Tue, 13 December 2022
We're nearing 200 episodes of Touch MBA. Feeling nostalgic, Darren reflects on 10 lessons for applicants from 10 years of Touch MBA! 10 Lessons from 10 Years of Touch MBA
Episode write-up and show notes: https://touchmba.com/ten Get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: https://touchmba.com
Direct download: 199_10_Application_Lessons_from_10_Years_of_Touch_MBA.mp3
Category:MBA Admissions Strategy -- posted at: 9:48pm PDT |
Mon, 21 November 2022
Chris Tran, London Business School (LBS) MBA '22, shares lessons learned from applying to and attending LBS, as well as how he landed his first post-MBA consulting gig in London. Questions
About Chris Chris graduated from London Business School's Full-time MBA program in 2022 and works as a Business Strategy Consultant for Accenture (UK). Chris received his Bachelors in Actuarial Science from Keele University. He then worked in investment management in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, for 8 years before getting his MBA. Episode write-up and show notes: https://touchmba.com/inside-the-london-business-school-mba-chris-tran Get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: https://touchmba.com
Direct download: Inside_the_LBS_MBA_with_Chris_Tran.mp3
Category:Admitted MBA Shares Best Application Tips -- posted at: 4:22am PDT |
Thu, 29 September 2022
Tony Ngo, Harvard Business School '08, shares how he used the MBA to pivot to Vietnam, first in finance, and then as an edtech entrepreneur with Everest Education. Questions
About Tony Tony Ngo is co-founder and Executive Chairman of Everest Education (E2), which offers live small classes online and operates a network of premium learning centers offering a variety of subjects, including math, English Language Arts, college admissions consulting, test prep, and tutoring. Since 2014, he also has been a board member at Nam Long, a publicly-traded real estate developer. In 2009, he founded Sponsors for Educational Opportunity - Vietnam, a non-profit developing leadership capacity among young professionals in Vietnam. Tony graduated from Harvard Business School in 2008 and received his Bachelors (Economics) and Masters (Industrial Engineering) from Stanford University. After getting his MBA, Tony was an investor for Bridger Capital, a long-short equities hedge fund, where he covered Asian and Technology, Media and Telecom investments from 2008-2015. Tony frequently speaks and writes about leadership, community building, parenting, and career development. Tony lives in Los Angeles, California, with his wife and two children. Episode write-up and show notes: https://touchmba.com/pivoting-to-vietnam-breaking-into-edtech-tony-ngo Connect with Tony online: https://linktr.ee/thaytonyoi Get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: https://touchmba.com
Direct download: 197_Pivoting_to_Vietnam__Breaking_into_EdTech_w_Tony_Ngo_HBS_08.mp3
Category:MBA Careers -- posted at: 9:35pm PDT |
Wed, 6 July 2022
#196 How I Got Into Berkeley Haas MBA (and HBS, Wharton, UCLA too!) & Breaking into Product Management with Bridget Pujals
Bridget Pujals shares lessons learned from her MBA application journey, culminating in admits to Harvard, Wharton ($70K scholarship), UCLA Anderson ($100K scholarship), and Berkeley Haas ($175K scholarship). She will attend UC Berkeley Haas this Fall. While her results are spectacular, Bridget took the GRE three times, and spent two years researching, preparing, and applying to b-schools. As Bridget makes clear, “It was a two year grind to make this happen. No one sees the tears.” Bridget and Darren discuss the importance of knowing your priorities, starting your essays early, and the benefits of working with an admissions consultant. And after working in product management roles at Postmates and Facebook for 6 years, Bridget shares her thoughts breaking into product management at startups and tech giants. Questions
About Bridget Bridget Pujals will be attending the UC Berkeley Haas Full-time MBA in Fall 2022, where she will focus on entrepreneurship. After graduating from UC Irvine with a Bachelors of Science in Biochemistry, Bridget worked for Postmates in business development and sales before transitioning into a product management role. She then worked for Facebook as a Senior Product Manager (Messenger) and Product Lead (Privacy for Instagram Direct). Bridget also launched a coaching service to help more women break into product management roles in technology and serves as a Startup Mentor for First Round Capital. Episode write-up and show notes: https://touchmba.com/how-i-got-into-uc-berkeley-haas-mba-bridget-pujals Get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: https://touchmba.com
Direct download: 196_How_I_Got_Into_UC_Berkeley_Haas_MBA_with_Bridget_Pujals.mp3
Category:Admitted MBA Shares Best Application Tips -- posted at: 9:31pm PDT |
Mon, 27 June 2022
#195 Business School Selection Simplified - How to Shortlist MBA Programs You're Excited About and Competitive At
“The most frustrating part I have found is the vast amount of information about schools, applications, and chances that is out there. It’s been hard to sift through all the noise and really figure out what schools are good for you and what your actual chances are.” Feel the same way? Trust me, you’re not alone. We’ve helped over 3,500 MBA applicants from 50 countries shortlist MBA programs, and hear comments like this all the time. What if you could figure out MBA programs you’re excited about AND competitive at, that would be a great investment in your future? And do this with the least time and effort? I’m a former MBA Admissions Director who has thought about this problem – how to make school selection easier – for the past 10 years. I’ve also observed where applicants end up applying and attending. Why? So I could cut out any part of the research and selection process that has no utility. In other words, to save you time. I would like to share with you the 4-step method that I believe is most effective for shortlisting best-fit MBA programs. The best part of this method? It will give you the best chance of getting in, too. Topics
