Today I was using LinkedIn and saw this icon for the first time. I consider myself a “frequent” user of LinkedIn, so clicked on it and learned it was a symbol of a premium account holder. Odd.. how had I not seen this icon before? Are people not making the jump to premium accounts or have I been oblivious all this time? I figured I might as well do a little looking around to see how the company is plugging along.

The answer… they are plugging right away…..

I found a news article from January 2007 stating that Linkedin actually has 9 million user worldwide and is growing at a rate of 100,000 users per day! The business model includes the standard free account with a number of added premium services that include “InMail, advertising, job listings, premium search, candidate sourcing capabilities and custom corporate subscription packages.” As of January they had signed up 350 corporate accounts and had garnered such customers (not just corporate accounts but for a variety of different premium services) as Microsoft, Intuit, Jeep, L’Oreal, American Airlines, etc.

The company has now completed three rounds of financing, raising a total of $27.5m and a last post-money of $250m, from heavy weight backers Bessemer, Greylock, Sequoia and European Founders Fund. The company is profitable and has 80 employees.

Wow. I would have had no idea or had even thought of looking into the company if I hadn’t seen the premium account icon.

Yep… I would say they are doing just fine.