New Relationship App Founder asks 'Could You Handle Seeing Yourself as Others Really See You?'

New app TrueSelfIQ uses anonymous feedback from people who know you well to reveal the gap between how you see yourself—and how others experience you.

BRISTOL, AVON, UNITED KINGDOM, July 13, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Most of us believe we have a reasonably accurate understanding of who we are. Our friends often know us far better than we know ourselves—but may be too afraid to tell us what they really think for fear of damaging the relationship.

The way we believe we come across may not always be the way our friends, colleagues, family members—or potential partners—actually experience us. For example:

You think: “I’m outgoing and good at conversation.”

Others see: “You dominate conversations, talk mostly about yourself and don’t listen enough.”

You think: “I’m just being honest.”

Others see: “You can be blunt or insensitive.”

You think: “I’m confident and self-assured.”

Others see: “You can come across as intimidating or unapproachable.”

You think: “I like structure and planning.”

Others see: “You try to control everything—and always take over meetings.”

You think: “I have high standards.”

Others see: “You’re a gold-digger.”

You think: “I’m a 10.”

Others see: “We love you—but you’re actually about a 7.4.”

The new relationship intelligence app, TrueSelfIQ, has been created to reveal those differences—anonymously.

As the developer and former BBC reporter Roy Sheppard says “The perception gap can work in the opposite direction too. Someone who doubts their abilities may be seen by others as capable, dependable and resilient. Someone who lacks confidence may not realise how highly friends and colleagues value their kindness, loyalty or emotional support.

TrueSelfIQ is designed to reveal both underestimated strengths and potential blind spots.”

Why This Matters at Work
Qualifications and experience may help someone secure a job. But career progress often depends on qualities that are harder to measure.

Are you trusted? Do colleagues see you as dependable? Do people feel listened to and respected? How well do you respond to pressure, disagreement or criticism?

Many qualities that influence professional success are not visible on a CV. They are experienced through everyday interactions. By comparing self-perception with how others experience them, TrueSelfIQ may help users recognise strengths they could use with greater confidence—and identify small changes that could improve professional relationships and career prospects.

Why This Matters in Dating
Dating apps help people find potential partners. But finding someone is not the same as being ready to build a healthy relationship with them. Most dating profiles focus on appearance, interests, lifestyle—and what someone wants in a partner. Far fewer encourage users to ask:
What might it actually be like to be in a relationship with me?

Many people know what they want from a partner. They may have spent far less time considering what they consistently offer as one.

Qualities such as kindness, trust, emotional availability, reliability, empathy and communication are difficult to judge from photographs or a dating profile. Yet they can profoundly influence compatibility and long-term successful relationships.

TrueSelfIQ allows users to discover whether the qualities they believe they bring to relationships are also recognised by the people who know them best—and whether unnoticed patterns may be affecting their dating experiences.

The aim is not to judge whether someone is ‘good’ or ‘bad’ relationship material. It is to help users become more self-aware—and potentially become the kind of partner they themselves would hope to meet.

How It Works
Users complete a self-assessment covering personality, communication, emotional awareness and relationships. It takes approximately three to five minutes.

They then invite up to ten trusted friends, family members, colleagues or others who know them well to complete the same assessment based on how they experience the user.

Respondents do not need a TrueSelfIQ account. Their responses remain anonymous and are combined to reveal where self-perception matches—or differs from—the way others see them. Respondents may also leave anonymous written comments, providing insights that cannot always be captured through scores alone. Because anonymity can encourage greater honesty, users are advised to invite only people whose judgement they trust—and who genuinely want the best for them.

The advice is - avoid inviting casual acquaintances, difficult or highly competitive ’friends’—or “frenemies” - those who may be more interested in criticising than helping.

The purpose is not to ask: “Who said that about me?” It is to consider: “Is there something useful I can learn from this?”

TrueSelfIQ is available for iOS and Android and is currently free.
For more information, visit www.TrueSelfIQ.app.
ENDS

Potential Editorial Angles
TrueSelfIQ raises a number of timely—and potentially uncomfortable—questions:
Would your friends tell you what they really think if they could remain anonymous?
Are you really as self-aware as you think?
Could hidden blind spots be affecting your promotion prospects?
Are your dating standards realistic?
What are you actually like to be in a relationship with?
What if other people see more positive qualities in you than you see in yourself?
Other themes include why friends avoid giving honest feedback; whether anonymity encourages honesty; the effect of self-awareness on careers and relationships; and whether understanding how others experience us could help us find—and keep—a long-term partner.

Media enquiries
Roy Sheppard

Founder, TrueSelfIQ

Hello@TrueSelfIQ.app


A detailed interview answering more than 50 questions about the app is available at:
TrueSelfIQ.app/media

As a highly experienced former BBC radio and TV broadcaster - Roy is available for radio, TV and podcast interviews. Radio interview examples here: www.roysheppard.co.uk/media
More about Roy: linktree.com/roysheppard

Technical development by Matt Whitehead at www.Nova-Labs.co.uk, Liverpool, UK

Roy Sheppard
TrueSelfIQ.app
Hello@TrueSelfIQ.app
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