When you sit down to try to figure out how you’re related to your DNA match or write that first note to them, you end up feeling like:

• You want to but every time you log in and look at your enormous DNA match list, you get overwhelmed and have no idea of the next best step to even take.
• It’s so much work to try to figure out how you’re related to your DNA match all on my own without any kind of co-operation from your DNA match. Isn’t this process supposed to be collaborative?
• You tried to figure out how you’re related to your DNA match, but you still have no clue how you’re related to them. You don’t even know which side of your tree you connect on.
• What do you say? That cursor keeps blinking at you!
• Why should you bother reaching out? You’ll probably be brushed off again! You rarely get responses from my DNA matches. Crickets! Why don’t they reach out to you. Why are you always the one to make the effort?

But, this is what really keeps you up at night…

Really, it’s beyond frustrating. It’s been one hurdle after another and you’re not sure how to move things along.

You’re smart. You’re resourceful. You’ve “Googled” and “YouTubed” but that only caused greater confusion. What a time suck!

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Golden opportunities like…

• What if a DNA match on that list of yours could solve your family mystery?
• What if you made your mom’s heart burst with joy by reuniting her with a DNA match where they both exchanged family stories, photos and information?

You haven’t been able to do that.

• You find your dad’s first cousin through his daughter and he reveals stories about your dad you’ve never heard of before and offers up clues about your mysterious 2x great grandfather.
• You meet up with a second cousin for lunch, like my student Valentina.
• You and your second cousin arrange a zoom meeting reuniting both of your mom’s who haven’t seen each other in over 50 years!
• You get a copy of the earliest known photo of your dad that you have never seen before from a second cousin you connected with 2 days ago.
• You’re newly discovered first cousin once removed is relieved to pass on a family heirloom onto you, as her 2 sons have no interest and she knows you’ll be the perfect caregiver for it.
• You post on Facebook you’re stuck at the Boston airport for the night due to weather and 7 cousins you connected with over the past 6 years who live in the area offer to come pick you up and stay with them.
• Your third cousin introduces you the living descendants of a missing branch that you’ve been looking for.
• Your fourth cousin DNA match shares documents on your common ancestral couple, a set of 3x great grandparents. You’ve been looking for 8 years for information on them all those years and had come come with nothing. You now know where they came from and extended that branch of your tree as your match gave you access to his private tree.

BRIDGE

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I help emerging DNA connectors understand their ancestral DNA test results and develop a DNA testing plan and so they can get on the fast tracked path to learning more about their ancestors and reuniting with long-lost living relatives.

I’ve mentored thousands of test takers by positioning them to interpret their own test results and designing a customized DNA testing plan. I do that by:

• getting them to build a rock solid foundation of ancestral DNA testing knowledge + encouraging them to apply their newfound knowledge
• identifying their gaps and developing a step-by-step action plan
• sharing stories (personal and client) to inspire, lift and provoke action taking

These clients come from all around the world – from across the Unites States to Canada, to Brazil, to Portugal and many European countries. No matter where they are from, they have two things in common: curiosity and a deep desire to re-connect their family (past and present).

In the process of working with literally thousands of test takers who tested for a variety of reasons, I’ve learned a thing or two (more like a zillion! ROFL) about what keeps emerging DNA connectors stuck when trying to figure out how they’re related to their DNA matches.

Often, it’s confidence. Attempting to figure out how you’re related to those genetically-related-strangers on your enormous DNA match listing

Xxxxx can feel so daunting when you’re not used to writing for a living. Another big hurdle is time management. I literally had a client tell me it was taking her 6-8 hours to write ONE email! Of course she felt exhausted! xxxxxx

Without a step-by-step action plan to follow and an expert guide to keep them on track, people procrastinate on figuring out how they’re related to their DNA matches, which means they miss out on golden opportunities to connect with key DNA matches

Xxxxx program doesn’t sell, no one gets the help they need, and that business owner keeps DREAMING of influence instead of actually MAKING an impact. xxxxx

Xxxxx And if you’re thinking you’ve got a “fix” for that procrastination because you’ll simply hire someone to write your page for you, please hear this:  it really doesn’t make sense to hire a 1:1 copywriter until your program is PROVEN and your sales process is dialed in. There’s so much testing in the beginning that you need to know and understand that basics of your messaging LONG before outsourcing to a copywriter. xxxxx

Acquiring the skill of figuring out how you’re related to your DNA match will unlock new worlds of possibility in your own ancestral journey.

xxxxx For me, mastering this skill let me leave my civil litigation practice to build my own multi-six-figure online business (I was able to cross the six-figure mark in my business while I was still practicing law full-time). It’s created more time and more freedom for me to focus on what matters most to me in life: my amazing clients, my family, and new friends I now have all over the world as I’ve finally got the freedom to travel! xxxxx

I know how overwhelming it is to look at a list of thousands of DNA matches and have no idea how you’re related to any of them, who to focus on and foggy on the next best step.

When I got my DNA test results back, 6 years ago, my top 4 DNA matches were my parents and 2 women (a mom and her daughter) who lived in New Jersey.

At the time, the advice I got was to start and the very top of my DNA match list and compare trees. That was it!

I was naive back then and didn’t fully realize it was challenging to work with “distant” DNA matches. I didn’t even know they fell into that category. And looking back I’m glad I didn’t, as I may have psyched myself out.

My eagerness and determination knew no better! So, off I went.

I communicated with DNA match number 4 on my list, Marie (the daughter of my DNA match number 3) who was willing to collaborate. She shared her tree with me and within 24 hours I determined we were fourth cousins once removed (her mom and I share a set of 3x great grandparents). Boom! I birthed my first ever confirmed/verified DNA match.

Marie and I have met many times throughout the world (São Miguel/Azores/Portugal, New York and Toronto) and remain in touch to this day.

What a great first experience!

Shortly afterwards, I was only able to confirm a bunch of fifth and sixth cousins. No, that’s not a typo! That’s 6-7 generations back in time! On the very edge of what’s possible with an at-DNA test. Talk about starting off the hard way.

Thereafter, I struggled to make any further progress with my DNA matches because:

• I had no close DNA matches
• few of my DNA matches had trees to compare against
• some of my DNA matches had incomplete trees
• I got few responses to my reach outs (the sound of crickets was deafening)

It was deflating!

I even had moments where I felt rejected. Yes, rejected by the very people who were supposed to be my family! Ouch.

While all of that was going on, or not, I started to help others. Gosh, some of them had it soooooo easy and didn’t know it! They had close DNA matches, responsive matches who were willing to collaborate and some had great trees to tap into.

INTERESTINGLY, it was from helping others where I observed their patterns and sticky spots. I’m a Mathematician (yes, I have a Mathematics degree from the University of Waterloo) so noticing patterns and applying logic comes easy to me. Combine that with the love of helping (enneagram type 2, “the helper”) emerging DNA connections and getting them real results drove me. It all happened organically and naturally.

About a year later, I got a new top DNA match, Anita, a third cousin once removed (her mom and I share a set of 2x great grandparents) from Montreal. DNA-wise she was “closer” than Marie, my first. And you are never going to believe who unknowingly inspired Anita to do a DNA test? She read an article I wrote and decided to do a DNA test. What were the chances of that happening?

Anyhow, we’ve met 3 times (twice in my hometown of Toronto and once for a family reunion in Montreal) and on our first meeting Anita shared a picture of my great grandmother’s brother I’ve never seen. I have no pictures of my 8 great grandparents and so to have one of my great grandmother’s brother was wonderful to me.

And it got even better!

I shared that picture with my mom and explained it was her grandmothers brother and the story of how I got a hold it. My mom grew up with her grandmother and begins to tell some story then a tear begins to stream down her face as she says…”OMG, he looks like my grandma. I’ve never seen this. How did you get a hold of this picture again?” Now there’s a frog in my throat and tears welled up in my eyes from the pure joy of giving her such joy. It is moments like that, that make all the hard work TOTALLY worth it.

A year goes by and my first ever second cousin DNA match pops up on my DNA match listing. Score! Some guy named Fernando from New Jersey. My very top DNA match (outside of my parents)! Closer than Anita. How exciting! This is going to be easy-breezy.

But, then, he ignores me for 6 months!

Thankfully, I didn’t give up on him and followed up. He finally responded and we confirmed our relationship. Turns out his mom (Eduarda) and my mom are first cousins! They only met a few times as little girls and never saw each other again.

Eventually, I had the pleasure of meeting him and his mom. Chills went up my spine when I saw my first cousin once removed, Eduarda. She looks so much like my mom!

Ten months later, Fernando came to Toronto for a funeral. We were able to squeeze in a visit and made arrangements for him to meet my mom. It was going to be my mom’s first ever cousin reunion as a result of DNA.

What an incredible experience! To simply sit there and watch them share stories was heart warming. It was hilarious when he said…”I’m the first lawyer and judge in the family.” An my mom promptly said…”nope, my uncle, who is your mom’s uncle too, was!” And then, in typical Portuguese mother fashion she tells him to eat.

He sucks at staying in touch, but we still adore him and he will always be welcome in our home.

What a journey!

I had NO help when I started and figured things out all on my own. The hard way. The time consuming way.

Oh how the me 6 years ago wished I had an e-course like this. It would have saved me so much precious time and energy. It would have been a smoother journey. Less lonely. Perhaps I even missed out on some once in a life time golden opportunities. I’ll never know.

But, I have no regrets. All those struggles have transformed into serving you today. I get the struggles that you may now be experiencing, I really do. If I haven’t been in your exact shoes myself, I’ve probably helped many who have been in your shoes.

Look, I’ve seen it all and know where most people tend to get stuck.

Let me help you.

It’s time for you to make meaningful connections with your DNA matches.

Sincerely,

Manita