Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Miller.
Hi Nicole, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Nicole Miller: A Matchmaker at Heart
Co-Founder of UT Match | Salt Lake City, Utah
My journey as a matchmaker began long before I ever called it a business. It started when I was a 16-year-old junior at Ogden High School, sitting in my favorite class—AP History. I adored that class, not just for the subject matter but because I had a favorite teacher who happened to be single. I decided he deserved to meet someone great.
With the help of a friend, we found another single teacher at our school and set them up on what we hoped would be a romantic date at Beus Pond Park. I convinced my mom to cook dinner, bought a gourmet cake for dessert, and even lit a fire in the park’s fire ring for a bit of ambiance. We presented them with the meal and wished them well—then hid in the bushes to see how it all went.
Unfortunately, that beautiful night took a turn when sirens began to echo in the distance. The fire department arrived. It turns out, a neighbor saw smoke coming from the park and called 911. A night to remember for sure but not exactly the romantic ending we had envisioned. A year or two later, my favorite teacher married someone else, and I was invited and honored to attend his wedding. Did I mention how much I love weddings? I do!
From that moment on, matchmaking became part of who I was.
A few years later, while earning a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Spanish at the University of Utah, I met my best friend JoLynn Spruance. I encouraged her to date a great guy from our circle of friends. She not only dated him but also married him. They have a beautiful daughter together. Then, in true matchmaking fashion, JoLynn turned around and introduced me to Bart, the love of my life. We’ve now been together or married nearly three decades. Together we raised three fantastic boys. Jolynn and I served as bridesmaids in each other’s weddings. Looking back, JoLynn and I have been matchmaking for decades. We have a knack for it!
Last year, after working, raising our children, enjoying good marriages and families, JoLynn and I discussed going into business together. We met for lunch. I told her, “You might think I’m crazy, but I want to start a matchmaking business.” Without missing a beat, she said, “I’m in.” Soon thereafter we opened a business bank account, filed for our LLC, and began laying the foundation for our business, UT Match, LLC.
In fact, the first bank we went to wouldn’t give us the terms we had hoped for but as we walked away, he said, “I may not be able to give you the terms you were looking for but I really could use your help!” He was the first of many that we found that are looking for their forever person.
It was that same day that JoLynn brought up the idea of earning a master’s degree in business – specifically applying for the Master of Business Creation program at the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah. It’s a graduate program specifically designed for entrepreneurs, and we knew it would be invaluable for our business. We applied and were both accepted. We graduated together just last month and days later we officially launched UT Match, a professional matchmaking and dating coaching company based in Salt Lake City.
UT Match serves LDS single professionals ages 22 to 35 who are looking for meaningful, marriage-minded relationships. We offer a service unlike traditional dating apps. We offer highly personalized, high-touch, in-person matchmaking and dating coaching services. There are three levels of service – Silver, Gold and Platinum. The Silver level is affordable and gains membership in our exclusive dating pool that is vetted by a criminal background check. The higher tier memberships include a Relationship Readiness Course that equips daters with the tools and insights needed to date intentionally. Platinum members enjoy a white glove service with added dating coaching and personalized date planning. It allows our clients to focus on their relationship rather than stressing about the logistics of dating.
What makes UT Match different than any other matchmaking company in the world is their one-of-a-kind Dating Gift Registry. This registry allows family members and friends to nominate and purchase a level of service for their loved one. One father told me that he plans on spending thousands of dollars on the wedding so why not preemptively act and help with a more secure way to date for his daughter!
From setting up teachers at 16 to earning a master’s degree and launching a business with my best friend—it’s all been leading to this. UT Match is more than a company; it’s our calling. It’s deeply personal work, and it’s the culmination of a lifelong passion. We can’t wait to attend the weddings of the UT Match clients. Our goal is to match thousands of LDS singles and then to celebrate with them at their weddings. Our motto is First Date to Forever and we mean it.
Find out more about us at utmatch.com and follow us on Instagram and TikTok @ utmatchmakers.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has been quick from first inception of UT Match to earning a masters degree to launching in less than a year. As a middle-aged woman, I was the third oldest in my cohort earning a master’s degree in business. My peers were brilliant having worked at Nike headquarters, at Google headquarters, having graduated from UC Berkeley, MIT and other prestigious universities, all were founders and CEO’s of amazing companies and then there was me.
Previously CEO of Miller Inc (my little family), a dusty resume from years past and the dream of a matchmaking business that would help couples find their special someone. I spent the past year wholeheartedly committed, but undeniably intimidated. Every day was an opportunity to stretch my mind and abilities, sharpen my understanding, and strengthen my business. My passion for helping others find their match is my drive. As I meet singles joining UT Match I feel an urgency to grow our dating pool so I can best find a match for them. This is still the thing that keeps me up at night. Not having enough vetted daters to match with the incredible singles at UT Match. I want to help thousands of singles find their forever person.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about UT Match, LLC?
If you are or know an LDS single ready for meaningful connection, now’s the perfect time to join UT Match, For just $250, our Silver Membership includes a full year in our exclusive dating pool – where we pull matches from to be matched with our Gold and Platinum members. Our vetted dating pool is where values align, and genuine relationships begin. Visit utmatch.com to get started.
See our first-of-its-kind Dating Gift Registry on our website at utmatch.com. Friends and family can nominate and pay for their loved one’s dating journey either explicitly or anonymously purchasing a Silver, Gold, or Platinum membership. after purchase, we contact the recipient and let them know that they have been nominated as a great addition to utmatch and that the service has been paid for!
UT Match also offers curated date planning by a certified matchmaker for all couples. See utmatch.com under Curated Date Planning for more information on having your next important date, anniversary or special evening professionally planned.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The most important lesson I’ve learned throughout my journey in earning a Master’s in Business Creation degree at the University of Utah and co-founding UT Match is that building a meaningful business starts with solving a real problem for a real community. With UT Match, I’ve seen firsthand how powerful it is to create something that meets a deeply personal and often overlooked need – helping busy singles find lasting love. Seeing trends such as postponing and timing of marriage increase, observing educated singles with great jobs increasingly feeling burned out with dating and understanding how badly these singles want to find a lasting relationship all contribute to my desire to help.
Pricing:
- Year long Membership starts at $250
- Premium tiers from $3000
Contact Info:
- Website: https://utmatch.com/
- Instagram: @utmatchmakers
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/nicole-miller-utmatch
- Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/@utmatchmakers
- Other: @utmatchmakers TikTok
