Connections that Count: Mastering Networking in Silicon Valley

By Amy Andersen, Founder and CEO of Linx Dating

Networking is one of the true cornerstones of living and thriving in Silicon Valley. When I initially started my business in 2003, I immediately placed myself in the middle of events that were high-value and target rich -- I wanted to mix and network with like-minded entrepreneurs. Early on, I found out about the first location based social network called “Meetro.”

The founders of Meetro would put on networking events in "real life.”  I started by attending their bowling nights in Palo Alto, which truly put me completely out of my comfort zone as I wore a pink bowling shirt, ugly bowling shoes, and played against different entrepreneurs. It was goofy, it was silly, and it was plain old cheap fun. I met some great folks and remember handing my business card to a lady named Jessica. I didn’t think much of that particular contact other, than that I was trying to be friendly, hand my card out, and meet lots of new people. 

A few weeks later, Jessica called me and shared details that she was a reporter with the San Francisco Chronicle and inquired in a very kind way if she would be able to do a story on my teeny tiny matchmaking biz. I was completely surprised that she even remembered me, let alone wanted to do a story on Linx Dating. Delighted, I agreed and was interviewed over the phone. It was going to be a story right in time for Valentine’s Day. The day before the story was supposed to come out, she asked if she could get some images of me and proceeded to send a San Francisco Chronicle photographer down to meet me. We snapped a bunch of photos. She later shared, “Amy, rumor is, I think you might get the front cover of the newspaper!”  

February 14, 2007, my story came out and basically occupied the ENTIRE front page of the prestigious San Francisco Chronicle. I literally could not believe my eyes! Link to story

My business changed overnight and has never ceased growing! As an entrepreneur, I will be forever grateful to Jessica for that tremendous opportunity.  Beyond the friendships I made, all of this created incredible business opportunities and great business contacts. I met a man named Baris Karadogan who guided and periodically mentored me in my little Palo Alto office. Professionally, he spent ten years as an Stanford educated engineer, ten years in VC, and as a CEO. Most recently, he is CEO of a tech platform called Jingle.

A quick plug about Jingle….If you ever need fresh foods, beverages, etc., download the Jingle app - Jingle is a super cool food and services delivery platform. In a nutshell, it’s a very cost-effective marketplace for fast, direct deliveries from mobile stores and services.  In fact, at my recent networking event “Mix n Mingle” in Menlo Park, we hired Jingle to provide all of the beverages for our guests and boy was it a hit!  One of his VC mentors provided him business advice years ago and it has always stuck with Baris as a solid mantra, "Everyday you spend in the office at lunch is a waste.” What’s this mean exactly? Get out of the office at lunch, go outside, learn from people. Networking is paramount to being successful and everyone should make it like a second habit. Great advice!

Baris attended my 20th anniversary party for Linx Dating and shared this beautiful tribute on his social media. I was so touched. Baris didn’t need to do this but he did. 

"Some friendships are special. I met Amy about 20 years ago at a VC bowling event and she told me she was thinking of starting a matchmaking business.  I listened, tried to help every now and then and Linx dating was born in a tiny office in Palo Alto. As her business grew, so did our friendship. We both had families - each had kids, and we shared birthday parties, trick or treat walks, and were always there for each other. No matter what life threw at us, we always could grab a coffee or a glass of wine, and tell each other our happy and sad stories.  Twenty years later, Linx is a big success and we have been friends for 20 years.  It’s been a real pleasure walking parallel to the path of Amy’s life. I am utterly grateful to call you a dear friend. Thank you and here’s to 20 more years.” 

I will end this with a favorite quote by Woody Allen that Baris lives by: “Ninety percent of success in life is just showing up.” This is so true. I showed up to the Meetro event and that greatly impacted my career in ways I never could have imagined, and the professional dividends are still paying out some 20 years later!  

No Detail Too Small: Digging Deep for the Perfect Match

By Amy Andersen, Founder and CEO of Linx Dating

The Linx Dating client experience goes far beyond merely signing up and looking through a set of headshots in a database. Our comprehensive matchmaking services include thorough screening, detailed vetting, and an in-depth understanding of each client's unique needs and preferences so that we can maximize the chance of success.

