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Victor Saad

From Embers to Fire: Believe & Become

part of a series on Ember (em·ber) | Ember

34:03

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You’re not burning out — you’re becoming an ember, and that’s exactly where transformation begins.

Victor Saad knows what it feels like to stand between who you are and who you want to be. Drawing on his own unconventional journey — designing a self-made MBA through 12 real-world apprenticeships, founding the Experience Institute, and eventually walking 250 miles across Spain to reimagine his next chapter — Victor offers a reframe for anyone feeling dimmed by the grind of modern life. Through the lens of “believe, belong, become,” he reminds us that embers aren’t a sign of failure; they’re fire in its most patient and powerful form, waiting to light someone else’s way.

About the speaker

Victor is a talent leader, coach, and educator focused on helping people navigate transitions.

In 2012, he designed his own master’s program by completing 12 projects in 12 months, calling it The Leap Year Project. That experience culminated in staging his graduation at a local TEDx and publishing a book of community stories centered on learning through risk. Following that year, he partnered with a group of leaders to launch Experience Institute, an organization helping students and professionals grow through real-world, experiential learning focused on the skills that matter most for life and work.

In 2015, Victor was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 in education. He later joined Stanford’s School of Engineering as a Lecturer in Design, where he helped students reimagine their education through experience. Over time, the program he helped build evolved from a non-credit elective into a core course for all juniors in the Stanford d.school.

Today, Victor serves as Chairman of the Board at Experience Institute and Chief Talent Officer at NextGen Growth Partners, where he supports the growth of the firm’s team and partners with founders as they transition their businesses alongside the next generation of CEOs.

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