# Eventbrite: Julia Hartz

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2020-02-17
- Length: 1h 04m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-02-17-eventbrite-julia-hartz

## Summary

Julia Hartz, co-founder and CEO of Eventbrite, explains how she left a promising career in television development at MTV and FX Networks to launch the ticketing platform with her husband Kevin Hartz and CTO Renaud Visage. They bootstrapped the company from a warehouse closet, initially targeting tech bloggers and small event creators to fill the gap between cash-and-check door sales and expensive enterprise software like Ticketmaster. After facing 27 rejections from VCs in 2008, they leveraged the recession and Facebook integration to grow gross ticket sales to $10 million, eventually securing funding from Sequoia Capital and taking the company public in 2018.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-02-17-eventbrite-julia-hartz#t=0) Introduction: Julia Hartz and Eventbrite
- [4:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-02-17-eventbrite-julia-hartz#t=264) Julia's TV Career and Meeting Kevin
- [14:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-02-17-eventbrite-julia-hartz#t=861) Leaving Hollywood to Co-found Eventbrite
- [19:37](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-02-17-eventbrite-julia-hartz#t=1177) Bootstrapping from a Warehouse Closet
- [21:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-02-17-eventbrite-julia-hartz#t=1294) Product Strategy and Early Customers
- [29:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-02-17-eventbrite-julia-hartz#t=1785) The 2008 VC Rejections and Recession Growth
- [44:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-02-17-eventbrite-julia-hartz#t=2699) Scaling, Leadership, and Going Public
- [59:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-02-17-eventbrite-julia-hartz#t=3569) Post-Script: Tomo Delaney and Noshi For Kids

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, companies scaling up, large enterprises

## Mentioned

- Eventbrite (company)
- Ticketmaster (company)
- Sequoia Capital (company)
- MTV (company)
- FX Networks (company)
- Facebook (company)
- Noshi For Kids (product)
- Walmart (company)
- Zoom (company)
- PayPal (company)

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## Citing this page

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