Modern dating is rife with 'cringe' interactions that can leave a potential dating partner with a negative perception. But are we making a mountain out of a molehill and leaving good people on 'read' for no reason? In this episode, Steven and Megan dive into the details of why awkward initial interactions can signal the start of a great connection.

Singles at SEA 2026: We'll be setting sail February 6-9, 2026 out of Miami, Florida on Wonder of the Seas and visiting The Bahamas! Prices subject to change, but you only need $200 to book a cabin/$100 per person if you book with a friend. Call Chelsea Fennell at 864-901-8233 Email: [email protected]

Get the From Singles, to Shepherds Info Guide Here! https://the-synchrony-project.mykajabi.com/from-singles-to-shepherds

Contact: If you want to join the conversation about this topic and give your thoughts, reach out on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, or at [email protected].

Learn more about our matchmaking services and dating resources at https://synchronyproject.com.

Intro/Outro music by: Balloon Planet, "Write Your Own Story," https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/write-your-own-story/135437

Trigger warning: this is a direct conversation about human anatomy, infertility, and gender-specific challenges to conceiving biological children. Discussions around fertility and age drive so much of who we select as dating partners, but are we basing those assumptions on facts, or myths? We'll dive in and see if we can help clarify how age should and shouldn't play into your assessment of who you should choose to marry and raise children with. See the bottom of the show notes for citations.

Singles at SEA 2026: We'll be setting sail February 6-9, 2026 out of Miami, Florida on Wonder of the Seas and visiting The Bahamas! Prices subject to change, but you only need $200 to book a cabin/$100 per person if you book with a friend. Call Chelsea Fennell at 864-901-8233 Email: [email protected]

Get the From Singles, to Shepherds Info Guide Here! https://the-synchrony-project.mykajabi.com/from-singles-to-shepherds

Contact: If you want to join the conversation about this topic and give your thoughts, reach out on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, or at [email protected].

Learn more about our matchmaking services and dating resources at https://synchronyproject.com.

Intro/Outro music by: Balloon Planet, "Write Your Own Story," https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/write-your-own-story/135437

Citations for this episode:

Prevalence and factors associated with infertility in reproductive-aged women in China Reproductive Health (2021) https://reproductive-health-journal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12978-021-01298-2

 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3253726/ Semen quality and aging: systematic review and meta-analysis Asian Journal of Andrology (2018) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2090598X18300068

Age-related increase in sperm DNA fragmentation: A prospective study Frontiers in Aging (2025) https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/aging/articles/10.3389/fragi.2025.1603916/full

Effects of age on semen parameters and ART outcomes: A systematic review Frontiers in Endocrinology (2023) https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2023.1194455/full

Semen parameters decline with age in healthy men Human Reproduction (2006) https://academic.oup.com/humrep/article/21/11/2868/2939168

Temporal trends in sperm count: A systematic review and meta-regression analysis Human Reproduction Update (2017) https://academic.oup.com/humupd/article/23/6/646/4035689

Delayed childbearing: More women are having their first child later in life OECD Society at a Glance (2024) https://webfs.oecd.org/els-com/Family_Database/SF_2_3_Age_mothers_childbirth.pdf

OECD Society at a Glance 2024 – Fertility Chapter OECD (2024) https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/society-at-a-glance-2024_918d8db3-en/full-report/fertility_748a5055.html

Spain has some of the oldest first-time mothers in the world Business Insider (2024) https://www.businessinsider.com/spain-some-oldest-moms-world-babies-born-women-over-40-2024-12

CDC National Health Statistics Reports: Male Fertility in the US (2015–2019) CDC / NCHS https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr202.pdf 

Megan and Steven are thrilled to introduce you to the newly-minted Mr. and Mrs. Orten, one of our first Synchrony couples! In this episode, we sit down with them the day before they said 'I do' to reminisce about their journey through the Synchrony process, their first meeting, and how being matched on their values smoothed the path to a beautiful love story. Congratulations, Jaken and Victoria!

