MYOB and Mantel champion Australian sole operators with Solo by MYOB

At a glance

MYOB, an iconic Australian business services software company, chose Mantel as a trusted partner to create Solo by MYOB, an all-in-one business management app, designed specifically for sole operators, including sole traders, freelancers, and the self-employed.

Mantel teams worked closely with MYOB to design and deliver Solo from the ground up, resulting in a successful public release ahead of schedule. With Solo, MYOB simplifies their business management tools for the soloist market and continues to drive innovative solutions for everyday Australians into the future.

Key services
  • Design
  • Integrated delivery
  • Software engineering
Taking the lead for soloists

MYOB saw potential of capturing a new market in the low end of the small to medium enterprise market.

Research shows that the “soloists” (such as sole traders, freelancers and the self-employed) who make up 60% of this market require an easier and more intuitive approach to business services than larger businesses and organisations; existing solutions are seen as too complex.

MYOB chose Mantel as a trusted partner to help build an all-in-one, simple, and mobile-first solution explicitly targeted at sole operators, end-to-end. Our two organisations operated as a partnership for the duration of the project, from business case approval, right through to public release.

Partnership drives progress

With 50+ team members committed to this project, the Mantel team worked closely with MYOB to design and engineer the Solo mobile app from the ground up, focusing on React Native from a single codebase for deployment across iOS and Android. The team also created a back-end for the front-end (BFF) using GraphQL, simplifying data queries for the app and allowing it to rapidly adapt to changes in user needs.

A highlight was the close working relationship between Mantel and MYOB throughout the project. At the outset, joint ways of working were established between Mantel and MYOB, and the close collaboration between product, design and delivery teams throughout each phase of the project exemplified the strong structure supporting both organisations.

Although mobile projects are typically lengthy, Solo successfully launched within a year. Mantel and MYOB combined delivery teams operated in tandem across the project, allowing for flexibility in planning and execution for accelerated feature delivery.

This combined team has since released Solo Money, a business bank account built into Solo. Business admin is sorted in the Solo app, with banking, accounting and payments all in one place. Solo Money joins other Solo features, including AI-powered smart-matching, invoicing, and Tap to Pay on both Apple and Android devices. These features are designed to all work seamlessly together so sole operators can save time, automate admin and focus on what they do best – running their business.

“We’re absolutely thrilled with our partnership on Solo by MYOB. From designing an intuitive, mobile-first experience specifically for Australian sole operators from the ground up, to its public release ahead of schedule, it has been a truly collaborative and successful journey – something we really value.”

Simon Matschoss
Partner | Mantel

With Solo by MYOB, sole operators now have access to market-leading business software and can manage their business through the Solo app.

On their device, they can view cash flow, easily visualise any critical actions that are pending, such as overdue bills or invoices, track expenses, scan receipts with OCR technology, and even accept payments through a full tap-to-pay feature. Whether you’re a tradie, hairdresser, or graphic designer, Solo makes life easier for all sole operators. No jargon, no hassles – just an all-in-one mobile app that makes your business life simple.

Solo was released to the market in November 2024. Results from an early-access program showed that sole operators achieved productivity gains of up to 17 hours per month*. With a full set of business management tools built into an intuitive user interface, Solo represents an innovative and intuitive platform for soloists of all shapes and sizes to shine the spotlight on themselves and their craft.

*Early Access Program on Solo by MYOB, November 2024

“Building Solo by MYOB was a highly complex, strategic project, and a thorough sourcing process led us to the right partner: Mantel.

“Mantel’s mobile technical experience and leadership was key to their selection, ensuring our mobile-first platform was built for future success and expansion.”

Sally Davies
GM | Solo By MYOB

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