Today we’d like to introduce you to Saad Alessa.
Saad, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
First, I would like to clarify that I haven’t gotten anywhere yet. In fact, I don’t think I will ever ‘arrive’ or ‘get to’ a certain destination. Life is filled with mysteries and various paths, and I really believe that those who constantly seek progress and growth will never be satisfied with ‘getting’ somewhere.
For me at least, contentment lies in doing work that carries meaning and offers fulfillment as part of the ongoing journey. I guess we do all “arrive” in a sense once we die, but until then it is all about questing. As far as how I got started: after attempting (and ultimately failing) to establish the Middle East’s first electric car company, I became fascinated by what makes the difference between success and failure. What leads some people to achieve their dreams, while most others either fail or don’t even try?
This led me to the concept of Legendiary: a YouTube series in which I interview successful individuals across a variety of fields and allow them to inspire viewers with their unique journeys of fulfillment. It definitely took some patience: we only got 500 views on the first video; now, Legendiary has grown to over a million total views. I believed that Legendiary would be one of the most important things I have ever done. I knew that there were hundreds of thousands of people if not millions, who, just like me, we’re looking for answers, looking to do meaningful work, and looking to live a happy life.
However, none of this would have happened were it not for my constant commitment to curiosity. Curiosity is the thing that keeps me questing, even when other influences might push in a different direction. For example, after completing my undergrad studies at Pepperdine University, I moved back to Kuwait and landed a prestigious job at a logistics company. However, after spending a year doing the kind of work that most of my peers were doing or wanted to be doing, I realized I was carrying an immense sense of emptiness. I was being paid well, and life was easy, but this did not make me happy.
I realized I needed to change things, and it started with my job. I quit my job and took a ten-day backpacking trip to Norway. I left with nothing but a backpack, some clothes, a bit of cash and a book called Mastery, by Robert Greene. After completing the book and returning to Kuwait, I fell into a very serious fever. I spent my recovery time watching Ted Talks, one of which was titled “Follow your Gut,” by Magnus Walker. I listened to my gut, my instincts, and as soon as I did that, I realized I wanted to move back to California and continue my quest of self-development.
I booked a one-way ticket, and haven’t looked back since. I enrolled in law school at Pepperdine University; it was fascinating stuff, but as I finished my degree I realized I also needed to nurture the creative part of my brain and soul. Many friends and mentors had told me over the years that I am a natural at comedy, and it’s something I’d always wanted to try. There are so many excuses that people make in order to avoid trying new things, but this time I didn’t make those excuses. Instead, I drove to a comedy club, walked into an open mic night, and started doing comedy. It was the most free I’ve ever felt.
Today I have my master’s degree in law, I am a working comedian, and of course, I continue my quest to interview successful people for Legendiary. I have found that the answers can be found in the doing: this is why our YouTube Series Motto is “Legends Do.”
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
My most difficult struggle was figuring out what I wanted to do. I was uncomfortable not having a set path, not having something I could point to and say, “I’m successful at something.” I wondered if it would be better to go back to a job I didn’t love that that would guarantee financial security and social legitimacy, but I knew I wouldn’t be happy doing that. I wracked my brain and soul and finally had the epiphany that there were millions of people out there wondering the same thing as me. I realized that I should talk to people who had already found their joyous path, and ask them how they went about it. That is when I decided to begin filming the first episode of Legendiary.
At the time I knew nothing about film, or video editing, or even YouTube, so there were many technical struggles along the way. But thanks to my technically skilled cousin, as well as another mentor of mine, I got through the technical issues. Another major difficulty was trying to figure out my immigration situation. Those who haven’t been through it probably cannot understand how difficult it is to work and live in the United States as an immigrant. Especially at this particular time, coming from the Middle East, things simply didn’t go smoothly.
However, every time things would take a difficult or desperate turn, I would always remind myself that this was great fodder for both Legendiary and comedy: the things I was experiencing were things that many other people relate to, and that they want to hear openly discussed. In this way, my difficulties also became my inspiration.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Legendiary (Undrdog Media) – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Legendiary isn’t a business so much as a movement. I like to think of it as a virtuous circle: we seek out people in the midst of inspiring journeys of success so that others can be motivated by them; we hope that then, one day, the people who get inspired will go on to do great things after which they will return and share their own epic journeys on Legendiary.
We try very hard to avoid typical cliches about success, and instead just present what people have done, and how they’ve done it. I really believe that the greatest story a person will ever tell is his own. Legendiary is not about teaching lessons; it is about sharing stories, and then people can take from those stories whatever lessons they will.
I am most proud of how far our positive messages have traveled. I’ve received so many emails and messages from people I’ve never met, saying how much these videos have inspired them or motivated them to leave a job they hate, or to begin something they are excited about. I like to think we are in the business of amplifying positive messages, helping them reverberate and impact people all around the world.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
My future plans are constantly shifting as I evolve and encounter new opportunities. One thing I definitely plan on is continuing to produce content for Legendiary, and working to get it dispersed as widely as possible.
An interesting offshoot of Legendiary has been our business Undrdog Media, which provides assistance to others who want to produce internet content. I plan to continue developing Undrdog Media — working with creative clientele, learning from those experiences, and expanding to help as many fledgling creators as possible.
Finally, I continue to find great personal joy doing stand-up comedy, but I will keep those professional plans to myself for the moment. Suffice it to say that very exciting things are happening, and being on stage has proven to be an incredible way for me to push my boundaries and encourage larger social change through entertaining engagement. My overall goal, in everything I do, is to break down barriers through storytelling.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.legendiaryofficial.com – www.undrdog.media – www.saadralessa.com
- Email: [email protected] – [email protected] – [email protected]
- Instagram: @saadralessa – @legendiaryofficial – @undrdogmedia
- Other: www.youtube.com/legendiary
Image Credit:
Jhana Parits, Chris Ace
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