What It Takes to Build and Exit an iGaming Startup with Karolina Pelc

Founder, investor, and mentor Karolina Pelc shares what it really takes to build, scale, and eventually let go of a company in iGaming. In this episode, Karolina reflects on the journey of founding Beyond Play, the challenges of raising capital in a niche regulated industry, and the tough decisions founders need to make early if they want to succeed.We break down how frustration can become the starting point for a business, why conviction matters more than the product itself when raising early capital, and how founders should define success before building. Karolina also explains the realities of launching a B2B product in iGaming, how she thinks about risk, and why no founder is ever fully prepared for the emotional shift that comes after an exit.This is essential listening for founders, startup operators, investors, and iGaming professionals who want a more honest look at entrepreneurship, leadership, growth, and the personal lessons that come with building a company from scratch.What you’ll learn in this episode:How Karolina Pelc turned frustration into the idea behind Beyond PlayWhy raising capital is as much a mindset challenge as a practical oneThe importance of defining success early as a founderWhat founders should decide early about markets, customers, and leadershipWhy building a B2B product in iGaming is especially difficultHow to think about calculated risks vs intuition-driven risksWhy the emotional transition after an exit is harder than most founders expectWhat Karolina would do differently if she were starting again