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Man So Fed-Up With Online Dating He Hires Massive Billboard To Find A Girlfriend

Lucy Devine

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| Last updated 

Man So Fed-Up With Online Dating He Hires Massive Billboard To Find A Girlfriend

Featured Image Credit: Kennedy News and Media

A man fed up of dating apps has rented a huge billboard ad to try and find a girlfriend.

Leon Hendrix, 24, from Texas, says he finds traditional online dating apps too time consuming, so instead, he decided to take the plunge and rent some ad space instead.

The entrepreneur has even set up a website where potential dates are required to fill in a short 'application'. And Leon seems to have thought of everything, because he's even offering a $5,000 (£3,800) 'referral fee' to anyone who recommends a date who ends up becoming his partner.

Anyone else think this is starting to sound more and more like a job ad?!

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Leon was fed up of dating apps, so rented a billboard instead (Credit: Kennedy News and Media)
Leon was fed up of dating apps, so rented a billboard instead (Credit: Kennedy News and Media)

Apparently, Leon received 617 applications less than a week after launching, and now has the mammoth task of sifting through in the hope of finding love.

Seems a little more time consuming than a dating app if you ask us, but Leon explained it initially started off as a joke.

"But now it has turned into a fun way to potentially meet the woman of my dreams," he said.

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"I thought 'would it be possible to market myself instead of marketing a product - to get myself out there and meet a woman I really click with?' I know they're out there, it's just a matter of reaching them.

"I was on the dating apps and it was very time-consuming. I'm a busy guy and I didn't want to make the time for that.

"I had a few virtual dates and they went well, but there was no one I really clicked with. I thought the more reach I can get, the better it gets for me.

"One of the best ways to make it fun and therefore shareable is to put myself on a billboard. This is basically a story I'm creating for myself that I can later on tell my grandkids. It'll be a great story."

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There's even a referral fee (Credit: Kennedy News and Media)
There's even a referral fee (Credit: Kennedy News and Media)

Leon managed to hunt down a billboard for a cheap price, before working on his application questions. While they start off pretty chilled - for example, what each woman likes to read - they progress to "deeper questions".

And Leon said the whole thing came together pretty quickly, adding: "I'm an unconventional guy. I don't drink, I like to work really hard and I'm the type of person who would put up a billboard to find someone.

"Being in a relationship with me is a surefire way to never get bored. You'll never get bored with me.

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"I'd always had a similar idea of running paid advertising to meet someone because you can really target the type of person you're hoping to meet.

"My friends are all entrepreneurs and they thought it was a great idea. Everyone's getting involved which is great. They were all on board.

"It looks very serious and I'm 100 percent not questioning myself, but this is just a fun way to get myself out there.

Leon says he's had hundreds of applicants so far (Credit: Kennedy News and Media)
Leon says he's had hundreds of applicants so far (Credit: Kennedy News and Media)
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"The billboard was much cheaper than billboards usually are. They told me that there hadn't been any new advertisers on there for a while so I got it for much, much cheaper in a good location.

"I've been working on this for a while but that was just back and forth. The website, I know how to do that stuff, it's nothing new for me, so it was quite quick."

However, Leon hasn't had a positive reaction from everyone and has faced criticism over the referral fee especially.

"A lot of women say I don't have anything to offer and it's just men being ridiculous for thinking they're that valuable to put themselves on a billboard," Leon explained.

"In order to get a lot of shares I also put out a $5,000 referral fee. If I end up finding a girlfriend, which will take a long time and it has to be a committed, exclusive relationship, then it's a $5,000 prize.

"It's to incentivise people to share it and it's working well so far. People think 'isn't that sex trafficking?' or 'isn't that prostitution?' They look for things to find to be angry about."

Leon now has to sift through all his applications before arranging a phone date (Credit: Kennedy News and Media)
Leon now has to sift through all his applications before arranging a phone date (Credit: Kennedy News and Media)

The entrepreneur has also explained how the process works, for those looking to 'apply'. Leon explained a phone call would be arranged as a starting point - to see if there is chemistry - before going on a coffee date.

"People can go on dateleon.com and you can see the amount of applicants that I update daily. Right now it shows [617] then I'll update it again at the end of the day," he said.

"It has frequently asked questions and how the process works. Starting off, we'd have a phone date if I like the applications to see if there's some chemistry. Then from there I like to start very simple by getting coffee or a snack. Very informal and casual.

"If people want to apply they can go on the website and fill out an application with different questions. I ask them questions such as 'what's the biggest challenge you've had to overcome in your life', 'what's the number one characteristic or personality trait you'd like to change about yourself'. It really shows they're excited about growing."

Best of luck to Leon! This is certainly a unique way to find a date!

Topics: Life News, Dating, Relationships

Lucy Devine
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