Coming from San Francisco, CA, this is what you need to know today:
Experience planning platform HoneyBook has raised $10 million in Series A funding.
Currently in beta, HoneyBook is an invite-only platform that redefines the way creative businesses - from event planners to photographers and florists - collaborate with their clients to plan unique experiences on one simple, customizable dashboard.
Investors led by Aleph VC include Hillsven VC, Ev Williams, James Currier and Stan Chudnovsky of Ooga Labs, Naval Ravikant of AngelList, Ben Ling of Khosla Ventures, Michael Birch of Bebo, and Ben Narasin. Earlier backers also include Silicon Valley-based UpWest Labs.
Today, the special events industry is valued around $300 billion. With increasing interest in having customized experiences, consumers are driving the value of the industry ever higher.
What's HoneyBook?
By streamlining users' ability to transact payments, make logistical decisions and exchange suggestions with their clients and colleagues, HoneyBook removes the administrative obstacles that stop creative professionals from growing their business and focusing on what they do best - perfecting the experience itself.
HoneyBook's customers love to create beautiful things, design amazing flower installations, shoot astonishing photos, play the most delightful music and plan it all to perfection. HoneyBook likes to partner with creators of beautiful projects and there is no better place to do this than in the events industry.
Founded in 2013, HoneyBook is San Francisco-based and was started by four friends who shared the pain of planning their major life events.
Since its beta launch in early 2014, HoneyBook has achieved 100% customer retention and sustained 30% growth month-over-month, quickly becoming a trusted tool for prominent event professionals and industry leaders.
HoneyBook operates on a rev-share model that is aligned with their customers' growth and interest.
Quotes:
'HoneyBook is modernizing the planning experience by giving creative businesses and their clients the ability to easily collaborate on producing and sharing memorable, flawless experiences. The most modern planning experience has arrived and it's here to stay.' - Oz Alon, HoneyBook cofounder and CEO.
'The value we place on sharing unique experiences with our friends and family is ever growing in our mobile society. HoneyBook understands both the tenuousness and strength involved in building unique experiences across various individuals and has developed a virtual playground that benefits the creatives, their clients, and all our desires to play.' - Michael Eisenberg, investor and equal partner at Aleph VC.
'In 19 years of business, I've never had a client book me so quickly. HoneyBook gives a more professional and tech savvy appearance to my company.' - Sasha Souza, celebrity wedding planner and HoneyBook customer.
'The events space is led by creatives who place importance on aesthetics, but the overall industry lacks a standard in design, service and excellence. We believe HoneyBook is introducing a high new standard that has the potential to transform an entire industry.' - James Currier, investor and co-founder of Ooga Labs.
'It's beyond brilliant and the design...ohhhh the design! It seriously gives Pinterest a run for their money.' - Natalia Cruz, a photography customer.
About HoneyBook
Founded in San Francisco in 2013, HoneyBook is an invite-only experience planning platform that helps creative businesses and their inspired clients seamlessly collaborate on memorable events. HoneyBook can be found at http://www.honeybook.com.