To start, Linx cherry picks the clients we feel we can really help, and weeks of work goes in behind-the-scenes to get to know the client on a much deeper level before any matchmaking even takes place. I think one of the things I love most about running Linx is this huge “discovery process” and the unexpected twists and turns that it can take. Many matchmakers stick to doing a Zoom session to onboard a new client. I not only typically do this early work in person, but further request that my client open his/her inner world to me (and often my team) to help give me critical insights, a backstory, and facts that I would never know if we were not to fully immerse. For example, I regularly visit a client’s home and workplace if welcomed and appropriate, favorite hangout spots, and even speak to their close circle of friends and community of supporters to glean a broader perspective as I collect data.

In fact, in the last 7 days, I have chatted for 3 hours in one of my new VIP client’s living room, with three of her best friends, enjoyed meals together with her, walked through her homes to garner more information, all with the intention to pick up on the nuances, the grey zones, and to see if I can come up with any epiphanies along the way. Moreover, as I have moved past the initial in-person, I have done multiple follow-up Zoom calls with additional close friends and colleagues of hers from around the world.

These deep dive immersions are spectacular. They are like a flower that begins to open up and bloom. The client feels excited when he/she sees my eyes light up and realizes that my team is getting multiple steps closer to isolating the “the type” of person he/she needs, and to also be mindful of what is NOT a fit.

At Linx, not only do we work on this “discovery” process which is light years ahead of the current standard in the matchmaking industry; we prep the client for the dating world via the right photography, wardrobe, and any other personal life management so that they feel beyond ready, on their game, and can step forward with 100% with a confident stride and major pep in their step.

All of these elements I have mentioned here also play the additional role of building further trust with the client. As I reflect back on many clients (VIP and other) over the years, although the initial connection was likely made when they began to “know of me” over the years by attending my events or reading about my business on the periphery, the growth of our working relationship accelerated once they were ready to become a client and we began spending considerable time together over meals, conversations, and getting more and more comfortable each time.

This is a huge investment of time, emotion, energy, and money for a prospective client and definitely not for everyone. It’s not like waving a wand, doing a quick Zoom, and boom, someone is a new client. As I hope you can now see, these relationships take time to nurture and require patience and commitment.

Then again, a potential client is looking to make some of the most important decisions in his/her life – whom to marry and potentially with whom to have children… and any process around those kinds of decisions should not be taken lightly.

While this matchmaking methodology is not for the faint of heart, for the handful of golden clients who decide that it is, we treasure, and take great care in guiding, them every step of the way until they reach the finish line.

Celebrating 20 Years Of Love and Matchmaking

By Amy Andersen, Founder and CEO of Linx Dating

I recently hosted an incredibly memorable event at the Rosewood Sand Hill Hotel memorializing over two decades of my running Linx Dating.

The Rosewood is particularly symbolic for me as I hosted one of the original private events at the hotel when it opened in 2009. Vanity Fair magazine got wind of the excitement of my Link & Drink and ended up doing a feature on love in Silicon Valley that became a global sensation.

Over 120 members of the Linx network helped me celebrate 20 incredible years of love and matchmaking in Silicon Valley and reminded me how beyond grateful and honored I am to wear the title of Cupid of Silicon Valley.

My small but mighty team Dani Geary and Caroline Novia stood by my side and, collectively, we made our guests feel warm, welcome, and appreciated for how wonderful they are! Our guests networked and made excellent professional connections and, as in true Link & Drink fashion, we witnessed some sparks potentially blossoming into love connections.

As my toast illuminated, it’s hard for me to articulate how deeply meaningful my business is to me. It has been the source of such deep satisfaction to me over the years. But far beyond me, I also wanted to make it clear how grateful I am for your supporting our local community and female run businesses.

Cheers to another 20 years of matchmaking and spreading more love in this world!

I’ve been deeply touched by all the praise and kind words shared after the event. It’s incredibly fulfilling to know that our efforts have resonated with so many and created truly memorable experiences.

"Thank you for hosting in such a beautiful setting, a true pleasure to attend and meeting so many interesting people as well. Wishing you a happy 20th celebration of Linx and with many more successful years to come!"

"Thank you for the invitation to your 20 year anniversary of Linx. You are an inspiration to women business owners and your care, attention, and sincerity are evident in all that you do. I had a lovely time. Thank you again for the invitation and I wish you, and your lovely team much success!” 

