@founded: In 1999, the very first Coachella lost roughly $850,000, and founder Paul Tollett sold his house and car just to keep going. Tollett came up in Pomona, a college student who got obsessed with live music promotion. Before he finished his degree, he dropped out to work concerts full time. He later took over @goldenvoice, where he faced bigger rivals with deeper budgets and stronger artist ties. So rather than compete on their terms, he built something of his own. A festival where the lineup and the experience were the whole draw. He drew inspiration from European festivals like Glastonbury, then carried that model to the California desert. Plenty of people doubted it. Today, Coachella ranks among the most successful music festivals on the planet, pulling in hundreds of millions a year and standing as a global cultural institution. Some ideas only look crazy until enough time passes to make them look obvious. #coachella #forbes #entrepreneur #founder

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Wednesday 03 June 2026 22:34:45 GMT