“I had always decided I wanted to get my career up and running before settling down. But building up my business has restricted my social life – 12-hour days are normal,” she says.
“Coming from the line of work I do, it’s normal to me for a client to say ‘get me X, Y and Z’ and pay someone to fulfil the specifications.
“You can make a bit of a shopping list, which is nice, and specify what habits are a no-no. I wanted someone equally successful, who didn’t take themselves too seriously and to whom family and friends were important.
“It hasn’t worked in previous relationships where football was really important to the guy. Because I worked during the week, it was very irritating when the weekend was taken up with football.”
The first two men she met were pleasant enough, but shared no “spark”. Then she met Paul, 36.
“Conversation was really easy and he was making me laugh, there wasn’t a single awkward silence. He was very sarcastic, which I liked, and he spoke about his family and had a big group of friends which is similar to me, and was very motivated about his life. I knew I wanted to see him again.”
That was February. Their relationship progressed quickly, and by the summer they were living together.
“Everyone I’m close to knows how we met. It’s been a bit of a luxury but money well spent, because it’s worked very well. Let’s just say I hope to not be dating again.”