The iGaming Leader

• Taking the Mask Off: Leadership Through Doubt, Pressure and Authenticity

  In this episode of iGaming Leader, Leo sits down with Jovana Popovic Canaki, CEO of iGP and one of the few female leaders in the B2B iGaming space. Jovana opens up about the emotional highs and lows of leadership, the hidden pressure of being “the strong one,” and the journey from intimidation and self-doubt to authentic, grounded leadership.The conversation explores losing her belongings abroad and what it taught her about vulnerability, balancing work with family roles, early-career imposter feelings, learning to lead without wearing a “manager mask,” and the reality of being a woman advancing through a male-dominated industry.Guest BioJovana Popović Čanaki, known to most as Jovi, is the CEO of iGP, an iGaming platform, aggregator, and lottery provider. With more than 15 years of experience in the industry, she’s helped shape some of its most recognizable brands from Aspire Global to ORYX Gaming. Today she leads iGP’s evolution from a single-platform provider into a trusted, full-suite partner for operators worldwide.But what really defines Jovi is her belief that growth comes from people first. She’s known for leading with empathy, authenticity, and a strong sense of purpose, building teams where creativity, accountability, and trust go hand in hand.At iGP, she continues to champion the company’s Be Purple mindset, a reminder to stay bold, curious, and human, guiding both her team and partners to build gaming experiences that inspire connection and progress.Key Topics Discussed00:00 – The loneliness and emotional swings of leadership03:00 – Losing everything in a hotel lobby: vulnerability and perspective07:00 – The myth of work–life balance as a CEO, parent and expat15:00 – How her early years shaped her leadership style20:00 – Doubt, intimidation, and learning to “push through”32:00 – Wearing a “manager mask” and the cost of inauthenticity40:00 – Women in leadership: the progress, challenges and realities50:00 – Her advice to her younger self: stop doubtingMemorable Quotes“Do what you believe in.”“Why are you so afraid to show who you are? What’s the worst that can happen?” “If you don’t have a little stage fright, you don’t care enough.”Connect with Jovihttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jovanapopovic/https://igamingbusiness.com/strategy/management/jovana-popovic-canaki-igp-leadership/https://g3newswire.com/igp-a-transformative-year/www.igpgaming.comFollow Leo Judkins & iGaming LeaderLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leo-judkins/Newsletter: https://www.igamingleader.com/subscribeJoin the Mastermind: https://www.igamingleader.com/apply

  --------  

  52:38

  --------

  52:38
• The Calm CEO Playbook for iGaming Leaders

  In this episode of iGaming Leader, Leo sits down with Daniel Brooks, dual founder and hands-on CEO of BetComply and Ridentify. Daniel shares how a thoughtful, mentor-first approach lets him scale two companies at once, trust strong operators, and stay composed when cashflow shocks or client pull-outs hit. He explains how journalling, walking meetings, and “breathing through” crises turn panic into analytical problem-solving and innovation.The conversation explores people-first leadership, letting go without losing control, choosing and backing the right operators, making brave pivots without losing your core, and building a personal resilience system that keeps you calm under pressure. Practical insights for founders, COOs, and execs across iGaming.Guest BioDaniel Brookes is an experienced business strategist and leader in the iGaming and technology sectors, currently serving as CEO of both BetComply and Rdentify. Known for his expertise in regulatory compliance, operations, and innovative AI-driven player protection solutions, Daniel has been instrumental in scaling businesses and driving growth in complex, regulated markets.He is recognised for his hands-on leadership style, strategic vision, and commitment to fostering collaborative, trust-first company cultures. Daniel’s work focuses on helping operators navigate the challenges of compliance while promoting responsible gaming and customer protection.Key Topics Discussed00:00 – Thoughtful leadership: mentor first, megaphone second03:00 – From hands-on Ops to true COO05:00 – Letting go the right way: trust, verify, then back your best people09:00 – Culture design: speed, iteration, low bureaucracy, clear process12:00 – Running two companies: vision, operators, repeatable model16:00 – “Breathe through it”: journalling and calm thinking in a crisis19:00 – Private GPTs, writing, and structured reflection as a coping system22:00 – Proud moments: team growth, fast KPIs, shared wins31:00 – Founders, focus, and plate-spinning: why this isn’t “the Daniel show”35:00 – Mentors who challenge vision and expand ambition40:00 – Disruption mindset: ask bigger questions, push for better41:00 – Family, holidays, and work–life choices that reduce stress42:00 – Final advice: hire great people, move fast, know when to stopMemorable Quotes“Lead from the top, not in the weeds. Trust the team to deliver.” “The only way through it is to breathe through it.” “Ask better questions: how do we disrupt and make this the best it can be?” “Don’t let anybody tell you to follow your dream if everything is saying no. Use those noes to realign.”Connect with Daniel: https://betcomply.com/https://rdentify.com/https://www.rdentifyconnect.com/https://thoughteconomics.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-brookes-367b5b14/Follow Leo on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/leo-judkins/Subscribe to the iGaming Leader newsletter: igamingleader.com/signupJoin the iGaming Leader Mastermind: igamingleader.com

