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  • What Is Date Like Goblins?

    Hi, I’m Lise, perpetual third wheel, endlessly optimistic romantic, and now, the founder of Goblins! I’ve always been creative in searching for my person. From attempting to outsmart algorithms to freeing people from Rose Jails, traditional methods had mixed results. So— I let the NY Post set me up on a blind date ; used pick-up limes ; and volunteered to paint a nursing home… sadly I was the only one who didn’t have a mandatory community service sheet to be signed at the end. Most recently, I’ve even had friends manage my dating apps. If you know, you know, the dating apps are like, really, really bad... and it sucks to be at the mercy of them. Despite Best Efforts I know what it feels like to carry loneliness in your bones. Simple Plan's lyric “I’ve got a lot of friends, but I don’t hear from them” hits differently as an adult. It’s not anyone’s fault—life gets busy, people have their own commitments, and whether you’re single or partnered, loneliness just has a way of sneaking in. In June of 2023, I had an idea There HAD to be a better way to use the internet to meet people. So, I decided I’d create a profile about myself… and the kind of people I was looking to meet. Think: a gamer friend application/ dating doc . If I caught anyone’s eye, they could use Calendly to schedule a time to meet up in World of Warcraft and we’d play while voice chatting. I’d initially planned to film a TikTok series but I soon realized this had more potential than just a social experiment for my dating life. The premise—a refreshingly different, lower-pressure way to intentionally find connection and belonging—didn’t just apply to romantic relationships. This had the potential to help people of all kinds forge meaningful connections, from finding new gaming pals to building lifelong friendships. This realization marked a shift What started as Date Like Goblins , a dating tool for gamers, has since evolved into what we're colloquially calling Goblins , a space designed to help all gamers connect—romantically or otherwise. It’s been a natural expansion that reflects our belief that intentional connections, no matter the type, are the foundation of a fulfilling life. Whether you’re LGBTQIA+, neurospicy, introverted, and/or just not into the usual ‘swipe-right’ scene, Goblins is a space where you’re not simply accepted, but celebrated for who you are. We thrive on the diversity of our members and the unique ways we all seek to connect. Our OGs (original Goblins) have been instrumental in helping us develop our early platform, and we look forward to continuing to build with and for our community. If you’re excited about what we’re creating, pop into the beta and join our Discord , and/or subscribe to this blog. It’d be an honor to have you join the Goblin movement! Chaos and Cheetos,

  • Be the profile you wish to see on the apps

    Early on in the Goblins journey, I took on the role of profile gatekeeper—partly to avoid surprises (read: d*ck pics) but also as quality control. This isn’t about exclusivity… trust me, we’re basically the anti-Raya. Instead, it’s about creating a space where effort and authenticity thrive. As Chief Goblin Officer, I feel responsible for ensuring Goblins have a shot at meaningful connections when on the platform. And part of this process is only approving profiles that reflect thoughtfulness and effort. Why? Many folks forget that getting good results require good effort put in. It’s tempting to slap together a bare-bones profile just to “see what’s out there,” but this leads to two things: Frustration when their profiles don’t inspire matches or messages. A subpar experience for everyone else scrolling through uninspired profiles . At Goblins, our mantra is simple: Have the Profile You Wish to See on the Apps. Effort is attractive, and the energy you put into your profile creates the foundation for real connections. That’s why we ask users to add some personality before entering the Goblinverse. If they choose not to? That’s okay—they’re probably not the right fit. #SorryNotSorry So, when crafting your profile—on Goblins or elsewhere—ask yourself: What kind of connection am I looking for? And does my profile invite it? P.S. We know that writing about yourself is tough (especially if you’re an introvert) so here’s some advice that might help! Garbage attracts garbage!

  • Why your dating profile sucks... and how to fix it

    Having reviewed hundreds of thousands of dating app profiles over the last decade both personally and professionally, I’ve identified why profiles aren’t successful. From the obvious to the subtle, here are the most common reasons your profile isn’t getting matches: Overall no-to-low effort profiles- I’d say this covers the majority of profiles on the apps. Those that contain anything along the lines of “not sure what to put so just ask!” or “idk, will fill this out later” scream “I’m just here to look at other people’s profiles”. Remember, would you be happy if all the profiles you looked at had the same level of effort yours did? Unlikely. Here are my tips on authoring a better one! A bad profile has the bare minimum of detail, the better one has Photos-only- A bit redundant from the above, but worth double-clicking into. I don’t care how strong your face card is, if there’s nothing besides photos in your profile to react to, it’s an immediate pass. Nothing substantial- Is there anything especially personal about your profile or does it feel like it could apply to half the population? Ie: “I love to laugh” or “I like to hang with friends”. Your wish list- If your profile is spent talking about what you do and don’t want in a partner, delete it and write something about yourself. Self-Critical- I’m all about putting your most authentic self forward but don’t trash-talk yourself. Describing yourself as “depressed”, “boring”, or complaining about your lack of success with online dating are red flags. You can’t expect a good response from potential partners if your first impression is self-loathing. Weird/unflattering photos- Realize this one can be difficult but definitely do a photo audit (there are SO many articles about this ). Mixed messages- Are you 43 years old saying you’d like to have kids but are still “figuring it out”/“looking for casual/short-term” but “open to long-term”? While it might be tempting to cast your net and attract connections of all kinds, this isn’t going to resonate super well (especially if you’re a cis-gender, straight man). Perplexingly bad usernames, content, etc: Why have you chosen a username like WetShart49? Don’t put anything off-putting, gross, crass in your profile even if you’re doing it to be “funny”, no one’s going to get the joke (whatever it is). It can be frustrating to author a dating profile when you’re introverted or don’t feel conventionally attractive but remember— if you put personality and effort into it, you’re already a breath of fresh air! Here are my tips on maximizing your profile— and if you’re still stuck, feel free to ask for some recs in the #Profile-Feedback channel on the Goblins’ Discord .

