Leland+ Content Library

Founder Playbooks: Growth Strategies for Early-Stage Startups

Building an early-stage startup is an exciting but daunting journey, especially when it comes to driving sustainable growth. From finding product-market fit to scaling operations and building the right team, founders face countless decisions that can make or break their trajectory. ​In this session, Renato V. (Founder and CEO of Parallel), Angela C. (Founder of Stanford’s Education Entrepreneurship Hub and Founder of instructiv) and John K. (Founder and CEO of Leland) will share proven playbooks for navigating the critical growth stages. You’ll gain practical insights on refining your go-to-market strategy, attracting customers, raising capital, and avoiding common early pitfalls so you can build a strong foundation and accelerate your path to success.

Developing a Differentiated Personal Narrative

Standing out in the deferred MBA pool requires more than strong credentials. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to craft a clear, differentiated personal narrative that ties your experiences, goals, and values into a cohesive story that resonates with HSW and M7 admissions committees. Led by Leland coach Angela C., a storytelling expert with a 100% package success rate who specializes in HSW and M7 deferred admissions, this session will break down how top applicants define their core themes, position early-career impact, and avoid the generic narratives that hold many candidates back. You’ll leave with practical frameworks and concrete next steps to start shaping a compelling, authentic story for your deferred MBA applications.