Shophand

Shophand operates a concierge platform for small business owners that combines AI tools with on-demand human expertise. Its offering spans a set of 12 specialized "AI employees" oriented to different business functions, a Business Profile and private Knowledge Base that store company information and documents used (with member permission) to personalize outputs, an AI-generated Business Blueprint for creating and maintaining a business plan, and the Growth Gauge assessment paired with a Growth Tracker that converts recommendations into goals and reminders. A Supply Shelf database aggregates grants, accelerators, fellowships, pitch competitions, procurement opportunities and business learning programs, with an upgraded Supply Shelf Plus tier adding advanced search, saved opportunities, personalized alerts and an AI Grant Writer. Shophand Local surfaces nearby funding, resources, events and community support.

The human side of the product is Shophand Live, a marketplace of vetted experts bookable on demand. Clients describe their goals, timeline and budget; a scoping call is followed by a custom package proposal and a match with a "Shophand" expert who works via chat or video. Engagements are structured in three modes: guidance (question-and-answer consultation), collaboration (working sessions alongside the client), and delegation (done-for-you execution). Implementation work is likewise tiered as self-guided, expert-guided, or done-for-you. The platform also publishes free content including AI prompt guides, mini toolkits and virtual small business workshops, and runs a member hub for pilot participants who receive early feature access and can submit feedback.

Shophand additionally administers the Shophand $5k Small Business Boost Grant for U.S.-based for-profit small businesses with fewer than 50 employees and under $5 million in annual revenue. Each award consists of $2,500 in unrestricted cash plus $2,500 in Shophand services such as AI tools and automation, creative and media support, marketing and technology help, operations work and software setup.

Business model

Shophand sells a mix of subscription membership and services. A free tier gives basic access, while Shophand+ is a premium annual membership priced at $199 per year that bundles Shophand AI, the Business Blueprint, Supply Shelf Plus with AI Grant Writer, Growth Gauge and Growth Tracker, included one-on-one Shophand Live consultations, free entry to Shophand grant programs, and a 10% discount on eligible implementation services. Paid expert services are sold separately across self-guided toolkit, expert-guided session and done-for-you delivery formats; a Shophand Live consultation costs $15 for free members and is included for Plus members.

Recurring annual membership fees ($199/year for Shophand+), per-session consultation fees for non-members ($15), and paid implementation and done-for-you expert services priced per engagement with member discounts.

Traction

Shophand is operating an invitation-style pilot program whose members receive early feature access, provide product feedback and gain access to the $5k Small Business Boost Grant application. The company runs free virtual small business workshops, publishes a blog and toolkit series, maintains a weekly-updated grants database, and is listed with 1-10 employees.

Latest developments

A pilot release program is live, with members shaping upcoming features and a public product roadmap. Applications for the $5k Small Business Boost Grant are open on a rolling schedule, and the company scheduled a free virtual workshop, "Automating Small Business Workflows with Gemini," for September 29.