Relationships Talk

Dating advice comes in a variety of forms. Some gurus deliver vague mantras and comforting yet intangible truths. They deal with karmic vibrations and tell women to discover their inner goddesses so they can manifest love. Other experts teach manipulative dating tactics — i.e. say this line or send this text to get him hooked on you — without addressing the underlying emotions of building relationships.

While these approaches can work in the short term, they hardly scratch the surface of deeper dating issues and relationship struggles faced by today’s singles.

Love EnTREPreneur Neely Steinberg sees herself as somewhere in between the mythical and the methodical.

Neely is a professional dating coach, image consultant, author, and founder of The Love TREP. When she works with her clients, her focus is on self-awareness. She dives deep into her clients’ psyche to find out what’s holding them back and how she can empower them to move forward. Her coaching business blends thoughtful self-reflection and specific dating strategies to motivate the modern single woman.

When she was 33, Neely found love on Match.com, and she has since made it her mission to show women how to replicate her success. Her self-help book, “Skin In the Game,” provides actionable advice and challenges designed to empower singles to unleash their inner entrepreneur and launch a successful relationship.

“I believe women want and need more concrete, practical methods to help them move forward in their dating and love lives,” Neely said. “I have endeavored to create a dating coaching business and book that would serve as a practical, 21st-century dating approach that teaches and empowers one to think and act more critically and creatively.”

The Dating Coach Takes the Time to Get to Know Clients

Neely’s most popular coaching programs offer deep dives into dating issues. A majority of her clients choose to sign up for three-month or six-month stints so they can get to the root of their problems. Their commitment to change is an important first step to getting better results, and Neely encourages new clients to take a serious look at themselves and what they can do to improve.

This process of self-reflection and growth may take time, but Neely said her clients will see more long-term benefits as a result.

“I like to tell people that change in their love lives doesn’t come overnight,” Neely said. “The longer they work with me, the better results they will have in terms of the goals they set.”

The Love TREP helps women put an end to the cycle of dead-end dates and bad relationships.

Neely works with highly capable and successful single women from all walks of life. She only takes on a handful of clients at a time so she can give her full attention and cater her advice to individual needs. Whether her client wants to gain confidence on dates or create a healthy relationship, Neely puts in the time and effort to assist single women in setting and achieving their goals.

The dating coach told us she is selective about who she takes on as a client because she doesn’t want to waste their time or her own if coaching isn’t the right fit for them. She looks for clients who are coachable, motivated, optimistic, and ready to move forward.

Once she agrees to take the client on, the real work begins for both of them. Her one-on-one sessions give clients a framework to change their lives, and she pushes them to take action.

“I do not do group coaching yet, but it is definitely something I want to do in the future,” Neely said. “For now, I’m really enjoying getting to know my clients on an intimate level.”

Results-Oriented Programs Help You Take the Lead

In addition to one-on-one coaching, Neely offers highly personalized and effective image consultations. She lends her insight as a style blogger and gives women makeovers that empower them to tackle dating with nerve and spirit. She said this service often appeals to singles who are starting again after a breakup, divorce, or a hiatus from dating. They feel out-of-touch or uncertain about their prospects and want her help to make the best possible first impression.

Neely said her first question during image consultations is “How do you want to feel in your clothes? Sexy? Empowered? Flirty? Feminine? Powerful?” Whatever her client says, that becomes their shared mission. They go out and find the wardrobe that will fit her style and make her feel confident wherever she goes.

The Love EnTREPreneur can also help women make a dynamic first impression online. Her online dating consultations are popular among serious daters who haven’t had much luck on dating sites or apps.

Neely met her husband on Match, so she knows the power of a well-written profile and can help her clients up their online dating games. She has created hundreds of profiles for singles and facilitated many relationships by sharing her secrets to attracting worthwhile dates online.

“Most clients are thrilled with what I’m able to create for them,” Neely said. “Something full of personality, something enjoyable to read, something that makes the reader think, ‘Hey, i want to know more about this person!’”

It’s not just about the words on the page, though. After Neely writes a dating profile, she will often recommend a professional photographer to give the profile that additional polish. The photo is often the first thing a potential date sees, so Neely ensures that it stands out and encourages singles to find out more. “Once they get that foot in the door with great photos,” she said, “an engaging profile is the icing on the cake.”

Changing Hearts, Minds & Lives With a Gentle Word

Neely adapts her coaching strategy to the person sitting across from her. When an analytical single woman came into her office, the dating coach knew she needed to think outside the box to help the woman make sense of the dating scene. So, she asked the woman to create a spreadsheet of what she was looking for in a man and then see which men fit the bill. This helped her keep track of the men she was dating and realize that her list of qualities wasn’t the only thing that mattered in the relationship.

She met one man on Match, for instance, who checked all the boxes on her spreadsheet yet wasn’t a kind or generous person. He put his needs above hers, and the relationship ultimately ended in disappointment. However, that experience made the single woman reassess someone she had dated briefly and dismissed as incompatible.

“Anyone who has hesitation about dating or doesn’t think they are cut out for it should talk to Neely.” — Amy, a 33-year-old single woman

Neely asked the woman what was more important to her — finding someone who seemed impressive or finding someone who made her happy? That prompted the woman to re-evaluate everything. “I started to question my scale — how much of it is ego-based and how much of it is heart-based — just like you mentioned in our sessions,” she said in a testimonial. “Once I started to question these things, the answers became clearer.”

The single woman got back in touch with a man who had made her feel loved and paid attention to her needs. She had come to see the value in those qualities. They agreed to get back together, and soon they were house hunting together. Today, they are happily married, and Neely’s former client attributes her success to those one-on-one coaching sessions.

“I enjoyed our sessions together and learned a lot from them,” the woman said. “I have to thank you for always sharing both sides of life’s stories. Unlike most people who only post beautiful pictures of their life or talk about how perfect everything is, you also shared the stresses and the realities of relationships. You are a good dating coach and I wanted to say thank you.”

The Love EnTREPreneur Empowers Dreamers to Become Doers

Lots of dating experts claim to have the secret to finding a relationship. But Neely does more than simply give advice — she lives her advice. She spent her 20s feeling single and insecure, and then she spent her 30s taking action. Today, she is her greatest success story, and her goal is to empower other women to transform their lives the way she transformed hers.

Neely has an unabashedly positive take on the dating scene. Instead of viewing dating as a burden, she hopes to inspire her clients to see it as an opportunity to grow in love and understanding. She gives her clients the tools, confidence, and courage to put themselves out there to find limitless possibilities in the dating scene.

“It’s up to you  — and the people you enroll on your journey — to shape, build, and grow it,” Neely said. “You are the CEO and enTREPreneur of your love life. Nobody but you can take on those roles.”