Matchmaker for the ultra-rich who charges up to $350,000 for her services shares the advice she gives to all her clients

A matchmaker based in Dubai who charges six figures for one-on-one consultations shared the top dating tips she's picked up in her years of experience on the job. 

Christiana Maxion planted the seed for her multimillion-dollar matchmaking business in the aftermath of the pandemic with a tongue-in-cheek Instagram account about her dating adventures in the global city.

'I love dating in Dubai. I think it's the best place on the planet,' Christiana, who grew up in Westchester, New York, told DailyMail.com. 

'You can date the entire map, people from all different ages, stages, phases in their life, nationalities, religions, ethnicities, cultures, upbringings. I think it's such a cool place to date,' she added.

While the Instagram account was inspired by her own enthusiasm for Dubai's dating scene, she was surprised when it incurred an onslaught of gripes from both male and female acquaintances. 

'What I learned from that account was that people hated dating in Dubai,' she said. 

'And I was like, y'all are mad… This is the best place. Because in all honestly, the most amazing people I've ever met live in this city,' she declared.

She elaborated that Dubai, which is nearly 90 per cent expats, is packed with the type of person with the 'kind of balls' it takes to move to the bustling city on a work visa.

In fact, Christiana first moved from New York City to the nearby metropolis of Abu Dhabi in 2016 as a relationship with a man who lived out of the city turned serious - also leaving her teaching position in the Bronx for one in Abu Dhabi. 

But, when they broke up in the next year, Christiana, who holds a masters in education, was determined to strike it out on her own.

She kept on climbing the ladder as a teacher at local schools in the United Arab Emirates, first in Abu Dhabi and later in Dubai. 

Eventually moving to Dubai in 2019, she ultimately oversaw a team of 55 people before she decided to embark on a career as a matchmaker.

'I've always been a connector my entire life,' Christiana said of the core skills that have allowed her to excel at the matchmaking vocation. 

'Even in my early 20s, I would plan parties and I would strategically place people at different place settings.'

When she first set out on her own in 2021, she was calling herself a 'dating manager' and charging clients roughly $2,700 to set them up on three dates.

Three years later, she's running an agency with an international presence in partnership with Cinqe Matchmaking Service, with her rates now ranging from $25,000 for a basic package, and up to $350,000 for 'exclusive' one-on-one counseling and guidance. 

But the charges only apply to the client side - which, it's worth noting, in the past year alone, has seen four billionaires added to the roster. 

Those hoping to be set up on dates with Christiana's monied clientele are welcome and encouraged to register, sans charge, for her confidential database, which is now 40,000 plus singles strong.

Through her innate savvy and on-the-job experience, Christiana is forthcoming with dating tips that work in any context. 

For one, dating is a numbers game, she says. That is to say, simply, the more people you go on dates with, the higher the chance of meeting 'the one.'

Secondly, clear your mind of any thoughts of your exes as far as the first date goes - and, likewise, don't ask about the other person's exes, either.

'You're there to get to know that person… You're past relationships are no reflection on your future ones,' explained Christiana. 

Thirdly, ditch your idea of a '100 per cent perfect' partner. 'Humans are humans,' stressed Christiana.

Rather, look for someone who meets closer to 80 per cent of your ideal criteria, and 'build that 20 per cent together.' 

For straight women specifically, when it comes to top green flags in a man, look out for decisiveness and discipline above all else.

Decisiveness can be spotted in a 'man who has a plan,' she said. 'A man is quick to claim his woman. So stop wasting with a guy who is playing games with you,' she added.

And, 'Disciplined. This is a man who has direction, who makes certain choices in his life, in order to create success for himself. Whether that's wellness, wealth, his emotional well-being,' Christiana explained. 

Finally, as another advice tidbit directed at women, Christiana endorses dating 'boring' men - although she admits this is a 'controversial opinion.' 

In practice, this may look like someone who doesn't have social media and who doesn't go out and party, and 'isn't searching for validation in others,' she described.

What about general compatibility? 

Even with all of her successes, with Christiana seeing many couples she's set up walk down the aisle, there's no magic formula. 

'What I've learned as a matchmaker is that you can never tell the true compatibility of people from two flat profiles. It's never gonna work.'

One of the benefits for clientele of her agency is that packages do come with unlimited dates, she says - again, in alignment with her thesis of successful dating being a 'numbers game.'

'What I think is super important is about finding the emotional yin to your yang,' she emphasized to DailyMail.com.

'What I mean by that is, let's say you're a person who's quick to temper. You're a hothead. It'll be very difficult for you to have a long, lasting healthy relationship with somebody who's also quick to temper and a hothead. You will need somebody cool and calm to balance out,' she offered as an example.

And her own approach to dating? 

'I have always been extremely practical, pragmatic person,' she reflected.

'I look at relationships like a contract. I've always been this way.

'Even in my current relationship, we wrote down, "What are our separate visions in life?" "What are our goals in life?" "What do we want our futures to look like?" "Do we have alignment?"'

In bringing her wisdom to the wider global dating pool, Christiana is also launching a dating app, Maxion, that comes equipped with verification and concierge services. 

'The app is a way for me to reach a much wider audience, so accomplishable, successful individuals, not just millionaires and billionaires,' she described.

'And it's a way to scale, create more connection.

'I know my purpose on this earth is to connect people. So it's exciting.'