Being in the C-suite is a high-pressure job with long hours, board responsibilities, and intense scrutiny. But what is it like to be a top executive when you’re off the clock?
Fortune’s series, The Good Life, shows how up-and-coming leaders spend their time and money outside of work.
Today we meet Julia Hartz, the co-founder and CEO of Eventbrite.
Chances are if you’ve been to a stadium concert, underground comedy show, or a cooking class, you’ve used Eventbrite to score your seats.
The 45-year-old entrepreneur running the global self-service ticketing platform hatched the idea for her business from her time in entertainment. Long before founding the company in 2006, Hartz worked as an intern on the set of Friends, which sparked her passion for media production. She went on to develop TV shows at MTV and FX Network, helping churn out hits like Jackass, Nip/Tuck, Rescue Me, and The Shield. She credits industry heavyweights like producers Drew Tappon and John Landgraf with showing her the power of entertainment.
“I had the incredible privilege of learning from television icons,” Hartz tells Fortune. “Those experiences deeply shaped my creative and leadership perspective before I made the leap into tech and entrepreneurship with Eventbrite.”
Eventbrite has processed over two billion tickets globally since 2006.
Wanting to replicate that same entertainment magic for live audiences, she co-founded Eventbrite, which has since processed over two billion tickets globally. The business is in nearly 180 countries, distributing 83 million paid tickets for over 4.7 million events in 2024 alone. With 89 million monthly users, people are scoring seats at events ranging from a sunset Bach concert in Central Park to a house music cruise on the Hudson river. Eventbrite has a strong presence in the U.S. and across the U.K.—especially in London.
Hartz’s business continues to grow with curated “It-Lists” in popular cities like NYC, L.A., and London. It’s also catering to Gen Z’s tastes by creating genre-bending events like a cheese rave hosted by Queer Eye star Antoni Porowski in New York, blending dance music with artisanal cheese. And the CEO’s downtime is just as eclectic as the events Eventbrite concocts—she brews mushroom-enhanced coffee, attends regular hypnotherapy sessions, is the mom of TikTok-obsessed teens, and is a Lego lover.
“Besides hypnotherapy, I Lego so hard,” Hartz says. “I’m currently working on a three-foot-tall tower from the Lord of the Rings, complete with the Eye of Sauron on top.”
The finances
Fortune: What’s been the best investment you’ve ever made?
Hands down the best investment has been traveling with friends and family. Time is the ultimate luxury and indelible memories from unique experiences are all we are taking with us.
And the worst?
Every time I enter one of my teenage daughter’s rooms and see the accumulation of TikTok- and trend-purchased items, I would say that’s my investment low.
What do your childcare arrangements look like?
We welcomed our first daughter about two years after founding Eventbrite. In those early days, she often came to the office with us—napping under my desk in her car seat and later in a Pack ‘N Play. We’ve been incredibly fortunate to have local parents who have provided steady support with both childcare and companionship over the years.
As our family grew and life evolved, we built a strong village of friends, family, and trusted team members to help us navigate the juggle of raising four daughters while running a company. Kevin [my husband] and I have always shared parenting responsibilities equally—it’s a role that has grown in tandem with our journey as co-founders and startup operators.
There would be mutiny on the bounty if we stopped our Hulu subscription or our Max subscription.
What are your living arrangements like: Swanky apartment in the city or suburban sprawling?
We’ve lived and worked in San Francisco for 20 years, and to count this city out would be a major mistake. I’m now witnessing the third wave of regeneration since moving here, and it’s nothing short of thrilling. San Francisco is in our DNA—we’ve never seriously considered living anywhere else.
How do you commute to work?
I walk, which is such a luxury and now a major part of my wellness routine. I listen to walking-focused hypnotherapy during my commute.
Do you carry a wallet?
A wallet?! Who isn’t accepting Apple Pay? I have a wallet, but I only use it for travel. My favorite credit card by far is Ramp—we use it for Eventbrite and for Team Hartz. (Kevin is an investor)
Do you invest in shares?
Kevin and I remain substantial shareholders in the company, which keeps our work deeply aligned with the long-term interests of all our shareholders.
Outside of that, I’m fortunate to be married to a prolific angel investor—so I often get to meet some of the most exciting next-generation founders right in our living room. I occasionally invest in startups myself, especially when I’m inspired by the founders and the vision they’re building. It’s a privilege to have access to that kind of early-stage innovation and talent.
What personal finance advice would you give your 20-year-old self?
Keep working hard. Money comes and goes so all you can really count on is your own work ethic and values.
What’s the one subscription you can’t live without?
There would be mutiny on the bounty if we stopped our Hulu subscription or our Max subscription.
Where’s your go-to wristwatch from?
Apple.
The necessities
How do you get your daily coffee fix?
I make my coffee at home with a Jura machine and Blue Bottle espresso beans. I mix in manuka honey and mushroom (chaga) drops—we all love our honey and mushrooms in California at the moment.
What about eating on the go?
I never turn down a burrito.
Where do you buy groceries?
I love Bryan’s Grocery in SF!
How often in a week do you dine out versus cook at home?
We eat at home almost every night with the family. It’s more than just eating at home—it’s our daily ritual, a sacred pause in our full lives where phones are set aside and stories flow.
What would be a typical work outfit for you?
Jeans and a sweater with sneakers.
Are you the proud owner of any futuristic gadgets?
All my futuristic gadgets have to do with anti-aging…recently I invested in the LYMA [laser anti-aging skin system].
The treats
How do you unwind from the top job?
Besides hypnotherapy, I Lego so hard. I’m currently working on a three-foot-tall tower from The Lord of the Rings, complete with the Eye of Sauron on top, as a gift for Kevin’s startup, Sauron—the world’s first perceptual home security platform that continuously scans the perimeter of your home.
What’s the best bonus treat you’ve bought yourself?
I just started getting interested in vintage jewelry—every piece has a story, and I love that.
Take us on holiday with you, what’s next on your vacation list?
Growing up in Santa Cruz, the beach wasn’t just a destination—it was an extension of our backyard. That connection to the ocean has stayed with me, and the beach remains a constant in my life that I love sharing with my family. We love to be in the water—surfing and diving together. One place in particular that is so special to us is Fiji.
Fortune wants to hear from leaders on what their “Good Life” looks like. Get in touch: emma.burleigh@fortune.com.
