We started out as coworkers—Griffin was a recruiter based in Dallas, and Samar was an account manager holding it down in Northern Virginia (NoVA). Our teammate (and Matchmaker-in-Chief) Hayden introduced us, and between project calls, Slack messages, and the chaos of remote work during COVID, we got to know each other—and maybe flirted a little, too. When Samar flew to Dallas for work, we ended up at the same client dinner. Griffin, being the gentleman he is, offered to drive her back to the hotel. That “quick ride” turned into “one drink” at the bar next door… then a long, easy conversation that stretched to 2:00 a.m. on a Tuesday—despite Samar’s early flight the next morning. Zero regrets. Not long after, Griffin invited Samar to Napa for a long weekend because we both love great wine and beautiful scenery. Between vineyard views and unrushed conversations, everything just clicked. We went from teammates to partners—and the rest is history. (PS: Thanks, Hayden.)