better together
MINDFUL
CONNECTIONS
FOR MODERN
TIMES
Free to join • Private network • Thoughtful invitations when aligned
For thoughtful humans who want to date and relate with more clarity, care, and intention.
Dating today can feel like swiping, guessing, or going it alone. The paradox of endless choice leaves many people overwhelmed and disconnected.
Maybe you’re meeting new people, but not the kind you can imagine building a life with. Or maybe you're ready for a different way forward.
That’s where we come in.
In Good Company is a relationship agency for kind-hearted, growth-minded humans who don’t quite fit the usual dating advice.
Our work blends clarity work, dating differently coaching, and curated gatherings to help thoughtful people date with intention and build relationships that feel mutual and alive.
Sometimes a room changes everything.
How this all began
Adam and Rachel met at a game party on Valentine’s Day in Tilly’s living room in Franklinton. Both had briefly considered not showing up — the party would go past their bedtime.
The following week, Rachel was speaking to a group about the art of connecting and matchmaking after making a good match between her friends Jenny and Johnny. Inspired to see those faces again, she planned a brunch potluck the following weekend and invited the whole group from the game night back together.
Adam, a quiet introvert, found himself slightly overwhelmed by the vibrance of Rachel’s world — but he showed up anyway.
✦
The beginning was a little clunky — she texted quickly, he texted slower. But they were two people who kept finding their way back into conversation. Gentle, kind, curious with each other.
Before long, something became clear: this was a partnership worth choosing for the long haul.
✦
Since those early days, they’ve combined last names (Baransi + Proehl → Barehl), opened their home to more than a dozen kids through foster care, adoption, and foreign exchange, and invested in community living with four other couples outside Columbus.
✦
That game night continues to shape the work they do today.
Adam reminds Rachel that the right person can be worth the wait. Rachel carries that hope when working with singles who are ready for it to be their turn.
Together they gently guide people back to themselves — toward courageous conversations, longer tables, and relationships built in good company.
It’s their joy to witness lives in all their fullness — the grief and the joy — through photography, connection, and conversation.
✦
In many ways, In Good Company began with that game night.
community architect, relationship doula, superconnector, photographer, and anthropologist of modern dating — rachel is known by many as the columbus matchmaker.
clarity work, portrait photography, curated introductions, relational experiments, and intentional gatherings (aka PARTIES) are her favorite ways to support kind humans as she helps them expand their relational range and start showing up in deeper alignment with the partnership they say they want.
meet the founder
Hear one Dater’s Perspective on Why Photos Matter
Better photos, better matches
Most people assume dating apps or matchmaking are just about finding the right person.
But the truth is: the way you present yourself shapes the entire experience.
I meet incredible humans every week—thoughtful, interesting, generous people who should be having a much better time dating than they are. Usually the issue isn’t who they are. It’s that their photos, profile, or overall presence aren’t actually showing their life, personality, or depth.
That’s where I come in.
Part of my work is helping people show up more honestly and compellingly in the world of dating. Sometimes that means a portrait session designed specifically for dating profiles—photos that feel natural, relaxed, and actually reflect who you are. Other times it’s a focused session where we refine your profile, clarify what you’re looking for, and talk through how you want to show up in dating moving forward.
When your presentation is aligned—when your photos feel alive, your words sound like you, and your story is clear—something shifts.
You show up to dates with more confidence.
The conversations get better.
And the people who reach out tend to be a much better fit.
This work isn’t about polishing you into someone else.
It’s about helping the right people recognize you when they see you.
DAN MERRITT
“The quality of dates was better than any I’d gone on before working with Rachel — and that’s because of her matchmaking skills and her ability to vet people much better than a short online profile. Every single date left me more energized.”
WANT BETTER, NOT MORE
Date in alignment with what matters (to you).
We tend to attract people who:
• are serious about building a long-term partnership
• value curiosity, kindness, and emotional intelligence
• are open to doing things a little differently than the apps
• believe relationships are something we build, not just stumble into
• want community along the way
• commit to kindness and trust the process of connection unfolding
• can laugh together about a clunky beginning
Clunky Beginnings
Clunky Beginnings
Clunky Beginnings Clunky Beginnings
A podcast about meet-cutes, bold moves, and the clunky beginnings of real relationships.
we believe
Love is for every body.
Black lives matter.
Queer love is worth celebrating.
In Good Company welcomes people of many backgrounds, beliefs, and life paths — as long as everyone shows up with curiosity, kindness, and respect.
before you go, want to
Join Our Rolodex?
add yourself to our private database so we can keep you in mind when making matches and planning parties.
it’s private + free—no invitations or matches guaranteed, unless you’re a client.