Today we’d like to introduce you to Amber Neal.
Amber, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My mom was the “original” family matchmaker. She matched and married all of her friends to their spouse and they stayed together! We have always had a huge gift of discernment and that is how we do our matchmaking! My father was a very successful Entrepreneur, so I thought I would enjoy business, which I do love, so I decided to make a business out of helping others find true love. I have been doing this for 12 years now! I got my start at Great Expectation as a telemarketer. Within 2 months, I was promoted to Director of Marketing and so they asked me to start doing the interviews with potential new clients. I was pretty good at figuring out who was genuinely looking for love and who was not. I worked there for a couple of years and helped many people find love. In 2007, I was hired by www.eventsandadventures.com. Within 6 months, I was promoted to Membership Manager for Houston, and 3 months later I became their 1st Regional Manager. I was offered the National Director position however, due to the travel and me having kids still in school, I decided to go back to my roots and I started working for a National Brand Matchmaking firm and started helping people find love again that way. I still think Events & Adventures is the best way to meet people outside of Matchmaking because it’s a very low pressure, with an activity as the ice breaker way to meet quality singles since they do a screening process. I only worked for the Matchmaking Firm for a short time and realized how much scam was in the dating industry and realized you only have your name in business and so I launched Matchmaker Enterprises, LLC and started doing comedy, taking classes to become a certified Tv producer and Director and started creating events so innovative that the media started calling me ” The Innovator” in the south for creating new, hot dating trends for Houston! The rest is history as they say, now I am onto my next passion – which is lowering the divorce rate!! We are working on an app to launch www.marridate.com this year!
Has it been a smooth road?
No it was NOT a smooth road. One thing people may be surprised to know about me, is that, the artist side of me can be painfully introverted sometimes, so forcing myself to do stand-up comedy was the hardest thing to this date that I struggle with. I have been told I am funny my entire life, but getting up on the stage, is fun, but can also be very scary! I have had friends betray me, use me, lie on me, and not support me. That was a hard lesson. Now I see why the timing of everything is so important because sometimes people have to be removed out of your life that mean you no good. Not everyone that claps is a fan. You have to learn to understand, that we judge others how we see ourselves. Just because we wouldn’t treat our friends and colleagues bad, that not everyone has your same values. Be careful who you put your trust in.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I have been featured on global press – 20/20 with Barbara Walters and The Tonight Show for my innovative events in the south! I am also Executive Producer and Host of “The Amber Neal Show” helping others find love and networking people to the right “Match” in business also! We have made it to Cable and Major Broadcast! We are shopping the show now to National Markets and I have been cast in a Reality Show called “Becoming Houston” following 5 Entrepreneurs that make their living through networking! All of the things I had to learn like comedy, tv writing, producing ,and editing as well as the events I created have now made me an Expert in PR & Brand Strategy doing it for myself and now I can help other’s achieve their dreams~
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Houston is a great place to live and raise a family! I was born here and love my city! The cost of living is amazing, we are only 2nd to NYC in Art/Culture and have the best food on the planet! We are growing so fast that there is always something fun to do. If you are single and new to the city, I recommend www.eventsandadventures.com
Contact Info:
- Address: 1415 S. Voss
#110-197
Houston, Texas 77057 - Website: www.ambernealpresents.com
- Phone: 281-964-7485
- Email: amber@ambernealpresents.com
- Instagram: theamberneal
- Facebook: thematchmakeramberneal
- Twitter: msthematchmaker
- Other: www.marridate.com
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
