The quarter was harder than I expected. Pairwell had fewer resources, and the staff who stayed had to do more work. I wrote a plan for the outreach program, called local organizations, and sat through meetings where people wanted proof that a dating agency could be more than a polished website and an office full of hopeful strangers.
I made mistakes. I forgot to send one follow-up. I booked two community events on the same night. I asked for help before I had a chance to pretend I could do everything alone.
Celia did not shield me from criticism. She did not need to. When the board asked why our sign-ups had not risen faster, I answered with the numbers I had and explained what I would change. The board chair asked me to return with a revised proposal.
After the meeting, I sat in my car