  --------  

  43:56

  --------

  43:56
• Building a safe-to-fail team culture in iGaming

  In this episode of iGaming Leader, Leo sits down with Emma Blaylock, CEO of Pretty Technical and a tech leader who helped launch Kindle UK and drove early streaming at Sony. Emma shares how vulnerable leadership creates safe-to-fail teams that learn fast, stay calm under scrutiny, and execute with focus. The conversation explores helping your team feel safe-to-fail, hiring to your weaknesses, data-driven decision making, handling cashflow shocks, and female leadership in male-dominated rooms—offering practical insights for founders, product leaders, and execs across iGaming. Guest Bio Emma is an experienced business strategist and technology commercialist, having practised formal management consultancy at Deloitte and strategic investments, acquisitions and cross-group business development at Sony’s Corporate Development and M&A group in the U.S.  After Sony, Emma joined Amazon and delivered strategic initiatives to launch and grow Kindle in the UK and other European markets. Emma holds a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Nottingham and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management in Chicago. Key Topics Discussed 00:00 – Admit gaps: building a safe-to-fail culture 03:00 – Tech throughline: impact, innovation, disruption 05:00 – Bezos-level detail: data-driven calm under pressure 08:00 – Disrupting UK market with Kindle 10:00 – From imposter feelings to confident leadership 14:00 – Modelling vulnerability and psychological safety 22:00 – From Amazon to start-up: risk, family, flexibility 27:00 – Fundraising, COVID, and making hard calls 31:00 – When a big client can’t pay: cashflow and redundancies 39:00 – Raise-the-bar hiring: fill your weaknesses Memorable Quotes “No one's going to remember everything at the top of their head and have the answers for everything, that's not realistic.” “It's okay to be vulnerable around that, right? And honest around that. And then, as a team, you grow.” “That imposter syndrome we all talk about, I think it's always there, but you, you become more confident in what you can do and confident in where your weaknesses are.” “It's about having a culture that embraces failure, but then quickly learns from it.” Connect with Emma Blaylock:https://prettytechnical.io/linkedin.com/in/emmablaylockhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/pretty-technicalFollow Leo Judkins on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leo-judkins/Subscribe to the iGaming Leader newsletter: https://www.igamingleader.com/signupJoin the iGaming Leader Mastermind: https://www.igamingleader.com/

