Famous Quote
“We didn't set out to build an events company. We set out to bring the world together through live experiences.”
Why #74
Hartz co-founded the world's largest self-service events platform, took it public, and survived the existential threat of COVID-19. Eventbrite democratized event creation and has powered hundreds of millions of experiences in 180+ countries.
The Story
Julia Hartz co-founded Eventbrite in 2006 with her husband Kevin Hartz and Renaud Visage, building it into the world's largest self-service ticketing and events platform. Eventbrite democratized event creation — allowing anyone from small yoga studios to major music festivals to create, promote, and sell tickets to events without the gatekeeping and high fees of traditional ticketing companies like Ticketmaster.
Hartz served as president and then CEO, taking Eventbrite public in 2018. The company processes billions of dollars in ticket sales annually and has powered hundreds of millions of event experiences across 180+ countries. Her leadership was tested severely during COVID-19, when the live events industry effectively shut down overnight. Hartz navigated the crisis by pivoting to virtual events, cutting costs, and positioning Eventbrite for the post-pandemic events boom.
Before Eventbrite, Hartz worked in television development at FX and MTV. Her media background gave her a unique understanding of audience engagement and event culture that informed Eventbrite's creator-focused approach. She is one of a small number of women who have founded a major tech company and taken it public.
Key Achievements
Co-founded Eventbrite (2006) — largest self-service events platform
Took Eventbrite public (2018)
Processes billions in annual ticket sales across 180+ countries
Powered hundreds of millions of event experiences
Navigated Eventbrite through COVID-19 shutdown of live events
One of the few female tech founders to IPO a company
By the Numbers
Billions $
Annual Ticket Sales
180+
Countries
Hundreds of Millions
Events Created
2018
IPO Year
Fun Facts
She co-founded Eventbrite with her husband Kevin Hartz — they worked on the idea while dating.
She worked at FX Networks and MTV before entering tech.
She became CEO of Eventbrite in 2016 after serving as president for years.
Eventbrite's first office was a small space in San Francisco's Mission District.
She survived COVID-19's complete shutdown of live events — Eventbrite's core business — and brought the company through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the greatest entrepreneurs of all time?
The greatest entrepreneurs include Steve Jobs (Apple), Elon Musk (Tesla/SpaceX), Jeff Bezos (Amazon), Bill Gates (Microsoft), and Mark Zuckerberg (Meta). Each built companies that fundamentally changed how the world works — from personal computing and smartphones to e-commerce, cloud computing, and social media.
What makes someone a successful entrepreneur?
Successful entrepreneurs share several traits: the ability to identify unmet needs, willingness to take calculated risks, relentless execution, and resilience in the face of failure. They combine vision with practical problem-solving and are willing to persist long after most people would quit. Capital and credentials matter far less than most people think — resourcefulness beats resources.
Can you become an entrepreneur without a business degree?
Absolutely. Many of the greatest entrepreneurs had no business education. Steve Jobs dropped out of college. Richard Branson left school at 16. Sara Blakely was selling fax machines. Henry Ford had no formal engineering training. Jack Ma was an English teacher. What matters is not the degree — it is the ability to see an opportunity, build something people want, and persist through failure.
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