Leland+ Content Library

AI Can't Do Everything. Here's What It Can Do. [6/9/2026] (Recording)

With so much conversation around AI, it can be hard to separate real capabilities from inflated expectations. This session is designed for professionals, builders, and curious learners who want a practical understanding of where AI creates value—and where it still falls short. You’ll learn how to identify high-impact use cases, understand the types of tasks AI handles best, and recognize the limitations that still require human judgment, context, and decision-making. Attending live gives you the opportunity to ask questions about your own workflows and challenges and get real-time guidance on how AI can fit into them. The speaker works closely with individuals and teams adopting AI and will share the patterns they see across successful implementations, along with how they evaluate where AI meaningfully improves outcomes versus where it adds complexity. If you want a more grounded understanding of what AI can realistically do today, it’s worth joining live.

Ten things you can do today to launch your MBA application journey. [6/10/2026] (Recording)

The MBA application journey can feel overwhelming—but it doesn't have to start that way. The secret isn't finding a shortcut; it's knowing exactly where to begin. Whether you're 6 months out or just starting to explore your options, there are concrete, high-impact actions you can take right now to build momentum and set yourself up for success. This workshop breaks down ten practical steps you can take today to launch your MBA application journey with clarity and confidence. From strengthening your academic and test profile to crafting your narrative, identifying the right schools, and preparing the people in your corner, you'll leave with a clear action plan—not just inspiration. By the end of this session, you will be able to: * Identify the immediate steps that will have the greatest impact on your candidacy, no matter where you are in the process. * Strengthen your academic and test profile by addressing gaps proactively and positioning yourself for success. * Showcase career progression and leadership through an accomplishment-based resume and targeted professional achievements. * Begin crafting your story by clarifying your motivations, values, and post-MBA goals. * Secure powerful recommendations by selecting and preparing the right advocates early. * Demonstrate authentic school fit through research-driven insights that align your goals with each program's unique offerings.

Intel Collection for the MBA: Schools, Careers, and the Application [6/11/2026] (Recording)

This is the second session in the MDMP for MBA series series structured around the seven phases of the Military Decision-Making Process. Each session stands on its own, but together they form a complete framework for military and veteran applicants to systematically and strategically approach the MBA admissions process. In this session, we'll focus on mission analysis and cover how to collect HUMINT and AI-enabled SIGINT to improve your understanding of the critical elements of MBA application: target schools (including class profiles, employment outcomes, and culture), post-MBA career paths (industries, functions, recruiting pipelines, compensation), and the components of the application itself (essays, recommendations, and academic preparation. We'll also cover resources available to military and veteran applicants, from the GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon to Service to School and school veterans clubs. By the end, you'll know how to build your candidate school list, how to research post-MBA careers, and how to gather the intelligence that makes every later decision in the process a sound one. Hosted by Ian Kennedy, former Army Special Forces (18E, 1st SFG) and Stanford MBA/MS, who has coached military and veteran applicants into admissions at Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, LBS, Duke, and more.

The Overrepresented Applicant’s Blueprint to MBA Admissions [6/8/2026] (Recording)

Many MBA applicants from consulting, finance, and technology backgrounds underestimate one of the central challenges of the admissions process: differentiation. In this workshop, I'll breaks down how admissions committees evaluate “overrepresented” applicant demographics — and, more importantly, what separates memorable candidates from interchangeable ones. Drawing on experience coaching applicants across M7 and top global MBA programs, the session explores how candidates can move beyond prestige signaling and build a more distinctive, cohesive, and authentic application narrative. Participants will learn how to: * Understand how admissions committees evaluate candidates from highly competitive industries * Identify the most common positioning mistakes made by finance, consulting, and tech applicants * Build stronger differentiation across essays, resumes, interviews, and recommendation strategies * Develop clearer personal themes, leadership narratives, and career vision * Communicate impact and self-awareness beyond titles, brands, and technical accomplishments * Highlight distinctive experiences, perspectives, and motivations that create memorability * Avoid “over-coached” applications and develop more authentic storytelling * Position career transitions, long-term goals, and leadership potential more strategically Whether you come from investment banking, private equity, consulting, big tech, product management, engineering, or another highly represented background, this session is designed to help you better understand how to stand out in one of the most competitive areas of MBA admissions.

MBA Strategy Session: Pick the Right Schools, Tell the Right Story, Apply at the [6/18/2026] (Recording)

In this free 45-minute strategy session, I’ll help you understand how to approach the MBA decision before jumping into applications. We’ll cover how to choose the right MBA format, build a smart school list, assess timing, and start shaping a compelling admissions narrative. What we’ll cover: How to decide whether now is the right time for your MBA Full-time vs Executive vs one-year MBA options How to choose schools beyond rankings What admissions committees look for in strong candidates How to connect your career goals, story, and school selection Common mistakes candidates make when starting too late or applying too broadly This session is especially useful for applicants targeting European and global MBA programs such as IESE, INSEAD, LBS, HEC, Oxford, Cambridge, IE, ESADE, and top US schools. I’ll also share practical insights from my experience as an IESE MBA alumnus, admissions collaborator, professor, and MBA coach.

