Today we’d like to introduce you to William Petz.
Hi William, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Over the last 46 years, my life has been a series of fun and interesting chapters. I grew up thinking I was going to be an artist, and even studied architecture in high school, but I eventually pivoted to computer science in college.
While I spent years working in IT for large financial institutions, the entrepreneurial spark was always there—ever since I was seven years old, selling the ‘best’ homemade powdered iced tea on the corner for a dime. In high school, I was the organizer. I arranged whitewater rafting, snowboarding, and fishing trips, leveraging the group size to go for free. In college, I founded ‘Random Events.’ It was a pre-Groupon concept where I built a mailing list of people who wanted to try new things—from glass blowing to dance classes. I’d negotiate rates lower than cost, turn a profit, and participate for free. When people ask, ‘Have you done this before?’ there aren’t many things I have to say ‘no’ to.
While Random Events was amazing, it taught me hard lessons about hiring and partnership contracts. Then, in early 2012, a family cruise to the Bahamas changed everything. The cruise director insisted we try a ‘Silent Disco.’ That single moment launched my future career.
Today, I am the founder of Quiet Events, a nationwide company that rents, sells, and organizes silent disco events across the US, Canada, and around the world. We have offices across the US, including Austin, and host major parties in cities like Houston. I now have an incredible team managing day-to-day operations as we continue to innovate with new technology and create unique experiences for everyone.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
If you ask me if it’s been easy, there are so many ways to answer that. Doing anything for the first time is never easy—it’s work. It’s the kind of work that keeps you up late researching solutions for problems that don’t exist yet, or balancing family time while building a business where the outcomes are far from guaranteed.
That said, I am happy to say that while it hasn’t always been easy, it has been a relatively smooth road because every wrong turn taught us something valuable. The struggles have evolved as we have. In the early days, it was about market education—convincing people that a ‘silent’ party wasn’t awkward. Then came the operational challenges: deciding when to update our headphone technology to multi-channel systems, knowing when to revamp the website, or figuring out how to track thousands of headphones across the country so we didn’t lose inventory.
Then there are the massive external curves, like COVID. When the world shut down, we had to ask: ‘How do we generate revenue when no one can gather?’ We didn’t just wait; we pivoted to virtual battles and dual-mode headphones for fitness studios. Now, after 14 years, the struggles are different but just as critical: How do we continue to scale? How do we create real career mobility for the team? And how do we keep innovating to ensure our clients always experience something new? It’s a constant climb, but I wouldn’t trade the view.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I specialize in solving problems that others think are impossible. I’m proud of the fact that I’ve built a career on the belief that with enough research and the right team, any obstacle can be overcome.
What distinguishes me from others is my mechanical mindset. In stressful situations, I strip away the emotion and look at the logistics to find a solution. I’m known for innovation and taking calculated risks—I don’t fear a negative outcome, because I view every result as data that helps me make better decisions for the company in the future.
What are your plans for the future?
Quiet Events is entering a really exciting phase of expansion. Historically, Quiet Events has been B2B, but our future is in the personal home audio market. We are launching home-specific equipment designed to solve everyday household conflicts—like teens gaming with friends or parents wanting to watch a movie while the baby sleeps. We want to bring the ‘silent’ experience into the living room.
On the commercial side, 2026 is shaping up to be a massive year. We have secured large partnerships with major cruise lines, sporting arenas, and entertainment venues. A huge driver of this growth is our release of the new ‘Ultra2’ ADA-compliant headphones in 2025. These headphones feature audible channel indicators and high-contrast buttons, making them accessible to everyone. This technology has opened doors for us to become the standard for inclusivity in large-scale venues.
Pricing:
- $6-$10 per headphone for rentals
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Quietevents.com
- Instagram: https;//instagram.com/quietevents
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/quietevents
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/quiet-events
- Youtube: http://youtube.com/quietevents
