Founder of MAXION, Christiana Maxion, on building long-lasting connections through tech
Creative Direction: Amy SessionsPhotographer: Ziga MihelčičFashion Editor: Camille MacawiliMakeup & Hair: Mauro Hernan at MMG artistsCover Star: Christiana MaxionLocation with thanks to UPSIDE LIVINGStyling with thanks to OUNASSIn February’s Breaking The Code, Christiana Maxion, Founder of MAXION, shares personal insights that kick-started her career in building long-lasting human connections through tech, plus her vision for a different online future.What first ignited your interest to develop and start MAXION?It all started with an Instagram account… I started documenting my dating experience in 2020 and people were really drawn to my empowered dating standpoint: dating with high standards and low expectations. I absolutely loved dating in Dubai but the account taught me one thing: people hated dating in Dubai and I was shocked because the most amazing people I have ever met have lived here! I soon figured out that people were just missing one another and I wanted to be the bridge that connected them. I opened up my matchmaking agency in 2021 and we saw immediate success and extreme demand. Which proved to me that people were searching for an alternative to what was currently on the market. In seven months Christiana MAXION Solutions was offering elite matchmaking for high and ultra high net worth men, not only in Dubai, but worldwide! We now boast an over 95% success rate with a 40,000+ global database. What I realized with the matchmaking agency is that we only service a niche group of people and can only take on a certain number of clients per quarter – but I wanted more! I wanted to create more connections and success for a larger pool of people. So I decided to digitise my services, marrying compatibility and concierge, and boom – I launched MAXION in ten months time and we are bringing my elite matchmaking to the masses!What is the USP of the app that sets it apart from the others?MAXION is a matchmaking concierge for driven, smart, ambitious individuals across the GCC who are time-poor, and designed to expedite the entire connection process and put you in front of the right people. Most of us move to the UAE on a work visa without close friends, family or a partner, and it could be a lonely place to start. We all go through proximity settling (forced to be friends with people you work with or live in your neighborhood, rather than true compatibility) and spend lots of wasted time in heaps of trial-and-error relationships. In a city like Dubai, where you outsource everything, why not outsource your love life to the experts? MAXION is changing the way accomplished professionals form meaningful connections – getting busy professionals off the app and in-person with compatible partners. What is on the market right now is NOT working! 42% of online daters have a negative experience; 71% of people lie on dating apps; 77% of online daters don’t go on in-person dates. The UAE is becoming more of a permanent place rather than a transient city and meaningful connections will assist in people’s decisions to choose the GCC as their future home. Now is the perfect time to launch as we want to capture this demand and ride on the success of the agency by catering to a wider audience and expanding into friendship in addition to romantic connections.∙ Only vetted, verified, real people: No tourists. All members are LinkedIn and EID verified.∙ Compatibility: No more swiping. New, expertly-picked profiles sent weekly.∙ Concierge: No more wasted time chatting. We plan, book, and con- firm all of your dates through our partnership with Seven Rooms. We get you to the date with our partnership with Yango.∙ Connection: No more ghosting. Feedback gives you direction and feeds into our compatibility engines to perfect the process.∙ Cherry on top: Not everyone has the time to go on one-on-one dates so maximise your chances of connection by gaining access to our member-exclusive parties. MAXION is designed to skip the chit chat and get you in-person in order to see if there’s a connection. Our ratio will always be 50:50.MAXION was on beta test and officially launched last year. How has it been received?We are so excited to announce that we now have MAXION Members on our platform connecting, going on dates, and attending events. We already have a few couples just from our launch party! We had a slight hiccup post launch with transitioning from an external agency to an internal tech team, but ever since our second launch, we are proud to say that we have over 1,000 downloads and 800 plus applications in just six weeks! We are ready to take over and solve the GCC connection crisis!Have you had to get comfortable as an entrepreneur and has it changed the way you view yourself?I always knew I was destined for greatness but didn’t know which route would make me shine the brightest and now I’ve found it. I’ve been an athlete, Pilates trainer, author, school leader, millionaire matchmaker, and now tech founder… billionaire next. I LOVE who I am today. The woman I look at in the mirror today is a completely different woman than who I was when I moved to this country in 2016, when I was a school leader in 2018, and in between jobs in 2021. I have built myself into what I am today and truly believe that the successes I’ve achieved in all aspects of my life, in particular, my fitness, sobriety, my matchmaking agency and now as a tech founder are at the core of my confidence, drive, ambition, resilience, and grit.