<description>&lt;p&gt;In this episode of &lt;em&gt;The Layover&lt;/em&gt;, we catch up with Mike Petrakis, CEO and founder of &lt;strong&gt;Batch&lt;/strong&gt;, the app revolutionizing how people plan group travel and celebrations. From bachelorette blowouts and golf trips to divorce parties and girls’ getaways, Batch has become the go-to destination for organizing unforgettable group experiences—now in 90 markets across the U.S., Mexico, and the Caribbean.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mike shares how Batch is:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Building what he calls &lt;strong&gt;“the celebration economy”&lt;/strong&gt;—turning life’s milestones into travel-worthy moments&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Expanding beyond bachelor and bachelorette parties to serve every kind of group celebration&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Using &lt;strong&gt;predictive demand&lt;/strong&gt; to see where travelers are going months before they book&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Empowering small businesses, from boat captains to hibachi chefs, to thrive by plugging into Batch’s ecosystem&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Curating authentic local stays, dining, and activities powered by user data, not algorithms&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Balancing explosive growth with profitability—and why they’ve turned down outside capital for two years&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Betting on community and curation over automation as AI reshapes travel&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;Whether you’re a party planner, an entrepreneur in the experience economy, or just someone who loves celebrating life with your crew, this episode offers a front-row look at how Batch is redefining group travel—one unforgettable trip at a time.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;🎉 &lt;strong&gt;Plan Your Next Celebration&lt;/strong&gt; Download the Batch app and start planning your next group getaway at &lt;a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://batch.com"&gt;batch.com&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Want to dig deeper into a city or neighborhood?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Check out our expertly curated city guidebooks at &lt;a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://lostin.com"&gt;lostin.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We pour all of our love for travel into every guidebook, which includes recommendations for hidden restaurants, shops, and activities far from the well-known tourist areas and off the radar of mainstream travel accounts.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We also share daily travel inspiration, city stories, and behind-the-scenes moments across our social channels, follow us to stay connected wherever you roam.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;--Connect with us--&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Web: &lt;a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://lostin.com/"&gt;https://lostin.com/&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Instagram: &lt;a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/lost_in_travel"&gt;https://www.instagram.com/lost_in_travel&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Facebook: &lt;a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.facebook.com/lostintravelguide"&gt;https://www.facebook.com/lostintravelguide&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Twitch: &lt;a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.twitch.tv/lost_in_travel"&gt;https://www.twitch.tv/lost_in_travel&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

The Layover

LOST iN

Inside Batch with Mike Petrakis: The Celebration Economy, Group Travel & Building the Ultimate Party Planning App

NOV 20, 202512 MIN
The Layover

Inside Batch with Mike Petrakis: The Celebration Economy, Group Travel & Building the Ultimate Party Planning App

NOV 20, 202512 MIN

Description

<p>In this episode of <em>The Layover</em>, we catch up with Mike Petrakis, CEO and founder of <strong>Batch</strong>, the app revolutionizing how people plan group travel and celebrations. From bachelorette blowouts and golf trips to divorce parties and girls’ getaways, Batch has become the go-to destination for organizing unforgettable group experiences—now in 90 markets across the U.S., Mexico, and the Caribbean.</p><p>Mike shares how Batch is:</p><ul><li>Building what he calls <strong>“the celebration economy”</strong>—turning life’s milestones into travel-worthy moments</li><li>Expanding beyond bachelor and bachelorette parties to serve every kind of group celebration</li><li>Using <strong>predictive demand</strong> to see where travelers are going months before they book</li><li>Empowering small businesses, from boat captains to hibachi chefs, to thrive by plugging into Batch’s ecosystem</li><li>Curating authentic local stays, dining, and activities powered by user data, not algorithms</li><li>Balancing explosive growth with profitability—and why they’ve turned down outside capital for two years</li><li>Betting on community and curation over automation as AI reshapes travel</li></ul><p>Whether you’re a party planner, an entrepreneur in the experience economy, or just someone who loves celebrating life with your crew, this episode offers a front-row look at how Batch is redefining group travel—one unforgettable trip at a time.</p><p>🎉 <strong>Plan Your Next Celebration</strong> Download the Batch app and start planning your next group getaway at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://batch.com">batch.com</a>.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Want to dig deeper into a city or neighborhood?</p><p></p><p>Check out our expertly curated city guidebooks at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://lostin.com">lostin.com</a></p><p>We pour all of our love for travel into every guidebook, which includes recommendations for hidden restaurants, shops, and activities far from the well-known tourist areas and off the radar of mainstream travel accounts.</p><p></p><p>We also share daily travel inspiration, city stories, and behind-the-scenes moments across our social channels, follow us to stay connected wherever you roam.</p><p></p><p>--Connect with us--</p><p>Web: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://lostin.com/">https://lostin.com/</a> </p><p>Instagram: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/lost_in_travel">https://www.instagram.com/lost_in_travel</a></p><p>Facebook: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.facebook.com/lostintravelguide">https://www.facebook.com/lostintravelguide</a> </p><p>Twitch: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.twitch.tv/lost_in_travel">https://www.twitch.tv/lost_in_travel</a></p>