Editor’s Note (March 20, 2020): The conference is postponed until further notice due to the novel coronavirus and #coronageddon. Stay tuned for reschedule notices when things get back to normal!)
Lisa Whitsell tried online dating…for FIVE YEARS. She saw her share of ghosters, breadcrumbers, orbiters and kittenfishers. If you have no idea what those online dating terms mean, don’t worry! Whitsell is prepared to share everything she’s learned about online dating—and didn’t want to know—so you will have only great experiences and find the man of your dreams. Welcome to the Girlfriends’ Guide to Online Dating, a meetup over brunch and mimosas by women for women who want to date men, scheduled for April 5, 2020, at the Omni Interlocken Hotel, a resort and spa in Broomfield, Colo.
The bachelor auction is going to be a riot!
Lisa Whitsell
Did we mention that room rates for this $300/night resort are only $92/night for conference goers?
Not only will a $59 conference fee get you a delightful brunch and mimosas, but also you can bring a friend for free (for a limited time).
The two of you will learn from qualified speakers who understand what you’ve been going through online to help you spruce up your profile, boost your confidence and self-esteem, as well as avoid scammers!
And to conclude a delightful Sunday with female sharing of stories, tips, ideas and strategies for online dating, the Girlfriend’s Guide bruncheon includes …. wait for it …. a live bachelor auction featuring bachelors for every age group.
How The Idea Came About
Whitsell, an IT professional, and her friend Michelle Beck, both divorced and looking (online of course like 82 percent of all single women), figured since they and many others they knew were having similar experiences in the online dating world, it was time somebody brought online daters together in one room for sharing, networking, camaraderie and learning.
Whitsell said, “There is no other conference like this in the world. This is the first, as far as I could tell. Frankly, I was shocked that someone hadn’t already done it.”
Whitsell said the meeting which is over brunch in just a few hours will cover strategies for finding true love on the twelve “big” dating apps including Plenty of Fish, Bumble, Tinder, OK Cupid, eHarmony and Match.
Whitsell said there are literally thousands of dating apps for every niche and fetish. HighThere.com? For Coloradans who like to partake in a particular weed that is now legal. Mindful? For people who like yoga. The list goes on.
As for the big majors, she said, “I have done them all! In the name of research, of course!”
Conference Goals
Whitsell said the biggest reason she wants to host the conference is to give back, help others and educate women, many of whom may feel vulnerable after a breakup, about the scammers lurking online.
“After my divorce, I had no self-esteem,” she said, “Women in that situation are targeted. Even so, dating apps are still the number one way for women to meet men, but they’re also the number one way to be scammed out of money.”
Whitsell said, “You can set yourself up. Scammers can send you the most beautiful and heartfelt messages. You will fall in love. And the next thing you know they are talking about car wrecks, young children in need, being stranded without any funds and you are the only one on earth who can help them. The average amount of money lost is in the neighborhood of $2800.”
Best Advice for Women Over Fifty
Whitsell said, Match, Bumble and OurTime and the best apps for women over 50 to find the man of their dreams. “That’s their demographic,” she declared.
Having run big events in the past, Whitsell feels confidant at the early registration numbers for a successful first event. She’d like to eventually take the conference on the road to other cities. Even so, out of town registrants will find the Omni Interlocken Hotel a destination worth the trip.
Already newspaper articles are buzzing about the first-of-its-kind conference and the website at GFGuides.com is getting lots of traffic. Whitsell’s video about how online dating is akin to baseball has had over 420 views.
“We fully expect to sell out,” said Whitsell, “And the bachelor auction is going to be a riot!”
Registration is open (for now until it sells out). Learn more at GFGuides.com.
