INTERVIEW: Challenging Stereotypes – The Real Fox Hunters Club
In the dating app landscape, few niches remain unexplored – but genuine, relationship-minded age-gap dating has been largely underserved. When Brownie Marie founded Fox Hunters Club, she sought to change that. As highlighted in the latest episode of the GDI podcast, Marie sat down with industry consultant Ross Williams and host JC Asencio to share how Fox Hunters Club is on a mission to create a safe, drama-free space for millennial women and older men seeking meaningful, long-term connections.
From the outset, Marie’s concept faced misconceptions. “When I first heard the name,” jokes Williams, “I had images of [aristocrats] galloping with hounds across the countryside.” But, as Marie clarifies, real “foxes” here are “silver foxes” – distinguished men typically 45 and older – for millennial women 30+. It’s all about “cutting through the games and the lies… to have a meaningful connection.”
Meeting an Overlooked Need For An Overlooked Audience
The inspiration was personal. Marie has always preferred older men, not only for the attraction but the maturity and clarity they bring to relationships. Her own experience on mainstream dating apps was frustrating: options for the 30+ woman seeking a committed, mature partner were slim, and most platforms skewed young or drifted into sugar dating territory – a transactional model that didn’t appeal to her.
Spotting an underserved market, Marie turned her tech background into action. The result was Fox Hunters Club, purpose-built for women seeking mature men interested in serious relationships, not flings or financial transactions. The platform has since expanded from New York City to New Jersey and Philadelphia, championing authenticity over quantity.
No Sugar Daddies, No Games
A major challenge Fox Hunters Club faces is the automatic assumption that any older man/younger woman platform must be a “sugar daddy” app – a misconception Marie works hard to dispel. “There should never be a point where you’re giving someone money over the Internet ever,” she states. Her messaging is crystal clear: no sugar dating, no scams, no money exchanges.
With anti-sugar baby policies and hands-on moderation, the app builds trust and aims to foster relationships based on compatibility and respect, not transactional motives.
Reaching the Right Audience
For Fox Hunters Club, effective targeting is everything. Marie actively steers clear of youth-focused channels like TikTok, instead zeroing in on women 30+ and men 45+ through careful ad selection and word-of-mouth within that community. Her marketing challenges potential members to ask themselves: “Are you getting what you want from dating?” Encouraging self-reflection nudges women to consider looking outside their usual age range for partners who are more likely to “align with your values” and ready for commitment.
Growth, Resilience and the Importance of Focus
Building a bootstrapped dating startup isn’t easy. Marie described the uphill climb of launching with limited funds, resisting outside investors in the early stages to maintain her vision. Her advice to fellow founders? Start local – grow city by city rather than trying to “go global” from day one – and keep your core feature set focused and reliable. Expanding too quickly or overloading on features can dilute the brand and cripple resources.
Fox Hunters Club’s revenue model blends freemium app subscriptions with premium perks, and adds a unique offline dimension: in-person events, from charity galas to clay shooting socials, give members a way to connect in real life. These events are more than fun – they’re part of a mission to bring back authenticity and genuine human connection in an era of endless swiping and superficial engagement.
Leadership, Authenticity and Resilience
Marie’s journey is a testament to leveraging a unique life experience – her background in journalism and tech, her MBA, and yes, her own relationship preferences – into business success. But above all, it’s about “relentless resilience.” Rejections, stereotypes, and market misconceptions come with the territory, but they haven’t shaken her focus.
Marie recommends fellow founders embrace the highs and lows, citing Coretta Scott King’s memoir as inspiration for women navigating relationships and business. As Fox Hunters Club moves toward further expansion and considers future fundraising, its north star remains clear: prioritize real connections for people who know what they want – and aren’t afraid to pursue it.
