HubPeople's Owner, Michael O'Sullivan, has published Dating App: How to Build, Survive and Thrive in the World's Most Challenging Industry — a practical guide for founders, operators and investors building in online dating.
The Kindle edition launched on 3 July 2026, with a hardback edition following on 17 July. It's available now on Amazon.
The book draws on Michael's 20+ years in the industry, including his experience at HubPeople helping launch and grow more than 4,000 dating apps that have collectively generated over $100 million in revenue. Rather than focusing on technology alone, it examines the practical realities of building and operating a dating platform: product decisions, growth strategy, monetisation, trust and safety, and the commercial pressures that decide whether a community survives.
"The dating app category is simple to enter and hard to survive. Most founders arrive with a sharp product idea. Fewer arrive with a clear view of churn, acquisition costs, payments, trust and safety, user liquidity, moderation, fraud and investor expectations."
What's inside
The book is structured in six parts:
- Foundations — economics, churn, community and positioning
- Building the Product — build vs. buy, architecture, matching and monetisation
- Acquiring Users — traffic, attribution, analytics and funnels
- Operating and Growing — CRM, fraud, safety, compliance and moderation
- Industry Insight — interviews with founders and operators across the category
- The Future — AI, automation, and what dating apps can and can't replace
It also includes interviews and contributions from six well-known operators across the sector: Markus Frind (founder of PlentyOfFish, sold to Match Group for $575 million in 2015), David Vermeulen (founder & CEO, Inner Circle), Matthew Gain (CEO, ParshipMeet Group), Lydia Hoey (Matchmaking Director, Maclynn; founder, Toffee Dating), Zackary Lewis (founder & CEO, Unpack'd Technologies), and Carsten Böltz (CEO, Online Personals Group).
Early praise
"Refreshingly candid. The operating manual our industry has been missing. In 25+ years advising dating companies, I've never seen the whole playbook — economics, product, growth, operations and exits — laid out this clearly."
— Mark Brooks, CEO, Courtland Brooks & Matchmaker.com
"Dating apps aren't just about technology...they're about so much more. Michael reveals what it really takes to build, survive, and thrive in one of the world's most growing, challenging and rewarding industries."
— Lydia Hoey, née Davis, Matchmaking Director, Maclynn
"A must-read for every aspiring entrepreneur in the online dating sector drawn from nearly 20 years' experience in the industry. Michael's ability to unlock the secrets to building a business that lasts gives founders a simple, yet effective blueprint for success."
— Simon Newman, CEO, The Online Dating and Discovery Association
Michael also serves on the board of the Online Dating and Discovery Association (ODDA), working alongside peers from Match Group, Bumble, Grindr and Parship to help shape responsible industry standards.
Dating App is available now on Kindle, with the hardback following on 17 July 2026.
Want the operator's-eye view straight from the source? Read Michael's board colleague Mark Brooks' story first.