“To honor you as you have done so much for us. You are so special to me. A sister from another mister;) I love you and I celebrate all the magic you do in the world. Xoxox” 

"Thank you for hosting in such a beautiful setting, a true pleasure to attend and meeting so many interesting people as well. Wishing you a happy 20th celebration of Linx and with many more successful years to come!"

"Thank you so much for putting on and inviting me to the 20th year anniversary celebration of Linx.  The locale, mix of people, drinks/appetizers/desserts were all amazing.  You were receiving major kudos from everyone regarding your professionalism, kindness, responsiveness and making a difference in people's lives.  Here's to the next 20 years!  :-)"

"Amy - I am really looking forward to being there to celebrate a true success story of American Entrepreneurism! Cheers!!” 

“Dear Amy, Congrats to Linx’s 20th year anniversary! Your vision, hard work, and dedication has brought success and impacted so many lives for the better. We celebrate this milestone with you!” 

“Congrats on everything! Thank you for all you're done for love around the world!” 

“I am so proud of all your accomplishments and be the countless marriages and children that have some about from all you hard work and passion cultivating love in this world.”  

“Congratulations on 20 incredible years! Through your vision, passion, and extraordinary talent, Linx has become a trusted haven where people discover the beauty of deep, meaningful relationships.” 

“You should be very proud of building a maintaining a district, high-end luxury service brand with premium pricing as a TRUE entrepreneur! EXTREME congrats for 20 years!” 

"It was a terrific event and I had the opportunity to meet some interesting people! I also want to give you my congratulations (again) on achieving 20 years of success! I think Linx Dating must literally be a labor of love because in at least one way it is a terrible business proposition - if you do your job well, you will have zero repeat customers! Nevertheless, I saw that you have an enthusiastic fan club so you are clearly doing a lot of things right.” 

"Thanks again for including me in your 20th Anniversary event. It was so lovely interacting with the wonderful community you've created and hearing all the well-deserved accolades. (Talk about an Amy fan club!)  I look forward to seeing you again soon and wish you continued happiness and success ahead.  Sending kudos and big hugs!” 

"It was an absolute pleasure meeting you in person last week at your unforgettable event at the Rosewood Sand Hill Hotel. I am truly honored to have been part of such a special occasion, celebrating over two decades of Linx Dating's remarkable journey.” 

“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to connect with you, your wonderful team, and the extraordinary people you bring together. Your passion for fostering connections and love in Silicon Valley is truly inspiring, and I am so glad you enjoyed my card and gift. The warmth, energy, and genuine care that you, Dani, and Caroline extended to everyone was deeply felt.”

“Thank you for sharing the beautiful picture from the event—it captures the essence of the celebration and the incredible memories we created together. I’m so looking forward to seeing you again at next week’s event and continuing to support your mission of spreading love and connection.” 

In a delightful surprise that left guests buzzing, Monika Spruch of Catwalk Opera graced the stage with a breathtaking performance at our event. Her enchanting voice and stage presence truly made her one of the highlights of the evening!

20 Years of Linx

By Amy Andersen, Founder and CEO of Linx Dating

As we commemorate our 20th successful year in business at Linx Dating. This is a moment to reflect on the incredible journey that has established us as the pre-eminent matchmaker in our space. Over the past two decades, we have had the pleasure and privilege of bringing countless couples together, helping them find meaningful and lasting connections. Our commitment to personalized matchmaking and our deep understanding of human relationships have been the cornerstones of our success.

Linx Dating has always prided itself on blending the art of intuitive matchmaking with the more analytical science of behavioral compatibility. Our meticulous approach involves understanding the unique needs, desires, and values of each individual. Through our bespoke service, we have created an environment where relationships can flourish, and our success stories are a testament to this dedication. From the first consultation “meet and greet”, to the moment our clients find their perfect match, we are with them every step of the way, offering support, guidance, and white glove service. 

As Founder and CEO, I reflect with immense pride on the very early days of having started my business. It all began by reaching out to a few contacts whom I knew aligned with the core Linx brand – dynamic, successful, highly educated, motivated, Bay Area based, and marriage-minded. A matchmaker has nothing to go on without a deep and powerful network. 

