A One-on-One With Linx Dating Founder Amy Andersen — Just How She Became “Silicon Valley’s Cupid”

The brief type: whether or not they’re generating the most recent release of an already-cool product or discovering the following big part of technology, singles in Silicon Valley often leads hectic schedules — which means that matchmaking often gets placed on the backburner. Since 2003, Linx Dating and its own creator Amy Andersen are dealing with the requirements of these busy, relationship-minded professionals with a curated, tailored, and intuition-based matchmaking program.

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From Bing to Apple to Lyft to Github, Silicon Valley is recognized for the juggernaut tech companies and revolutionary start-ups, to such an extent that there is actually a favorite TV show known as after it. Silicon Valley normally noted for the enthusiastic, hardworking, innovative, and committed people that work at these lenders — all of which gives really to an effective profession not always an effective relationship life.

“A lot of these folks are thus concentrated making use of their jobs that certain time they get up and think ‘Oh my personal gosh, I need to find my personal match. How can I start carrying out that?'” said neighborhood matchmaker Amy Andersen. Linx Dating is actually the way they start doing that.

Established by Amy in 2003, Linx, for quick, is a curated matchmaking solution for the people hectic, high-profile solitary experts in Silicon Valley and surrounding Bay Area (as well as worldwide) withn’t had the oppertunity to find the union they demand. Nowadays, the company is recognized as “Silicon Valley’s Matchmaker” and Amy its “Cupid.”

Amy lately told all of us regarding the “aha second” that started all of it, their client-to-client vetting procedure, the algorithm-less, intuition-based matchmaking, together with individual relationships she creates together with the individuals she helps.

Bridging the Gap Between solitary Men in Silicon Valley & solitary feamales in San Francisco

The determination for Linx came in 2000 while Amy had been in exclusive customer services at a tech company in san francisco bay area but staying in Silicon Valley. Whether it is at work, through pals, or simply just out, Amy frequently found men and women who had been knowledgeable, winning, appealing, and well-rounded, but they had been unmarried and did not understand exactly why.

Once you understand both places well, Amy pinpointed the challenge: there are a lot more offered men in Silicon Valley than San Fran plus available feamales in San Fran than Silicon Valley. With their family members, pals, and jobs in their own particular metropolitan areas, deciding to make the 50-minute vehicle visit to meet special someone was not the leader in their particular minds, Amy revealed.

“which was my ‘aha minute’ in which I imagined ‘What if we had been to connect this space and create these options for these fantastic feamales in bay area that fantastic men in Silicon Valley?'” she stated.

Amy after that spent the following three years undertaking as much research as she could, using her business-oriented head to obtain a better concept of the business and demand for this particular matchmaking company. In 2003, once she had all the woman ducks in a row, she give up their work at Merrill Lynch, launched the organization, and do not looked back.

“Starting Linx has become one of the better decisions of my entire life,” she said. “assisting these introductions and serving as a conduit between both of these demographics has proven to your workplace effectively over the last 12+ many years that i have been achieving this.”

From the Application to the marriage, Amy will there be Every Step

Amy takes a tremendously hands-on method together consumers from beginning to stop, getting to know every person separately, making use of their own certain wishes and requires throughout matchmaking, and offering her qualified advice all in the process.

A One-on-One, complete Vetting Process Ensures High-Caliber Clientele

At Linx, every thing begins with the quality of the customers. While various other matchmaking providers might take anyone who applies, Linx has actually a substantial referral-based vetting program that makes their particular customers stand out from the others. Every aspiring user must certanly be advised by an old or current user, a friend or get in touch with of Amy’s, and/or love.

Amy obtains dozens of recommendations everyday and screens each applicant by herself. And whether or not they’re 22 or 72, Asian or Latino, solicitors or artisans, Amy is looking for people who find themselves intelligent, healthy, relationship-minded, accomplished, committed, and leading interesting everyday lives in general.

“provided a person is actually passionate about their particular job, that’s what I’m selecting. Beyond that, i am seeking folks who are well-rounded. Should it be volunteering or cooking or whatever really, i simply need to see they’ve a colorful, fascinating existence,” she stated. “When someone says in my experience ‘All i actually do is work’, I’m most likely not gonna wish to use them. Not merely would they not have stability within lives, but to me that is also indicative which they do not have time for a relationship.”

Following the first evaluating, Amy sets up an one-on-one meet-and-greet, which she mentioned is a vital section of getting a client. That is where Amy extends to know the individual, listen to their personal story, and find out what they’re looking for in somebody (and whatever they’re maybe not in search of).

Most importantly, Amy is identifying if the woman company could be the correct fit for both sides. Whether somebody isn’t 100percent over their particular ex or are in an arduous stage of their existence, her impulse can tell if the timing is down.

