Connell Barrett

Connell Barrett is a New York dating coach who came to the field from journalism: he was an executive editor at Sports Illustrated and wrote for magazines such as Esquire and Men’s Journal. He founded Dating Transformation, an international coaching business.

Approach

Barrett calls his method “Radical Authenticity”. It rejects pickup tricks and scripted lines in favor of building real confidence, being honest about what you want and making an actual connection. His book is aimed at straight men who feel confident in their career and social life but struggle in romance. He has also worked as a dating coach for the app The League.

Book

Dating Sucks, but You Don’t: The Modern Guy’s Guide to Total Confidence, Romantic Connection, and Finding the Perfect Partner (Simon Element, 2021) grew out of his own experience of that gap between work and love.

Media

He has appeared on Access Hollywood and the Today show, and in magazines including Cosmopolitan, Oprah Daily and Playboy.