Society6
Leadership History
3 leaders · 2009 to present
Julie Matrat is the CEO of Society6, in the role since 2021. The first chief executive was Sean Moriarty, from 2014.
| Name | Role | From | To | Years in role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Julie Matrat | CEO, Society6 | 2021 | Present | 5 |
| Sean Moriarty | CEO, Leaf Group (parent) | 2014 | 2021 | 7 |
| Justin Cooper | Co-founder | 2009 | Present | 17 |
Society6 is an online retailer for artist-designed home goods, based in Santa Monica, California. Artists supply the artwork, and Society6 handles the product catalog, printing through production partners, shipping and customer service. It is owned by Graham Holdings Company, which acquired former parent Leaf Group in 2021. Society6 now runs as its own brand, separate from sister art marketplace Saatchi Art and media group World of Good Brands.
Society6 earns money as a retailer. Customers pay the retail price for a made-to-order product such as an art print, throw pillow, shower curtain or phone case. Society6 keeps the sale after covering production, fulfillment and marketing, and pays the artist a royalty. From late 2023 to early 2025 artists could pay for Basic ($4.99/month) or Pro ($12.99/month) plans that let them set their own markups. In February 2025 Society6 dropped the paid plans and artist shipping fees and moved to a fixed royalty of roughly 5-10% of the retail price, depending on product. Because items are printed only after purchase, the model carries little finished-goods inventory risk.
CEO, Society6
2021 – Present
5 years (current)
Matrat orchestrated a highly aggressive, controversial pivot to introduce 'artist fees,' severely cutting into creator margins in a desperate attempt to force the heavily struggling marketplace back into profitability.
As General Manager, she manages the absolute brutal fallout from the post-pandemic e-commerce crash, attempting to stabilize the company under Leaf Group's ownership.
CEO, Leaf Group (parent)
2014 – 2021
7 years
Led Society6's parent, Demand Media/Leaf Group, as it shifted toward commerce brands such as Society6 and Saatchi Art, and sold it to Graham Holdings in 2021.
Former Saatchi Art CEO who made art marketplaces central to Leaf Group.
Co-founder
2009 – Present
17 years (current)
Co-founded Society6 with Lucas Tirigall-Caste and Justin Wills and led it into its 2013 sale to Demand Media for about $94 million.
Helped build an early print-on-demand marketplace for independent artists.
Society6's 2025 switch to a curated, approval-based marketplace removed thousands of artist accounts and ended artist-set pricing. That angered parts of its creator base and pushed some artists toward Redbubble, Etsy and storefront tools like Printful and Fourthwall. Society6 also sells discretionary home decor, which depends on paid social and search advertising to bring in shoppers.
Society6 is managed by executive brand leadership within the digital media and e-commerce division of corporate parent Graham Holdings Company, based in Santa Monica, California.
Society6 was led from 2009 to 2013 by its founding team: Justin Cooper (who served as CEO), Lucas Tirigall-Caste, and Justin Wills, who guided the startup from an indie artist collective to a $94 million acquisition.
Sean Moriarty, former CEO of Ticketmaster and Buy.com, served as CEO of Leaf Group from 2014 to 2021. Moriarty repositioned the company around premium lifestyle brands, invested heavily in Society6's mobile user experience, and orchestrated the $323 million sale to Graham Holdings.
Richard Rosenblatt was the high-profile co-founder and CEO of Demand Media who orchestrated the $94 million acquisition of Society6 in June 2013, seeking to diversify Demand Media's content farm business into e-commerce.
Julie Matrat served as General Manager and Vice President of Society6, overseeing day-to-day operations, marketing, artist community partnerships, and product catalog expansion during the Leaf Group era.
Donald E. Graham, former publisher of The Washington Post and Chairman of Graham Holdings Company, oversees a diversified conglomerate renowned for decentralized management, long-term capital preservation, and hands-off operational support.
Following the 2020-2021 pandemic boom, consumer spending shifted from home goods to travel and dining. Leadership rationalized operating overhead, reduced unprofitable advertising spend, and restructured artist fees to protect bottom-line margins.
Society6 maintains dedicated artist relations teams that communicate platform updates, run creative competitions, organize webinars on digital marketing, and resolve creator grievances.
Executive leadership engaged in transparent dialogue with creators, explaining that rising manufacturing and postal costs made subsidized free unlimited storage unsustainable, and adjusting tier benefits to support high-volume artists.
Following the 2013 Demand Media acquisition, founders Justin Cooper, Lucas Tirigall-Caste, and Justin Wills transitioned away to pursue independent creative projects, angel investing, and new digital media startups.
While Saatchi Art focuses on original high-end fine art paintings and sculptures selling for thousands of dollars, Society6 focuses on accessible print-on-demand prints and home decor, allowing Graham Holdings to cover both ends of the art market.
Leadership is focused on deepening creator loyalty, leveraging AI-powered visual search for consumers, optimizing global manufacturing supply chains, and cementing Society6 as the premier destination for independent art-inspired home living.
Compare executive leadership tenures and strategic transitions
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