eOpicle

There are two kinds of startup acquisitions. The first kind comes with champagne, vague LinkedIn posts about “exciting new chapters,” and founders who immediately vanish into stealth mode to “advise” while never advising anyone ever again. The second kind looks smaller on paper, quieter in headlines, and far more revealing about how the modern internet actually works. The $12 million acquisition of OccasionGenius by Dublin-based travel company Hostelworld squarely belongs in the second category. This is not a unicorn story. It’s not a moonshot. It’s not a founder ringing the Nasdaq bell in a hoodie. It’s something more interesting—and more honest. It’s a story about how data that nobody thinks about quietly becomes indispensable, how “local” turns out to be one of the hardest problems on the internet, and how a Richmond-born startup ended up solving a problem that a 25-year-old global travel brand didn’t want to spend five years solving itself. The Least Glamorous Problem ...

Because Someone Has to Tell You What’s Actually Waiting Behind the Peonies, Pinterest Boards, and Premarital Life Crises Introduction: So You Want to Become a Wedding Planner? Bless Your Brave, Delusional Heart There are certain careers people romanticize for absolutely no reason. “I want to run a quaint bookstore by the sea.” “I want to be a travel blogger.” “I want to become a wedding planner because I love love.” Sure. And I want a private jet, a liver that forgives everything, and the metabolism of a 17-year-old gymnast. We all have dreams. But here you are—bright-eyed, clipboard-curious, emotionally stable for now —thinking wedding planning sounds glamorous. Maybe you imagine yourself gracefully swanning around reception halls, pointing at floral installations with the authority of a benevolent queen. Maybe you picture yourself sipping herbal tea in your chic studio, surrounded by mood boards, velvet swatches, and ethereal candlelight. And then—if you believe the experts—thi...

Ah, event coordination—the noble art of turning chaos into a well-catered PowerPoint marathon. You’ve seen the glossy photos: eco-chic lanyards, ethically sourced coffee, a smiling intern standing next to a malfunctioning projector. What you haven’t seen are the panic attacks behind the buffet table or the frantic Slack messages that begin with “Can someone PLEASE tell me where the keynote speaker went?” Welcome to the Stockholm Environment Institute’s Communications, Learning, and Impact Division , where you, bright-eyed intern, will help make “sustainable engagement” look effortless—on an unpaid basis, of course. Let’s unpack this circus. 1. The Dream: Saving the World, One Name Tag at a Time At SEI, event coordination isn’t just logistics—it’s diplomacy, sociology, and caffeine dependency combined. You’re not just booking a room; you’re building bridges between climate scientists and policymakers … while ensuring the Wi-Fi doesn’t collapse under the weight of PowerPoint animati...

Ah, weddings. Those magical, once-in-a-lifetime occasions. Unless of course you’re in that small, elite group of people who collect spouses like Pokémon cards — in which case, congratulations, you’re already familiar with the drill. According to the gospel of Elite Event Planning and their high priestess of matrimony logistics, Chantel Aboyetes, you too can plan “one of the happiest days of your life” without losing your sanity. Bold promise, Chantel. Because if my time on Earth has taught me anything, it’s that nothing says “happiest day” like two families passive-aggressively fighting over whether the centerpieces should be peonies or hydrangeas. Step 1: Take Your Time and Celebrate the Moment Ah yes, the calm before the storm . You just got engaged. You’re glowing. You’re happy. You’re imagining a future filled with joint Costco memberships and that smug satisfaction of owning matching coffee mugs that say “Mr.” and “Mrs.” Chantel says to take a moment to enjoy it. Savor it. Po...

Ah, Venice. The city of canals, gondolas, romance—and now, apparently, the epicenter of Jeff Bezos’ attempt to outdo every Bond villain’s lair party with a wedding so lavish it makes Versailles look like a Motel 6. Yes, ladies, gentlemen, and underpaid Amazon warehouse workers: Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez are tying the gold-plated knot, and they’ve called in the bougiest reinforcements Europe has to offer. Enter Lanza & Baucina Limited , a company so elite that their website whispers instead of loads, and so secretive that they make MI6 look like Instagram influencers. Founded by literal aristocrats—Prince Antonio Licata di Baucina and the Counts Riccardo and Aleramo Lanza—these guys don’t plan parties. They orchestrate experiences . The kind of experiences that involve 250 rich people pretending to care about UNESCO while sipping vintage Barolo on a floating LED dancefloor made of crushed amethysts. Let’s unpack this billion-dollar nuptial fever dream, shall we? The Setting:...