“The meet-and-greet is a vital program for my self but more so for that prospect to obtain an excellent read of just what Linx is focused on,” she said. “men and women get the answers that they are looking from meet-and-greet, and that’s vital because anybody just who decreases that street in order to become a client, I want to verify they think willing to accept this procedure.”

In the event that meet-and-greet goes well, they will return for a follow-up interview with Amy before selecting the membership that’s ideal for them and obtaining began in the matchmaking. Even though it appears as though a long process, Amy stated it is required because she wants every member become pleased with Linx and the other way around.

Matchmaking That Combines the customer’s hopes & Amy’s Intuition

Besides screening every candidate cougar, Amy is the only individual at Linx who the matchmaking, outsourcing the woman concierge solutions to authorities like pro clothes stylists, beauty products performers, and psychologists.

“this might be a rather tiny, boutique, niche matchmaking organization versus a lot of providers which have big employees and limbs worldwide etc, so Linx is ultra customized in that respect,” she stated.

The woman unique matchmaking program combines the granular metrics of what the individual wishes in a romantic date (their particular recommended height, age, earnings, etc. as well as their deal-breakers) and Amy’s normal skill and intuition for knowing when two different people belong collectively.

“nowadays, when it comes to once I build a match, about 75% if it is produced by instinct, that instinct that states ‘Oh my personal goodness, I think i would be on to one thing here,'” Amy said.

Centered on those elements, Amy will likely then take-over, scouring her database of qualified singles until she discovers the right match for each client.

On line Pre-Introductions Get Singles worked up about Their Match

Once Amy has actually the woman ideal pairing, she will email both folks a “baby bio” of each additional, going for a snapshot on the other peoples individuality, passions, look, and receiving all of them worked up about how great they would end up being together.

“Needs my consumers on edge of their own seats, jaws into the ground, like ‘OMG this individual appears phenomenal,'” she stated.

They will subsequently get to ask Amy questions relating to their match and take the time they want to choose for by themselves should they think it really is correct. During this time period, Amy in addition ensures the customers don’t know one another, whether through work or social circles if not earlier internet dating activities, so all of us have a clean record.

“I have found there can be cross-pollination with my clients in which they’ve somehow have actually met. I would like to avoid a scenario where they’ve currently met or they have glanced at every other’s online pages and there was actually a reason they thought we would leave that possibility,” she mentioned.

The time from Amy’s first email toward pair agreeing meet up with usually takes 72 hours, and also at the period Amy will be sending all of them a one-page, custom bio with more delicious details, such as their own basic names. Amy mentioned she excludes finally names through to the first go out to allow them to stay away from Googling both, entering their heads, and destroying the magic.

Along with Amy becoming old-school, she requires the guy to call the lady (no texting or emailing!) within 5 times to setup an excellent day in which he addresses their.

Going Beyond a Matchmaker becoming a Liaison, Confidant, Friend & Adviser

When Amy makes a match, she doesn’t merely deliver them down in the basic big date with a “best of luck!” She provides pre-date training that puts her consumers at ease and will teach all of them how-to slow their fast-paced schedules down (at the very least for starters evening) She said this can be especially important in Silicon Valley, in which everybody is actually functioning 24/7 and constantly have so many views running right through their unique thoughts.

“I want you to disregard everything close to you, all of the interruptions in life,” Amy mentioned. “i would like you to definitely carefully prepare for the big date since these suits actually count. Lots is operating on it emotionally and financially, so I desire men and women to look closely at those vital details please remember essential those basic thoughts are.”

“Amy has surpassed every expectation and that I would suggest Linx. I have as satisfied a good guy which I would personally not have satisfied if not. We’re taking things slow and watching exactly what the future retains.” — A Linx Member

And because every user signs a two-year contract (which are frozen at any time as long as they satisfy that special someone), Amy turns out to be just like spent because they are within this trip and is in a position to create an union beyond a professional one. She even obtains invitations and photos of babies who’ve been produced from past people.

“that is mainly why I do this — it is rather gratifying,” she said. “much beyond my task to be a matchmaker, I’m a liaison, confidant, friend, and adviser.”

Final Thoughts

Thanks to Amy’s devotion, resourcefulness, and fascination with the woman clients, Linx is taking care of an under-served singles industry into the online dating business, and she is recently scraped the surface about what she can give the Silicon Valley location in addition to world. We’re certainly anticipating exactly what comes further.

“I’ve worked very hard to build an excellent reputation in this area, but i’m like You will find a lot more unearthing to do to get even more varied and fascinating clients exactly who I’m able to help,” she said.

For women who would like to join Linx Dating, click on this link. For males interested in registering, click here. You can even follow Linx and Amy on Twitter: @linxdating.