The Power of Networking: A Conversation with Luciana Alemanno

Luciana Alemanno,

A positive career shifter, shares her journey from hesitation to momentum.

How do you go from lurking on LinkedIn to making meaningful connections, landing collaborations, and messages from sustainability professionals?

(READ TIME 5 mins)

From Hesitation to Momentum

Andy Nelson (The Positive Career Coach):

So, these days, you post regularly on LinkedIn, people care about what you have to say, and you've landed paid work and multiple collaborations. Most recently as the community builder for The Good Ripple.  What’s it like to be on the receiving end of that kind of engagement?

Luciana Alemanno:

Honestly, it still feels bizarre. I only started posting in September, and for the longest time, I kept thinking, Who cares what I have to say? But then, a few days ago, I got a message from a sustainability professor at Cambridge who told me he loved what I was doing. That was surreal! It’s funny because I’m just writing about what I’m learning—breaking sustainability concepts down into simple ideas and sharing them. But it turns out that’s valuable to people. I also get messages from others saying my posts helped them, which only really started happening consistently in January. So, I suppose it takes four to six months of showing up before you start seeing real traction.

And it’s not just that—people are reaching out with specific comments, saying things like, “That post you wrote really resonated with me,” or “I had never thought about it that way before.” It’s wild because when you’re sitting there writing, you’re just in your own head, thinking no one will care. And then suddenly, you realise people are paying attention.

When Your Posts Start to Matter

Andy:

So aside from impressing Cambridge professors, what opportunities have come out of your recent LinkedIn conversations and networking efforts?

Luciana:

A few potential collaborations on circular economy projects are on the horizon, and I'll be helping Carlos [Terol] and the Good Ripple community connect more people and organise an event in London in the summer, The Good Ripple Experience .

But beyond that, LinkedIn has boosted my credibility. When I meet people at events, they connect with me on LinkedIn afterward, and my posts reinforce what I told them in person. It’s a way of backing up your expertise—you don’t just say you’re interested in sustainability, your content shows it.

That credibility piece is important because, in the beginning, I wasn’t sure how people would perceive me. But now, when I have a conversation with someone in real life, they go and check my LinkedIn, and they can see that I’m consistently talking about these topics. It confirms what I told them and makes it easier for them to trust me. That’s led to deeper conversations, invitations to events, and even introductions to other people who are doing interesting work in the space.

The Credibility Boost of LinkedIn

Andy:

That’s a great point. Before we started recording, you also mentioned that many of your in-person networking events came from discovering them on LinkedIn.

Luciana:

Absolutely! LinkedIn is the place to be for that too. Everyone shares what events they’re attending or organising. If you follow the right people, companies, and interests, your feed becomes a goldmine of relevant opportunities. The key is curating your network. At first, it takes effort—removing irrelevant content, following the right people—but over time, LinkedIn starts working for you.

The funny thing is, I used to think networking meant awkward small talk at conferences. But once I started paying attention to what people in my industry were sharing on LinkedIn, I realised that’s where the real conversations were happening. Instead of cold emails or random LinkedIn connection requests, I was already part of the discussion by engaging with posts, commenting, and sharing my own thoughts. That made in-person networking feel more natural because I had already “met” people online.

Sometimes it goes the other way around, and I meet people at events and recognise them because “I know them on linkedIn”, that’s always funny!

From Cringe to Confidence

Andy:

Okay, but five months ago, this wasn’t your mindset. When we first spoke, you weren’t exactly enthusiastic about networking, especially online. How did you feel back then?

Luciana:

Oh, I hated the idea! Online networking felt cringe. And to be fair, I think everyone feels that way at first. But it was especially hard because I was stuck in a dead-end job, feeling completely drained. When you're in that headspace, networking is the last thing you want to do.

I remember when someone first told me I needed to start posting on LinkedIn, I thought, No way, that’s not for me. I felt like I had nothing valuable to say. And at the time, I was completely exhausted—I had been in a job that I didn’t enjoy for so long, and I just didn’t have the energy to put myself out there. That’s the thing: networking, especially online, requires a certain level of energy. You need something to talk about, something that excites you. And if you’re in a really low place, it’s hard to generate that enthusiasm.

My advice? First, get out of that hole. Find something—anything—that sparks some energy. Then, start sharing. Because if your life feels miserable, that’s not exactly the best launchpad for engaging content.

The First Post: Getting Started

Andy:

And yet, you made that first post. Do you remember what it was about?

Luciana:

Oh no… ha, yes I do, and my first thought was, Who’s going to care? No one will even like this. But I did it anyway. It was about something I had learned recently in a course, and I figured, Well, if I found it interesting, maybe someone else will too.

Building Momentum Through Consistency

Andy:

And you kept going! What made you persist?

Luciana:

At some point, you have to trust that not everyone giving you this advice is crazy. It’s like going to the gym—at first, you feel awkward and out of place. But then you realise no one’s paying attention to you because they’re all focused on themselves. The same applies here. The fear is all in your head.

Also, I started to see small signs of engagement—maybe just one or two people commenting or messaging me. That was enough to keep me going. Then, as time went on, I noticed that my posts were starting conversations, and that was really rewarding.

On Commenting to Build Visibility

In the beginning, commenting on other people’s content felt like a strategy—it was a way to make sure my activity appeared on my connections’ feeds. But over time, it became more than that. I realised I genuinely enjoy supporting others by engaging with their posts.

When you comment, you help promote their content, and it gives their post more visibility—it sticks around longer in the feed. That interaction also builds relationships. It’s less about what you gain and more about contributing to the conversation. And honestly, when I engage with posts I find interesting, it just feels natural to leave a comment. It’s one of the easiest ways to start building a presence.

Andy:

Final words of wisdom—if you could go back to September, what would you tell yourself?

Luciana:

I’d tell myself to get over it and start in January. I’d be nine months ahead by now! Seriously, though, I’d say, Stop overthinking. Just start. It doesn’t have to be perfect.

And for final words of wisdom - cold outreach DOES NOT work, and the only way to effectively network and to stay consistent, is to connect with people and not just ask for help: ask curious questions, reach out because you are interested in something they said or did, offer to help them as well.

Once you curate your network, you will gradually see relevant content by people you want to speak to, and that engagement will not feel like a chore, and writing that post will just be almost a fun activity (almost!) haha

Andy:

And your advice for anyone hesitating to post?

Luciana:

Just do it. Sitting at home, avoiding it, won’t get you anywhere. You’ve got to start.

Key Takeaways

• Start before you feel ready—you’ll never feel ready.

• Engagement takes time; persistence is key.

• Your content backs up your credibility—let it work for you.

• Curate your LinkedIn feed so opportunities find you

• No one’s analysing you as much as you think they are

• Cold outreach does not work, engage in a conversation, don’t just ask for help

Connect with Luciana on…. LinkedIn, obviously. And jump into the Good Ripple community to find like minded change makers fighting the good fight.