Curious Kitchen in Tropicana Avenue tends to be crowded on most weekends, courtesy of its delicious meat dishes. This was also the case on the afternoon of 15th February; this time, however, most people here had not come to just eat. Rather, these were all Malaysian adults who happened to be singles out dating and looking for Mr. or Mrs. Right.
Meeting the man
And pairing Mr. and Mrs. Right is what Carlos Eduardo Fernandez is happy to do. After all, he is the CEO of Take the Leap, a Malaysian dating services company which hopes to change how Malaysians meet and connect with potential partners.
A truly valiant attempt indeed and when I approached him at this latest event, appropriately called Lonely Hearts, on that Saturday afternoon, he had some valuable insights to share regarding his endeavours.
Why Take The Leap?
Even as we sat down, I could tell Carlos was going to enjoy talking. Joviality is written all over his face. Maybe that’s why he enjoys pairing people together as much as he does.
My first question for him was regarding the origins of Take The Leap. He was quick to answer, saying that Take The Leap was founded shortly after the pandemic, aimed at people finding difficulty connecting with others outside their social circles and traditional dating apps. “People are really scared of rejection, of expanding their circles. Where do you start?”
Carlos joined the company a few months post-establishment, hoping to provide good dating experiences to Malaysians. “We want to make dating the best thing ever.” A tall order, admittedly, with how people find it hard to connect with like-minded folks.
The name itself, “Take The Leap”, refers to the fact that people need to put their trust out there before they can hope to form meaningful relationships.
Trust & care
“People need to put their trust first when making a new connection and in making a long-lasting relationship, you need to put your trust in advance.” This is difficult for young Malaysians to do, but Carlos hopes to guide them all the same. “Dating may be difficult now but we want to show people that not all is lost. We’re here to help you to take the leap and trust others when putting yourself out there.”
That is all well and good, but speeddating events are not unheard of even in Malaysia. So I wondered how Take The Leap’s events differed from others. Carlos was happy to sate my curiosity. “I think the most important thing that we do in these events is that we care.” This care materialises in the form of listening to people’s thoughts and concerns. Whether one is reeling from a breakup or is simply lost at what to do, Take The Leap offers guidance all the way.
Something for everyone
Its events, likewise, are crafted with Malaysia’s diverse demographics in mind. “We are always trying different things and angles to cater to all the personalities.” What’s more, no one is ever left out at these events, introvert or no. Take The Leap’s volunteers will be pulling out of your corner, said Carlos. And this particular event, Lonely Hearts, was for those Malaysians who had no one to celebrate Valentine’s Day with yet.
“I think there are a few things that make us unique,” he said when asked how Take The Leap differs from similar companies. It is apparently expressive with how it discusses dating and relationships, with volunteers and staff keeping an eye out for anyone facing difficulties connecting.
“Even in our matchmaking programme, we’ve sometimes rejected people who don’t look like they’re ready.” Additionally, said Carlos, Take The Leap has no issue experimenting with events and learning from failures, such as a cancelled event for middle-aged Malaysians.
How dating has changed
But why the emphasis on speed-dating over the traditional dating app approach? Events like this, said Carlos, let people explore themselves better. “I have had people come up to me, telling me, ‘I’ve never been in a relationship or on a date. But after coming to your event and talking to different people, I have found out that there are some people I can click with that I did not expect.” He added that people who come to events like Lonely Hearts will only find others who are open and willing to start relationships, which is quite assuring for anyone.
That’s all nice to hear, but dating is still a complicated thing, right? For Carlos, dating is neither tougher nor easier. “It has just changed.” While technology has helped bridge the physical gap, the gap in personalities has grown much wider. People have different interests and ways of expressing themselves, which may make dating a tad bit complicated at times.
Defining success
With all these complications, what does Carlos define as “success”? For him, “success” is when participants of these dating events come back to him telling him they have found someone. In fact, he genuinely hopes that people will only ever attend these events once. Then, never again as they find someone they truly connect with.
“We have had three couples who have gotten married already and we’re expecting a fourth one.” As long as participants have fun and meet someone they want to see again, that is all he needs for a success.
Stay updated on Take The Leap’s latest and upcoming events by following their Instagram and Facebook. Reach out to them here.
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