In this episode of Around the Ladder, host Erika Steinberg sits down with Morgan Katz, founder and CEO of Ticketnology, to explore her unconventional career path from live event management to tech entrepreneurship. Morgan shares insights on identifying as an entrepreneur later in life, building a tech platform from scratch, and her passion project-Gunny’s House, a charity for senior rescue dogs. The conversation covers the challenges and rewards of pivoting careers, lessons learned from leading a tech company, and the importance of clarity, adaptability, and compassion in both business and life.
Introduction to Morgan Katz
Founder & CEO of Ticketnology, a platform transforming how businesses manage live event tickets
Background in live events with sports teams, venues, and corporate hospitality
Frequent speaker on client experience, event strategy, and business growth
Gunny’s House: A Mission of Compassion
Morgan’s charity for senior and medically challenged rescue dogs
Focus on providing a loving, quality life for dogs who are often overlooked in shelters
The inspiration behind the charity and the impact it’s making
Morgan’s Career Journey
Early career in live events, always “with a walkie talkie”
Transition from employee to entrepreneur after a major shift in company leadership
Realization of her entrepreneurial spirit and how it shaped her approach to business
Building Ticketnology
Started as a consulting and ticket brokerage in 2019
Pivoted to a tech platform during the COVID-19 pandemic in response to industry shifts
Launched the software in April 2021, focusing on client experience and data-driven solutions
Lessons in Entrepreneurship
Embracing the “big picture” mindset and learning to communicate vision clearly
Navigating the challenges of not being a technical founder
The importance of a strong development team and customer-first product design
Personal Growth & Reflections
Discovering new strengths through entrepreneurship, such as strategic planning and self-regulation
The ongoing journey of balancing doubt, adaptability, and purpose
The value of combining diverse skills, big-picture thinking and attention to detail-in building successful ventures
“I’ve always been kind of that out-of-the-box thinker, but I never just titled it as an entrepreneur… Once that happened and it was time to figure out my next move, that’s when I really started to understand and invest in my side of being an entrepreneur.”
“Gunny’s House mission is to extend the life for a dog… taking those dogs that have medical issues that are not adoptable and letting them enjoy the rest of their quality of life at a nice place.”
“Being clear is being kind. If I haven’t fully explained the mission or the vision or what we’re trying to do, we’re not going to get anywhere.”
Connect with Morgan
Ticketnology: Learn more about Morgan’s platform for live event ticket management.
Thank you for listening to Around the Ladder, where we celebrate the unexpected and inspiring career journeys that don’t always go straight up. Subscribe for more stories of reinvention, resilience, and purpose!
