Meet Katherine Freed | Singles event coordinator & certified matchmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Katherine Freed and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Katherine, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
When the idea for Chance Encounter came up, I was feeling incredibly frustrated with modern dating. I looked for alternatives to online dating, and found very few options. The things I did find were either incredibly expensive or just not really what I was looking for. My hope with Chance Encounter was to create a space that would help singles build genuine connections in an exciting, unique way.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
After I graduated college, I decided to take a year off before applying to medical school and began working as a medical assistant. I’m grateful that I made this decision every day, as it was one of the best decisions I could have made. Taking this time allowed me to realize that I likely wouldn’t have been happy working in healthcare long-term, and gave me the clarity I needed to realize I wanted to start a business.

I began applying for other opportunities that would help me grow the skills I needed, and began working in business development. It was during this time that I had the idea for Chance Encounter and knew I had to pursue it. I knew going into this that my knowledge of starting and running a business was still extremely limited, however, so I’ve been taking classes as consistently as possible ever since.

I’m constantly trying to develop new skills to ensure we are able to build unique events and to make them as successful as possible. It’s incredibly exciting to help people build new connections and even more rewarding when we hear from a couple that they met at one of our events!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I typically take everyone that visits me to the Union near old town for dinner. Depending on if the person visiting likes wine or beer, I’d take them out to 10 Bears Winery, New Belgium, or maybe Odell for both! If we’re staying local, Horsetooth Rock is definitely one of the best hikes in the area. If the timing worked out, I’d love to take the person on the Foodie Walk that happens on 1st Fridays so we can explore Old Town while also trying different things the city has to offer.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’ve been incredibly blessed by the amount of support I’ve received from family, friends, and local business owners. I’ve been particularly fortunate to get involved with the Fort Collins Chamber of Commerce, as they have helped me market to the local community and build connections with venues, which has allowed us to build some really exciting events!

Website: https://www.yourchanceencounter.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chanceencounter_noco

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/chance-encounter

Facebook: https://www.instagram.com/chanceencounternoco

Image Credits
Craig Vollmer