
Melanie Espeland
5.0
(73)
š Top Coach Award | šÆ200+ M7 Admits | š CBS Expert | āļø Essay Concierge
24,480 min coached
770 followers
Supercoach
Studied at Columbia Business School
Worked at McKinsey & Company
Successful clients at
Available Tuesday at 5:30 PM UTC
Iāve coached 1,000+ applicants and professionals to achieve standout results across their academic, professional, and personal lives. My work has been featured in Forbes, NBC, TEDx, and more. Iām proud to be recognized as one of Lelandās Top Coaches of 2026. Drop me a line to get started.
Questions? Start chatting with this coach before you get started.
Melanie's Coaching Offerings
Custom hourly Ā· $399/hr
Get help with Recommendations, Cover Letters, and .
Melanieās free events
Live interactive sessions you can join for free.

šHow to Assess Your MBA Candidacy
Apr 8 at 11:00 PM UTC

35 people going

Acing the CBS Interview - from an Interviewer & Alumna
Apr 14 at 11:00 PM UTC

9 people going

šAcing the Columbia MBA Application
Apr 23 at 11:00 PM UTC
9 people going
Melanieās MBA Qualifications
Coaches professionally
100+ people coached for MBA
Open to working with clients outside the U.S.
Melanie has helped clients get into these schools:
š RECIPIENT OF LELAND TOP COACH AWARD 2026 š āØWHY CHOOSE MELANIE? When you work with me, you're partnering with an insider who has firsthand knowledge of what top MBA programs like Columbia, Harvard, and Stanford are looking for. As a Columbia MBA alumna, MBA Admissions Interviewer, former McKinsey consultant, and professional ICF-certified Executive Coach, I offer a holistic coaching approach that combines admissions expertise with expert storytelling, giving you an edge over the competition. Hereās why Iām the best choice for your MBA journey: ⢠šMBA, M7, & COLUMBIA EXPERT: I have proven results at every M7 school and many Top 25 programs. As a CBS MBA alumna and MBA Admissions Interviewer, I have insider knowledge of what top-tier schools seek. My experience in admissions interviewing gives me the unique perspective of understanding how to effectively position applicants for success. ⢠āļøESSAY CONCIERGE: Iām not just a coach - Iām a writer and editor with an eye for detail. With years of experience writing successful MBA essays, career coaching courses, and crafting works of fiction, I bring a keen sense of storytelling, language mastery, and technical precision to every essay I work on. Whether itās structure, flow, or word choice, Iāll make sure your essay is perfectly polished and reflects your best self. Through powerful storytelling, I help them build a brand that truly stands out in the MBA admissions process. We fine tune every written piece of your application, including essay, resumes, short-answers, and even LinkedIn profiles! ⢠šPROVEN RESULTS: Iāve helped 200+ applicants secure spots at M7 schools (as well as top 25 programs), and Iām proud to be part of the top 4 ranked firm on Poets & Quants for 2025. My clientsā success stories are a testament to the tailored strategies and guidance I provide. ⢠šÆPROFESSIONAL COACH: With over 10 years of coaching experience, Iām not just an admissions consultantāIām an ICF-certified Executive Coach & Life Coach. My approach goes beyond getting you into business school; I focus on your MBA branding, leadership development, and executive presence to prepare you for the journey ahead. āØWHO I WORK WITH: ⢠Traditional and Non-Traditional Candidates ⢠Diverse Applicants including POC, Veterans, and LGBTQIA+ ⢠Candidates with High and Low Test Scores ⢠Full-Time, Part-Time, Columbia's J-Term, Deferred, and EMBA (Executive MBA) Candidates āØPROVEN SUCCESS AT THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: ⢠Columbia Business School (CBS) ⢠Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB) ⢠Harvard Business School (HBS) ⢠University of Pennsylvania Wharton ⢠Northwestern Kellogg School of Management ⢠Chicago Booth School of Business ⢠MIT Sloan School of Management ⢠NYU Stern School of Business ⢠London Business School (LBS) ⢠INSEAD ⢠University of California, Berkeley (Haas) ⢠Yale School of Management ⢠Michigan's Ross School of Business ⢠Darden School of Business (UVA) ⢠Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth ⢠Duke's Fuqua School of Business ⢠Cornell University Johnson School of Management ⢠Emory University Goizueta Business School ⢠Jones Graduate School of Business (Rice) ⢠University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business ⢠University of Texas, Austin, McCombs ⢠University of California, Los Angeles, Anderson āØLET'S GET YOU INTO YOUR DREAM MBA PROGRAM: Ready to transform your MBA aspirations into reality? Contact me for your free consultation today. With my insider knowledge, executive coaching expertise, and essay-writing mastery, Iāll help you craft a standout application that positions you for successāboth in admissions and beyond.
