Planet Soho was an American online company that addresses the needs of small office / home office businesses (SOHOs). It has over one million members from around the globe. The company was formerly called SohoOS. It officially changed its name and expanded its offerings on December 12, 2012.[1]
| Developer(s) | Avi Villiinger |
|---|---|
| Operating system | Any (Web-based application) |
| Type | Business Management Software |
| License | Free service |
| Website | planetSoho.com |
Features
editPlanet Soho aims to be a gathering place where SOHOs come together "to connect, collaborate, and create a new global micro-economy."[2] The website currently has three main features.
SohoOS
SohoOS is an online business-management platform for SOHOs. It is the "flagship product" of Planet Soho[3] Free features available on the SohoOS system include:
| Contact Management | Invoicing | Time Tracking |
| Lead Generation | Inventory | Document Storage |
Planet Soho Directory Planet Soho gives members a free listing in the Planet Soho Directory. Users can customize their page, adding contact information, logos, and content. The Directory features over one million SOHOs from around the world. Visitors can browse by location and service to find nearby small businesses.[4]
Planet Soho Blog Planet Soho publishes original content daily, written by small-business experts, freelance writers, and Planet Soho users. Categories include How-To, Trends, Opinions, Success Stories, and Users' Journal.[5]
Press
editPlanet Soho and its signature product, SohoOS, have received favorable reviews from blogs and magazines including TechCrunch,[6] GigaOM,[7] and PC Magazine.[8]
History
editOrigins
editSohoOS was founded in 2010.[citation needed] SohoOS received an initial investment of $550k from thetime and later on $1.75M in venture capital from Mangrove Capital Partners in January 2011.[9] In January 2012, the company announced a second round of funding, totaling $8M, led by Morgenthaler Ventures.[10]
In September 2011, SohoOS was picked as one of the top 20 Hot International Startups by[11]
Current status
editIn December 2012, SohoOS reached one million users and rebranded as Planet Soho. The company also announced partnerships with FedEx Office, Go Daddy, Intuit, and Office Depot.[12] Unfortunately, the company decided to make the platform paying-members-only and thus signing its own death warrant as the new monetization model did not last long and by February 2014 the company has lost their audience and all of their money and was sentenced to dissolution. From over a million users down to around 2,000, the company now hopes to be able to pay some of its debts, as it has suffered a massive loss and declared bankruptcy.
Additional Features
editCustomers to Cash In September 2012, SohoOS introduced a streamlined invoicing process that automatically tracks the status of estimates and invoices and notifies users when a client approves an estimate, views an estimate or invoice, sends a message, or makes a payment.[13]
Command Center In October 2012, SohoOS added a browser toolbar, Command Center, that notifies users when they have leads, messages or status changes within their SohoOS account and contains shortcuts to popular features.[14]
Soho Premium Planet Soho currently offers three bundles of enhanced business-management features: Soho More, Soho Even More, and Soho Unlimited. The monthly charge ranges from $4.95 to $6.95 per month. Features include:
| Data Export | No Planet Soho Logos | Docs Storage | Essential Docs |
| Currency Converter | Premium Support | Premium Invoice Templates |
References
edit- ^ Carney, Michael. "Now with 1M customers, SohoOS becomes Planet Soho, announces FedEx Office, Office Depot, Intuit, and GoDaddy partnerships". Pando Daily. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
- ^ "Planet Soho > About Us > The Company". Planet Soho. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
- ^ "The SohoOS Product". Archived from the original on 2012-12-15.
- ^ "Planet Soho Directory". Planet Soho.
- ^ "Planet Soho Blog". Planet Soho. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
- ^ Carthy, Roi (29 April 2010). "Soho OS: Soup-to-Nuts Utility Platform for Small & Micro Businesses (1000 Invites)". TechCrunch. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
- ^ Hamilton, Charles. "Soho OS: All Your Business Tools In One Place". GigaOM. Archived from the original on 10 March 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
- ^ Fenton, William. "SohoOS". PC Magazine. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
- ^ Carthy, Roi (26 January 2011). "Mangrove Smells Opportunity in Small Businesses, Backs SohoOS with $1.75M". TechCrunch. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
- ^ "SohoOS Secures $8 Million in Funding Led by Morgenthaler to Expand its Revolutionary Small Business Platform" (PDF). Press Release. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
- ^ Gobry, Pascal-Emmanuel. "20 Hot International Startups You Need To Watch". Business Insider. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
- ^ "Office Depot, FedEx Office and Go Daddy Partner With Planet Soho to Access Hard-to-Reach SOHO Market". BusinessWire. 12 December 2012. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
- ^ "Free Online Invoicing Templates". Retrieved 31 October 2012.
- ^ Carthy, Roi (30 October 2012). "With Nearly 1M Users, SohoOS is On Its Way to Crossing Its Chasm". Retrieved 31 October 2012.