Today's conversation is with Karolina Pelc — entrepreneur, former casino dealer, and author of Her Play. Her story is not a story about shortcuts or formulas, but about risk, resilience, and the invisible moments that shape who we become.

From the casino floors of post-communist Europe to building and exiting a global tech company, Karolina's journey challenges how we think about luck, ambition, and belonging. This is a conversation about how life is really played.

About the Guest

Again, Karolina Pelc is the author of Her Play: Making Your Own Luck, available via the following links on Amazon, Target, and Barnes & Noble.

The book is the foundational volume of her Her Playbook series and captures practical insights drawn from a two-decade career across real-money gaming, technology, and executive leadership.

Karolina Pelc began her career dealing cards in land-based and cruise casinos before progressing into senior leadership roles and ultimately serving as a board director of a Nasdaq-listed company.

In 2021, she founded BeyondPlay, an engagement SaaS startup focused on player experience and retention. She raised over €7 million in angel and venture capital and scaled the business rapidly.

In under three years, BeyondPlay was acquired by FanDuel in 2024, where Pelc subsequently served as Vice President.

Her Play was launched on Necker Island with Richard Branson in attendance. Today, Pelc advises venture capital firms and founders, supports M&A and investment due diligence, and actively invests in and mentors early-stage founders through HerPlay, helping them build resilient companies and create their own luck.

Guest social media

Website: https://www.herplay.com/
Instagram: @storiesbypelc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karolinapelc

Host social media

Website: www.siinda.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberli-lewis-7a34053/?ppe=1

https://www.linkedin.com/company/search-and-information-industry-association/?viewAsMember=true

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followsiinda/