SM: Electronic Arts sold your program and you were getting royalties at fifteen. Did you continue with your studies, or did you become a developer and start writing games and programs? WH: Both. I did continue my studies. I went to Stanford for my undergrad and stayed there through the time I was able to
Will Harvey is a serial entrepreneur who began writing software at a very early age. He wrote Music Construction Set, which was the first music sheet editor for personal computers, when he was fifteen. In 1995, he founded Sandcastle. In 1998, he founded There, Inc., which was a virtual 3-D social world. He founded his
SM: Childcare is a major item in one’s monthly budget. People do have to think of it, because for most aspiring entrepreneurs, or indeed anyone who works, it is a huge issue. JH: To have your own company, and to be the solo leader of that company, while at the same time having a family
SM: It is incredibly challenging to have a career, let alone be an entrepreneur, and have a baby. JH: I feel very strongly that I can create an environment where women who have a skill and are talented and driven are welcomed at our company. I just hired a head of customer experience who had
SM: How do you feel about your overall situation? Have you made the right choices? JH: I feel really good about it. I have had very little doubt. I am now terrified to see how we could include another child. Kevin is ready and I am sitting here going, “Hold on,” because I just don’t
SM: Why did you approach so many firms? JH: We wanted the Eventbrite story out there. Honestly, it is a bit of a game. At that time VCs were just getting back to putting their money to work, and by our setting the dates we made sure that things did not drag for us, and
SM: What role did your mom play during that time? JH: Two things happened. Emma was born with a birth defect. She had a cleft in her soft pallet that they did not detect in the ultrasound. We found that out the day after she was born. Kevin went into action mode, and he was
SM: How many paid events versus free events does Eventbrite do in a year? JH: Last year we did 46,000 paid events and 77,000 free events. We hope to grow both numbers. People have asked why we do not charge for free events, but we have always had a gut feeling that it is very