LinkedIn is a powerful business tool for business networking. I know that I personally have used it to reinforce relationships, expand my professional network and make connections with people across the continent for the purposes of expanding my business. LinkedIn can help you find a job, get a well-connected employee, establish b2b connections or perhaps even pull together a team to build an entirely new organization either for profit or community service.
While it seems the possibilities for personal advancement using LinkedIn might be endless, I can't believe I am doing a good job of imagining all that people have achieved using LinkedIn. It seems that it would be better for all to simply ask the question here:
What you have done with LinkedIn that others might find inspiring or surprising?
Put your answer here: LinkedIn Answers
ps: If this is all new to you, you may want to visit Phil Yanov's LinkedIn Profile to get a sense of that kind of information you might find on LinkedIn.