Leland+ Content Library

Stanford GSB Essay: ‘What Matters Most to You, and Why’ (Admitted)

The essay that got me into Stanford GSB. A clear, introspective response to “What matters most to you, and why,” centered on reflection about leadership under pressure, initiative, and building trust in uncertain environments.

Starting Strong Without Burning Out: Thriving in Your New Role

Starting a new role can feel exciting and overwhelming at the same time. This session explores how to build momentum, navigate expectations, and establish a strong foundation for long-term success, without falling into patterns that lead to burnout. Audience Fit: • Professionals starting new roles, or plan to start a new role in the future • Early career talent, lateral hires, and leaders transitioning into new positions

ADEA AADSAS - Manual Dexterity Essay

I have included an example of my manual dexterity essay for the ADEA AADSAS application. Please feel free to take a look for formatting and ideas!

ADEA AADSAS - Activity List Examples

I have added example descriptions for each of the different categories for the experiences section of the Dental School Application portal.

Consulting Recruiting is Starting Earlier Than Ever: Start Preparing Now

Consulting timelines continue to move up, leaving less room for last-minute preparation and more pressure to be ready from day one. In this session, you’ll learn how early recruiting cycles are evolving, what firms expect at each stage, and how to build a proactive plan that covers networking, resume positioning, case prep, and behavioral readiness. Whether you’re months away or just beginning to think about recruiting, you’ll leave with a clear strategy to get ahead before the window closes.

Land an Interview at Any Tech Company

Land an Interview at Any Tech Company — Free Live Session with Ethan Does this sound like you? You've applied to roles at your dream tech companies. You've spent countless hours sending your résumé into the void of company websites. You've wasted days writing custom cover letters. Only to come up short and never hear anything back — or worse, get the dreaded automated rejection email from a no-reply address. Let me be clear: it's not because you're under-qualified. It's because you're not playing the game. In this free 30-minute session, I'm going to walk you through the exact system I've used to break into top tech companies — including how I entered the DoorDash interview process at the Associate level and walked out with an offer for Senior Manager. No referral required. No luck involved. Just a repeatable process that works. Here's what we'll cover: • The résumé problem nobody talks about: 75% of résumés are rejected before a human ever reads them. I'll show you a live before-and-after demonstration of how to use AI to transform a losing résumé into a résumé that will land on the hiring manager's desk. • The LinkedIn settings that most candidates skip. A handful of profile changes that dramatically increase how often recruiters find you and make your application stand out once you've submitted it. • How to properly go about proactive outreach. I'll give you the exact message template I used to secure interviews at every tech company I've landed an offer at. • A simple bonus strategy that most people would never think to try, guaranteed to get you in the door. At the end of the session, I'll be sharing an exclusive offer for attendees that you won't want to miss out on! This session is for you if: • You're employed but quietly looking for something better • You're actively job searching and not getting any traction • You work in a slow, bureaucratic industry and want to break into tech • You want to understand how the hiring process actually works from the inside

The Unwritten Rules of Getting Promoted

This pdf offers 3 rules of getting promoted that most often get missed when people find themselves stuck in their careers. It also offers some powerful questions you can ask your boss to help you understand what might be going on when you are feeling stuck in your career.

Am I Getting in My Own Way? How to Stop Self-Sabotaging

Am I Getting in My Own Way? How to Identify and Stop Self-Sabotage I have a question I need you to answer honestly — without judgment and without shame. Are you someone who constantly procrastinates on the things that would actually make your life better? Do you find yourself avoiding the very opportunities you've been dreaming about? Have you been a people pleaser your whole life even when it hurts you? Do you look around and feel like everyone else is moving forward while you're standing still — and you have no idea why? If you answered yes to any of those, I have some news for you. You're self sabotaging. And you have been for a while. I know that sounds like a lot. But here's what I also need you to hear: 9 in 10 adults engage in self sabotaging behavior. This doesn't mean you're broken, lazy, or unworthy of the life you want. It means you're human — and nobody ever taught you how to get out of your own way. That's exactly what this workshop is for. In this free 30-minute live event, I'm going to show you what self sabotage actually is, where it comes from, and most importantly how to finally start breaking free from it. You're going to leave this session having identified your own patterns in real time. Some of what comes up might surprise you. It might even sting a little. But I promise you: the moment you can see it, you can start changing it. Here's what we're going to cover: • The truth about self sabotage that most people get completely wrong — it's not your fault • Why 95% of your daily decisions are being made for you without your knowledge, and how that's been keeping you stuck • The two root causes behind every self sabotaging behavior, and a live exercise to figure out which one is running your life • The first real step toward breaking the cycle This workshop is for you if: • You keep putting off the things you know would change your life • You feel like you want to hit a goal, but something inside you won't let you go after it • You've been a people pleaser your whole life and finally want to stop it I want to be real with you; this is some of the most important work you will ever do. Not just for yourself, but for the people around you too. The patterns we're going to uncover in this session don't just affect your goals — they affect your relationships, your finances, your sense of self, and your ability to actually enjoy the life you're working so hard to build. Attendees will receive an exclusive offer at the end of the session — 50% off a 1:1 coaching session with me, and a free copy of my ebook You vs. You: How to Overcome Self Sabotage.

The High-Impact Verbal Strategy for GMAT & GRE

Struggling to push your GMAT or GRE verbal score higher even after plenty of practice? This session is designed for test-takers who want a smarter approach to Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning, and Text Completion rather than simply doing more questions. You’ll learn how top scorers break down passages efficiently, recognize common trap answers, and apply a repeatable framework to improve accuracy and timing across the verbal section. Join live to see how an experienced test prep coach approaches these questions in real time and to ask about the specific challenges you’re encountering in your own prep. The session will draw on patterns the coach sees when working 1:1 with candidates aiming for competitive scores, and how small shifts in strategy often lead to meaningful gains. If you want a clearer, more structured way to tackle verbal questions, this is a useful place to start.

