• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock

2

‘I want to die broke’: Billionaire philanthropist Denny Sanford dies after giving away $4 billion

3

'Dr. Doom' Nouriel Roubini says we're headed for universal basic income or 'some form of socialism' as AI revolutionizes work—He calls that optimistic

1

Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock

2

‘I want to die broke’: Billionaire philanthropist Denny Sanford dies after giving away $4 billion

3

'Dr. Doom' Nouriel Roubini says we're headed for universal basic income or 'some form of socialism' as AI revolutionizes work—He calls that optimistic
Leaders In Innovation

Eventbrite’s Hartz hopes she’s found the ticket for a lasting company

By
JP Mangalindan
JP Mangalindan
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
JP Mangalindan
JP Mangalindan
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 8, 2014, 12:00 PM ET
<h1>Julia Hartz</h1>
Hartz started Eventbrite, an online ticketing platform, with her now-husband Kevin in 2006. Since its founding, the company has raised $140 million from firms like Sequoia Capital and Tiger Global Management and reached $2 billion in gross ticket sales this September. Entrepreneurship forced Hartz to appreciate candid and collaborative conversations. "I had to learn how to ask for help," she says. "Everyone always thinks it's brave to go out alone, but I think it's even braver to put yourself out there in front of others, and to figure out how to work together."
<h1>Julia Hartz</h1> Hartz started Eventbrite, an online ticketing platform, with her now-husband Kevin in 2006. Since its founding, the company has raised $140 million from firms like Sequoia Capital and Tiger Global Management and reached $2 billion in gross ticket sales this September. Entrepreneurship forced Hartz to appreciate candid and collaborative conversations. "I had to learn how to ask for help," she says. "Everyone always thinks it's brave to go out alone, but I think it's even braver to put yourself out there in front of others, and to figure out how to work together."Photograph by David Paul Morris — Bloomberg via Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Julia Hartz, co-founder of online ticket seller Eventbrite, tries not to waste a moment during her busy days of all-hands meetings, conference panels and evening work dinners.

“You have to prioritize your time,” she explains. “There is no greater, efficient species than a working parent. Full stop.”

Hartz, a former MTV executive with two little girls at home, would know. In 2005, she co-founded Eventbrite with husband Kevin, who dreamed up the idea for the company after realizing that there wasn’t a widely-accepted way for small groups to sell tickets online. Sure, there was Tickemaster, which sells tickets by the thousands for Beyoncé concerts, Raiders games and NASCAR races. But tickets for a startup party or tech conference? Not so much.

With Kevin as CEO and Julia handling day-to-day operations like hiring, Eventbrite has exploded. People have bought nearly $1 billion in tickets through its service in the past nine months and nearly $3 billion total since its founding. Eventbrite collects a commission on each ticket sold. Most of those selling tickets are small companies, tech conference organizers and party promoters.

Eventbrite, which has nearly $200 million in backing from investors like Tiger Global Management, Sequoia Capital and PayPal co-founder Keith Rabois, isn’t profitable. But profitability isn’t the point right now, says Julia. Like many ambitious start-ups, Eventbrite’s focus is on expanding quickly – which costs a lot of money.

To wit, Eventbrite has been on a tear – hiring nearly 150 employees worldwide over the last 12 months and acquiring businesses such as Lanyrd, a London-based conference listing service and another ticketing company in Argentina called Eventioz. And for good reason. Julia argues millenials are spending more on events like concerts and less on physical products. “Live experiences are actually becoming the new luxury good,” she says.

Meanwhile, Julia has more and more become Eventbrite’s public face, gracing the cover of Forbes earlier this year and making more public appearances. Her high-visiblity within tech also has the positive side effect of improving gender equality, an issue highlighted this March when prominent Github engineer, Julie Ann Horvath, resigned due to what she called a “toxic work environment.” Still, Hartz sees gender inequality as less and less of an issue in the Valley these days. “When I look at my two daughters, I don’t see them having any problems being the boss or the CEO of a corporation in some capacity,” Hartz explains. Indeed, Eventbrite’s 373 employees are an almost equal ratio of men-to-women, she said, which is a rarity in the technology industry.

As such, Hartz is more focused on making Eventbrite a company that will last. And while she and Kevin no longer have to deal with the worries associated with being an early-stage startup — Kevin used to sleep under the table of the company’s first offices, a shared workspace — the pair still have a lot of “uncharted territory” ahead, not the least of which, of course, includes making Eventbrite profitable. “I think that will be the biggest thing that I’ll miss some day: When we’re old and tired, and they kick us out when we’re 98,” chuckles Hartz. “I’ll be missing that constant stimulus and challenge of what’s next.”

 

 

About the Author
By JP Mangalindan
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in

Knicks star Jalen Brunson
SuccessPersonal Finance
Despite a $156 million contract, Knicks star Jalen Brunson still calls his parents for financial advice any time he makes a big purchase
By Emma BurleighJuly 21, 2026
33 minutes ago
Current price of gold as of July 21, 2026
Personal Financegold prices
Current price of gold as of July 21, 2026
By Danny BakstJuly 21, 2026
3 hours ago
va
North AmericaWhite House
HUD suspends disaster funding to U.S. Virgin Islands housing authority, saying mismanagement has kept $1.3 billion from hurricane survivors
By Danica Coto and The Associated PressJuly 21, 2026
3 hours ago
traffic
HealthAutos
Rich countries have cut road deaths by more than 30% in 30 years—but about 90% of fatal crashes now happen in poorer nations
By Mike Stobbe and The Associated PressJuly 21, 2026
3 hours ago
bird
EnvironmentAnimals
The rare ‘great conservation success story’ is happening off New England as $10 million over 10 years brings back the quirky oystercatcher bird
By Michael Casey and The Associated PressJuly 21, 2026
3 hours ago
kalshi
CryptoKalshi
Kalshi’s ‘chronically online’ war room figured out World Cup virality — and realized AI might be bringing back the monoculture
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 21, 2026
3 hours ago

Most Popular

Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock
Success
Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 20, 2026
22 hours ago
‘I want to die broke’: Billionaire philanthropist Denny Sanford dies after giving away $4 billion
Success
‘I want to die broke’: Billionaire philanthropist Denny Sanford dies after giving away $4 billion
By Sydney LakeJuly 20, 2026
1 day ago
'Dr. Doom' Nouriel Roubini says we're headed for universal basic income or 'some form of socialism' as AI revolutionizes work—He calls that optimistic
AI
'Dr. Doom' Nouriel Roubini says we're headed for universal basic income or 'some form of socialism' as AI revolutionizes work—He calls that optimistic
By Jason MaJuly 18, 2026
3 days ago
Current price of silver as of Monday, July 20, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Monday, July 20, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 20, 2026
1 day ago
It’s not just Taco Bell lettuce and possible glass in Pillsbury rolls: Food and drink recall events reached a 6-year year-over-year high
Retail
It’s not just Taco Bell lettuce and possible glass in Pillsbury rolls: Food and drink recall events reached a 6-year year-over-year high
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 20, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of July 20, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 20, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 20, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.