2025 - The Year I Flipped The Script

For people who don’t know, I run my own business, which I have been doing for 25 years. Running your own business is not easy and can make it very hard to meet people. I’ve tried the various dating apps over the years and not really had any success on them, and to be honest, they were making me feel more and more disillusioned.

I have used Tinder, Bumble and Facebook dating for a couple of years and not had any success. I had spoken to many people on there, had conversations and been ghosted. The last date I had with any of the apps was back in 2012, and that didn’t end well, as the person was not anything like she had portrayed herself to be. The last person I dated prior to joining Solo Connects was back at the end of 2019, just before COVID hit.That didn’t end well either as I found out she was seeing another person, who she worked with, as well as seeing me.

This time last year, I made a few life changes. I gave up some roles which were voluntary, including a role as Chairman of a UK Car Club, which, if I'm honest, was beginning to get me down.

I woke up one day at the start of December 2024 full of hell and thought I’m not having this, I need to change how I’m doing things and make 2025 different.What I didn’t realise was how different it would be!

But had no idea how to change things at that time, it was at that point Solo Connects popped up in my feeds on Facebook, this sounded good. No swiping on apps, sitting at home doing nothing but going out and meeting people at organised events.This sounds good.So on the 16th December 2024 I joined the group, and was made most welcome by Sam Poole, one of the founders of the group.

I thought, let's get Christmas out of the way, and I will attend one of the events in the New Year. I could not make the January Coffee and Cakes and the next event was the Red Party Valentine's event and although that was very local to me, I didn’t feel comfortable coming to that as my first event. I felt I needed to come to something a little more relaxed, so I came to the next Coffee and Cake event. I’ve never been so nervous turning up at an event. I need not have been, though, as everyone was so welcoming and I had a great walk around Caldicotte Lake and back to the Delta Hotel for coffee and a cake. I was still feeling nervous, but I soon relaxed as everyone was very welcoming.

On the back of that, I booked the event at the Warbler on the Wharf at Campbell Park. I was still a bit nervous, but I need not have been. As they are at every event, Sam and Rachel were at the door with their beaming smiles and greeted everybody warmly.

I had a great evening and connected with some wonderful people. One great lady and I clicked at that event, and we met up a few days later for a date. We went on seeing each other for a few months; however, we then parted ways after that period of time, but we would not have met if we had not been part of Solo Connects, and we had some great times together.

It was not long after that that the Membership level was introduced, and I decided to join up to that. I prefer smaller events where there are fewer people and less noise. It's through the Members Group that I met up with another great lady, and we got on and gradually started seeing each other outside of the group. But we were still going to events as we had both made a lot of great friends along the way. After around four months, we’ve mutually agreed that the relationship wasn’t progressing. That said, we were able to have an open and respectful conversation face-to-face—no ghosting or avoidance—which I believe was made easier by being part of this group. Everyone here is so supportive, and it’s great that we can both still attend events and share space without any awkwardness. Things didn’t work out between us, but if it hadn’t been for this group, we probably wouldn’t have even taken the chance. We had a lovely time over the summer months as well.

I’m so pleased that I joined the group when I did, as I have made so many new friends and had some great adventures over the summer and into the autumn. Solo Fest, the Halloween fancy dress event, Christmas Jumper event and Karaoke, to name four (if you had told me I would have done Karaoke this time last year, I would not have believed you!, Now I have done it the once, I would do it again without hesitation). Plus, there are the Membership events that individuals have organised, like quiz nights, a pool night, ten-pin bowling and the very memorable escape from the room, all great fun events with people I would not have met if I had not joined Solo Connects.

Being part of the group has given me so much more confidence, not just in the dating scene but in other areas of my personal and work life as well. None of which would have come about if I were not in Solo Connects. I feel less nervous now when walking into business networking events or other large events I may attend.

An example of added confidence is the fact that I have written the above, something I would have been so nervous about doing in the past.

I thought 2025 was going to be different, and it has been, so one wonders where 2026 will take me?

If you are sitting on the fence thinking, is Solo Connects for me?Should I attend an event?Based on my experience, I would say yes, as you don’t know who you are going to meet and what adventures you are going to have.

I would even go as far as to say that joining Solo Connects has changed my life.

As for the apps who needs them when you have Solo Connects.