Local contestant shares Millionaire Matchmaker experience, talks of eligible bachelorette to be next

POCATELLO — She decided to go from swiping right to a speed date with a mystery millionaire.

Pocatello native Kady Nettik participated in a Utah competition similar to ABC’s “The Bachelor” in a much less public setting: LDS Millionaire Matchmaker.

Nettik says when she applied for the contest after seeing a post on social media, she thought, why not?

“I’m on Tinder, I’m on Mutual, I’m on those kinds of dating apps, and I just figured it would be a fun thing,” Nettik says. “I really didn’t think I would get picked, so I didn’t think it would matter.”

Nettik, 24, says she was in the running against 2,500 other applicants of which only 20 were selected to participate in finding love with the Latter-day Saint mystery man. Nettik says she was the only one from Idaho, many participants were from Utah, and the farthest one woman came was from New York.

Nettik says she was confirmed to be a part of the event, days before the scheduled on date June 7.

“I was a little freaked out just because it was so short notice,” Nettik says.

Just like ABC’s version, contestants had to find a cocktail dress and make preparations. But unlike “The Bachelor,” Nettik says they didn’t initially know who the bachelor was, and the competition was fairer in the time they were able to spend with the bachelor: 5 minutes each.

“How am I going to be funny enough or sweet enough or pretty enough just for five minutes? That was kind of scary,” Nettik says.

On top of that, the ladies were asked before proceeding if they were interested. Even though those going on a second date wouldn’t find out until after the event, women were given the option first, and if they weren’t chosen they weren’t humiliated.

“In those shows, every girl vies for his attention, or they just hang out and whoever talks to him, talks to him,” Nettik says. “No one knew if they were going to go on a second date with him until an hour after the event, so it wasn’t… in front of everybody.”

Nettik says when asked if she was interested in a second date, she politely declined.

She says she’s the type of person who needs more time and she says there was a gap in age — as he was between 35 and 45 — as well as economic status.

“I didn’t think that we really would fit together, and since he is looking for a wife, it might have been good to get to know him more on a second date, but I didn’t want to waste his time,” Nettik says. “I think maybe there was a sign of intimidation … at least for me. I’m 24; I’m still in university.”

She confirms she was only able to know the millionaire’s first name, that he sold his first company at the age of 26, and that he worked in the White House at one point.

“I think everyone’s first assumption is, ‘What is wrong with him?'” Nettik says. “He was cuter than I thought he would be and tall.”

The 20 participants rode a limo to a country club and had dinner. The girls played a trivia game, in which Nettik won $100, and they all received fancy necklaces.

“He made it very spoiling for the women that attended,” Nettik says.

Nettik says there may be an upcoming event with an eligible bachelorette for men to sign up for.

“It was a really fun experience,” Nettik says.

Although Nettik says she was heckled and is avoiding commenters on social media sites, she encourages anyone to participate in a matchmaking event.

“Any guys that are thinking that they wanted to sign up for that, (don’t be) held back by what they think other people would think,” Nettik says. “Just the experience and the spoiling was fun enough even if they didn’t match.”

Find out more at LDSMillionaireMatchmaker.com.