Bela Gandhi

Bela Gandhi is the founder of Smart Dating Academy, a Chicago-based dating coaching practice she launched in 2009 after spending years helping friends find love as a passion project. Her signature GPQ™ (Good Partner Qualities) system is the backbone of everything she does — a clear, step-by-step framework that helps clients identify what they actually need in a partner, rebuild their confidence, and show up smarter in the modern dating world.

Bela works with singles in their 20s through 70s, across all backgrounds, orientations, and relationship histories — whether they've never dated seriously, are navigating life after divorce, or found themselves widowed and wondering if love is still possible. Her clients are typically busy professionals who are done spinning their wheels and ready for real results. Sessions are virtual, so clients never have to leave home.

Her approach blends practical dating strategy — profile writing, photo direction, red flag identification — with the emotional coaching needed to stay positive and accountable through what is genuinely a marathon, not a sprint. She's appeared on the Today Show, Good Morning America, Steve Harvey, CNN, Fox News, and more, and Steve Harvey famously called her the "Fairy Godmother of Love." Since founding SDA, not one of her married clients has divorced.