  • The (Magic) Anti-Cool Dating Profile

    OkCupid appears to be self-destructing and as someone who LOVED the personality-first, questions-heavy profiles, this makes me super, super sad. My personality is WAY better than my photos so image-first dating apps with bite-sized profiles (if any) really aren't my jam. It took a bit, but I realized using the "perfect" pictures or the "coolest" bio didn't work. What does? Embracing your quirky, funny, and unapologetic self... even if that means looking a little uh... unHinged. 🥁💥 Screenshots from my Hinge profile, wow such chaos. Whether short (Bumble, Tinder, etc) or long ( Goblins , Firefly , OkCupid)– your profile is your bat signal. Help your people to find you…and actively weed out anyone that thinks you're weird/too much/etc. You'd find them too normal/dull for you anyway! :D The best part? You make it so much easier for people to message you because they have something to respond/react/ask you about! Here are my tips for authoring an awesome profile that does you justice (no matter how introverted or self-conscious you are): Be authentic, looking cool be damned Really. Looking cool is so high school. And high school sucked, so no more of that. While it's tempting to describe what you should have on your profile, you want to find the people who will embrace the real you, not the ideal version of yourself. So lean into it! What’s your perfect day-off look like? I might want to put: Go for a hike and then hit up a brewery! Instead, I’m writing: Set my alarm for a reasonable time, probably turn it off and sleep in a little bit longer. Yelp an awesome diner or locate a spot for the best [cinnamon roll, baked bread, etc.] and take a road-trip to it. Use Atlas Obscura to find any worthwhile detours and/or look for some thrift shops and see who can spot the weirdest thing in there. End the day with a movie night on the couch or assemble some friends for board games. Progress over perfection Your profile doesn’t have to be Shakespearean. Start with whatever you feel represents who you are, even if it's just a list of facts about yourself– you can edit if/when inspiration strikes later. We have a ton of quirky, fun prompts you can answer on Goblins but here are some ideas for any “Meet Our Hero/About Me” section. When I have free time I like to… Something I’m really good at / proud of is… I spend a lot of time thinking about… A guilty pleasure of mine is… One thing that never fails to put me in a good mood is… You can always count on me to… [Talk about your pets!] I work as a [insert what you do here] but I feel like in a multiverse, I’m a [enter whatever you think you might be doing here!] One thing I’m oddly passionate about is… Something I wish more people knew about me is… I like to collect… The best advice I’ve ever received is… A habit or ritual I can’t go without is… Don't overthink it As the queen of overthinking, know this is easier said than done- but remember, your profile doesn't need to impress or convince anyone you’re interesting. Glimpses into who you are and what makes you unique will resonate with the right people, so just start by writing something. P.S. If you think we'd get along, send me a game invite on Goblins . My username is Lise 💚

  • About Me (Lise, Head Goblin)

    As the founder of a platform that emphasizes authentic connection, it feels important to formally introduce myself and give you a glimpse into who I am. So hello, hi, howdy! I’m Lise (pronounced like " new lease on life" ) and... I was a horse girl growing up, and frogs were my favorite animal It took two tries to get my driver's license I set a morning alarm a little earlier than I have to actually wake up– it makes me so happy seeing I have more time to sleep. <- I realize it’s absolutely unhinged but I stand behind it Nostalgic tech is one of my favorite things to bond with people over. AIM, Encarta CDs, Day of the Tentacle, Chex Quest, Furbys, Tamagotchis, etc. I used to Venmo request friends $.75 for Art. When they accepted, they got a photo of themselves riding a possum Little me, playing Math Blaster When I was 15, I took a Seventeen Magazine quiz on the back of my dad’s car- it was titled something like What Should You Be When You Grow Up. Based on my results, the recommendations were zookeeper, event planner, or PR exec. And the rest, as they say, was history: In my PR agency days, I was Hinge’s first publicist and eventually snagged them coverage in The New York Times , TIME , and Glamour . I worked with Mashable on Bill Nye explaining evolution using emoji for a GE project . The video got half a billion media impressions and was later referenced as an answer in the New York Times ’ crossword. My absolute favorite job was as the head of PR for Shapeways. I fell in love with the intersection of tech and all-things community after delving deeply into the Warhammer space. A decade into my career, my dad passed away and I found myself grappling with the existential crisis of life, love and purpose. Practically comatose with grief, I quit my job to figure out what should come next– personally and professionally. It took a while but after ideating Goblins, I started waking up feeling inspired again. At the intersection of my personal and professional strengths and passions, Goblins also feels like something that could make the world a little better for a lot of people. And so, I've been pet sitting around the country while (mostly) bootstrapping bringing the platform to life. My team's and my goal? Be able to pay ourselves to work on Goblins full-time while building for and with our community . It's no secret I have feelings about the Match Group and other dating apps out there, so we're also carefully architecting the platform to avoid enshittification– more on that later, I promise. I'm always in our Discord (@LadybugLise) so please feel free to jump into our server and say hello, ask questions, or share some quality memes with the team and I! Me, riding a giant possum. Popular photo on dating apps (=gets a lot of questions).

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