MBA Essay Bootcamp: How to tell a story no other applicant can [6/18/2026] (Recording)

Unlock the secrets to crafting an unforgettable MBA essay with our MBA Essay Bootcamp! Join me, Hanie, as we dive into the art of storytelling that sets you apart from the competition. With my background as a Schwarzman Scholar at Tsinghua University and an MBA graduate from Columbia Business School, I bring a wealth of experience in admissions and essay crafting. In this session, we'll explore how to weave your unique experiences into a compelling narrative that resonates with admissions committees. Whether you're just starting your application journey or looking to refine your essays, this bootcamp is designed to elevate your application strategy. Spaces are limited, so RSVP now to secure your spot and take the first step towards your dream MBA program!

HELP -- I'm Non-Traditional! AMA with Jessica B [6/8/2026] (Recording)

You didn't take the standard path. That doesn't mean you can't get into a top program — it means you need a sharper strategy than most. This is an open AMA for applicants who don't fit the typical mold: career changers, military veterans, physicians, founders, late-career applicants, people with non-linear resumes, or anyone who's ever wondered whether admissions committees will know what to do with them. I've worked with all of you. Since 2006, my clients have come from backgrounds that don't map neatly onto the McKinsey-to-HBS pipeline — and they've gotten into M7 programs anyway, frequently with scholarship. Three times Poets & Quants has recognized me as one of the best admissions consultants in the field. Bring your specific situation. Ask me whether your background is a liability or an asset, how to frame a career that's hard to explain in 250 words, whether EMBA or full-time MBA makes more sense for where you are, or anything else that's been keeping you up at night. No slides. No agenda. Just answers.

Secondary Applications: Writing Excellent Essays [6/9/2026] (Recording)

Secondary applications can quickly become overwhelming, and many strong applicants lose momentum when it comes time to write dozens of school-specific essays. This session is for medical school applicants who want a clearer strategy for writing compelling secondary responses efficiently and effectively. You’ll learn how to approach common prompts, maintain quality across multiple applications, and craft essays that feel personal without becoming repetitive. Join live to ask questions about your own secondary essays and hear guidance from a coach who completed over 40 secondaries and earned 13 medical school acceptances. The speaker has firsthand experience navigating the volume and pressure of the process and now helps applicants strengthen their writing and application strategy. Expect practical advice and insights similar to what’s covered in 1:1 coaching conversations.

Breaking Into Investment Banking from Non-Traditional Backgrounds [6/16/2026] (Recording)

If your resume doesn't follow the traditional finance recruiting path, this session will show you how to position your background so it reads as an asset, not a gap. We'll cover how to reframe non-traditional experience for banking roles, which transferable skills actually resonate with hiring managers, and how to approach networking when you don't have built-in alumni pipelines. Attending live means you can describe your specific background and get a direct read on how a recruiter or banker would interpret it, which a recording simply cannot replicate. The coach works with non-traditional candidates regularly and will share the patterns that tend to separate the ones who break in from the ones who stall out.

The Diversity Statement Demystified: Workshopping the Second Essay [6/16/2026] (Recording)

After this session, you will know how to frame your diversity statement as a scholarly asset rather than a personal biography, and how to avoid the structural mistakes that weaken otherwise strong PhD applications. The workshop will focus on what admissions committees actually look for in this essay: a clear through-line between your background and your intellectual trajectory, and a tone that is reflective without being confessional. Attending live means you can bring your specific framing questions and hear how the coach works through cases in real time, which a recording cannot replicate. The coach reviews diversity statements regularly as part of active PhD admissions coaching, and this session reflects the patterns that consistently separate compelling essays from forgettable ones.

The Reapplicant's Advantage: Turning Setback into Strategy. [6/15/2026] (Recording)

For many successful MBA graduates, rejection was not the end of the journey—it was the turning point. When approached with strategy, reflection, and renewed purpose, reapplying can transform a setback into a compelling statement of resilience, growth, and focus. Admissions committees respect candidates who demonstrate perseverance, self-awareness, and the ability to learn from experience—but only when that growth is clear, specific, and credible. This workshop will help you turn a “ding” into a competitive edge. You’ll learn how to conduct a clear-eyed assessment of your previous application, identify what may have held you back, highlight meaningful progress since your last submission, and approach the reapplicant essay with authenticity and impact. More than damage control, the reapplication process is an opportunity to show the admissions committee that you are stronger, more prepared, and more intentional than before. Done well, your reapplication can tell a sharper, more mature, and more persuasive story. By the end of this session, you will be able to: * Conduct a candid self-assessment to identify weaknesses in your previous application and opportunities for improvement. * Demonstrate tangible growth through professional achievements, academic progress, leadership development, and deeper extracurricular or community impact. * Refine your school strategy by aligning more precisely with programs where your fit, goals, and competitiveness are strongest. * Craft a powerful reapplicant essay that emphasizes resilience, growth, and renewed commitment—without sounding defensive or making excuses. * Strengthen recommendations and school engagement by securing enthusiastic advocates and building more authentic connections with your target programs.

