The Knockout Punch: How Kara Berklich Weber Turned Crisis into Opportunity

Some life and career-defining moments hit like a knockout punch.

Kara Weber stepped into her first President role at a high-flying, VC-backed startup, ready to build something huge. Then came March 2020—and everything changed.

In this episode of Critical Moments, Kara shares:

✅ How a college soccer rejection taught her resilience and shaped her leadership

✅ The gut-wrenching pandemic pivot that forced her to rethink everything

✅ How she led a team through uncertainty and layoffs while staying open to new ideas

✅ The radical shift that led to a successful exit instead of a collapse

Sometimes opportunity knocks lightly. Other times, it knocks you down. Kara’s story is about getting back up and creating something even better.

[00:02] – Kara’s background and early internet days

[01:24] – The career-defining moment she almost didn’t choose

[06:27] – How a soccer setback led to her biggest college achievement

[07:15] – Stepping into her first President role at a high-growth startup

[14:22] – The pandemic hits—and suddenly, the entire strategy is gone

[20:46] – Leading through uncertainty, layoffs, and radical change

[33:37] – The unexpected pivot: Rethinking IP, fandom, and blockchain

[42:07] – The company sells to Dapper Labs—an exit shaped by innovation

[50:25] – Kara’s biggest leadership lessons from crisis to opportunity