How to Ace the GRE Essay

Are you unsure how to approach the essay section of the GRE? In this event, I'll share proven strategies to enhance your AWA score, offer insights that you may have never heard before, and tackle the essay prompts together so you can do them on your own with confidence. Whether you're just starting your GRE prep or looking your test is next week, this session will help you prepare for the AWA section of the GRE.

What BYU Admissions is Looking For

Applying to BYU but unsure what actually moves the needle in admissions? Strong grades matter—but they’re only part of the picture. In What BYU Admissions Is Looking For, you’ll get a clear breakdown of how to position yourself strategically for Brigham Young University. The speaker regularly works 1:1 with applicants navigating competitive admissions, and this session offers rare access to the evaluation frameworks typically shared in private coaching conversations. Who This Is For - High school students planning to apply to BYU - Transfer applicants seeking clarity on positioning - Students with strong academics who want a more compelling application - Applicants unsure how faith, leadership, and extracurriculars fit into their story What You’ll Walk Away With - What BYU weighs most heavily beyond GPA and test scores - How to present leadership, service, and character authentically - The patterns admissions see across successful applicants - The common positioning mistakes I correct in 1:1 sessions - How to align your essays with BYU’s mission and values

Ask Me Anything with a Former Harvard Adcom

Many applicants wonder what admissions committees are actually looking for, and how decisions get made behind the scenes. This session is designed for MBA candidates who want to better understand how applications are evaluated by someone who has been on the inside. You’ll learn what stands out when reviewing essays and resumes, how Adcoms think about career goals and leadership potential, and the common patterns that separate strong applicants from the rest of the pool.

Start With Why: How to Build an MBA Strategy That Will Work

A strong MBA application starts long before you write your essays, it begins with clarity on your “why.” In this session, you’ll learn how to define your career goals, connect them to the right programs, and build a cohesive strategy that guides every part of your application, from school selection to storytelling. Whether you’re early in the process or refining your plan, you’ll leave with a structured approach to crafting an MBA strategy that feels authentic, focused, and compelling.

How to Land a Role as a Growth Equity Analyst

Breaking into growth equity is competitive, and most candidates struggle because they don't know how the role differs from traditional private equity or what firms are actually evaluating. This session is for undergraduates, MBA students, and early-career professionals who are actively recruiting for growth equity analyst positions. You'll leave with a clearer understanding of how to position your deal experience, what frameworks interviewers use to assess market sizing and company evaluation, and how to tailor your story for growth-stage investing roles specifically. Attending live gives you the chance to ask questions about your specific background and get real-time feedback that a recording simply can't offer. The insights shared here reflect the patterns seen across successful candidates, the kind of guidance that typically comes up in one-on-one coaching conversations. If you're actively recruiting or plan to start soon, this is worth your time.

How to Avoid Hard Algebra on the GMAT

The GMAT doesn’t have to feel like a battle with algebra. In this session, you’ll learn strategies to simplify or bypass complex algebra problems, spot patterns, and use shortcuts that save time and reduce errors. Whether you’re aiming to boost your score or build confidence under pressure, you’ll leave with practical tools to tackle GMAT quant more efficiently.

Developing a Compelling Dental School Personal Statement

A compelling dental school personal statement clearly communicates your motivation for dentistry, your commitment to patient care, and the experiences that shaped your path. In this session, you’ll learn how to identify meaningful clinical and academic moments, structure your narrative for clarity and impact, and avoid common mistakes that make essays feel generic. Whether you’re starting fresh or refining a draft, you’ll leave with a practical framework to craft a thoughtful, authentic, and memorable personal statement.

How to Lead the Room with Executive Presence

Executive presence is one of those phrases that gets thrown around a lot in leadership conversations. You've probably heard it. You may have even been told you need more of it. But here's the problem: most people can't tell you what it actually means. It's not charisma. It's not being the loudest person in the room. It's not even being the most polished. Executive presence is the ability to make people feel — in your presence — that things are under control, that someone capable is leading, and that their time and attention is being respected. It's a signal. And like any signal, it can be developed, sharpened, and directed. This guide is built around three pillars that I've seen transform how executives show up: Clarity, Credibility, and Confidence. They're related — and yes, they overlap. But they each do distinct work, and understanding the difference matters.

Home for Ambition #2 — Weekly Live Show [3/25/2026] (Recording)

Home for Ambition is a weekly live show, by Leland, for people trying to stay ahead as work, learning, and opportunity keep changing. Each episode tackles a handful of timely, high-signal topics across AI, careers, education, and the future of work. We expect thoughtful debate, unique perspectives, and practical takeaways you can actually use. It is not a typical interview show or a generic news recap. It is a live roundtable built to help ambitious people make sense of what is changing, understand what matters, and leave with a sharper point of view on how to navigate what comes next.

What Top Law School Applicants Do Differently

Top law school applicants don’t just have strong stats — they approach the entire application process strategically. In this panel, experienced admissions coaches will break down what separates competitive candidates from the rest, from LSAT preparation and school selection to personal statements and interviews. You’ll learn how successful applicants build a clear narrative, avoid common mistakes, and position themselves effectively for top programs. Whether you’re early in the process or preparing to apply soon, this session will give you a sharper understanding of how to stand out.

Start Write Now: MBA Essay Panel

MBA essays are where you move beyond stats and show who you are, what you want, and why a program should bet on you. In this panel, experienced coaches will break down what actually differentiates strong essays, common mistakes they see every cycle, and how to get started without overthinking. Whether you’re staring at a blank page or revising drafts, you’ll leave with practical insights to write with more clarity and direction.