Social Currency with Sammi Cohen Julia Hartz (Eventbrite) on Taking a Company Public, Leading Through Crisis and the Future of Live Events
Sep 30, 2025
Julia Hartz, Co-founder and CEO of Eventbrite, shares her remarkable journey from TV intern to tech entrepreneur, highlighting her partnership with husband Kevin. She discusses taking the company public, the chaos of the pandemic, and how they adapted to support creators. Hartz believes in the resurgence of in-person events, driven by Gen Z's crave for real connections. She explores quirky event trends like sober raves and cheese raves while reflecting on the challenges and rewards of leading during a crisis.
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From A Wedding Pew To Startup Founder
- Julia Hartz met her future co-founder and husband at a wedding which led her from TV to startups.
- That meet-cute launched her into Silicon Valley and eventually Eventbrite's creation.
Ticketing Was Broken For Creators
- In 2006 there was no easy ticketing product for small creators or community events.
- Eventbrite aimed to be horizontal, self-service, and as easy to use as Gmail to unlock that market.
Speed Dating Revealed Product-Market Fit
- Early traction showed up unexpectedly when speed dating events lit up New York on their real-time sales map.
- They bootstrapped under $250k and reached profitability before raising institutional capital.