How Culture Steers Through Crisis: The Eventbrite Story
Innovating Leadership: Co-Creating Our Future · 2026-03-31 · 40 min
Episode notes
Guest: Julia Hartz, EventBrite Co-Founder & former CEO In a matter of days, Eventbrite went from growth to crisis, processing more refunds than revenue as live events canceled worldwide In this episode, Julia Hartz shares what it really takes to lead when the business you built suddenly stops working. Drawing on a 20-year journey spanning startup, hypergrowth, IPO, global expansion, and eventual reinvention, Julia reveals the leadership systems that sustained Eventbrite through massive technological shifts, from social media to AI. More importantly, she offers a candid look at the hardest decisions leaders face: Acting decisively with incomplete but critical information Making painful calls to protect long-term viability Rebuilding culture and trust after disruption, and Leading teams through uncertainty, layoffs, and transformation. At the core of her approach is a simple but powerful principle: care for people first, and build systems that make that real. This episode is essential listening for CEOs, senior executives, and leaders navigating rapid change, high-stakes decisions, and the human realities behind them.