“I like to call myself the female Hitch. Singles is my Biz!”

The year is 2005 and Will Smith just teamed up with Eva Mendes and Kevin James for his RomCom comeback film of the year, Hitch. In it, Will Smith played professional ‘date doctor’ Alex “Hitch” Hitchens, who would coach men in the art of wooing and winning over women. This hit Workhaus Member Shannon Tebb in a profound way. Shannon transitioned into matchmaking for singles in the GTA, looking to go offline and to make real life connections. Priding herself in focusing not just on relationships, but on the social aspect of dating as a whole, she created her business Shanny In The City. As an entrepreneur, Shannon found a way to make her service stand out from the rest as she rose to become one of the top dating services in Toronto.

Not only does Shannon create mock dates for her clients, but she also creates and attends social events to get singles in the city together. Shannon even goes as far as to provide styling advice. Her philosophy is that if you look good, you feel good.

Huh, she really is the female Hitch isn’t she?

Growing up with a single mother, Shannon spent a lot of her time with her mom and her friends as they discussed relationships. She got to listen to their experiences and saw the sacrifices it really took to make strong relationships instead of taking the easy way out and running away from them. Shannon understood that just because something was new and scary, didn’t mean you had to run from it.  

She took that understanding and weaved it into her business, arguing that if people experience a comfortable and safe environment, they’re more willing to open up and trust the matchmaking process.

So, what exactly is the matchmaking process? Once Shannon meets with her client, she begins with face to face coaching. This allows her to get to know her client in order to create a personalized bio. Sometimes, this process can seem a little bit like being a life coach because Shannon digs deep into her clients personas. She gets them to list their values and what they can add to a relationship. She looks at what her clients believe their best attributes are, or what they can offer someone.

After all, according to RuPaul, “If you can’t love yourself, how in the hell are you going to love somebody else?”

“I believe in strategic dating. You make investments into your fitness with trainers, in home decor with interior designers, why not do the same with your love life? It’s like I’m a headhunter for the heart.”

After a client has gone out on a date, Shannon gets feedback from the experience. She looks at what they did, or didn’t, like in order to make adjustments to the process if need be.

The biggest piece of advice Shannon gives to her clients is to get out of your comfort zone. Act like a tourist in your city. Get out there and make connections. This advice can be used outside of the dating world as well. Don’t be content to stay locked within one dimension. You’ll never achieve anything unless you put yourself out there and try. That’s what Shannon did, and look at her now.

What’s next for Shanny In The City? Expand, expand, expand! Shannon hopes to take her business even further, by expanding into Vancouver, Montreal and Ottawa to start. And while she cares more about quality rather than quantity, there’s always room to grow.

Visit Shanny In The City to get started