Should you lower your standards in dating?

Looking for KPIs in dating

Men are more vulnerable than women

Dating after 40: Is it game over?

Where to start as a first-time dater

Are men bad at conversations?

Is modern dating painful and how can those who want to find love in 2025 find love intentionally?

Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues that matter to young people.

On this episode of The Usual Place, host Natasha Ann Zachariah dissected the dating game with Andrea Tan, a certified sex, love and relationship coach and founder of Athena Rising Coaching & Consulting and Chia Wei Goh, founder of CGull, a dating consultancy for men.

According to results from a Bumble survey that was released mid-Nov 2024, people here are still keen to date – four in five Singaporean singles interviewed are looking to find a long-term partner in 2025. (Bumble is a women-first dating and social networking app that was founded in 2014.)

But what are some of the issues that get in the way of finding love?

From treating dates as job interviews to having many deal-breakers, both Andrea and Chia Wei dove into the insights they gleaned from working with their clients.

Natasha wanted to find out if dating stereotypes of ideal partners that surface on social media – “man in finance, trust fund, 6’5”, blue eyes” or “trad wife”, for example – hurt or help one’s chances at making a great impression. 

Meanwhile, Chia Wei suggested that both genders take on a niche hobby such as yoga for men or muay thai for women, to open more opportunities to meet a partner of the opposite sex. 

Andrea, who is also Bumble’s relationship expert, said that to press ahead in the dating game, one needs a cheerleader support group to provide positive affirmations.

Highlights (click/tap above):

6:59 Should you lower your standards in dating?

11:46 Looking for KPIs in dating

15:16 Men are in a more vulnerable position than women

29:42 Is it game over in the dating game for those over 40?

32:51 Where to start if you’re a first-time dater

35:00 Are men bad at conversations?

Connect with these coaches on social media:

Chia Wei: https://www.instagram.com/cgullwing/

Andrea Tan: https://www.instagram.com/theathenarising/

Host: Natasha Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://str.sg/8Wav

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Read Natasha's articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Read Elizabeth Law’s articles: https://str.sg/wL8c

Filmed by: ST Video

Edited by ST Podcast producers: Teo Tong Kai, Eden Soh and Elsa Goh

Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

Follow The Usual Place Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/wEr7u

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

---

Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

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#tup #tuptr

Is modern dating painful and how can those who want to find love in 2025 find love intentionally?
Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues that matter to young people.
On this episode of The Usual Place, host Natasha Ann Zachariah dissected the dating game with Andrea Tan, a certified sex, love and relationship coach and founder of Athena Rising Coaching &amp; Consulting and Chia Wei Goh, founder of CGull, a dating consultancy for men.
According to results from a Bumble survey that was released mid-Nov 2024, people here are still keen to date &ndash; four in five Singaporean singles interviewed are looking to find a long-term partner in 2025. (Bumble is a women-first dating and social networking app that was founded in 2014.)
But what are some of the issues that get in the way of finding love?
From treating dates as job interviews to having many deal-breakers, both Andrea and Chia Wei dove into the insights they gleaned from working with their clients.
Natasha wanted to find out if dating stereotypes of ideal partners that surface on social media&nbsp;&ndash; &ldquo;man in finance, trust fund, 6&rsquo;5&rdquo;, blue eyes&rdquo; or &ldquo;trad wife&rdquo;, for example &ndash; hurt or help one&rsquo;s chances at making a great impression.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, Chia Wei suggested that both genders take on a niche hobby such as yoga for men or muay thai for women, to open more opportunities to meet a partner of the opposite sex.&nbsp;
Andrea, who is&nbsp;also Bumble&rsquo;s relationship expert, said that to press ahead in the dating game, one needs a cheerleader support group to provide positive affirmations.
Highlights (click/tap above):
6:59 Should you lower your standards in dating?
11:46 Looking for KPIs in dating
15:16 Men are in a more vulnerable position than women
29:42 Is it game over in the dating game for those over 40?
32:51 Where to start if you&rsquo;re a first-time dater
35:00 Are men bad at conversations?
Connect with these coaches on social media:
Chia Wei: https://www.instagram.com/cgullwing/
Andrea Tan: https://www.instagram.com/theathenarising/
Host: Natasha Zachariah (<a href="mailto:natashaz@sph.com.sg">natashaz@sph.com.sg</a>)
Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/8Wav">https://str.sg/8Wav</a>
Follow Natasha on LinkedIn:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/v6DN">https://str.sg/v6DN</a> Read Natasha's articles:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/iSXm">https://str.sg/iSXm</a> Read Elizabeth Law&rsquo;s articles: <a href="https://str.sg/wL8c">https://str.sg/wL8c</a>
Filmed by: ST Video
Edited by ST Podcast producers: Teo Tong Kai, Eden Soh and Elsa Goh
Executive producers: Ernest Luis &amp; Lynda Hong
Follow The Usual Place Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:
Channel:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/5nfm" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/5nfm&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3iptWDheZTbc6UWH19K9Ik">https://str.sg/5nfm</a>
Apple Podcasts:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/9ijX" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/9ijX&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1FaPmmc8vEyCxKmRadKVZo">https://str.sg/9ijX</a>
Spotify:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/cd2P" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/cd2P&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2w3xb6c1ejhhdXDpghQkBE">https://str.sg/cd2P</a>
YouTube:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/wEr7u" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/wEr7u&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3mQ12S80ZFi9MtpS0oP5Kz">https://str.sg/wEr7u</a>
Feedback to:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
---
Follow more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/wvz7" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/wvz7&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2LPvTdnzHsUwHU7VHQNXR8">https://str.sg/wvz7</a>
ST Podcast website:&nbsp;<a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://str.sg/stpodcasts&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw11bVm3kZchw4h57yIYmPUV">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
ST Podcasts YouTube:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/4Vwsa" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/4Vwsa&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3m8aAMNJ7I1x71LUJyga7_">https://str.sg/4Vwsa</a>
---
Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/icyB" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/icyB&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2Z9ol0eeLYDBOp1ky8QJVI">https://str.sg/icyB</a>
Google Play:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/icyX" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/icyX&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726912254033000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1t-PEBbVM8Grjm7dumueld">https://str.sg/icyX</a>
#tup #tuptr

Synopsis:The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues that matter to young people.

Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah

Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai & Eden Soh

Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues that matter to young people.
Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah
Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai &amp; Eden Soh
Executive producers: Ernest Luis &amp; Lynda Hong
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

The Usual Place

Synopsis:The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues that matter to young people.

Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah

Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai & Eden Soh

Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media

Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues that matter to young people.
Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah
Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai &amp; Eden Soh
Executive producers: Ernest Luis &amp; Lynda Hong
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media

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