About Mackinaw Dating Company
Mackinaw is on a mission to help people find meaningful connections and try to clean up the mess that Tinder created. An MVP was launched in April 2026 exclusively in Denver. The reaction so far is positive, but small. If you are passionate about helping people find connections and combat the loneliness epidemic, and you’re looking for a challenging project, and you like the idea of getting in on the ground floor of a startup company, this could be the right adventure for you.
The app is currently a self-funded bootstrapped solo project (with assistance of contract workers) that is in the early stages of seeking seed funding. I’m looking to build a “dream team” to present to investors and show them we’re excited about solving this problem and ready to take this app to the next level.
- Location: Denver, CO
- Reports to: Founder / CEO
- Employment type: Full-time (or part-time to full time)
- Compensation: Equity now, salary later
The Job (Before Fundraising)
- Evaluate the current marketing strategy and look for easy wins and opportunities we can accomplish on zero budget.
- Develop strategy and budget for the next phase of the business.
- Define our brand voice, story, and how we show up in the world.
- Getting our first real users in the door through whatever works… content, social, partnerships, community, scrappy growth experiments.
- Connecting with our early adopters.
The Job (After Fundraising)
- Implement your own strategy to take us from a local to a national name.
- Owning growth metrics and the strategy to hit them.
- Shaping long-term brand and growth strategy as a founding member of the team.
Things That Will Help Your Application Stand Out
- You've spent 8+ years in marketing, community, communications, or growth roles
- You've grown an audience or community from the ground up, and can point to the results.
- You have a unique philosophy or approach to your craft.
- You love data-driven decision making.
- You can write clearly, with personality, in a brand voice people remember.
- You're comfortable across all channels including social, content, email, partnerships, influencers, community; or hungry to learn the ones you're not.
- You actually get dating and social media space.
Things That Will Help Your Personality Standout
- You think outside the box. You think people who think inside the box are dull and boring.
- Has used dating apps and hates them. Might even go so far as to say they have a personal vendetta against them.
- An excellent coach. Wants to help foster the next generation of talent. If you’re going to stick around for the long run, I don’t want you to just manage people, I want you to take them under your wing and teach them how to be excellent at their chosen career path.
- Is comfortable telling a leader, “no” and “here’s a much better idea, dummy.”
Work Environment
- Fully remote at start, with occasional coffee shop meet ups.
- Hybrid once we can afford a coworking space. An ideal vision of the future would look something like: Monday/Tuesday are mandatory for coming into the office to meet and collaborate and assign work, then you can work wherever you want whenever you want.
Compensation & Benefits
- I’m offering equity only at this time.
- Once we’re funded (aiming for the end of the calendar year) you’ll get a salary.
- Salary will depend on funding, so I can’t guarantee a specific starting salary today.
- Benefits will also depend on funding.
Risks & Red Flags to Know 🚩
- I (Nick Thomas, founder) have never started a company before and know nothing about app development.
- While I have a rough roadmap of where I want to go for the next several years, I am counting on you to be a self-starter and tell me where you think the company should go.
- You will need to be providing your own equipment until we’re funded.
How to Apply
- Spare me your AI-generated resume and cover letter. I’m sure the AI resume reviewers love it. Instead, please fill out the Google form linked to here (above? below? I don't have a preview button) with basic demographic information and 5 open-ended questions for me to get to know you better.
Skills Required
- Self-starter who can set strategy and recommend company direction
- Experience in marketing, community, communications, or growth roles (senior-level preferred)
- Proven track record growing an audience or community from the ground up with measurable results
- Strong writing skills and ability to define and maintain a distinctive brand voice
- Comfortable across channels: social, content, email, partnerships, influencers, and community
- Data-driven decision making and ability to own growth metrics
- Coaching or people-development experience (mentoring team members)
- Familiarity with dating apps and social media dynamics
What We Do
Mackinaw is a new online dating experience that ditches the boring bios and cliche photos. Instead, users record 30-second videos to surprise questions to capture off-the-cuff, authentic windows into their true selves. The aim is to clean up the mess that Tinder created by fixing issues associated with an abundance of options, addiction and burn out, and a lack of authenticity. We're not here to get users to swipe their lives away, we're here to actually help people find quality matches.
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