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The Power of Networking - Lucy Lin
Lucy Lin is an Entrepreneur In Residence at Western Sydney University, the founder of marketing consultancy Forestlyn and host of the Emerging Tech Unpacked podcast.
The networking dynamo shares her advice on building professional relationships, overcoming jitters and why an old-fashioned business card might just be a female founder’s secret weapon in 2025.
Lucy Lin
Lucy Lin is the founder of Forestlyn, a dynamic leader in technology, diversity, and career development, with over 20 years of experience spanning corporations, academia, and startups. As the Diversity Entrepreneur in Residence at Western Sydney University and NSW Vice Chair of the Australian Computer Society (ACS), she is committed to fostering innovation and inclusivity within the tech industry. Lucy also hosts the Emerging Tech Unpacked podcast, highlighting the achievements of women in STEM leadership.
The importance of networking & stepping out of your comfort zone
“I think people underestimate the power of relationships. A lot of people do business with people that they know, and that’s why networking is essential. People generally like to work with people that they like. Networking events are a great place to start
Going to networking events are not just an opportunity to learn from people who have built a business. They can also pay unexpected dividends.
I met someone in Melbourne recently at an event when we were getting cups of tea in the break. We started talking about the session, and it turned out that we are both building online courses. We had a coffee the next day, and now we are accountability buddies.
These are settings where everyone’s aspiring to be an entrepreneur or start a side hustle, a small business. And potentially, you might find someone you want to collaborate, partner or work with. And that’s the power of networking.”
“I’m a Diversity Entrepreneur In Residence at Western Sydney University, and many students say: ‘I’m scared of going to a networking event, I don’t know anyone’. But my advice would be to just do it.
I always like to set a goal, such as meeting three new people. If you’re starting out, maybe your goal is chat with one person. They could be next to you at the food table or sitting next to you. It’s not hard to say hello to the person next to you and introduce yourself.
But even if you don’t meet anyone, you are absorbing information and taking incremental steps to get out of your comfort zone.”
Finesse your elevator pitch & do your research
“When meeting someone for the first time, the first few seconds are really important. First impressions matter. It’s your smile, it’s your positive body language, and a good elevator pitch that is fairly refined. Practice it and try and get it down to 30 seconds or less, and make sure it includes something interesting. I usually try and stick it to three main items that I want other people to know about me. And tailoring your messages according to who you are speaking to is crucial too.”
“Founders need to start building good relationships with strategic people such as investors, and it’s important to do your research.
If there’s someone that I strategically would like to develop as a contact, I try to be where they are. If they are speaking at an event, I would try and meet them afterwards. Make sure you’ve done your homework when you approach them. Once you start to know them, then you should follow up to keep the relationship going.
Don’t hound them like a salesperson. Be genuine and respect boundaries and time. Being genuine in your interactions and showing interest in others’ experiences and perspectives will make the other people feel supported and help strengthen the relationship. Authenticity will win out every time, and people will generally sniff it out if you have an ulterior motive that isn’t genuine.”
Top tips for networking on linkedin
Here are a few suggestions but there’s plenty more:
Don’t spam contacts out of the blue with products or services you want to sell them.
Do offer value to someone you are building a professional relationship with. Networking is a two-way street.
Do write a personalised message about why you are requesting to connect when approaching strangers.
Do like or comment on the posts of people you want to build relationships with to get their attention.
The Follow-up
“Following up is really important because building a relationship takes time.
It’s normal to feel scared of emailing people, and worry that you are hassling them. You don’t know if they’ll respond, or be very receptive to you. But sometimes it’s right place right time, so don’t assume. Just write that email. Even if they are not the right person, maybe they can refer you to somebody else. A warm relationship is the most powerful relationship.”
“I haven’t had an old-fashioned business card for so long. I usually connect with people on LinkedIn. And I was thinking that this year I would like to start giving out business cards again because hardly anybody’s doing it. You’re going back to being different again. When you do receive one, it’s sitting on your desk, which means you remember them more… they are front of mind.”
