Leland+ Content Library

Blank Page to Submitted: Step by Step Guide to Writing Your Personal Statement [8/20/2026] (Recording)

Writing an MBA personal statement can be challenging when you’re trying to turn your experiences and goals into a clear, compelling story. This session is designed for MBA applicants who want practical best practices for writing stronger essays and a better understanding of what makes a personal statement effective. Ben and Allie will walk through key principles for developing your story, structuring your essay, and strengthening your writing, with examples to show what these principles look like in practice. Attending live gives you the opportunity to bring your specific questions, whether you’re starting from a blank page or working through a particular school’s prompt, and get a direct response in the moment. Ben and Allie will share the advice and techniques they use when working with MBA applicants and, where helpful, walk through example essays to show how strong writing decisions come together. If you want practical guidance you can apply to your own essays, it’s worth joining live.

Build an Investor-Level Pitch Deck with Claude, Excel & PowerPoint [5/29/2026] (Recording)

Build Anything Series · Event 03 · Free · Live Investor decks are a specific genre. They aren't "presentations." They're a tight argument backed by a defensible model, told in 12 slides. This event walks through how to build one with Claude, Excel, and PowerPoint working together — the way real founders actually do it now. What we'll build live: - The financial model — TAM/SAM/SOM, unit economics, P&L forecast, sensitivities, all in Excel/Sheets with Claude generating and reviewing the formulas - The story — problem, market, solution, traction, team, ask. Each slide does one job. We'll write them tight. - The slides — clean figures, charts that read in 3 seconds, narrative continuity. Polished and ready to send. Who it's for: - Founders fundraising (or about to) - Operators building internal pitches for new initiatives - Anyone who's stared at a blank deck for two weeks waiting for inspiration Not a fit if: - You don't have a real business or initiative to pitch - You want me to make a deck for you — this is a workshop, you build alongside We'll be honest about what investors actually look at (versus what advisors say they look at), and where AI helps versus where it gets in the way. Bring your data — even rough — and we'll build live.

Design Beautiful Presentations with Claude [5/19/2026] (Recording)

Build Anything Series · Event 02 · Free · Live Most people use Claude as a writing assistant and stop there. Then they open PowerPoint, fight with templates for two hours, and ship something that looks like every other deck. There's a better way. In this hour, we'll build presentations end-to-end with Claude — from a one-line brief to polished, on-brand slides. No templates, no stock-photo aesthetic, no drag-the-text-box-three-pixels-left. What we'll build live: - Generate a deck from a one-line brief — outline, structure, narrative arc, all in one prompt loop - Iterate without leaving Claude — slide-by-slide refinement using structured prompts (not "make it better") - Export polished, on-brand presentations — color systems, type, layout, rendered cleanly Who it's for: - Coaches, consultants, founders, PMs who present often and hate the deck-building tax - People who've prompted Claude for design work and gotten generic results - Anyone who wants their slides to feel like theirs, not a SaaS template Not a fit if: - You're already a senior visual designer with a tight workflow - You want to learn pure Figma/Keynote craft — this is about directing AI to do most of the work We'll talk about where Claude excels (structure, narrative, copy, layout systems) and where it still needs you (taste, judgment, the final 10% of polish). Bring a real project you'd like to work on — fastest way to learn.

Job Search Operating System | Prompt Library

Build Your Own Job Search OS — Companion Guide — the underlying system from the May 13 Build Anything session, packaged so you can recreate it from scratch. Inside: - Step-by-step build for the 6 trackers in Notion or Excel: full property lists, view filters, exact column headers - The full prompt library, every prompt mapped to a specific moment in your search (spotting a role, auto-filling an application, weekly inbox sweep, interview prep, reference calls) - A 7-day runbook to get the whole system live inside a week - Scheduled-task templates for the morning brief, weekly sweep, and Sunday retro - A failure-modes table for when the prompts don't behave This is for anyone running a real job search who's tired of holding 50 active threads in their head, rewriting "why this company" for the 47th time, or losing track of which recruiter said "check back in a month." You walk away with working trackers, prompts you can actually run, and daily/weekly cadence prompts to keep you up to date so you can focus on networking, prep and the more important human components of a real-life job search.

M7 Interview Series: Stanford

Stanford interviews are a pivotal step in the M7 admissions process, and thoughtful preparation can set you apart. This interview series is designed to help you approach your Stanford interview with confidence and clarity. You’ll learn how to structure strong answers, communicate your goals and values effectively, and handle common behavioral and fit questions. Whether you’re preparing for your first interview or refining your approach, you’ll leave with practical strategies to stand out.

