare: an invitation back to the human side of dating.