Melanie can help with:
Recommendations
Cover Letters
Resume
General Exploration
Supplementary Materials
School Selection
Essays
Secondary Review
Application Strategy
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Interviews
Editing
Ding Analysis
Networking Strategy
Waitlist Strategy
Melanie also coaches for Masterās Programs, Management Consulting, Career Coaching, Life Coaching, Executive Coaching, and Communication & Public Speaking. View all.
About Melanie
š RECIPIENT OF LELAND TOP COACH AWARD 2026 š šIāve coached 1,000+ applicants and professionals to achieve standout results across their academic, professional, and personal lives. My work has been featured in Forbes, NBC, TEDx, and more. Whether youāre looking to navigate the competitive MBA admissions process, enhance your leadership capabilities, or discover your lifeās purpose, I'll empower you to unlock your full potential across all areas of your life. With over 19 years of experience (as of 2026), I bring a powerful and unique blend of strategic business insight, coaching, and holistic healing arts to help you achieve your most ambitious goals. On Leland, I'm best known for my MBA admissions results, and I also work across executive coaching, life coaching, and healing arts. My Leland services include: š MBA & Masters Admissions: As a Columbia MBA alumna and MBA Admissions Interviewer, I have successfully helped 200+ applicants gain spots at top-tier schools like Columbia, Stanford, Harvard, and more. I have proven results at every MBA M7 school and multiple Top 25 programs. Additionally, I've helped many achieve admissions to joint-degree programs (such a JD/MBA, MPP/MBA) and other business, technology, or finance-adjacent programs (such as Masters in Computer Science). Let me show you the path to unlocking your best application. šæMental Health & Wellness: As an ICF certified Coach and Healer trained in Somatics, Reiki/Energy, Tarot, and more, I've helped hundreds of clients achieve more happiness, passion, and peace. Let's find your flow. š± Life Coaching: I'll help you to create meaningful change in your personal life by helping you overcome mental blocks, build confidence, and align with your true potential. Together, we will focus on self-discovery, mindset transformation, and purpose-driven living. š¼ Executive & Career Coaching: I harness my McKinsey toolkit and coaching methodologies to enable you to make powerful decisions, achieve your next career move, enhance your executive presence, and drive success. I've helped clients gain jobs at places like BCG, Amazon, Google, LVMH, and more. š¤Communication & Public Speaking: As a former Voice Actor with CESD Talent Agency and McKinsey consultant, I know all the do's and don'ts of communication. I even have a TEDx Talk on Executive Presence. Additionally, I'm the creator of the proprietary Espeland Method⢠for building executive presence. ****** šŗRecognition: I have been featured in Forbes, NBC, ABC, CBS, Business Insider, TEDx, and more. I've worked with prominent corporate clients including Google, Meta, IBM, and Morgan Stanley; as well as individuals such as business leaders, influencers, and Olympic athletes.
Why do I coach?
āØCoaching and mentoring is my calling! Iām incredibly grateful to have built a career as a professional coach. š¼ I am ICF-Certified at the PCC level, and have completed a variety of additional certification and enrichment programs in coaching and storytelling. My journey has allowed me to blend my passion for helping others with my deep expertise, and every day Iām inspired to help clients achieve their personal and professional dreams. š
Work Experience

MBA Admissions Interviewer
Columbia Business School
2020 - Present
Admissions Committee
Member of the MBA Alumni Ambassador Program, interviewing candidates for CBS.

Executive Coach & Life Coach
Espeland Enterprises
2015 - Present
Hiring Manager

Admissions Coach
Espeland Enterprises
2015 - Present
Senior Lead, Strategy & Innovation
Macy's
2019 - 2020
Interviewer

Consultant
McKinsey & Company
2016 - 2018

Fashionista
Various Fashion Houses
2007 - 2015
Hiring Manager
Education

Columbia Business School
MBA
2015 - 2017

London Business School
MBA, Study Abroad
2016 - 2016

Cornell University
BS
2004 - 2007
73 Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
Knowledge
5.0
Value
5.0
Responsiveness
5.0
Supportiveness
5.0
Melanie has helped clients get into these schools:
Melanie has helped clients get into these companies:

