EP 17: Single & Searching: Why are so many of us single?

“We’re all successful, emotionally intelligent and still single. Why?”

In this powerful roundtable episode of The Vanessa Podcast, host Vanessa Sanyauke sits down with three incredible guests; Alicia Richardson, Gus Nyberg, and Gavin Thomas to unpack the truth about modern dating, loneliness, and love in 2025.

From male loneliness and toxic online culture to the rise of hyper-independence among women and the data behind why nearly half of Black women have never been married, this conversation pulls no punches.

Honest, funny, and painfully relatable; this is one of the realest discussions you’ll hear this year.

Together, they explore:

💬 Why so many millennial men and women are single despite wanting love

📊 Data showing 49% of Black women in the U.S. and 44% of Black British Women have never married

🧠 The “boyfriend embarrassment” era: are women de-centring men for good?

💔 How red-pill and incel culture are shaping male behaviour and 1 in 4 young men report feeling lonely

💸 Whether women really value effort over income (new Hinge data)

💞 How to date intentionally without losing yourself

If you’ve ever wondered why connection feels harder than ever; this episode will make you think, laugh, and maybe heal a little too.

🎙 Guests:Alicia Richardson: CEO & Founder of Create Connect and Black Create Connect

Gus Nyberg: Transformational Speaker and Theologian

Gavin Thomas: Lecturer in Psychology, CBT Therapist & Counsellor

Let us know what you think about the topics in this episode by commenting, sharing and leaving us a 5 star review so more people can find our community!

📲 Follow The Vanessa Podcast:

Instagram: @thevanessapodcast @vanessasanyauke

TikTok: @vanessasanyauke

LinkedIn: Vanessa Chiedza Sanyauke

Follow our guests: Alicia: @aliciatoyaldn @createconect ⁨@blackcreateconnect⁩

Gus: @gus.nyberg