  --------  

  55:38

  --------

  55:38
• What it really takes to make it as a founder

  In this episode of iGaming Leader, Leo sits down with Max Meltzer, founder, CEO and investor, to unpack the real mindset and habits behind building in our industry.Max charts his path from early entrepreneurship to a strategic “reset” back into employment, then leaving a top commercial role to found Strive Gaming. He shares why founders must have the guts to fail, how prioritising health and family sharpens decisions, and what it looks like to evolve from operator to strategist as the company scales.The conversation gets practical on fundraising, boards, hiring, and handling criticism without losing empathy, plus a powerful journalling practice that keeps him grounded as a leader and dad.Guest BioMax Meltzer is an entrepreneur and investor. He is the founder and CEO of Strive Gaming, a B2B Player Account Management business that serves North America. Customers include PointsBet, Golden Nugget (DraftKings), Four Winds Casino, Genting and beyond. Shareholders include Betsson, OpenBet, Knutsson and more. He is also a Venture Partner of Astralis Capital, who count PrizePicks among others in their portfolio. Max’s previous roles include CCO at Kambi and founding other businesses such as Simply Sport Management, a sports management agency launched in 2012 that still operates today.Key Topics Discussed00:00 – Welcoming our guest05:00 – Early entrepreneurship08:00 – Stigma vs strategy: going back to employement11:00 – Health over financial milestones16:00 – Making balance stick17:30 – Community, sport, and boundaries20:00 – Empathy, criticism and building thicker skin22:30 – Coaching and journalling letters to his daughter31:00 – Leaving Kambi and founding Strive36:00 – Seed strategies44:00 – Fundraising cycles, boards, and aligning investor expectations53:00 – Only do the jobs only you can do54:30 – Legacy and values: the father and leader Max wants to beMemorable Quotes“To be a success as a founder, you have to have the guts to fail. If you don’t have the guts to fail, really you shouldn’t do it.”“No one actually cares enough about you personally. Only you care about you to that extent… Do feel like, ‘what’s everyone going to think?’ No one’s actually thinking anything.”“Don’t prioritise financial milestones ahead of everything else. You’re a better business person when you prioritise your health and personal wellbeing.”“Whatever happens, prioritise family. Put your values first—your boundaries are your foundation and support.”Important LinksConnect with Max Meltzer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxmeltzer1www.strivegaming.comhttps://www.egr.global/intel/insight/strive-founders-journey-executing-on-strategy-and-the-evolving-ways-of-raising-capital/Follow Leo Judkins on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leo-judkins/Subscribe to the iGaming Leader newsletter: https://www.igamingleader.com/signupJoin the iGaming Leader Mastermind: https://www.igamingleader.com/

  --------  

  55:51

  --------

  55:51
• What compliance is NOT

  Why "compliance" might be the worst job title in iGaming — and what it should really be called instead.In this episode of iGaming Leader, Leo chats with Alex Henderson, VP of Compliance at Midnite and co-host of Compliance Chronicles. From financial investigations at the UK National Crime Agency to scaling compliance teams across multiple markets, Alex reveals the hidden realities of leadership in regulated industries.What You'll Discover:Why shifting from "every customer is a criminal" changes everythingThe million-dollar mistake that taught Alex his biggest leadership lessonHow to build trust-based teams that can take calculated risksReal strategies for supporting teams without burning them outWhat to do when leadership decisions backfire publiclyWhy making mistakes is essential for growth (even expensive ones)This isn't your typical compliance conversation — it's raw, practical leadership advice for anyone managing teams in complex, regulated environments.🎧 IN THIS EPISODE 00:00 – Why "compliance" is the worst possible name for the role04:00 – Shifting mindset: not every customer is a criminal07:00 – Leadership by trust: enabling teams to take risks10:00 – When quick decisions backfire and cost millions14:00 – Customer experience in gambling: speed dating or lost forever15:00 – Building a compliance team from 1 to 30+ people17:00 – Hard leadership lessons: overwork, burnout, and compassion28:00 – Losing respect publicly and how to recover trust36:00 – When things go wrong and you're blamed unfairly40:00 – Handling redundancies and supporting people afterwards44:00 – What makes a "great leader" and the role of mistakes💡 KEY QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE "The whole role of working in compliance is protection.""I'd rather go full-flat being innovative than follow mediocracy.""I cost the company a lot of money there… fantastic for compliance, but commercially a massive impact.""I was told early on: don't build relationships with your team because you'll have to fire them. I learned the hard way that's exactly what you should do.""I'll never stop making mistakes. They're the biggest lessons I've had in leadership."🔗 CONNECT & FOLLOWAlex Henderson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanda-h-114911145/Leo Judkins on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leo-judkins/Subscribe to iGaming Leader newsletter: https://www.igamingleader.com/signupJoin the iGaming Leader Mastermind: https://www.igamingleader.com/ABOUT THE GUEST Alex Henderson brings extensive experience in compliance, regulatory affairs, and operational risk within the gambling sector. His career spans work with leading operators, law enforcement agencies, and advisory firms, giving him a unique perspective on both commercial and regulatory challenges. He co-hosts The Compliance Chronicles, a podcast helping peers navigate complex regulatory environments.SUBSCRIBE for more leadership insights from iGaming's top executives and innovators!

  --------  

  49:34

  --------

  49:34

More Business podcasts

Trending Business podcasts

About The iGaming Leader