Julia Hartz, Founder and CEO of Eventbrite, shares her journey through the challenges faced by the live events industry during COVID-19. She discusses the emotional weight of making tough calls, including significant layoffs, while her team quickly pivoted to virtual events. Julia highlights the innovative strategies that emerged, such as drive-in concerts and fostering community engagement. With an eye on the future, she expresses optimism for in-person events, emphasizing the need for safety and the importance of supportive networks.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Early COVID-19 Awareness
Eventbrite's awareness of COVID-19's impact started in late February due to board members with ties to China.
This allowed them to prepare their team for remote work and warn creators and consumers about potential event cancellations.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Difficult Layoffs
Julia Hartz had to lay off 45% of Eventbrite's staff due to the pandemic's impact.
The decision was emotionally challenging but driven by the need to act decisively and support affected employees in finding new jobs.
insights INSIGHT
Virtual Event Growth
Virtual events saw significant growth on Eventbrite, with thousands of percentage increases.
Most attendees knew the event creators beforehand, highlighting the importance of existing communities in the virtual space.
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Founder Julia Hartz is reckoning with COVID-19's impact on the live events industry, which uses her company, Eventbrite, to sell tickets and market events. While her users are quickly pivoting to virtual events, Julia has been making tough decisions, which include laying off 45 percent of her staff. These conversations are excerpts from our How I Built Resilience series, where Guy talks online with founders and entrepreneurs about how they're navigating turbulent times.
How I Built This with Guy Raz 
