This week we were lucky enough to score an interview with a mompreneur extraordinaire. (Thank you, YMC!) Julia Hartz is the Co-Founder of Eventbrite and mom to two little girls. We got to chat with the lovely and über-intelligent Julia about how she grows her business and her family. Here are some highlights from our interview.
Mom Inc (MI): You went from a very corporate career as a TV executive to becoming an entrepreneur. What changes did you have to make in your life and your mindset with your new career?
Julia Hartz (JH): I went from the 26th floor at Fox Plaza to working on a desk made from two sawhorses and a door! I think you have to let go of your fear. If you thought about all of the things you should be afraid of when starting a business you’d have analysis paralysis. You have to turn off the voice of skepticism and just do it. In my case, I didn’t look up and question anything for two years.
MI: Eventbrite uses social media as a means of growing the business. What advice do you have for entrepreneurs looking to do the same?
JH: Success with social media doesn’t come easily. I think there’s a misconception that it is easy to grow your business with social media. People think it’s so big that you can just ‘blow on it’ and your business will explode. It takes a lot of work to see results. SEO, for example, is worlds easier for growing a business than social media. It’s about finding your tempo and where you can really engage clients and committing to that.
MI: You started Eventbrite with your husband, Kevin. How do you manage working together on both the work and marriage fronts?
JH: We started Eventbrite when we were engaged. So, in the space of six months, we started a business, got married and moved in together. It was do or die. Our lives together have evolved under the umbrella of Eventbrite. I almost worry what our lives would be like if we didn’t work together [laughs]! At work, we divide and conquer—we never work on the same projects. And, we make sure our priorities are aligned—which means we have to talk about that a lot.
MI: You have two little girls now. How do you manage motherhood with the business?
JH: Our girls are 7 months and four-and-a-half. We managed the transition of having our second baby and came out the other end. At the moment, I’m doing a kick-ass job at both motherhood and at work, but I have to stop and appreciate that, because anything can change on either front.
MI: The ‘Mompreneur’ word: Love it or hate it?
JH: Love it. I think it empowers women and raises the overall profile of women who are doing both [business and motherhood]. I think that more women aren’t entrepreneurs because they can’t imagine going through motherhood and starting a business at the same time, and of course it can be done. If a woman starts a business it may not be successful but it will likely amount to something meaningful.
MI: What’s your best advice for Mompreneurs?
JH: First, find, build or buy a village. You need support, both on the home front and at work. Second, be fearless. Women need to lean into our ideas. What’s the worst that can happen? You fail, you learn a lot, and maybe you start again.
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