How I Built This with Guy Raz How I Built Resilience: Live with Julia Hartz
Jul 16, 2020
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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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.
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.
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.
