Colorado Native Turns Passion For Travel Into New Job At A Dating App

DENVER (CBS4) – A Colorado native selected by the social app Bumble to travel the world celebrating the different ways users can connect with others locally or on the go for dates, friendship, and business partners.

"It said dream job and it exactly that," said Juilana Broste, a Global Connector Bee for Bumble. "It was the perfect opportunity for me after all the things that I've done in my career."

Bumble is an app where people swipe left or right on their phone looking at profiles of other users. A swipe left means you're not interested, while a swipe right suggests you'd like to connect with the person. Bumble has three different modes for matches, dating, friends, and business.

Broste interned for CBS4 for several years before graduating from CU Boulder and working as a travel blogger. She says up until now she was focused on her career but loves the mix of this new assignment that will let her take on personal and professional growth over nine months.

"I was never really big into dating apps," she said. "Maybe I'll meet the one, who knows."

She has already traveled to Singapore and Bali in the first month of her new job. She has gone on dates but also met locals who have given her tours of the neighborhood. Entrepreneurs have also met with her to share their experiences running a business abroad.

"There are definitely some nuisances with the three modes," Broste said. "It's the magic of trying something new, is you take yourself out of your comfort zone and just give it a shot."

Before Bumble, she chronicled her own travels on the blog "Traveling Jules" using her own gear to capture all the moments of her trips as a solo explorer. Those skills prepared her to share the same style of storytelling for Bumble.

"The biggest thing you've learned in travel is that you have sometimes just take yourself out of your comfort zone and try something new," she said. "Maybe it's downloading Bumble and getting to meet people in your area that you maybe would have you never met otherwise."

Broste returned to CBS4 this week to share her experiences so far and preview what is ahead for her travels with Bumble. She is still based out of Denver and enjoyed getting some time at home. The Global Connector Bee will continue across the U.S. and then Canada before visiting more destinations abroad. She says her roots remain with her as she moves all around the globe.

"Being from Colorado, we have a huge playground in our backyard, I've definitely become really adventurous I think because of that," Broste said. "We are an adventurous bunch, we love to do things outdoors."

But she says it is easy for people to get comfortable with their surroundings, including the people they regularly interact with locally. No matter where you live or where you come from, she hopes people will consider more chances to get away.

"Whenever you're home, it's easy to turn your brain off," she said. "When you travel, everything opens up."

She wants people to see her experience and take a similar challenge to put themselves in new places and come across others who are not part of their regular routine.

"I really want people to know that there's a big world out there, and there's so much to see and do and explore," Broste said. "It's incredible if you just talked to the person next you."

While using the app she has found that it offers singles the chance to find matches that are much more compatible than the traditional method of meeting new people at a bar or event. She says Bumble provides filters to help you find someone more compatible and safety features to avoid sharing sensitive information. Bumble lets the woman make the first move. You can even call someone through the app without using your own phone number.

"You actually don't know if they're married or off the market," she said of that approach. "You're meeting people who actually want to meet other people."

But with online dating and using apps comes the drawback of having so many options and a culture that allows people to be less responsive. Even as someone paid by the company to promote their business, she is not immune to that response.

"Do I get ghosted? Sometimes," Broste said. "Humans are humans and everything exists out there."

Still she is pleased with the reactions and connections she's made on dates, meetups, and pursuing collaborations on Bumble. You can follow Broste's adventures as she uploads more content on the company's YouTube page.

"I've been so surprised by the quality of people I've met," she said. "It's been such a valuable amount of time spent."