Occasion

Occasion, a Chicago-based company founded in August 2013 by Aksh Gupta, operates as an experience management and event promotion platform for businesses. The company's inception was driven by Gupta's personal need, leading to the development of Occasion after two previous iterations of the original idea. In October 2016, the firm secured $1.25 million in a seed funding round led by Hyde Park Angels, with participation from other angel investors. This capital was aimed at enhancing its appointment calendar software and expanding its team.

The company provides a comprehensive suite of tools designed for businesses that offer experiences such as cooking classes, workshops, and tours. Its platform facilitates online booking, payment processing, customer management, and marketing automation. Businesses can create event calendars, manage bookings from various channels including their website and Facebook page, and handle promotions like gift cards and coupons. A key feature is its ability to reduce administrative tasks through automation, such as sending event reminders and confirmations. The platform also offers tools to engage with customers, including waitlist management for fully booked events and the ability to gather customer data through custom questions.

Occasion's business model is primarily based on a booking fee, which businesses can choose to absorb or pass on to their customers; a significant majority of merchants opt for the latter. For a one-time, refundable setup fee, the company provides dedicated support for data migration and training. The platform integrates with payment gateways like Square and Stripe, allowing for seamless payment collection. It serves a global client base, although the platform is currently only available in English. The target market consists of service businesses that offer group activities, ranging from kids' art studios to indoor playgrounds.

Keywords: experience management platform, online booking system, event scheduling software, appointment calendar, business management tools, group activity booking, online payment processing, marketing automation, customer relationship management, event promotion, seed funding, Chicago startup, booking fee model, Square integration, Stripe integration, service business software, automated workflows, event management, digital presence management, online reservations