Erika Hill and Trey Anders had a problem.
The Atlanta-based couple loved to find activities to do together, but it was time and money-consuming trying to come up with unique, couple-friendly experiences twice a month. “One of us would plan each date night,” Erika shares. “We would always try to outdo each other in terms of finding something different and interesting that we hadn’t done before. But we always were very price-conscious, [and] we found out dating was really expensive. And it was taking up a lot of time. We were spending 45 minutes looking on the Internet trying to find something outside of the typical dinner and a movie.”
They say necessity is the mother of invention, and sure enough, Erika and Trey’s frustration led to them creating GreatDateDeals.com, a one-stop shop for affordable and engaging date options for couples in various cities across America. “[There] had to be an easier way,” says Trey. “We didn’t find a solution so we said ‘let’s create one.’ ”
GreatDateDeals has helped socially adventurous couples from Atlanta to New York City find interesting activities that won’t break their pockets and hosted events that give couples a chance to experience the GreatDateDeals approach firsthand. With Valentine’s Day an obvious major holiday for couples, they have a Brunch Date at OrganiX in Atlanta and a chance to experience New York’s Accomplice The Village scheduled for February.
“All of the hard work is done by us,” Trey explains. “It’s already aggregated for you. No one else in the marketplace is doing that. We really wanted to be the go-to resource for dating couples, no matter if it’s their first date or their 50th anniversary.”
And the fact that they are helping couples find ways to spend their time has only brought this couple closer together.
“I know my vision of what GreatDateDeals would be wouldn’t be anywhere near as far along without having Erika. It’s organic [and] a direct reflection of us,” Trey says, with Erika echoing that sentiment.
“The fact that we get to work together and share in our own experiences and sit back and laugh is just fun,” she adds. “We balance each other out.”
