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Be true to yourself

Clikd is a creative dating app that offers people a smart way to meet new people

Please introduce yourself and your startup Clikd to our readers!
My name is Michael Blakeley, and I was a Lawyer and Compliance officer till last year where I jacked it all in to build a dating app.
Clikd is a creative dating app that offers people a smart way to meet new people. Whether our users are looking for a date or a mate, we offer them a unique way to match with someone on their wavelength.
We put people in control of their matching process and give them a creative way to express themselves and get better quality matches in a quick and fun way.

How did you get the idea to Clikd?
It was pretty methodical actually. I was sick and tired of working in legal and compliance (I was a lawyer and data protection officer) and wanted to start my own business, to do something more fun and creative.
So I sat down and came up with three ideas for businesses, a dating app, a mobile game and an event format. I then pitched them to a few of my friends whose opinion I trusted and they all agreed – the dating app was best, the other two were rubbish! So, I ran with it and haven’t stopped going since!

How difficult was the start and what challenges you had to overcome?
Plenty! Learning how to start-up a business, get investment, resolve supplier issues, manage design and development complications, learning and understanding marketing and social media to a degree I never thought I would. I have overcome them as I always do, head on. My co-founder and I make a great team who can research and understand most issues we have come up against. I follow my mantra of “Be yourself, respect others and follow your dreams.”

Where needed, we have liaised with several experts to get additional advice where reading was insufficient. We have a great network of mentors too, which has been a huge help.

Who is your target audience?
Our target audience is 25-34 year olds who are single in London, and so far so good. Circa 55% of our users fall in this category which is great, but we are getting downloads from age ranges across the board.

What is the USP of your startup?
Our USP is that we give control back to our users allowing them to decide what is important to them in a match. It’s not just about looks but about who you are and what you are about which is key in CLiKD. What we say is Don’t Just Date Anyone – we want you to discover the person behind the photo.

Can you describe a typical workday of you?
I wake up to check my emails and downloads, deal with anything urgent before getting up then get ready and head into work. Once I am in the office, then the fun begins. Every day is different, at the moment user acquisition is the topic of the day, but last month it was app design and the month before that raising investment.

I tend to finish work around 6-7pm head home grab some food, and then do a few more hours work after dinner. So yep, for the last year, I think it’s safe to say that work has been a dominating factor in my life.

Where do you see yourself and your startup Clikd in five years?
Running Clikd as a successful app (and company) that celebrates individuality, encourages creativity and excites its users. And hopefully, we will have had fun along the way. I would also quite like a holiday (it’s been over a year now since I took more than a couple of days off, so I am looking forward to a rest!).

What 3 tips would you give other Start-up founders on the way?
Be true to yourself, speak to as many people as you can, and expect it to be a lot tougher than you thought, so brace yourself for an exhilarating but exhausting ride.

More information you will find here

Thank you Michael Blakeley  for the Interview

Statements of the author and the interviewee do not necessarily represent the editors and the publisher opinion again.

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Sabine Elsässer
Sabine Elsässer
Sabine Elsaesser is an experienced entrepreneur and media/startup expert. Since 2016, she has served as the Chief Editor and CEO of StartupValley Media & Publishing. In this role, she is responsible for managing the company and providing strategic direction for its media and publishing activities. Sabine Elsaesser takes great pleasure in assisting individuals and businesses in reaching their full potential. Her expertise in establishing sales organizations and her passion for innovation make her a valuable advocate for startups and entrepreneurs.
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