From Generic to Hired | How to Polish Your CV for AI & Tech Jobs [6/15/2026] (Recording)

Join this practical mentoring session designed to help students, graduates, and early-career professionals improve their CVs for tech and AI roles. Led by an Ex-Microsoft professional and current Agentic AI Engineer at Accenture/Avanade, this session will show you how to move beyond a generic CV and tailor your experience for every job you apply to. We’ll cover how to read job descriptions properly, identify the skills recruiters actually look for, highlight projects and technical experience, use AI/ML keywords naturally, and structure your CV so it feels relevant, clear, and competitive. Whether you’re applying for internships, graduate schemes, AI roles, software engineering positions, data jobs, or consulting roles, this session will give you practical tips you can apply straight away. You’ll learn how to: -> Tailor your CV for each tech or AI job -> Make projects and experiences sound more impactful -> Use keywords without making your CV sound robotic -> Avoid common mistakes that get CVs ignored -> Present yourself clearly, even if you have limited experience A great session for anyone looking to stand out in a competitive tech job market.

What Made You a Strong Operator May Be Costing You as a Leader 6/16/26

Strong operators usually get promoted because they’re sharp, reliable, useful, and good at figuring things out. But people leadership asks for a different kind of strength. At some point, the same habits that made you valuable as an operator can start creating drag as a leader. You may find yourself overexplaining, second-guessing, carrying too much in your head, jumping in too quickly, delaying hard conversations, or trying to stay useful in ways that make it harder to actually lead. This session is a practical working session for technical managers and technical leads moving into people leadership. We’ll look at why strong operator habits can become leadership drag, how to spot what is costing you the most right now, and why clearer leadership usually starts with better operating design. You’ll leave with a simple Leadership Drag Audit you can use immediately to identify where your current way of operating is creating unnecessary cost for you, your team, and your leadership presence. This session is especially useful if you are a technical manager who was promoted because you were strong technically, but now you are responsible for delegation, performance conversations, trust, communication under pressure, and leading people without carrying everything yourself. This is the front door to the work I call the People Leadership OS: building a way of leading that fits who you actually are and what your role now requires. This session is for: Technical managers Engineering managers Data engineering managers Analytics engineering managers ML and data science managers Platform, infrastructure, DevOps, and security managers Technical leads moving into people leadership Former senior, staff, or principal ICs who now manage people or are about to

Expert Roundtable: Leveraging AI in Your Coaching Business

Top tips from Leland experts on using AI to 10x their impact.

From Strong to Unforgettable: Crafting Essays That Help You Break into the Ivies

Writing a strong college essay is one thing—writing one that stays with an admissions reader is something else entirely. This session is designed for students who want to elevate their essays beyond polished writing and create a narrative that feels personal, memorable, and distinctly their own. You’ll learn how to identify the stories worth telling, build a compelling narrative structure, and avoid the common mistakes that make essays blend together.

Secrets of the Admissions Office: AMA with a Former Stanford Admissions Committee Member

Trying to understand what actually happens behind the scenes in admissions can be frustrating when most advice comes from secondhand perspectives and guesswork. This session is designed for applicants who want a clearer understanding of how applications are evaluated and what admissions readers are truly paying attention to. You’ll learn how applications are assessed in practice, understand the factors that influence admissions decisions, and hear common patterns that emerge across successful candidates.

My 5 Top Tips for the ACT and SAT

Small changes in test strategy can lead to major score improvements on the ACT and SAT. This session is for students who want practical, high-impact ways to improve their performance and approach the exams more confidently. You’ll learn five proven tips for managing time, avoiding common mistakes, and maximizing points across sections without wasting effort on ineffective study habits.

Cracking College Admission Week: Kickoff

The students who stand out in college admissions usually aren’t the ones doing everything, they’re the ones who know how to tell the right story. This kickoff session is designed to help you approach the application process with more clarity, strategy, and confidence from the very beginning. You’ll learn how to think about essays, extracurriculars, and overall positioning, along with the common patterns admissions professionals see across successful applicants.

3 Things to Do (and 3 to Avoid) for a Stellar College App

Small decisions in the college application process can have a major impact on how your application is perceived. This session is for students who want clearer guidance on what actually strengthens an application—and what tends to weaken it. You’ll learn three high-impact strategies that help applicants stand out, three common mistakes admissions readers frequently see, and how to present your experiences in a more compelling and authentic way.

7 Common Mistakes to Avoid in MBA Applications

Are you gearing up to apply to MBA programs and want to ensure your application stands out? Join me, Emily, for an insightful session on the 7 Common Mistakes to Avoid in MBA Applications. With an MBA from the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business and 10 years of professional MBA coaching experience, I've guided hundreds of applicants through the intricate admissions process. This event will provide an overview of several key aspects of the application process, and equip you with knowledge of what to being doing NOW to set yourself up for success in Round 1 applications. Whether you're considering a traditional full-time MBA, a part-time MBA, or any other format, this session will equip you with the knowledge to avoid common pitfalls and maximize your chance of success. Spaces are limited, so be sure to RSVP and secure your spot. I look forward to helping you navigate your MBA journey with confidence!