If you've ever felt behind in dating because of your career, upbringing, or lack of experience, you're not alone.
Steven, a 29-year-old optometrist from Texas, went from barely dating to securing real, high-quality connections after working with an Asian dating coach who understood his situation.
This is his full story detailing the transformation, the photoshoot, the first dates, and what he learned about confidence, risk, and success.
Like many Asian men who spend their 20s grinding through school and building a career, dating took a backseat. But after realizing things wouldn’t magically improve on their own, he decided to take action.
He discovered Vincent, an Asian dating coach and dating app photographer, through Reddit. What started as lurking in a Discord server turned into real-life transformation.
“I didn’t really focus on dating because I was just trying to get through school... Unfortunately, I didn’t take early action like Vincent did. I’m starting now at 29.”
Steven joined Vincent for a bootcamp-style experience in New York, where he received a full dating app revamp. From a guided photoshoot to messaging support, he got the full package.
“I could’ve hired a regular photographer, but Vincent understands what actually works for dating apps. That made all the difference.”
When Steven arrived in New York, Vincent coached him through his first professional photoshoot.
They worked on posing, expression, and styling, all while keeping it natural and true to Steven’s personality.
“I never really knew how to pose for photos, but Vincent showed me how to angle things to highlight my strengths and downplay my height.”
Each outfit and location was chosen to reflect a different aspect of Steven’s identity as chill, stylish, and confident. The results spoke for themselves.
After the shoot, Vincent helped Steven rewrite his profile and prompts to match the vibe of his new photos.
The response was immediate.
“I definitely got the newbie boost, but my photos weren’t holding me back anymore. When I liked someone, I usually matched quickly.”
Steven dove into online dating with momentum.
He reviewed Vincent’s messaging guides and made sure to avoid texting pitfalls.
“I didn’t want to become a texting buddy. I kept things moving and aimed to set up the first date fast.”
Steven's first date post-revamp ended in success with dessert, a walk in the park, a kiss, and more. While not every date was perfect, each one helped him improve.
From an awkward wine-tasting in Victoria to improvising a last-minute hotel logistics move in Houston, Steven applied what he learned to real-world scenarios.
“You can’t wait around hoping something will happen. Sometimes you’ve just got to take the lead and create the opportunity.”
He also learned to read signals and adjust. On one date, he correctly sensed the woman wasn’t ready for intimacy and backed off respectfully, later earning a second chance.
What’s most impressive about Steven’s journey is how fast he put everything into action. Within days of getting his profile set up, he was already landing dates and navigating real-world dating dynamics with confidence. From awkward first impressions to closing a same-day lay, he went through the full dating spectrum in a matter of weeks.
And just shortly after this video discussion, Steven ended up getting into a relationship. He used the same principles, mindset, and strategies discussed here that were built on improving his appearance, owning his vibe, and learning how to lead interactions so he could naturally escalate things with someone who genuinely clicked with him.
Steven: Having a career is important. You shouldn’t ignore that. I did, and I feel like I’m behind. But once you get that one good date, momentum can build fast. I was lucky to secure a home run on my first real date, and that helped. But I also tried to stack the deck in my favor with good photos and a profile that wouldn't get rejected on looks alone.
Also, get a perm. For Asian guys, it makes a huge difference. And try not to be fat. It’s not about being shredded. It’s about not disqualifying yourself visually. All of it adds up.
Keep things casual. It’s just a date. You’re not signing a marriage contract. Use the first meetup to see if you vibe, take some risks, and adapt to your environment. If your city sucks, be willing to look elsewhere. I had to go from a small town to Houston to really make dating work.
Steven's a great example of someone who went from passive to intentional, and it paid off fast. Whether you're 29 or 45, it's not too late to get in the game and take control of your dating life.
If you want help building a dating profile that actually gets results, click the button below to book a call with me and we'll go from there.