orientalsnack

So… how did Pitch Your Friend Berlin even start?
Well… it was a pretty random thing, to be honest. We saw a reel on IG, loved the idea, and thought it would work in Berlin too. Back then, no one was doing anything like it, so we just threw ourselves in cold water and planned our first two events: Pitch Your Friend – Monogamous and Polyamorous Edition. From the very beginning, we wanted to make it “Berlin” — diverse, fun, and social — with different themes to cater to different needs. And it proved us right: immediately, more than a hundred people signed up. After that, we were basically convinced we should keep going.

Who shows up? Age, gender, vibes—spill the tea!
We attract different crowds depending on the theme. Interestingly, at the Monogamous Edition, there are sometimes poly people attending—probably to support their friends—and vice versa. It just goes to show how diverse Berlin really is, a mix of people from all kinds of backgrounds. Overall, I’d say we have a pretty varied crowd: different genders, usually ages 25–45, and vibes that shift depending on the group. Sometimes it’s wholesome and cutesy, sometimes it’s extremely hilarious, and sometimes… it’s just HOT (you know what I mean 😉).

What’s the deal with having so many editions of Pitch Your Friend?
At first, we just planned a Monogamous and a Polyamorous edition because we knew Berlin has poly communities with dating needs too. But as we ran more events, more people started asking us for new editions, sharing ideas, giving feedback, and telling us what they’d love to see. We basically took our audience’s suggestions, and started trying different themes. So far, we’ve done Monogamous, Non-monogamous, FLINTA, and Kinky editions. Each edition draws a different crowd and has its own unique dynamics, but they’re all equally fun, social, and heartwarming. Giving each edition a theme turned out to be the best decision we ever made.

What makes you actually different from other dating events?
From the very beginning, we knew we wanted to make this event truly BERLIN and accommodate the needs of Berliners—including ourselves. Dating, and socializing in general, is a big topic here; lots of people find it hard to meet people offline, let alone date. That’s why we make our events highly structured, with games and prompts designed to help people open up and have meaningful conversations. It’s something we’ve been told again and again that we do really well—and should definitely keep doing. Even if you come alone, you’ll end up meeting new people for sure.Another one of our most-loved activities is writing “love confessions.” We use Mentimeter, a whiteboard app, and ask people to write anonymous flirty messages to those on stage. Then we read them out loud—it’s sweet, hilarious, and super fun. Our audience is incredibly creative, and honestly, reading their flirts is one of my favorite moments on stage.

Ever have a moment where you thought: “Yep, this is why we do this”?
There are so many moments where I’ve laughed so hard I couldn’t continue moderating, and moments where I almost cried. Watching friends being pitched and seeing their surprise at how much love and appreciation their friends put into the pitch… sometimes it’s things they’ve never been told before, like “I see your amazing qualities, and you deserve an amazing partner.”In almost all cases, the pitcher doesn’t show the pitch deck to their friend beforehand, so the surprise is real. I never get tired of seeing that reaction.At the end of the day, it’s the connections that make this event meaningful. Despite being a dating event, our social games spark genuine conversations beyond small talk like “How long have you lived in Berlin?”

Be honest — Any real couples come out of this? 👀
We never really did a formal follow-up, but one participant wrote to us saying he fell in love with a girl he met at the event. That was really heartwarming. But honestly, many, many people have found new friends at our events. Just to stress it again: it’s extremely social, not just about dating! You can come and make friends too.

Any fun patterns or stories you’ve noticed over time?
Hmm… every pitch is unique in its own way. Sure, we provide templates, but everyone has a different story. I’ve never seen a pitch and thought, “Oh, that’s just like another one.”

What’s the secret to a killer pitch?
There are way too many fantastic pitches to pick just one, but for me, it always comes down to authenticity and creativity. I love a pitch that’s funny and gets the audience involved—it makes it so much more engaging. For example, you can come up with questions to ask the audience or have them close their eyes and imagine something with you—little interactive moments like that are always fun!I’ve pitched a few of my friends myself, so I know how much time and effort it takes to craft a really great pitch. Even though we provide templates, I think the best pitches always go off-template. If you’re willing to go that extra mile and put some creativity into it, you’re already winning.