103. Cheeky New App Is a “Digital Dating Disruptor”
Lori Cheek
Lori Cheek is an architect turned entrepreneur. Her mobile dating app, Cheekd, reimagines online dating using Bluetooth, making missed connections obsolete. Now her blueprints create relationships instead of buildings. A veteran of TV’s “Shark Tank,” she was recently listed as “One of the Top 10 CEOs to Watch” and “The Digital Dating Disruptor.”
How Did You Start Using Your Talents?
Even before architecture school, Lori knew she had an entrepreneurial itch and a lifelong creativity streak. Architectural school helped give a structure to her creativity. Although she enjoyed her work as an architect, she explains, “Through that corporate experience I always felt something was missing. My heart and soul were not into it.”
The Most Impactful Turning Point?
At dinner with a friend, she noticed he scribbled a note on his business card and handed it to a woman he did not know as they left the restaurant. He got a date and she got the idea about “how to take the business out of the business card and create ice-breaking introductions for dating.”
The Most Powerful Lessons Learned?
After a potentially devastating appearance on ABC-TV’s Shark Tank—none of the billionaires wanted to invest—she wasn’t discouraged. She believed strongly that, “somebody’s going to see the beauty in this,” and was confident her business would succeed. She found a new partner, tweaked her idea, and recently launched the new Cheekd app.
Connecting With Lori Cheek
Lori Cheek Website: http://cheekd.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/cheekd
Facebook: http://facebook.com/cheekd
