Victoria Germanova

Hi there, I'm Vica. I am a double émigrée (age 7: Russia -> UK, age 24: UK -> US -> UK -> US… visa issues 🫠), former Silicon Valley tech exec and startup founder, now loving Mountain Time life in Utah and working at eBay. I grew up poor and watched my mum make some crazy sacrifices to get us out of Russia, then out of UK council (state-provided) housing, & into a privileged life full of amazing opportunities and adventures. I studied English literature at the University of Cambridge, spent 3 years at a top-tier strategy consulting firm in London, then got into Stanford GSB on the day I turned 24 - with an 80% tuition discount / scholarship. I worked at Salesforce, directed sales at a startup, then raised $300K for my own venture from Silicon Valley angels and VCs. I moved from an F1 visa to a H-1B visa, suffered more than my share of mishaps on the US border, and know both the pros and the cons of moving to the US via a degree program intimately well. I was NOT a likely candidate for Stanford - too young, non-MBB, non-STEM, wonky GMAT (99th percentile verbal, 55th non-verbal 😆), state-schooled. Just like college and my first job, I was an underdog with low chances of success. I never used an admissions consultant myself because I could not afford one. The one I spoke to for a free 30-min consultation told me to give up hope on my dream schools... but I got into GSB and INSEAD without professional support, and proved her wrong. Why did I get in? Because I’m a strong, persuasive storyteller, incisive editor, & expert pitch-creator. With my help, it can work out for you too. You CAN do this! The only way to fail is not to try at all.