Show NotesEpisode write-up and show notes: https://touchmba.com/business-school-selection-simplified Get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: https://touchmba.com
Direct download: School_Selection_Simplified.mp3
Category:school research & selection -- posted at: 5:12am PDT |
Fri, 22 April 2022
Nicolle Lee, Wharton MBA '22, shares how building relationships helped her reach her MBA goals - including breaking into the real estate industry. After listening to this episode, you'll have a detailed and instructive case study of what's required to make a career pivot at a world-class business school. Questions
About Nicolle Nicolle Lee is a second year MBA at Wharton majoring in Real Estate and Finance. After graduating from Columbia University with a Bachelors in Financial Economics, she worked at Banc of California and then Voya Financial doing venture capital, strategy and business development. After graduating from Wharton, Nicolle will work for Morgan Stanley's Real Estate Investment Banking group in New York. EPISODE SPONSOR: QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY'S SMITH FULL-TIME MBA The path to your next big career move goes through Canada. The 12-month Full-time MBA program at Queen’s University’s Smith School of Business features a proven team-based, experiential curriculum — built around the exact set of skills that top employers seek. The results speak for themselves. 98% of the Class of 2021 accepted an offer for their dream role within 3 months of graduation. Listeners of the Touch MBA Podcast can receive a complimentary virtual consultation by visiting Yoursmithmba.com/touchmba.
Episode write-up and show notes: https://touchmba.com/building-a-professional-mba-network-nicolle-lee-wharton-mba Get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: https://touchmba.com
Direct download: 194_Building_a_Professional_Network_with_Nicolle_Lee.mp3
Category:US MBA -- posted at: 8:52am PDT |
Mon, 11 April 2022
What are corporate recruiters looking for from business graduate students? And how do median MBA salaries compare to those of specialized business masters programs? Darren shares 3 interesting findings from GMAC’s Corporate Recruiters Survey. This way, you can think more like an admissions officer, and put forward your strongest application. This episode is about taking advantage of GMAC’s free market intelligence reports to inform your graduate school plans and strategy. Topics
EPISODE SPONSOR: QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY'S SMITH FULL-TIME MBA The path to your next big career move goes through Canada. The 12-month Full-time MBA program at Queen’s University’s Smith School of Business features a proven team-based, experiential curriculum — built around the exact set of skills that top employers seek. The results speak for themselves. 98% of the Class of 2021 accepted an offer for their dream role within 3 months of graduation. Listeners of the Touch MBA Podcast can receive a complimentary virtual consultation by visiting Yoursmithmba.com/touchmba. Show Notes
Episode write-up and show notes: https://touchmba.com/hiring-trends-salaries-business-school-graduates-gmac-corporate-recruiters-survey Get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: https://touchmba.com
Direct download: 193_Hiring_Trends__Salaries_for_Business_School_Graduates.mp3
Category:MBA -- posted at: 8:11am PDT |
Mon, 28 March 2022
#192 MBA Coffee Chats: Thoughtful Advice on How to Get the Most out of your MBA with Adam Putterman, Kellogg MMM '19
How can you make the most of your MBA experience? After reflecting on their own MBA experiences and those of hundreds of successful grads, Adam Putterman, Northwestern MMM '19, and Bob Manfreda, Stanford GSB '19, wrote MBA Coffee Chats: Thoughtful Advice on How to Get the Most out of your MBA. The book answers frequently asked questions from recent MBA admits, and aims to help this group have more productive coffee chats with MBAs before starting business school. Darren invites Adam, who graduated from Northwestern's Dual Degree MBA & M.S. in Design Innovation program, to discuss how to find people to have coffee chats and what to ask. The two also discuss prioritizing time and personal growth at business school. At Touch MBA, we're all about helping you make the best MBA investment. Although MBA Coffee Chats is intended for MBA admits, why not get a sneak preview of the best practices and big questions you'll need to answer before starting your MBA? Questions
About Adam Adam Putterman is Co-Founder of Ours, a relationship wellness company. He got a dual MBA and MS in Design Innovation Degree (MMM) from Northwestern University. Before attending Kellogg, Adam got his B.S in Business Administration from Washington University in St. Louis and worked for Deloitte as a consultant. EPISODE SPONSOR: QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY'S SMITH FULL-TIME MBA The path to your next big career move goes through Canada. The 12-month Full-time MBA program at Queen’s University’s Smith School of Business features a proven team-based, experiential curriculum — built around the exact set of skills that top employers seek. The results speak for themselves. 98% of the Class of 2021 accepted an offer for their dream role within 3 months of graduation. Listeners of the Touch MBA Podcast can receive a complimentary virtual consultation by visiting Yoursmithmba.com/touchmba. Show NotesEpisode write-up and show notes: https://touchmba.com/mba-coffee-chats-adam-putterman/ Get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: https://touchmba.com
