FranklinCovey On Leadership Kara Nortman: Founder Mentality in Women’s Sports
Feb 24, 2026
Kara Nortman, a venture investor-turned-entrepreneur who co-founded Angel City FC and Monarch Collective, shares her journey from venture capital to women's sports. She describes how a World Cup moment sparked curiosity. She talks about recruiting influential partners, applying a founder mindset to sports, building community-driven products, and balancing purpose with career choices.
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Natalie Portman's Offhand Text Launched A Team
- Natalie Portman texted Kara proposing they start a team, which Kara initially thought was a joke but then pursued seriously.
- Kara recruited Julie Ehrman as the operating co-founder and raised venture-style capital before having a license, stadium, or players.
One Metric Made The Investment Case
- Kara attributes Angel City's rapid commercial success to applying a venture mindset: simplify the pitch to one convincing metric — fill 10,000 seats 12 times a year.
- Reducing risk to that repeatable attendance metric unlocked sponsorships like DoorDash before seasons or players existed.
Community Is The Product Not The Team
- Angel City built community as the core product, not just a sports team, using virtual events, celebrity investors, and stadium rituals to create repeatable social experiences.
- Activities included Zooms during COVID, pregame shared meals, fan fests, and sponsor integration that became authentic social touchpoints.