Exiting Eventbrite: Grief and Freedom

A small town ballerina with no business background, Julia Hartz had no guarantee that Eventbrite would work. What began as a bootstrapped startup she co-founded became a 20-year journey full of challenges, including a crisis like no other: COVID, wiping out the events industry almost overnight. But each challenge sharpened her leadership skills, and Julia ultimately turned  Eventbrite into the powerhouse it is today before exiting on her own terms. In this episode, Julia shares how these moments shaped her leadership and taught her how to build, scale, and evolve a meaningful business, even when it costs you everything.

In this episode, Hala and Julia will discuss: 

(00:00) Introduction

(02:08) Julia’s Empathy-Driven Founder Mindset

(04:46) Launching a Startup Without a Business Background

(14:14) Co-Founding Eventbrite: Spotting the Gap in 2006

(25:23) Leading Through Crisis and Change

(35:18) The Return of Live Events

(44:04) Building a Company Culture That Evolves

(48:24) CEO Mindset and Underrated Leadership Skills

(1:04:48) Balancing Family and Entrepreneurship

(1:11:02) Leadership Advice in the AI Era 

Julia Hartz is the co-founder and former CEO of Eventbrite, one of the world's leading platforms for live events. She co-founded Eventbrite in 2006 with her husband Kevin Hartz and Renaud Visage, later becoming the sole CEO in 2016 and leading the company through its 2018 IPO. Eventbrite entered a new chapter in December 2025 when Bending Spoons announced a $500 million all-cash acquisition, which closed in March 2026, taking Eventbrite private.

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Resources Mentioned:

Julia’s Instagram: instagram.com/juliahartz

Julia’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/juliahartz 

The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker: bit.ly/PP-TAOG  

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Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Podcast, Business, Business Podcast, Self Improvement, Self-Improvement, Personal Development, Starting a Business, Strategy, Investing, Sales, Selling, Psychology, Productivity, Entrepreneurs, AI, Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Marketing, Negotiation, Money, Finance, Side Hustle, Startup, Mental Health, Career, Leadership, Mindset, Health, Growth Mindset, Passive Income, Online Business, Solopreneur, Networking