Singles at SEA 2026: We'll be setting sail February 6-9, 2026 out of Miami, Florida on Wonder of the Seas and visiting The Bahamas! Prices subject to change, but you only need $200 to book a cabin/$100 per person if you book with a friend. Call Chelsea Fennell at 864-901-8233 Email: [email protected]

Get the From Singles, to Shepherds Info Guide Here! https://the-synchrony-project.mykajabi.com/from-singles-to-shepherds

Contact: If you want to join the conversation about this topic and give your thoughts, reach out on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, or at [email protected].

Learn more about our matchmaking services and dating resources at https://synchronyproject.com.

Intro/Outro music by: Balloon Planet, "Write Your Own Story," https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/write-your-own-story/135437

Singleness is hard, but great friendships can make it easier. But what happens when one friend moves past their single season, and you're still in yours? In this episode, Megan and Steven discuss the challenges and tensions that arise when friends move into a new stage of life at different times, and how you can work to reinvent the relationships that are the most important to you during those seasons of change.

Singles at SEA 2026: We'll be setting sail February 6-9, 2026 out of Miami, Florida on Wonder of the Seas and visiting The Bahamas! Prices subject to change, but you only need $200 to book a cabin/$100 per person if you book with a friend. Call Chelsea Fennell at 864-901-8233 Email: [email protected]

Get the From Singles, to Shepherds Info Guide Here! https://the-synchrony-project.mykajabi.com/from-singles-to-shepherds

Contact: If you want to join the conversation about this topic and give your thoughts, reach out on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, or at [email protected].

Learn more about our matchmaking services and dating resources at https://synchronyproject.com.

Intro/Outro music by: Balloon Planet, "Write Your Own Story," https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/write-your-own-story/135437

If the dating game has left you feeling angry, you're not alone--we're pretty upset about the state of things in our dating culture, too. In this not-so-feel-good episode, Megan and Steven grapple with their own feelings of frustration at all of the challenges of the dating landscape and offer some suggestions on what we should do about it. 

Singles at SEA 2026: We'll be setting sail February 6-9, 2026 out of Miami, Florida on Wonder of the Seas and visiting The Bahamas! Prices subject to change, but you only need $200 to book a cabin/$100 per person if you book with a friend. Call Chelsea Fennell at 864-901-8233 Email: [email protected]

Get the From Singles, to Shepherds Info Guide Here! https://the-synchrony-project.mykajabi.com/from-singles-to-shepherds

Contact: If you want to join the conversation about this topic and give your thoughts, reach out on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, or at [email protected]. 

Learn more about our matchmaking services and dating resources at https://synchronyproject.com. 

Intro/Outro music by: Balloon Planet, "Write Your Own Story," https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/write-your-own-story/135437

We're matchmakers, so you might think that we think marriage is for everyone. That's not the case. In this episode, Megan and Steven dive into the value proposition of marriage and why, for some, it may not be worth the investment.

Singles at SEA 2026: We'll be setting sail February 6-9, 2026 out of Miami, Florida on Wonder of the Seas and visiting The Bahamas! Prices subject to change, but you only need $200 to book a cabin/$100 per person if you book with a friend. Call Chelsea Fennell at 864-901-8233 Email: [email protected]

Get the From Singles, to Shepherds Info Guide Here! https://the-synchrony-project.mykajabi.com/from-singles-to-shepherds

Contact: If you want to join the conversation about this topic and give your thoughts, reach out on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, or at [email protected]. 

Learn more about our matchmaking services and dating resources at https://synchronyproject.com. 

Intro/Outro music by: Balloon Planet, "Write Your Own Story," https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/write-your-own-story/135437

There are issues in our lives that we expect to vanish the moment we say "I do," but do they actually go away? Will marriage be the thing that makes you the person you want to be, or is it something else? In this episode, Megan and Steven discuss the transformative power of marriage and its limits to change who you are. 

Singles at SEA 2026: We'll be setting sail February 6-9, 2026 out of Miami, Florida on Wonder of the Seas and visiting The Bahamas! Prices subject to change, but you only need $200 to book a cabin/$100 per person if you book with a friend. Call Chelsea Fennell at 864-901-8233 Email: [email protected]

Get the From Singles, to Shepherds Info Guide Here! https://the-synchrony-project.mykajabi.com/from-singles-to-shepherds

Contact: If you want to join the conversation about this topic and give your thoughts, reach out on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, or at [email protected]. 

