Sandy Carter’s bio reads like a whos who in tech – both Web2 and Web3. She is currently the Chief Operating Officer at Unstoppable Domains, a platform that enables users to establish blockchain-based domain names and decentralized websites. In this role she oversees company operations, sales, marketing, business development, legal, customer service, and more. She previously served as IBM’s worldwide SWG Channel Chief, where she was the global evangelist responsible for connecting emerging technology companies and accelerators with enterprises to increase productivity. Following IBM, Sandy moved into the role of Vice President of Amazon Web Services. There she established Amazon’s Enterprise Workload division involving business innovation, strategy, roadmap, talent acquisition, new partnerships, and programs.
Sandy is also on the board of Altair AI – a public company, and advises two AI Start-ups. As one of the country’s foremost authorities on Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain, she has been a notable expert working with AI since 2013 and with Blockchain since 2019. She has had a distinguished career holding leadership positions as a Chief Operations Officer, Chief Product Officer, and Chief Sales Officer working for Amazon Web Services and IBM. She is a pioneer and at the forefront of AI and other leading-edge technology driving innovation, product development, and capturing new sales markets. Sandy has led the business development efforts at Fortune 100 companies that changed the business landscape and resulted in adding billions of dollars to her employers’ bottom line.
Sandy is an international speaker who has presented in 90+ countries and author of 5 best-selling books. A trailblazer behind new business and technology market entry and a recognized business and marketing thought leader, Sandy has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, London Economic Times, USA Today, Economic Times of India, Business Insider, Forbes, Venture Beat, Silicon Beat, Ad Age, Huffington Post and other numerous media outlets. Sandy Carter has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a Bachelors in Computer Science from Duke University.
1. You’ve had an impressive corporate career before joining the world of blockchain—what inspired you to transition from traditional tech leadership roles to the Web3 space, and what excites you most about working in this industry?
I began my career at “traditional” tech firms like AWS and IBM, when cloud computing was the transformational technology. But even at the height of cloud’s hype cycle, even before Bitcoin, it quickly became clear that the next technological revolution would be a reaction against the centralization that cloud represented. I’ve always been excited by the potential of technology to set people free and to give them control over their destiny, whether it’s their financial sovereignty or their data and digital identity. Web3 promises this (and so much more!), so when the opportunity arose for me to transition into this emerging industry, I didn’t have to think twice – and I haven’t regretted it for a second!
2. As the COO of Unstoppable Domains, what is your long-term vision for the company, and how do you see decentralized identity and domain services reshaping the future of the internet?
A big part of our mission at Unstoppable is that we want everyone to have their own digital identity that enables them to navigate the decentralized web in total confidence and security, while allowing them to interact seamlessly with a galaxy of blockchain-powered apps and services. But our vision doesn’t stop at Web3—we’re equally committed to bridging Web2 and Web3 through on-chain domains that work across both worlds.
Decentralized identity is about so much more than accessibility and UX, though: it’s about individual sovereignty. Why is that important? Because data is the most valuable commodity in the 21st-century economy. Today, the success of any business or service depends less on pure innovation than on the amount of data it can access, process, and put to work. Right now, this favors incumbent Big Tech platforms, many of which exploit users’ information while giving very little in return.
That’s what decentralized identity means to me: it’s about giving people sovereignty over the value we create. When we can decide what information we share, with whom, and under what terms, it puts power back in ordinary people’s hands. By enabling on-chain domains that operate across Web2 and Web3, we’re ensuring that digital sovereignty isn’t just a Web3 promise—it’s a universal right. This mission is especially crucial as our future becomes increasingly defined by advances in artificial intelligence, with its insatiable thirst for data.
3. How does Unstoppable Domains differentiate itself from other players in the Web3 space, and what strategic initiatives are you most focused on as you continue to grow the platform?
Unstoppable is redefining digital identity by uniting the best of Web2 and Web3 in a way no one else is. While others are focused solely on Web3, we’re taking it a step further by tokenizing traditional Web2 domains like .com, transforming them into assets that bring the combined superpowers of both ecosystems. And we’re not stopping there—Unstoppable will be bringing Web3 domains to the ICANN gTLD space, making domains the first assets to integrate and enhance the capabilities of both Web2 and Web3.
With 4 million Web3 domains registered as of October, we’re setting new standards in the space. Milestones matter, but our core philosophy is what truly differentiates us: domains should be the cornerstone of people’s digital identity, a passport to navigate the interconnected Web3 ecosystem. Our vision for Web3 is one that’s open, accessible, and fully interoperable. This is why we’re not just focused on user numbers—we’re actively building partnerships across the sector to maximize utility and value for all.
Recent partnerships exemplify this mission. For example, our collaboration with Secret Network led to the launch of the .Secret Web3 TLD, designed to enhance privacy and digital identity capabilities. With each new partnership, we’re building a more powerful, versatile, and inclusive Web3 ecosystem that empowers users to own and control their digital identity across both Web2 and Web3 worlds, creating the first truly hybrid digital assets in the form of domains.
4. You’ve been a strong advocate for women in leadership and technology. In your experience, how does the Web3 space compare to traditional tech when it comes to female representation, and what can be done to further elevate women in this industry?
