• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

As CEO of the $96 billion Sam’s Club, Latriece Watkins is testing her mettle at the warehouse retailer that produced CEOs for Walmart, Target, and Walgreens

2

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

3

As AI slashes white-collar jobs, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says almost no one is being hired—except in sales

1

As CEO of the $96 billion Sam’s Club, Latriece Watkins is testing her mettle at the warehouse retailer that produced CEOs for Walmart, Target, and Walgreens

2

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

3

As AI slashes white-collar jobs, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says almost no one is being hired—except in sales
Leadershipnathan hubbard

Ticketmaster’s Former CEO Thinks We Should All ‘Get to Work’ Over the Holidays

By
Eli Meixler
Eli Meixler
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Eli Meixler
Eli Meixler
Down Arrow Button Icon
December 20, 2017, 10:46 PM ET
International Entertainment Buyers Association Conference And Hall Of Fame - Day 3
NASHVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 04: CEO of Ticketmaster Nathan Hubbard speaks at the International Entertainment Buyers Association Conference and Hall of Fame on October 4, 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for IEBA)Rick Diamond—Getty Images for IEBA

Nathan Hubbard has some unconventional holiday season advice: Get back to work.

The former Ticketmaster CEO took to Twitter (TWTR) to encourage would-be holiday-takers to fully utilize the last two weeks of December, when many companies are closed or at reduced staffing and get a head start on beating the competition in 2018. “Get to work,” Hubbard urged his 18,000 Twitter followers.

Whatever you’re hustling for, take note: most people/companies are shut down until ‘18. That means you get 2 extra weeks to outwork your competition. That’s 3.8% more time. For perspective: Usain Bolt won his gold medals running 1.2% faster. These 2 weeks are a gift. Get to work.

— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) December 18, 2017

A dip of work efficiency is a well-known phenomenon during the late winter months, with workers feeling more stressed and less productive as the New Year inches closer. In a survey of 2,000 workers in the U.K., human resources consulting company Peakon found that 61% feel checked-out and less productive at work as early as November.

Hubbard’s appeal to get back to the grindstone hit a nerve, with Twitter users criticizing his advice, saying that it was emblematic of the the “always-hustle” attitude popularized by Silicon Valley start-up culture, as well as unhelpful and “unhealthy.” Many insisted on the importance of taking time to mentally recharge to avoid burning out at work.

But Hubbard may be tapping into a cultural shift: more of us are working during the holidays, and we aren’t working less efficiently.

A study from the Society for Human Resource Management found that 84% of offices plan to remain open during for the week between Christmas and New Year’s— so there may be more competition in the field than Hubbard predicts. And according to a survey by file-sharing firm Egnyte, while one-third of workers take time off during the last week of Dec., companies report only a 5% decrease in productivity. Business services, healthcare, media, and education companies may even see productivity increase by as much as 59%.

For more about the modern workplace, watch Fortune’s video:

Hubbard took the backlash with good humor, saying that he would be spending time with his family in Hawaii and “hustling” to lose some weight. Maybe his closing advice is the most welcome: “Make your own choices. Do your thing,” whether it’s or hard work or celebrating the holidays.

About the Author
By Eli Meixler
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Leadership

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Leadership

A woman stands with her hand resting on a table
Future of WorkJobs
When loyalty is rewarded: Top earners who stay in their jobs get much larger pay increases than those who switch
By Jacqueline MunisMay 30, 2026
1 hour ago
Dan Rogers speaking on stage.
AIAsana
Asana was battered by the AI boom. Now it’s betting its future on humans and agents working together.
By Beatrice NolanMay 29, 2026
14 hours ago
Exclusive: Microsoft is building a super app that combines coding, chat, and other Copilot AI tools
AIMicrosoft
Exclusive: Microsoft is building a super app that combines coding, chat, and other Copilot AI tools
By Sebastian HerreraMay 29, 2026
16 hours ago
dimon
SuccessGen Z
Jamie Dimon tells Gen Z to ‘learn how to think, learn how to earn respect’ as he describes ‘great meeting’ with Zohran Mamdani
By Nick LichtenbergMay 29, 2026
17 hours ago
Conan O'Brien holds up a Harvard sports sweater given to him after he delivered the commencement address at Harvard University
SuccessCareers
Conan O’Brien tells Harvard graduates to play down their $250K Ivy League degree—and instead embrace being humble and ‘bad at things’
By Preston ForeMay 29, 2026
17 hours ago
The AI arms race in cybersecurity has started. Most companies aren’t ready
Cryptocyber
The AI arms race in cybersecurity has started. Most companies aren’t ready
By Philip MartinMay 29, 2026
17 hours ago

Most Popular

As CEO of the $96 billion Sam’s Club, Latriece Watkins is testing her mettle at the warehouse retailer that produced CEOs for Walmart, Target, and Walgreens
Magazine
As CEO of the $96 billion Sam’s Club, Latriece Watkins is testing her mettle at the warehouse retailer that produced CEOs for Walmart, Target, and Walgreens
By Emma HinchliffeMay 27, 2026
3 days ago
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Success
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
By Preston ForeMay 21, 2026
9 days ago
As AI slashes white-collar jobs, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says almost no one is being hired—except in sales
Success
As AI slashes white-collar jobs, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says almost no one is being hired—except in sales
By Emma BurleighMay 28, 2026
2 days ago
UBS says Ron DeSantis has a problem with his plan to help 92% of homeowners save on property taxes: His own state's data
Personal Finance
UBS says Ron DeSantis has a problem with his plan to help 92% of homeowners save on property taxes: His own state's data
By Nick LichtenbergMay 28, 2026
2 days ago
Researchers let AI models run a simulated society. Claude was the safest—and Grok committed 180 crimes and went extinct within 4 days
AI
Researchers let AI models run a simulated society. Claude was the safest—and Grok committed 180 crimes and went extinct within 4 days
By Jake AngeloMay 28, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of May 29, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 29, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 29, 2026
20 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.