What happens when a Hollywood matchmaker’s own love story begins with her client? In this episode, host Dara Levan sits down with Jaydi Samuels Kuba, a matchmaker, dating coach, and author of Your Last First Date. Jaydi shares the surprising story of how she met her husband—after setting him up with other women—and why throwing away the superficial checklist was key to their success. She pulls back the curtain on the high-end matchmaking industry, revealing why expensive guarantees often come with hidden risks. Jaydi also opens up about her personal journey through IVF, the vital statistics that changed her course, and how that experience deepened her empathy as a coach. If you’re tired of swiping and ready for a real connection, this conversation about wants versus needs is for you.

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 - Intro
1:09 - Meeting her husband (a former client)
5:40 - Deal breakers vs. preferences
9:10 - Starting the business & early days
17:45 - Affordable matchmaking & industry ethics
22:25 - Vetting clients & confidentiality
25:44 - Men, women & superficial wants
29:42 - Connecting matchmaking with infertility
32:38 - The CDC data that changed her IVF journey
38:32 - How IVF informed her matchmaking
40:09 - Age ranges & diverse client demographics
43:14 - The link between writing and matchmaking
46:30 - Where to find Jaydi
47:07 - Outro

RESOURCES:
Website: ljmatchmaking.com
Book: Your Last First Date: Secrets from a Hollywood Matchmaker
Podcast: Match Made in Hollywood (with her husband)
Social Media: @MatchMadeInHollywood
Fertility Resource: SART (Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology) – Website to check clinic success rates.

Dara Levan / Every Soul Has a Story:
•    https://www.instagram.com/dara.levan/
•    Website: daralevan.com