Karolina Pelc on AI, Authenticity, and Building a B2B iGaming Startup That Exits

Welcome to iGaming Real Talk. Today, I am joined by industry veteran Karolina Pelc for an unfiltered look at the realities of B2B iGaming entrepreneurship. Karolina, you’ve spent two decades in this industry. Could you start by telling us about your journey founding and scaling BeyondPlay?

It’s great to be here, Manesh. Looking back at my time with BeyondPlay, I really wanted to move past the typical success narratives we hear. Building and scaling that business involved some incredibly pivotal decisions, and there were certainly some gritty realities involved in leading up to our eventual exit.

You’ve mentioned that building a high-growth startup is a constant balancing act. How did you manage the technical demands of innovation against the human element of leadership?

That dichotomy is really the core of the challenge. You are constantly trying to innovate on a technical level while simultaneously navigating the human side of the business. It requires a lot of strategic trade-offs, and it’s not always easy to keep those two sides in harmony.

We often hear about the highlights, but I’d love to talk about the things that don't usually get discussed in executive circles. What were some of those silent battles for you during that time?

I think it’s important to be candid about this. There were definitely struggles with burnout and the immense weight that comes with making difficult decisions. You are constantly under pressure within this industry, and those internal battles are things that people rarely talk about openly.

With all that pressure, how did you maintain your authenticity while dealing with such rapid growth?

That was a priority for me. It’s so easy to get caught up in institutional expectations, but I felt it was essential to foster a company culture that actually reflected my true values. If you lose your authenticity, you lose what makes the company special.

It sounds like you’re trying to dismantle the typical startup ‘highlight reel.’ What is the one thing you hope listeners take away about what it truly takes to thrive in this landscape?

I want listeners to understand the real sacrifices that are required. Survival in the fast-moving iGaming landscape isn't just about the wins; it’s about being transparent about the hard work, the trade-offs, and the persistence needed to survive and thrive.