Learn more about our matchmaking services and dating resources at https://synchronyproject.com. 

Intro/Outro music by: Balloon Planet, "Write Your Own Story," https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/write-your-own-story/135437

We're generally not big fans of focusing on aesthetics or using photos to identify partners, but we have to acknowledge that most people are utilizing photos to make judgments about dating prospects. So what are your photos saying, and how can you optimize them to create a message that will be well-received? In this episode, Steven and Megan dig into some of the highs and oh-so-lows of dating profile photos and how you can implement a few strategies to make your photos more appealing and more authentic to who you are. 

Singles at SEA 2026: We'll be setting sail February 6-9, 2026 out of Miami, Florida on Wonder of the Seas and visiting The Bahamas! Prices subject to change, but you only need $200 to book a cabin/$100 per person if you book with a friend. Call Chelsea Fennell at 864-901-8233 Email: [email protected]

Get the From Singles, to Shepherds Info Guide Here! https://the-synchrony-project.mykajabi.com/from-singles-to-shepherds

Contact: If you want to join the conversation about this topic and give your thoughts, reach out on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, or at [email protected]. 

Learn more about our matchmaking services and dating resources at https://synchronyproject.com. 

Intro/Outro music by: Balloon Planet, "Write Your Own Story," https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/write-your-own-story/135437

"You're either with us, or you're against us." False binaries tell us that there are only two possible outcomes when many different outcomes may be available to us, and we use them all the time to structure how we understand our world. Is this hurting our dating culture? In this episode, Megan and Steven discuss what false binaries are, how they show up in dating conversations, and how to interrogate your own to get to the root of what you actually want. 

Our 40% off matchmaking sale ends MONDAY NIGHT, 5/26! You don't have much time left, so book your consultation at the link: https://the-synchrony-project.mykajabi.com/offers/ppk4uQTu?coupon_code=MEMORIAL_DAY_2025 

Bonus: Steven's traditional family breakfast abomination...err...recipe:

Singles at SEA 2026: We'll be setting sail February 6-9, 2026 out of Miami, Florida on Wonder of the Seas and visiting The Bahamas! Prices subject to change, but you only need $200 to book a cabin/$100 per person if you book with a friend. Call Chelsea Fennell at 864-901-8233 Email: [email protected]

Get the From Singles, to Shepherds Info Guide Here! https://the-synchrony-project.mykajabi.com/from-singles-to-shepherds

Contact: If you want to join the conversation about this topic and give your thoughts, reach out on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, or at [email protected]. 

Learn more about our matchmaking services and dating resources at https://synchronyproject.com. 

Intro/Outro music by: Balloon Planet, "Write Your Own Story," https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/write-your-own-story/135437

She's familiar, approachable, and as comforting as she is beautiful-- 'the girl next door' is a staple of American dating culture, and an archetype that many men seek out. But where did that archetype come from, and just how firmly rooted in reality is it? In this episode, Steven and Megan trace this idea back to some of its origins and unpack just what it says about how men's perspectives on relationships are shaped. Comic book fans, this one is for you!

Our first summer flash sale starts Memorial Weekend! Mark your calendars to save 40% on matchmaking.

D.R.A.W. conference begins May 23rd! More information here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/746363680108059/?hoisted_section_header_type=recently_seen&multi_permalinks=970171901060568 

Singles at SEA 2026: We'll be setting sail February 6-9, 2026 out of Miami, Florida on Wonder of the Seas and visiting The Bahamas! Prices subject to change, but you only need $200 to book a cabin/$100 per person if you book with a friend. Call Chelsea Fennell at 864-901-8233 Email: [email protected]

Get the From Singles, to Shepherds Info Guide Here! https://the-synchrony-project.mykajabi.com/from-singles-to-shepherds

Contact: If you want to join the conversation about this topic and give your thoughts, reach out on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, or at [email protected]. 

Learn more about our matchmaking services and dating resources at https://synchronyproject.com. 

Intro/Outro music by: Balloon Planet, "Write Your Own Story," https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/song/write-your-own-story/135437