Eventbrite's Julia Hartz on Fundraising, Going Public, and Leading Through Crisis

Julia Hartz, co-founder and former CEO of Eventbrite, discusses building and scaling the events and ticketing platform over nearly two decades. She recounts the company's journey from bootstrapping and early product-market fit to venture fundraising, an IPO, and eventually returning to private ownership.

■ Early career and Eventbrite's founding
- MTV and FX Networks roles before co-founding Eventbrite
- Bootstrapping with co-founders and landing early customers

■ Fundraising and public-market journey
- 27 venture rejections during the 2008 financial crisis
- CEO transition, IPO, and managing public shareholders

■ Crisis leadership and key lessons
- COVID-19 impact, restructuring, and cultural changes
- Customer conversations, competition, and the decision to go private

This conversation is suited for founders, operators, and investors interested in marketplace businesses, fundraising, crisis management, and the realities of scaling a company. Viewers can expect perspectives on leadership during uncertainty, customer-focused decision-making, and the trade-offs of public versus private ownership.