I’d love to say that Web3 started with a clean slate, and that women’s representation wasn’t a problem like it’s always been in the wider technology industry. But in some respects, it feels like we’ve gone backwards. For example, when Unstoppable was just starting out, we were the subject of a big news article, and we got thousands of job applications from people who wanted to be part of the future. Yet just two per cent of these applicants were women.
Women are usually attracted to women leaders, and in previous tech roles I got used to around 30-40% of applicants being female. That’s really concerning because emerging technologies like Web3 and AI are going to have more influence on our lives than anything that’s come before. Without genuine representation at every level, women will either be frozen out of these revolutions or, much worse, discriminated against because of in-built bias.
That’s why Unstoppable is focused on supporting, mentoring, and championing the next generation of women leaders, for example through Unstoppable Women of Web3 (WOW3) initiative, which is bringing the industry together to provide Web3, Metaverse and AI education to millions of women worldwide.
5. What key trends or emerging tech
nologies within the Web3 space do you believe will be the most transformative in the next few years, and how is Unstoppable Domains preparing to adapt or lead in these areas?
The biggest obstacle to wider Web3 adoption is the perception – often justified – of complexity and the difficulty of onboarding. This challenge is made harder when the unique advantages of Web3 aren’t effectively articulated or communicated. Just because the benefits of, say, secure digital identities are clear to us, doesn’t make it obvious to others.
The key to mass adoption of Web3 is twofold: first, to demonstrate value; and secondly, to make it seamless. That’s why I think Web3 gaming shows so much potential. There is an enormous constituency of hardcore and casual gamers out there. By showing them how Web3 transforms the concept of digital ownership (for example, with the ability to take and re-use in-game items in different games and platforms), and how your digital identity acts as a passport for the whole, interconnected gaming universe, I think we have an incredibly powerful proposition to onboard millions of people very quickly.
6. You recently joined the board of the Secret Network Foundation. What attracted you to this role, and how does Secret Network’s emphasis on privacy align with your vision for the future of decentralized technology?
I’m absolutely delighted to join the board of Secret Network Foundation, not least because of its focus on championing user privacy. What’s most exciting is that I truly feel we’re at a crossroads; there’s a growing unease among people who feel they are surrendering their data to large, unaccountable entities and that they’re getting very little in return. That feeling is only going to grow as technologies like AI play an increasingly important role in our day-to-day lives.
Secret Network Foundation is absolutely aligned with my values. It doesn’t try to set the clock back to a pre-internet era, but seeks to harness decentralization as a means to give ordinary people more agency, enhanced sovereignty, and better control of their personal information in the data economy.
As Lisa Loud [Executive Director for Secret Networks] told me earlier this year, when individuals and enterprises feel confident that their transactions and information are protected from unauthorized access, they are more likely to embrace and integrate blockchain technologies into their everyday activities. Prioritizing privacy is not just about safeguarding data—it’s about laying the foundation for a secure and inclusive digital economy where everyone feels empowered to participate.
7. In your new role on the board of Secret Network Foundation, what specific goals or milestones do you hope to help the foundation achieve, particularly in the realm of data privacy and secure decentralized applications?
In my role on the board of the Secret Network Foundation, I’m focused on advancing the foundation’s mission to set a new standard for data privacy and security in decentralized applications. Specifically, I aim to help achieve key milestones, such as increasing the adoption of privacy-preserving Web3 applications and expanding the accessibility of privacy-first tools to users and developers alike. A primary goal is to ensure that privacy in the blockchain space moves from being a niche feature to a widely understood and sought-after standard.
Additionally, I hope to support the creation of partnerships that drive real-world use cases, especially in industries where secure, private data handling is critical, like healthcare, finance, and identity management. By building awareness around the value of privacy and demonstrating the tangible impact of Secret Network’s technology, we can empower developers to create decentralized applications that respect user privacy without compromising on functionality or security.
8. You’ve held leadership roles in large corporations and now in fast-growing Web3 startups. What are the biggest differences in leadership styles between these two environments, and how do you foster innovation while managing growth at Unstoppable Domains?
In large corporations, leadership often revolves around structured processes, clearly defined roles, and managing at scale. Decision-making can be more centralized, and there’s usually a heavier focus on risk management and compliance. In fast-growing Web3 startups like Unstoppable Domains, leadership requires a much more agile, adaptable approach. Here, we’re building for the future on a rapidly evolving technological frontier, which means encouraging a mindset of experimentation, resilience, and continuous learning is essential.
In both environments, however, maintaining a laser focus on the customer and end user has been crucial. At Unstoppable, I foster innovation by promoting a culture of autonomy and ownership, where teams are empowered to move quickly and test new ideas while keeping the user experience at the center of our work. Balancing this with our growth goals, I emphasize transparency and alignment on core values and objectives, so every team member understands how their work directly impacts the customer and contributes to our vision. By supporting cross-functional collaboration and encouraging calculated risks, we stay agile, customer-focused, and ready to scale our impact in the Web3 space.
9. Looking ahead, how do you see your dual role as COO of Unstoppable Domains and a board member of Secret Network Foundation evolving, and what do you hope your legacy will be in terms of driving meaningful change in Web3?
The best legacy I can imagine is that I helped get people excited about the limitless potential of Web3. But I also want women and girls to think that this could be a great sector to work in, and that their contributions are not only wanted but urgently needed in this space. Thanks to my dual roles with Unstoppable and Secret Network Foundation, I couldn’t ask for a better opportunity to make that future a reality.
