Post thoughts Link & Drink

We’re still sort of recovering from our very successful Link & Drink on the 17th. We had more than 400 guests and the event, and people seemed to linger for hours, making new personal and professional connections right and left! I’ll admit that in comparison to past Link & Drinks that there were a LOT of women present, but we worked so very hard to keep the numbers balanced and expressed time and time again that this was not a singles event; it was about professional networking. That said, a few guests (all women) probably did not read the marketing messages about Drinks on the Linx, and still expected a singles event. A couple of these ladies even chastised me for the gender imbalance in front of other guests, which made an otherwise great night somewhat uncomfortable for me. I recommend that anyone with that attitude or bitterness not attend future Linx events; they make it hard for me to want to host any events at all in the future, and take the fun out of it for everyone.

That said, Coupa Cafe did a wonderful job helping execute such a phenomenally run mixer, and the venue was absolutely gorgeous. You know we’re not in the habit of objectifying men around here, but so many of the guys (of all ages) were handsome, successful, and charming. And the women were absolutely beautiful! It’s no surprise at all that we’ve already heard from plenty of guests who made great connections, and some of them have even been on fantastic dates! Furthermore, we’ve heard from quite a few of you who have preliminary job interviews lined up which is exciting to hear.

What friends of Link & Drink are saying about our mixer….

“I had such a fantastic time at “Link & Drink,” Linx’s Dating networking event at Stanford’s Golf Course. Amy Andersen, Linx’s founder, chose a wonderful venue and invited really interesting and fun guests to participate in one of the best match-making events that I have been. I truly enjoyed speaking with guests with a great variety of backgrounds, and felt at ease mingling with them. All different ages were represented and at some point I forgot that I was indeed in a match making event… it simply felt like a great cocktail party!” – female 38 years old in security software

“Hi Amy, it was good to see you again & also truly enjoy a good mixer. Thank you for inviting, it got me out & dressed up 🙂 “– female 33 years old in tech

“Amy, your events never cease to amaze me. This is my third Link & Drink and I always have a good time. I met a handful of contacts who are great business connections and ended up bumping into an old colleague as well which was fun to see him after all these years. Thank you again.” – female 35 in finance

“Thank you for a gorgeous venue at the golf course. I’ve never been there and appreciate you always finding ‘hidden gems’ to host your parties at. I found the people friendly and the evening very valuable as I am currently searching for a new job. I exchanged biz cards with some good contacts and one has already netted in an in-person interview…so thank you!”– female 41 in marketing

“Amy….Just wanted to take a moment and drop you a quick note to commend you on such a phenomenal event last night. Being my first Linx event, I was quite impressed and completely immersed myself in the energetic experience. I really enjoyed connecting with the other guests on both a professional and personal level. To say that I had great time would be a severe understatement. Although we only chatted briefly at the end of the evening, it was a pleasure meeting you. I hope to stay in touch and connect with you in the near future. Thanks for making Drinks on the Linx so worthwhile.” male early 30’s, executive in technology

“Amy, I just wanted to thank and express my appreciation for an event which was well worth the money and time.”– male 40’s in tech

“Amy, thank you for the party , it was awesome I met two nice ladies and maybe something will come out of that ! The ratio was by far slighted for the men OMG !!!! It is usually not that way so I thank you. Usually it is other way around so that was great . It just goes to show you so many people Are seeking love and companionship and cannot find it !!!” – male 60 years old in commercial real estate

“What a nice event last night Amy, thanks! A lot of attractive women there, I talked to a couple but I’m pretty shy in that kind of environment – I didn’t know anyone else there. Next time, I’m definitely going to find another guy to go with, great opportunity to meet. Thanks again for a great event.” – male early 50’s attorney

Are You Open to the Possibility of Real Love?

Blog written by: Linx staff member, Michael Norman

If you’re a Linx member, you know that finding true love can be difficult under any circumstance, and especially challenging when trying to navigate work schedules, family obligations, travel commitments, and, of course, personal preferences. At Linx, we always encourage seeing someone at least two times if you feel even a hint of a spark, and to be as open as possible when thinking about the details of what you expect your match to be/do/look like.

While it’s true that our physical type is often something we cannot control (or even influence) it’s also equally true that you can be surprised — and extremely satisfied — by a relationship with someone who doesn’t look like every one of your exes. (Those relationships didn’t work out for a reason, you know.)

Make sure you know the difference between what you need and what you want; you may want tall, dark, and handsome, but do you need all three? You may like natural blondes with small waists and high arches, but is the character of a woman ever really linked to the size of her waist or the shape of her feet?

In my circle of friends, many of the deepest and most fulfilling relationships actually started with a connection that was barely on the warm side of ambivalence. And believe it or not, that can be a good thing. When someone doesn’t fit your preconceived notion of what makes an ideal mate, it’s easier to relax, throw out your expectations and projections, and get to know them. You can find yourself drawn to their inner qualities instead of being mesmerized by their outer attributes. You give them a chance without realizing it, and you can find yourself comfortable and and connected in a way you couldn’t anticipate.

At Linx, we do out best to bring you a match who is ideal on all fronts. But occasionally, we ask that members stretch themselves, and be open to someone younger or older, darker or lighter, shorter or taller than they requested. We do that because we know our members very well, and we often see opportunities where two people make sense together, even if it’s unlikely to be a case of love at first sight.

We also ask people to be open because it’s practical. We have thousands of people in our database of all shapes and colors and sizes, but we don’t always have the match you want in the package you expect. The more narrow you are about your physical type and restrictions, the harder it is to meet someone — and that’s true whether you’re a client of Linx, or not.

Here is a video that breaks down the odds of love for one single 25-year-old woman in New York City. The numbers might surprise you, and when you watch, keep in mind that hair color, eye color, height, body type, shoe size, graduate degrees, minimum salaries, past relationships, and favorite sports team are NOT part of this equation. 😉 We don’t know the odds for the Bay Area, but maybe a quant-minded Linx member would like to provide the answer for us?

Are you really open to the possibility of true love? Or are focusing on a lot of tiny details that stand in the way of having your emotional needs met?

Ladies Night in Palo Alto | Pampering & Bubbly

On Thursday of this week, Linx co-hosted a fabulous evening at Drybar in Palo Alto. Around 40 friends of Linx received complimentary blowouts, endless glasses of bubbly, mini cupcakes, and lots of mingling with a fun group of professional ladies from all around the Peninsula.

For those who are unfamiliar with Drybar….it is a “blow dry bar” concept created around a very simple idea: No cuts. No color. Just blowouts for only $35.00. The perfect place to go pre-Linx date to get all glam- feeling feminine and gorgeous…and oh so date ready!

Upon arrival, guests at the Linx event (and in general) are greeted with a glass of wine or bubbly and an hour of pampering follows. There are set hair styles to choose from such as the “Mai Tai” or “Cosmo.” We had a great time and everyone loved getting so spoiled by the fabulous stylists.

The salon is super chic, modern, clean, and high-tech. Flat screens show girlie films (Mean Girls was playing in the background when I was getting my hair done), docking stations are at each chair should you need to charge your ipod or phone (gotta love that!), and the decor is in a soft calming palate of whites, yellows, and accents of black.

Lots of ladies from our party headed to the infamous Rosewood Sand Hill Hotel in Menlo Park afterwards for some testosterone action and surveying the wild Thursday night scene there (side note ever since Vanity Fair’s story on Linx was published the scene at the hotel is even more crazy and happening!) All in all a great night!