“I entered a totally new space blind but figured it out. I always say, “jump, then figure out how to fly.”How many people are in your team now and did you start out alone?Being a solo first-time tech founder came with its many challenges, but I always saw every speed bump as a learned lesson and used it to be better moving forward. I entered a totally new space blind but figured it out. I always say, “jump. then figure out how to fly.” The first thing I did when I entered the tech space was ask all of my friends to introduce me to anyone in the space – tech founders, fund managers, anyone and everyone. I connected with people and the first thing I asked them was “tell me the two biggest mistakes you ever made and how you fixed them.” I learned massive lessons from these conversations.Our current team: We now have three advisors and eight MAXION employees. Advisors are KEY especially for a solo founder. I have a tech advisor, strategy advisor and startup advisor. Our team consists of operations, tech, marketing, and memberships, but in all honesty there’s only one role in startups: whatever it takes! You must be able to wear all hats to make this wheel turn. But I could absolutely not live without my right hand! Samreen Khimani is our Operations Lead. I’m the head and she’s the neck. I have the vision, dream, can see the future, and make things happen, but she makes things move. Without the neck, you have no head. She is an absolute critical person to how we function and I trust her wholly and completely. We’ve known each other for years and she has been on this journey with me since 2020!You’re clearly a driven person. Where do you think it all comes from?I am highly motivated by status. I grew up in a very affluent area but always felt a couple of steps behind and I’m determined to be hundreds of steps ahead now. I want to be known as the best, the top, tech phenomenon. Tell me I can’t do something, and I’ll do it ten times better and ten times faster. I had a previous partner that told me I would be nothing without him and I’ve let that statement drive me. It has propelled me into success in all aspects of my life. My drive also comes from my obsession to contribute. Not only contribute by creating connections but also by funding and helping to fuel other female founders’ dreams and businesses.As a female in the tech industry, are there any difficulties you’ve faced and how did you overcome it?Many people don’t take you seriously or waste your time. I also think being young and beautiful is looked down upon but I use it as my superpower! Beauty gets you in the doors, but brains gets you to the top floor. I’ve had people waste my time with meetings disguised as potential investors but really they just want to take me out or get to know me personally. I’ve had so many people say it’s a silly idea and it will never work. I’ve had people question my lack of experience and cast doubt on my ability to thrive… I laugh! They obviously don’t know I’m a force to be reckoned with. I am driven by naysayers. I let the hate fuel me.FUNDING. We are about to close our pre-seed round at $950,000 USD! Which is absolutely incredible for a first-time female tech founder and unheard of.How do you and your product team approach innovation within the company?Community Portals: We now have our first portal launched for the international expat community in Dubai. We have started to localise the product to be Shariah-aligned for Islamic marriage connections for the local communities across the GCC. We cannot wait to serve and create more connections for all communities with the ever-expansion of our new portals.AI: I am so excited to catapult MAXION into the next stratosphere with all of the AI concierge services we have planned. We are not only a matchmaking concierge for connections, but we will soon take over your social life and be your pocket concierge for all of your social needs. More to be revealed soon!What are your top tips in building authentic and elevated connections, online and offline?Be you! My favourite quote of all time is by Dr. Seuss ‘No one is you-er than you’. I relate this to business as in no one can do what you do so keep your head straight and focused on your own path and prize. I also relate this to relationships. Being your authentic self is the number one key to attracting the right people for you. In this day and age where everyone is obsessed with image and social media, people complain about the lack of authenticity as most people feel like carbon copies of what they see online. Instead embrace your quirks and your uniqueness and shine brighter than ever. Stand on a pedestal built on your accomplishments, successes, and character. This is the foundation of who you are and your ideal people are going to put you on that pedestal for those exact reasons. Shine bright and don’t let anyone dim your shine!This is The Tech Issue – what technology has been a game-changer in your life and how so?I am obsessed with my Oura Ring! I get up every morning and immediately check my sleep data and my readiness score. It is so accurate and I get a high form seeing the little crowns for optimal readiness.February’s – The Tech Issue with Christiana Maxion – Download Now– For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram More
