I fell into online dating when disaster struck after my divorce

A single mother found herself inadvertently “falling” into the world of speed dating after enduring “the horrors” of online dating.

Lisa Petrie, 43, had spent her twenties globetrotting before settling in Spain where she met her ex-husband.

Unfortunately, their relationship didn’t last and after returning to her native Isle of Man, the mum-of-one dived into the digital dating scene post-divorce.

From her first hand experience, Lisa quickly realised that omething needed to be done to make the dating process a more “pleasant experience.”

But in the end, it was an unfortunate slip on a “wet step” that truly spurred the mum-of-one into action.

Speaking to the Liverpool ECHO, Lisa said: “I’m a self-employed hairdresser and disaster struck a few years ago when I slipped and fell on a wet step and tore a ligament in my thumb, which meant I couldn’t work for two months.

“I had already bought a matchmaking course online to do in the future and then suddenly I had the time to do it! I literally fell into matchmaking. At the time, because I was self-employed and out of work because of my thumb I had no money at all. I couldn’t pay rent when I was off so thought it was now or never to get started, I was going to have to do this.

“I wouldn’t have been doing this now if I hadn’t been in that situation. The fall made me brave enough to do it. So I did the course and for three years I have been doing it for now. It has been an incredible journey.”

In 2022, Lisa launched her Queen of Hearts matchmaking venture, with her inaugural client being a woman in her 60s seeking a companion for cruise holidays, reports the Liverpool Echo.

Lisa shared: “She wanted to find someone looking for a committed relationship. She told me that people in their 60s on dating apps a lot of the time are looking for no strings attached relationships, it blew my mind.”

The matchmaker added: “I made my first video asking for this type of gentleman to come forward and he did. I matched her up with him and the last I heard they had been on a beautiful cruise holiday together and are still together three years later.”

Since then, Lisa has successfully paired over 20 long-term couples and hundreds of fleeting romances. She describes her matchmaking endeavour as a “huge learning curve,” noting that often her clients “sail off into the sunshine” and she doesn’t hear from them again.

Lisa’s matchmaking process involves understanding her clients’ relationship expectations, deal-breakers, preferences, qualities, and what they seek in a partner. She then identifies potential matches, curates a list for her client, and if they approve, she arranges a date for them.

Juggling her matchmaking venture with school runs and hairdressing, she believes the two professions complement each other perfectly. She has successfully paired many of her salon clients.

After three years of triumph on the Isle of Man, she is now extending her business to Liverpool, where her inaugural event in the city will take place at Fredericks on February 15.

Discussing the upcoming event, Lisa told the ECHO: “I’ve wanted to expand in the UK for a while and we [IOM] have a close connection with Liverpool so I just thought it would be perfect. It means I can expand and broaden the pool for everyone here too.”

She added: “The idea of true matching means it’s safer than online dating, you don’t get the unsavoury behaviours. One of the huge advantages is being able to ask people the important questions such as do you want kids or would you get married instead of having to wait till you’re dates in.”

Despite her professional success, Lisa herself remains single.

She explained: “I’m a single parent to my nine-year-old, at the moment I’m not dating myself I’m just focusing on raising my little boy. His dad lives in Spain. So instead I find love for other people.”