In this episode of Founders Future, with host Olivia Sammons, we sit down with Erika Ettin, founder of A Little Nudge, an online dating consulting service built on data, strategy, and behavioral insight. Erika shares her unexpected leap from a stable finance career into the world of online dating guidance, inspired by her early fascination with dating apps long before they were mainstream. Armed with an economics background—and a spreadsheet tracking her own dating metrics—she discovered how patterns, probabilities, and small behavioral tweaks could transform dating outcomes. That realization, combined with her natural ability to help friends navigate apps, sparked the creation of A Little Nudge in 2011, long before online dating coaching was a recognized industry.

Erika walks us through how her business evolved alongside the dating landscape, from long-form Match.com profiles to the fast, conversational world of apps like Hinge, Tinder, and Bumble. Today she supports clients through profile creation, photo selection, messaging, date planning, and even fully managing accounts for those overwhelmed by the process. Beyond tactics, she highlights the emotional intelligence required in dating—belief, openness, and resilience—and how her work has expanded through organic social media growth, now reaching over 240,000 Instagram followers. As she reflects on running a business solo versus managing a team, Erika shares her commitment to scaling in a way that preserves joy, impact, and personal fulfillment. Her story is a vibrant reminder that success is defined not by size, but by alignment with the life you want to live.

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