Direct download: 192_MBA_Coffee_Chats_with_Adam_Putterman.mp3
Category:school research & selection -- posted at: 4:36pm PDT |
Thu, 3 March 2022
Back by popular demand, Graciela Brewer returns to reflect on her Harvard Business School experience. We discuss what she found easier and more difficult than expected, how she has made the most of her HBS MBA, and her thoughts on how applicants can best prepare for business school. Questions
About Graciela (Grace) Graciela Brewer is a second year MBA at Harvard Business School. After she graduates, she will help Toast, which makes software for the restaurant industry, with design operations. Before attending Harvard Business School, Grace got her B.S in Information Science from Missouri University of Science & Technology and worked as a Senior UX Designer at Netsmart. EPISODE SPONSOR: QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY'S SMITH FULL-TIME MBA The path to your next big career move goes through Canada. The 12-month Full-time MBA program at Queen’s University’s Smith School of Business features a proven team-based, experiential curriculum — built around the exact set of skills that top employers seek. The results speak for themselves. 98% of the Class of 2021 accepted an offer for their dream role within 3 months of graduation. Listeners of the Touch MBA Podcast can receive a complimentary virtual consultation by visiting Yoursmithmba.com/touchmba.
Episode write-up and show notes: https://touchmba.com/inside-the-hbs-mba-graciela-brewer Get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: https://touchmba.com
Direct download: 191_Inside_Harvard_Business_School_with_Graciela_Brewer.mp3
Category:MBA -- posted at: 12:33pm PDT |
Tue, 8 February 2022
Darren shares three foundational application strategies from Avi Gordon's MBA Admissions Strategy: From Profile Building to Essay Writing (2005) that have stood the test of time. It's always advantageous to master the fundamentals of any art form - including constructing a winning MBA application. Listen on to review the basics! Topics
EPISODE SPONSOR: QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY'S SMITH FULL-TIME MBA The path to your next big career move goes through Canada. The 12-month Full-time MBA program at Queen’s University’s Smith School of Business features a proven team-based, experiential curriculum — built around the exact set of skills that top employers seek. The results speak for themselves. 98% of the Class of 2021 accepted an offer for their dream role within 3 months of graduation. Listeners of the Touch MBA Podcast can receive a complimentary virtual consultation by visiting Yoursmithmba.com/touchmba. Episode write-up and show notes: https://touchmba.com/mba-admissions-strategy-avi-gordon Get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: https://touchmba.com
Direct download: 190_MBA_Admissions_Strategy_Fundamentals.mp3
Category:MBA Admissions Strategy -- posted at: 2:51pm PDT |
Mon, 10 January 2022
What do MBA applicants need to know about breaking into the healthcare industry? Darren invites Veeral Desai, Harvard Business School MBA ’07, to share his experience moving from Bain & Company's Healthcare Practice to senior executive roles at Vantage Oncology and agilon health. Veeral shares his best tips on narrowing your target list of organizations, connecting with alumni, and acing the recruitment process. A big part of Veeral's roles has been recruiting MBAs, so don't miss his advice on how to give yourself the best chance of building a successful career in healthcare. This is Part 12 of our MBA Career Series. Looking for more career-related podcasts? Click here. Questions
About Veeral Veeral Desai is the Chief Strategy and Development Officer at agilon health. Veeral joined agilon health in 2017 as President of Enterprise Operations, where he led the creation of agilon's operating platform, and held P&L and operating responsibility spanning the Western and Eastern regions of the company. Prior to agilon, Veeral served in several senior executive roles at Vantage Oncology (most recently as President of Operations) overseeing the growth and development of Vantage into a leading national cancer delivery network. Before joining Vantage, Veeral spent nearly a decade as a leader in the healthcare practice of Bain & Company. Veeral received his B.S. from the University of California, Berkeley and holds an MBA from Harvard Business School. Episode Sponsor: Queens University's Smith Full-time MBA The path to your next big career move goes through Canada. The 12-month Full-time MBA program at Queen’s University’s Smith School of Business features a proven team-based, experiential curriculum — built around the exact set of skills that top employers seek. The results speak for themselves. 98% of the Class of 2021 accepted an offer for their dream role within 3 months of graduation. Listeners of the Touch MBA Podcast can receive a complimentary virtual consultation by visiting Episode write-up and show notes: https://touchmba.com/mba-careers-healthcare. Get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: https://touchmba.com
Direct download: 189_Breaking_into_Healthcare_as_an_MBA.mp3
Category:careers -- posted at: 1:00pm PDT |