I’m an architect turned entrepreneur, Founder and CEO of Cheekd, a mobile dating app that makes missed connections obsolete. After working in architecture, furniture and design for 15 years, I came up with an idea that lead me into the NYC World of Tech and am now solving missed connections. I completely threw away my design career and I’m no longer building structures, I’m now building relationships.
"Lori has been through it all since launching Cheekd – a mobile dating app that makes the whole experience way more personal (ahem, no more swiping left and right) in 2010 including battling it out with the sharks on ABC’s Shark Tank. She is truly an inspiration for everyone, especially starting out a fresh new year.”
"Lori herself is an inspiring, warm, down to earth, fierce, driven, and very independent women. She also has a great sense of style (see below), as well as a great sense of humor (which you need, as an entrepreneur). What inspires us the most about Lori is her gusto, drive, and ambition. Lori Cheek is one determined woman! She embodies and exudes enough confidence to simultaneously dominate and light up a room. Her persistence, devotion, dedication and passion for her start-up is refreshing and contagious.”
"Lori Cheek, a female entrepreneurial firecracker is the Founder and CEO of Cheekd, an online dating app that connects local people in real time, beginning with an initial in-person interaction. Lori has proven herself to be the ultimate risk taker by leaving her secure career in architecture to pursue a passion, ignoring advice from Shark Tank investors, and pulling wildly creative marketing stunts. With the progress she has seen through Cheekd, Lori’s unconventional journey to the top can certainly teach aspiring entrepreneurs a thing or two about startup success!"
"Lori Cheek works New York City as if she were the secret love child of Carrie Bradshaw and guerilla marketing guru Jay Conrad Levinson. She is relentless in her pursuit of attractive men, but what she really wants is attractive men and women for everyone... (Lori has demonstrated) that many times an entrepreneur has to think outside the box when taking a product/technology/idea to market." Cheek has bootstrapped this business since launch in May of 2010 and based on her success and performance, has been asked to speak at events all over the country and recently to speak at the International Dating Summit in Barcelona, SPAIN to present her idea as "The Power of the Niche: Card Dating". When Lori speaks, audiences listen and then line up to learn more after her presentations. When she enters contests, pitch competitions, etc., she most often wins. I guarantee you'll be inspired and entertained after hearing her spiel about her little black dating card business."