These keystone contacts opened up their respective rolodexes by offering me powerful connections to their like-minded single colleagues and friends. Slowly, I began taking all of these new contacts onboard, for free, so I could build a network, try to validate what I was attempting to do (play matchmaker to Silicon Valley’s elite), and build brand awareness and maintain a strong reputation. That was no small feat…those first five years set the entire blueprint for Linx Dating’s DNA. Eventually, prospects offered to compensate me for introductions, so as to get more attention and faster results, and the real business was born.

In the early days, the business was primarily an “offline” business, and all prospects ended up in my files, paying for memberships to be matched to each other. Remarkably, I was working off of index note cards and paper files (truly!) until my advisors finally insisted that I invest in building a database, which I did! 😊 

When the business was about 10 years old, I took a serious look at our trajectory. Though we had been responsible for hundreds of exclusive relationships and dozens of engagements and marriages, we realized we could be better in two key ways and have worked to capitalize accordingly:

1. BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF OUR CLIENTS

The market was telling me that there were really two basic types of clients… one group was very “active,” looking for guaranteed numbers of matches over a set time period and willing to pay accordingly. The other group was more “passive,” not looking to pay for matchmaking services, but willing to accept no guarantees and instead be ready and willing to be matched if they were a fit to be matched to one of my active clients.  

Furthermore, within the realm of active clients, the VIP Membership category was born. For 5-10 of these members per year, Linx began to take on a role similar to a corporate executive recruiter, searching outside its own database to recruit prospects. In fact, now, our primary focus is representing a small elite group of ultra-successful individuals who desire a completely heightened approach to changing the course of their personal lives.

2. BETTER USE OF TECHNOLOGY

Though Linx had been tapping its vast, highly coveted network to search for matches within a database, Linx has recently led the matchmaking industry’s charge into technology via the AI capabilities it has built into the matchmaking process, allowing quick and efficient access to the right prospects buried in its robust database and also to better recruit outside the existing network for new prospects.  

As an example of the latter, Linx has taken a very intentional, unique, and organic approach to social media and use of its website “real estate” by filming fun skits to provide tactical dating tips and approaches for our followers and featuring our VIP member profiles in various pages, spotlights and campaigns to highlight who they are and what they seek in a perfect match.

As a result of these growth initiatives, my business has grown from a small shop out of Silicon Valley to a global brand representing some of the world’s most desirable single men and women, and that has been featured in some of the world’s top media print, video, and audio outlets. I still do not advertise, nor have I relied on that as a way to grow my brand.  

With all of that said, in an industry that has seen rapid changes, Linx has remained steadfast in its mission to create authentic and meaningful connections. While apps and algorithms may facilitate meetings and drive growth, we believe that the human touch is irreplaceable when it comes to true matchmaking. 

The Power of a Strong Network

By Amy Andersen, Founder and CEO of Linx Dating


“Your network is your net worth.” – Porter Gale, author and former VP of Marketing at Virgin America

In the professional world, we often talk about the importance of building a strong network for career growth, new opportunities, and personal development. But, sometimes, the connections we make can lead to something even more extraordinary—finding a life partner.

I recently witnessed a beautiful example of this when two incredible individuals, each with their own goals and dreams, crossed paths through my network.

Several years ago, my friend and fellow matchmaker, Shannon Lundgren of Shannon’s Circle reached out to me, wondering if I had any potential matches for her client Douglas and went on to share his ideal match criteria with me.  

Remarkably, a name popped into my head - Peggy - someone whom I had screened as a prospect many years before, who had really made a lasting impression on me.  I remember sitting on the couch with her, feeling her grace, huge heart, gentle spirit and kindness.  I didn’t even need to do a database search because I knew instantly that she would be the one.

Sure enough, I contacted her, found out she was still single, and we proceeded to make the introduction.

What started as a simple connection, for this extraordinary couple, quickly blossomed into something deeper, and today, they stand side by side as partners in life, having tied the

knot here in the Bay Area this last weekend.

This story is a powerful reminder that our networks are more than just career tools; they are communities of people who can bring unexpected joy and fulfillment into our lives.

I will never forget when Peggy brought me a dancing stuffed birthday bear toy for my newborn baby boy all those years ago, soon after I had given birth. It was a token of her appreciation and cemented a lasting, positive impression.

As the great Maya Angelou once said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

So, to everyone out there building connections, remember—your network might just help you find more than a new job or opportunity. It might help you find the person who will walk beside you on life’s journey. 💍❤️