Leading through radical change with Julia Hartz of Eventbrite
Oct 19, 2023
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Julia Hartz, CEO of Eventbrite, shares how the events industry transformed during the past three years. She discusses navigating through the crisis, focusing on serving event creators, and connecting people through ticketed events. They also talk about adapting to remote work, setting event policies, and prioritizing communal growth.
Eventbrite successfully adapted to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic by shifting focus to virtual events and supporting local organizers.
Julia Hartz emphasized the importance of creating a culture where employees can bring their whole selves to work and finding a balance between compassionate support and demanding excellence in remote work.
Deep dives
Eventbrite's Journey During the Pandemic
Eventbrite, a ticketing company, faced unprecedented challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. With a rapid decline in ticket sales and negative revenue, they had to quickly adapt to survive. The CEO, Julia Hartz, guided the company through this crisis by making bold decisions, such as cutting costs and raising money. They shifted their focus towards supporting local organizers and virtual events, which gained immediate traction. The pause caused by the pandemic allowed Eventbrite to reset and reimagine their business strategy, with a stronger emphasis on supporting creators and helping them find their audience. Despite the uncertainties, Julia maintained optimism and a strong sense of leadership, shielding her team from doubt and guiding them through the crisis. As the pandemic evolved, Eventbrite continued to adapt their business model and prioritize the importance of gathering and the power of live experiences. They are now focused on becoming the go-to platform for event discovery and are introducing new marketing tools to help event creators grow their audience.
Navigating the Challenges of Remote Work and Talent Development
Eventbrite faced the challenges of transitioning to remote work during the pandemic. Julia Hartz emphasized the importance of creating a culture where employees can bring their whole selves to work, striking a balance between compassionate support and demanding excellence. They aim to be the best gathering company virtually, creating intentional, productive, and thoughtful virtual meetings. Their approach includes regular reassessment of meeting schedules and strategic plans for in-person gatherings. They also focus on talent development, encouraging employees to take on various projects and gain valuable experience across different areas. While remote work brings its own set of challenges, Julia emphasizes that work and wellness are not mutually exclusive, and that being productive and building community can be the antidote to social isolation and mental health challenges.
Addressing Political Expectations and Drawing the Line
Eventbrite navigates the challenges of taking public political positions by focusing on their core values and mission. While supporting freedom of assembly and advocating for social connection, they draw the line carefully to avoid endorsing activities that go against their principles. Eventbrite aims to be transparent and well-informed in their decision-making processes, involving teams and policies to ensure objective and fair judgment. They prioritize the interests of their diverse user base and focus on building a company culture that both supports and challenges employees. Recognizing the importance of meaningful connections and live experiences, Eventbrite positions itself as a platform that enables event creators to bring communities together and make indelible memories.
Eventbrite's Journey Towards Thoughtful Growth
Julia Hartz's vision for Eventbrite includes slowing down and living in a more thoughtful mode, staying focused on building the best products for event creators. They aim to simplify their business and focus on foundational work, while providing clarity and stability for their employees. Eventbrite seeks to reposition itself as the go-to platform for event discovery, focusing on local events and hyperlocal experiences. They are working on building a system that helps event creators anticipate and plan their events, ensuring intentional and productive in-person gatherings. Eventbrite continues to embrace growth opportunities and AI technologies, while staying grounded in their mission of supporting social connections through live experiences.
Back as the show’s first-ever ‘three-peat’ guest is Julia Hartz, co-founder and CEO of Eventbrite. The events industry has been transformed by the past three years, giving Julia the opportunity to evolve Eventbrite to better serve its key customers — event creators.
This week on How I Built This Lab, Julia goes back in time to review how she kept a ticketing service afloat when no one was buying tickets. Plus, thoughts on effective leadership from a public company CEO, and Julia’s tips for designing meetings that your colleagues actually want to go to.
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