Writing a Holistic Set of Kellogg Essays (Deck)

Many applicants find a way to write at least one strong essay. But those that really maximize the essay-writing process find a way to make clear how their experiences inform their goals, and develop clear narrative through-lines that make their contributions to the school and program tangible. They have a “brand”. You know what they’re all about. This event will draw from example essays written by successful Northwestern Kellogg admits. These essays were particularly strong in how they spoke to one another—how they created a three-dimensional applicant who top Kellogg AdComs could envision contributing to their community. Their professional and judiciously placed personal experience offer evidence for why they’re the kind of person who will make their specific kind of difference in the world. During this session, we'll analyze these essays alongside you so you have a clear view into how you can apply what you've learned to your own writing, and put your best application forward for Kellogg's top-flight MBA program.

Ben L. (GSB Alum) Podcast Feature

Ben’s career has been anything but linear, from working at McKinsey helping prisons improve rehabilitation outcomes, to diving into politics, to supporting chess startups, his experiences are as diverse as they are fascinating. After struggling through the MBA application process himself, Ben became driven to help candidates craft powerful, authentic applications that truly reflect who they are. In this episode, Ben shares: How his varied career shaped his perspective on business school and beyond Why storytelling is the key to a standout MBA application How he helps candidates align their applications with their unique strengths and passions If you’re navigating the MBA application process, Ben’s insights will help you focus on what truly matters and make your story shine.

Live Mock MBA Interview

​In this workshop, you’ll experience what it’s really like to be in the MBA hot seat through a mock interview led by top Leland coaches Angela C. and Ben L. With years of experience coaching applicants into programs like Stanford GSB, HBS, and Wharton, they know exactly what admissions committees are looking for. ​You’ll practice tackling the toughest questions, get real-time feedback on your answers, and learn strategies to communicate with confidence and authenticity. Whether you’re preparing for your first interview or refining your approach for final rounds, this session will help you sharpen your skills and stand out in the competitive MBA admissions process.

The 2026 MBA Recommender Prep Packet

Everything your recommenders need to write standout MBA letters — outreach scripts, a school-by-school breakdown of every recommender question, a worked example, and the full 2026–27 Round 1/2/3 deadline table so nothing slips. From the coach behind 300+ M7 admits.

Writing a Holistic Set of HBS Essays

Your first-draft essays for Harvard Business School probably aren't what you think they are. Listen to two of Leland's top coaches help you see why, and more importantly, know how you can elevate them to a point where you can "go to school in the Boston area".

Consulting Case Frameworks and Structuring

A tactical session on breaking down case interview problems using clear, MECE-aligned frameworks—covering profitability, market entry, M&A, and more.

Get Into A Top MBA Before You Even Graduate College [9/24/2026] (Recording)

You don't have to wait until after college to start building a top MBA candidacy. The choices you make now around academics, internships, leadership, and career direction can shape how competitive your application will be years down the road. This session is for college students who are already thinking about an MBA and want to give themselves the strongest possible shot at a top program. You'll learn what matters most early on, which experiences can strengthen your future application, and how to start building a compelling profile before graduation. Join live for a panel of MBA experts who know what it takes to build a competitive candidacy for top business schools. They'll share practical advice on the moves that can pay off later, common mistakes to avoid, and how to think strategically about your next few years. You'll leave with a clearer roadmap for setting yourself up for MBA success long before you apply.

Interviewer-Trained ex-McKinsey & Bain Consultants | Ask Us Anything [8/6/2026] (Recording)

Have questions about consulting recruiting that you can't find clear answers to? This open Q&A session is your opportunity to get candid advice from former MBB interviewers who have evaluated candidates and know what it takes to earn an offer. Whether you're preparing for networking, case interviews, behavioral interviews, or recruiting strategy, you'll leave with practical guidance tailored to your biggest questions. Join live to hear from interviewer-trained former consultants from McKinsey and Bain who have firsthand experience on both sides of the interview table. Bring your questions and get honest, actionable advice on recruiting, interview preparation, and the strategies that consistently help candidates stand out in today's competitive consulting hiring process.

Winning Essays from My HBS Admits [7/17/2026] (Recording)

Many applicants find a way to write at least one strong essay. But those who really maximize the essay-writing process develop clear narrative through-lines that connect the dots of their life, and articulate how they'll contributions to their target brand. Their two-dimensional writing brings out a three-dimensional personality. They have a “brand”. You know what they’re all about. This event will draw from example essays written by successful admits who I've personally coached, and helped land a spot at one or more top MBA programs. These essays were particularly strong in how they spoke to one another—how they created a holistic applicant who admissions committees could envision on campus. Their professional and judiciously placed personal experience offer evidence for why they’re the kind of person who will make a specific, meaningful difference in the world. During this session, we'll analyze these essays alongside you so you have a clear view into how you can apply what you've learned to your own writing, and put your best application forward for HBS.