1The Entertainment Industry Years
Julia Hartz didn't start in tech. After graduating from Pepperdine University, she worked in television—first at MTV Networks, then at FX Networks in their business and legal affairs departments. She learned how entertainment companies think about audiences, engagement, and live experiences.
But in 2006, she met Kevin Hartz, a serial entrepreneur who had already built and sold companies in Silicon Valley. They started dating, and Kevin had an idea: self-service ticketing for small event organizers.
"Kevin kept talking about how Ticketmaster controlled everything but ignored small events. I'd seen how MTV promoted events—and I knew there had to be a better way for independent organizers. We decided to build it together."
— Julia Hartz
2Building with Your Spouse
Julia and Kevin co-founded Eventbrite in 2006—and got married in 2009. Building a company with your spouse is notoriously difficult. Most advisors warn against it. But the Hartzes made it work by defining clear roles early.
Kevin focused on fundraising and strategy. Julia handled operations, marketing, and culture. They rarely overlapped, which meant fewer conflicts and clearer accountability. When they disagreed, they had a rule: take it offline and resolve it at home, not in front of the team.
Clear role separation was key. Kevin never second-guessed Julia's marketing decisions; Julia never questioned Kevin's fundraising strategy. Mutual respect for expertise—in business and in marriage.
3Democratizing Events
In 2006, if you wanted to sell tickets to an event, you had two options: expensive platforms like Ticketmaster (designed for stadiums) or manual spreadsheets and cash at the door. Small event organizers were underserved.
Eventbrite made it free to create events and only charged when tickets sold. The self-service model meant anyone could set up ticketing in minutes. Yoga teachers, conference organizers, food festivals—they all flocked to the platform.
Before Eventbrite:
Enterprise sales, complex contracts, high fees, designed for venues
After Eventbrite:
Self-service signup, pay-as-you-go, designed for organizers
4Taking the CEO Seat
In 2016, Julia made a bold move: she became CEO, with Kevin transitioning to Executive Chairman. It was an unusual transition—most founder couples don't swap leadership roles. But Julia had grown into the operational leader the company needed.
As CEO, Julia led Eventbrite through its IPO in September 2018. The company went public on the NYSE at a $2.6 billion valuation. She became one of the few women to take a tech company public as CEO.
5Surviving COVID and Coming Back
When COVID-19 hit in 2020, Eventbrite's business collapsed overnight. Live events— the company's entire reason for existing—were banned worldwide. The stock dropped to under $8 from over $20.
Julia made the hard calls: layoffs, cost cuts, pivoting to virtual events. She kept the company alive through the worst period in its history. When in-person events returned, Eventbrite was still standing—leaner and more focused.
"The pandemic tested everything. Our business model, our team, my leadership. But it also proved that people need to gather. As soon as they could, they did. That conviction kept us going."
— Julia Hartz
6Key Lessons for Founders
1. Non-technical founders can win
Julia came from entertainment, not engineering. Domain expertise and business acumen matter as much as coding skills.
2. Co-founder dynamics require boundaries
Building with a spouse works if you define clear lanes. Overlap creates conflict; separation creates accountability.
3. Self-service unlocks markets
Ticketmaster needed enterprise sales. Eventbrite let anyone sign up. Removing friction expands your addressable market.
4. Leadership evolves
Julia grew from co-founder to CEO over a decade. The person who starts the company isn't always the one who should scale it—unless they grow too.
5. Conviction survives crises
COVID nearly killed Eventbrite. Julia's belief that humans need to gather kept the company alive until events returned.