
Joan D.
5.0
(1)
MBA Essay Architect: 90%+ Admit Rate & M7 / EU Program Special
Studied at The Wharton School (UPenn)
Works at Boehringer Ingelheim
Available tomorrow at 2:00 PM UTC
I am taking applicants in 2026 admission cycle for US M7 + S16 MBA programs, and major European programs (LBS, HEC, Bocconi, Oxford Said, Cambridge, plus a few non-mainstream German programs)
Questions? Start chatting with this coach before you get started.
Joan's Coaching Offerings
Craft Powerful MBA Essays
Craft winning MBA essays through brainstorming, drafting, and editing
Starting at $1,0355h+ of coaching
Comprehensive MBA Application Package — Land Your Dream Program
Expert help on your MBA essays, recommendations, resume, and more
Starting at $8,00020h+ of coaching
Nail the MBA Interview
Practice realistic mock MBA interviews with a trained expert
Starting at $6903h+ of coaching
Custom hourly · $230/hr
Get help with Recommendations, Cover Letters, and .
Joan’s MBA Qualifications
Coaches professionally
60+ people coached for MBA
For the past five years, I have dedicated myself to guiding MBA applicants to success, merging my rigorous background in strategy consulting with a part-time creative writer's passion for storytelling. My approach is not about templates or ghostwriting; it's about acting as a **"narrative architect"** to help you uncover and articulate your most authentic, compelling story. My Track Record: - Consistent Success: Over five years, I have coached 8-10 applicants per season, maintaining a 90%+ overall admissions rate. The 2024-2025 cycle achieved a 100% success rate (10 out of 10 admits). - School Expertise: My clients have gained admission to a wide range of top-tier programs, including M7, S16, and major European schools such as INSEAD, LBS, Bocconi, Oxford (Said), and HEC Paris. - Diverse Case Depth: I have a proven record of guiding 1-2 candidates per year to secure Deferred MBA offers from M7 schools, and successfully coaching 1-2 executives through the EMBA application process. I believe the most powerful application is built on your unique truth. My 1-on-1 coaching is designed to be a collaborative and transformative discovery process: 1. Deep-Dive Discovery: We start with structured sessions to excavate your core career drivers, pivotal leadership moments, and authentic personal highlights. 2. Strategic Positioning: I help you synthesize your experiences into a coherent, powerful narrative that aligns your past achievements with your future goals, making you an irresistible candidate for your target schools. 3. Authentic Story Crafting: This is where my creative writing skills come to the fore. I specialize in helping yourefine your voice, structure compelling essays, and present your story in a way that is both genuine and strategically impactful. We ensure every word reinforces your unique profile. 4. Holistic Application Polish: From resume refinement and recommendation letter strategy to interview preparation, we meticulously strengthen every component of your application to present a consistent and powerful picture. If you are looking for a coach who combines a data-driven, strategic approach with the art of authentic storytelling to unlock your full potential, let's connect. I am committed to providing the structure, insight, and support you need to submit an application you are proud of and achieve outstanding results. Ready to begin? Schedule an introductory call to discuss your profile and aspirations
Joan can help with:
Recommendations
Cover Letters
Resume
General Exploration
Supplementary Materials
Testing & Assessments
School Selection
Essays
Secondary Review
Application Strategy
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Interviews
Editing
Networking Strategy
Ding Analysis
Waitlist Strategy
About Joan
I am Joan, a sharp, creative and honest person in everything I do. I've spent 8+ years helping candidates find what makes them genuinely irreplaceable, and build their application around that. I have coached 60+ successful M7/S16 admits, with a 40% scholarship rate. My background is unusual for a coach. As an MBB-trained consultant turned healthcare executive, I've lived the career pivot many of you are planning. I can speak candidly about post-MBA trajectories — especially for consultants mapping their exit. I'm also a published creative writer, and I bring that instinct to every essay. Good admissions writing doesn't sound polished — it sounds like you, at your most compelling.
Why do I coach?
I coach partly because I've seen what happens when a remarkable person gets filtered out by a mediocre application. It bothers me in a specific, unshakeable way. MBA admissions is a strange game. The criteria are rigorous, but the process rewards self-knowledge — something most high-achievers have spent their careers actively avoiding. You've been optimizing outputs. Nobody asked you who you are yet. That's where I come in. Not to invent a persona, but to do something harder: help you excavate the real one. I've found that the most compelling candidates are rarely the ones with the most impressive résumés. They're the ones who've figured out what they actually want, and can say it plainly. I coach because that excavation process - part therapy, part storytelling, part strategy - is genuinely the most interesting work I know how to do.
Work Experience
Group product manager, CVRM
Boehringer Ingelheim
2019 - Present
Head of strategy and investments
Bayer
2015 - 2018

Case Team Leader
Bain & Company
2014 - 2016

Investment Banking Associate
Goldman Sachs
2013 - 2013
Technology & Media group, Investment Banking Division 并购
Associate / Senior Associate
Booz Allen Hamilton
January 2008 - July 2012
- Customer relationship & team leading capacities - Fast track promotion - Firm sponsored business school program 并购
Education

The Wharton School (UPenn)
MBA, Finance & Marketing
2012 - 2014
Company sponsored candidate. I have been alumni interviewer for Wharton undergraduate program since 2019

Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Bachelor of Science, Industrial Engineering
2002 - 2006
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