You don’t know Roger Dickey’s name, but you know his creation: Mafia Wars, that incredibly popular, spammy hybrid of virus and video game once played by millions, that polluted your Facebook feed some years back. Now, he’s got a new project on the way — a vague “dating coach” service — and it’s already annoying people: its own employees.
It’s not clear what DateCoach is, beyond another attempt at mixing the online dating technologist with an old school yenta human touch. As far as I can tell, the site will (someday) give you what amounts to tech support for sex, a “coach” that will help you talk with other humans.
It sort of worked for “With so much elation” really sums it up. So, so much elation, despite a slipping launch date and a nebulous site to launch.
Hiring is an interesting thing at DateCoach, we’re told: “There has been no payment and I haven’t filled out a w-4 or anything. I’ve been told by email that I am an ’employee’ but there is really nothing official about it.”
“I am telling the press that everyone on the site has some sort of online dating experience.”
BIRTHDAYS! But what about the actual company? She promises it’ll all make sense… eventually. But for now, here are some pictures:
The emails don’t stop.
Another launch date promised:
Thanks for being “uber patient,” but the debut misses again. “Respond to this email letting me know that you are still with the datecoach team.”
Our source doesn’t know if this latest date will stick — and she doesn’t really seem to care, at this point. “I have my doubts that it will launch or, if it does, that it will be successful.” But she can at least have faith in the unending stream of optimism, against all odds, dollars, or merit. That’s the startup way. Keep hustling. Keep hacking. Never give up, no matter how much you probably should. With so much elation — that grinning hope that undergirds so much of the startup economy.
Image by Devin Rochford