We’ll tell our VCs we met at Starbucks

Bumble’s being picky with their next match. [The Hustle]( Thur, Aug 24 Bumble’s not biting [Bumble]( the dating app that makes women message matches first, has reportedly turned down a [$450m acquisition offer]( by Match Group, which already owns Tinder, OkCupid, and Match.com. It’s a pretty ballsy rejection for the 2-year-old company, but Bumble clearly sees the potential for growth: they started monetizing their 18m users late last year, and have expanded into other match markets, including Bumble BFF for friend matching, and Bumble Biz for professional networking. And there’s speculation that another reason is bubbling below the surface… Bumble and Match have some baggage Back in 2014, 24 years-old Whitney Wolfe left her position as co-founder and VP of marketing at Tinder and filed a [sexual harassment]( suit against the company, alleging that then-CMO and co-founder Justin Mateen subjected her to inappropriate comments following their breakup. The suit has since been settled without admission of guilt from either party (despite some incredibly [incriminating and offensive]( text transcripts from Mateen) -- and Wolfe went on to found Bumble that same year. So, from the outside, this could seem like a decision made out of spite (and self-respect)… Until you look at who actually owns Bumble… AKA, Badoo, the European dating company that partnered with Wolfe in 2014, a few months prior to her launching the company. And by “partnered,” we mean they took a [79% stake](. The companies maintain that Badoo and Bumble are separate entities, that Wolfe is “in every sense the founder and CEO of Bumble.” Bumble also claims to the operate completely independently from Badoo at its HQ in Austin, TX -- but [Crunchbase]( lists their headquarters as being in London (home of Badoo HQ), so it appears there’s some discrepancy on that point. This isn’t to diminish Wolfe’s role in growing Bumble’s team and user base exponentially in a matter of years… but rather that she likely wasn’t the sole -- or even the majority -- decision maker. So in this case, we’re guessing it’s not personal, it’s just business. Swipe left An enemy of an enemy Yesterday, Google [announced]( it will start offering Walmart products on its e-commerce platform, Google Express. The companies positioned the move as an effort to see “where online shopping is going in the future,” but let’s call it what it really is: a partnership aimed at taking down a mutual enemy -- Amazon. Two giant underdogs As massive as both companies are, they’re both behind in the respective fields they’re competing in with Amazon. Making up a hefty 43% of all online retail, Amazon far outpaces Walmart in e-commerce (though the latter is [growing quickly]( and is currently ranked #2). Amazon is also crushing Google in the voice assistant space (Alexa controls a 71% market share, compared to Google Home’s 24%) and easily overpowers the online sales of Google Express. Home is where the future is Ultimately, the goal is that Walmart and Google customers -- both wildly different demographics -- will slowly meld together, like those old popsicles you left in the sun and put back in the freezer that one time. Ultimately, customers will be able to [holler at their Google Homes]( (or Google Assistant on their smartphones) to reorder Walmart products when they’re running low. Meanwhile, in Seattle, Amazon is chillin’ on a patio throne, sipping’ on a marg, and chuckling at the futile uprising. [If you can’t beat ‘em…]( Danny Glover is Airbnb’s new lethal weapon Yes, the same Danny Glover from the Lethal Weapon franchise, Angels in the Outfield, and Antz (You know, the knockoff Bug’s Life? OK, not his most notable role…). He’s [joining Airbnb as an advisor]( -- a role in which he’ll be helping them better reach and serve communities of color. This includes ensuring the diversity of the platform’s hosts amidst findings that [74% of hosts]( profiting off guests in predominately black neighborhoods are white. Apparently, he’s not too old for this sh*t… Which is impressive, considering that when Glover was born (1946), you could get over [4 months of rent]( for the [price of one night]( in an Airbnb. Airbnb has recently teamed up with the NAACP as part of a [larger initiative]( to bring economic opportunities to people of color and take on discrimination in the home-sharing market -- and it appears that Glover will now be the figurehead for the movement. And, in the process, he’ll come to a begrudging respect for his loose-cannon partner, Sergeant Martin Riggs, as they work together to bust an illicit drug ring on the LAPD. [Wait a minute…]( Just the tip Waiting tables is not for the faint of heart. Working as a server exposes you to the depths of humanity: hangry old men, kids hellbent on ripping open every sugar packet in sight, and -- worst of all -- non-tippers. But it turns out there are some simple psychological tricks servers use (unwittingly or not) to increase their tips. Some tips on getting tips Over the last 30 years, researchers have run [dozens of experiments]( testing the impact that various factors have on diners’ tipping habits. These randomized studies compare “normal” waiting service (no razzle dazzle) to a variety of “special” actions. Among the findings: - Tips go up 3% when a waiter serves a customer a [wrapped chocolate](. - Tips go up 2% when a waiter writes “[Thank You]( on a check. - Tips go up 4% when a waiter includes a [weather forecast]( (i.e. “Tomorrow is looking to be a sunny day!”) on the back of a check. - Tips go up 8% when a waiter introduces himself to the table by his [first name](. - Tips go up 5% when a waiter [touches a diner’s hand]( (this only works with female servers, apparently). In other words, personal touches pay off People want to feel like they’re getting a highly personal experience when buying something -- whether it’s food, a new car, or a [Guy Fieri bobblehead]( -- and they’re willing to put a premium on it. Studies have shown that consumers [pay more for personalized]( products and services. Personalized e-commerce sites are [on the rise]( and as high as 30% of consumers report desiring custom experiences or material goods. [Cloudy with a chance of meatballs]( things you should... 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