CEO & Founder of the UK’s first dating app for single parents, launched in April 2021.
Entrepreneur and marketer with over 15 years of marketing experience and business management across multi-disciplinary teams. Experienced Marketing Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the marketing and advertising industry. Skilled in Negotiation, Marketing Management, Market Planning, Event Planning, Advertising, and Hotel Management. Strong marketing professional and leader with a Master of Arts focused in Marketing Communications & Management from University of Westminster.
Thank you for interviewing with us today, can you introduce yourself to us?
My name is Nevine Coutry, I am a single mum and founder of Playdate, the UK’s first dating app for single parents.
Can you take us through your journey to where you are now?
I come from a marketing background. Prior to creating Playdate I had my own successful marketing agency which was specialised in the travel/tourism sector and I was very busy organising events and campaigns as well as raising money for charities back home which is Egypt for me. I got divorced in late 2016 so became a single mum when my son was 3 years old. Business was thriving and I managed to keep it together, although it wasn’t easy as I have no family or support system here. When the pandemic hit my world fell apart and I lost my business literally overnight. We were in lockdown and I was home schooling my then 8 year old son, out of a job and no income and living off my savings not knowing how long I can survive. To make matters worse, I was victim to a horrific bank scam which wiped out all my savings and every last penny I had. The bank wouldn’t give me my money back so this resulted in a very long legal case which eventually after 9 months I got my money back. But at the time, I felt like I was at my absolute lowest point. I had nothing, no money, no job, no partner, no family around, just myself and my lovely son in our small flat in London. Pressure was mounting from my family to come home, pack up and leave London behind. I was determined to stay as I knew I was giving my son a better life and education here. That was when my journey with Playdate started. Ever since I got divorced, my friends kept pushing me to get on dating apps and find someone, but it was always a disaster. Being a single parent is not the most attractive quality for men on most of these dating apps. Children are seen as ‘baggage’, ex-partners are seen as a source of trouble, there’s too much commitment and mess involved. I always thought how cool would it be if there was a dating app just for single parents? Where everyone is in the same shoes and we all have a shared experience? A place where users know that children will always come first and we can’t be whisked away for a weekend in Paris without advance notice and time to plan and sort logistics and childcare. I just didn’t have time to pursue the idea because I was so busy with my marketing agency. Lockdown seemed like the best time to start, and that’s how it happened. I channelled all my energy into researching and creating Playdate. We launched in April 2021 and have been growing ever since.
Since starting, have you made any changes to your business model?
Our business model has always been a freemium model, similar to most dating apps. We did this because it works, and there’s proof of that, but also because our objective was growth from the get go, we didn’t want to make it a purely paid app because for me it is about seeing single parents create blended families with the end goal being successful partnerships, not how much money I have in the bank. I also know that single parents are more often than not have to be very cautious with how they spend their money, so I wanted to have a free basic version, and paid subscriptions for those that want a little bit more. We did however make changes along the way on who we were letting into the app. While we were at first very strict on users having to be single parents, we then opened the door to those for example that want children but cannot have them for medical/physical reasons, or have come to an age where it is very difficult or too late to have children but they would still like a family set up.
Have you ever had a mentor? If so how has this benefitted you either personally or professionally?
I never had a mentor, although I have recently brought on a business advisor whom I guess acts as sort of a mentor. It has really benefitted me as he keeps me on my toes, is a positive person and is very good in areas where I am weak (such as budgeting and forecasting!).
What outlets do use for marketing?
We mainly use digital channels as our main KPI is app downloads so we use socials (META, TikTok) and Google Ads as well as App Store ads. I also do a lot of PR (press release distribution) and speaking at events
What or Who has inspired you most recently?
I am a huge fan of Stephen Bartlett and his podcast Diary of a CEO. Every single episode I am inspired by the guests and what they have to say about being founders, the road to success, fundraising, etc. I especially was inspired by Trinny Woodall’s episode – showed how nothing stopped her from her mission with getting funding for Trinny and making it one of the world’s leading beauty brands, as well as the episode with Brian Chesky, co-founder of Air BnB, wow super inspiring how he talks about the start of Air BnB, how it was never intended to be so huge, and how culture is so important in a business. I’m inspired every day by these stories
What is the best piece of business advice you have received to date?
Failing is inevitable and making mistakes is crucial, it is how you react to those failures/mistakes, learn from them, and keep going that defines you ass a founder – resilience is key
How do you create an evenly balanced work and personal life?
Honestly? I am still winging it. It is hard, especially as a single mother with no support, I am juggling so many things and wearing so many hats at once, my day is a mish-mash of work and life and play and school and housework. I try my best to be present with my son as much as possible and to make time for friends. I think as founders, we never switch off. It is not a 9-5 job, but you have to make that conscious effort to give your time to those that need you but to also disconnect to do things you enjoy outside of the business. The positive side of being the founder is that with that comes flexibility, you can switch on/off as you please so this allows me to for example work sporadically when I am on holiday with my son. Or work evenings when I need to be there at school for Sports Day or Parents Meetings, etc. I feel quite lucky I am able to do that. I love Playdate, it is truly like a second child, however I do recognise the importance of taking breaks for our mental health. Easier said than done!
Name a seminal point in your career so far?
I would have to say it was when I lost everything and felt so helpless, I had never been in such a moment of deep despair, and that was when the penny dropped for me: was I going to give up and pack up and go home? Or was I going to fight and make Playdate work despite the odds, not only for survival but for proof that you can rise from the lowest point and achieve something bigger and better than ever before? I don’t quit. And I was more motivated than ever.
What gives you ultimate career satisfaction?
Seeing positive reviews from our users or having users get in touch with me to tell me about their success stories.
Are there any leading entrepreneurs or SME leaders that you admire and if so, why?
My idol has always been Richard Branson – I love everything about this man, how visionary he is, his story, how he wasn’t very good at school, the charity work he does, and how he built an empire but is still so humble and down to earth.
How do you define your own success?
I’m my own worst critic, and have massive imposter syndrome so I can’t say I’ve achieved success yet. Success for me would be seeing Playdate becoming a global business and to see more blended families in this world as a result of single mums and dads finding love on our platform.
Finally, what can we expect from you next?
You can expect to see me take Playdate across the pond in the not so distant future! Sshhh…
