Leland+ Content Library

PE Week Kickoff: How to 3x Your Chances at Landing an Offer [9/21/2026] (Recording)

Breaking into private equity is highly competitive, and knowing where to focus your time can make a meaningful difference in how you approach recruiting. This panel is designed for aspiring private equity professionals who want to understand what it takes to build a strong candidacy and navigate the recruiting process effectively. You’ll hear experts discuss how to position your background, approach networking and recruiting, prepare for interviews, and avoid common mistakes that can hold candidates back. Attending live gives you the opportunity to hear multiple perspectives from professionals with experience in private equity recruiting and ask questions about your own goals in real time. Our panelists will share practical strategies and best practices for approaching the PE recruiting process, including what they see successful candidates doing differently. If you want to start PE Week with a clearer strategy for pursuing an offer, it’s worth joining live.

“RAOUR” Annotation: The Easy New Way to Read and Understand All Types of Texts [8/29/2026] (Recording)

“ROUR” Annotation: The Easy New Way to Read and Understand All Types of Texts Educator Karin McKie has created a quick and easy way to annotate and understand dense texts for school or work, developed over decades of tutoring thousands of diverse learners. Mastery of these simple techniques increases standardized test prep scores like the LSAT, GRE, SAT, ACT and more.

Recruiting into PE Straight from College: How to Do the Impossible [9/22/2026] (Recording)

Breaking into private equity straight from college is difficult, but it isn't impossible with the right strategy. Without years of banking or investing experience, you need to find ways to demonstrate strong investing ability, build relevant experience, and position yourself as someone a PE firm should take seriously. This session is for college students who want to pursue private equity early and understand how to stand out without following the traditional path. You'll learn how to approach recruiting, build the right skills and experience, and differentiate yourself from candidates with more conventional backgrounds. Join live to hear from a PE expert, former CVC and MUFG Director, who has worked as a hiring manager and understands what firms look for when evaluating candidates. The speaker will share firsthand insights into breaking into PE, including how to position your background, build credibility, and approach the recruiting process strategically. You'll leave with a clearer sense of what it takes to turn an unconventional path into a real opportunity in private equity.

AI-based Customer Research and Insights with Synthetic Customers [7/31/2026] (Recording)

After this session, you will know how to build and run synthetic customer personas using AI tools to generate research insights without waiting on live interviews or surveys. You will walk away with a framework for designing synthetic customers that reflect real behavioral patterns, a method for stress-testing product assumptions before launch, and a clear sense of where this approach holds up versus where human validation is still required. Attending live means you can bring your actual use case, whether that is a product, a market segment, or a research question you are already working on, and hear how the coach thinks through it in real time. The coach applies AI-based research methods in active client work, and this session is a direct look at how that thinking operates in practice.

IB Technicals 2: Cash Flow and the Cost of Capital [9/15/2026] (Recording)

Accounting is transaction language. One number changes, and the question is whether you can walk it through all three statements. The version that works in the room is short. Jump to pre-tax income, tax-effect it, land on net income, add back what is not cash, and finish on a balance sheet that balances. Once that walk is automatic, the harder versions stop being new questions: depreciation, a purchase with cash, a sale on credit, working capital going up while the income statement looks fine. The second half of the night is the cost of money, because valuation cannot start without it. Time value, what a discount rate is, why debt is cheaper than equity and why a company still does not fund itself entirely with debt, and what beta is doing inside the cost of equity. What we'll cover: - The $10 of depreciation walk, and the pre-tax income shortcut that keeps it short - Why depreciation gets added back, and the tax shield underneath it - Buying a car with cash, and selling $100 of product on credit - What working capital is, and why an increase consumes cash - EBITDA to unlevered free cash flow, and why EBITDA is not cash - Time value of money, cost of debt versus cost of equity, and why you unlever and relever beta Want to know how you hold up when the question changes shape? I run a 90-minute mock interview, a full simulation and then rapid-fire technicals on whatever broke. Book a free 15-minute intro to see if it is a good fit. Part 2 of IB Technicals, a six part run on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Each night covers how the concept works and, more importantly, how to actually answer the questions on it, with the stories and details behind them. Each one stands alone, so jump in anywhere. I'm the founder of OFFERGOBLIN and ex-Centerview tech.

30-60-90 guide for a new job [8/27/2026] (Recording)

Are you stepping into a new role in venture capital and want to make a strong impact from day one? Join me, David, for an insightful session on crafting a 30-60-90 day plan tailored for your new job. With my extensive experience in talent acquisition and strategy development at top firms like Andreessen Horowitz and Meta, I will guide you through essential skill-building and strategic planning to ensure your success in this dynamic field. This event is perfect for anyone looking to excel in their new venture capital role by developing a clear roadmap for their first three months. Space is limited, so be sure to RSVP and secure your spot today!

The AI-Powered Acquisition: How to Buy a Small Business [7/29/2026] (Recording)

You don't have to start a business from zero. What if you could skip the hardest part and just buy a great, existing business instead? And what if you could use AI—like ChatGPT and other smart tools—to help you find it, run it, and grow it fast? That's exactly what we're breaking down in this free event. We'll cut through the hype and show you the real, practical steps to becoming a CEO by buying a small business.

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.

The Unwritten Rules of Getting Promoted [7/20/2026] (Recording)

Ready to move up in your career and wondering how to climb the corporate ladder? Join me for an insightful session on "The Unwritten Rules of Getting Promoted." In this event, we'll explore key strategies in leadership, skill-building, and career planning to help you break through barriers and achieve your professional goals. Whether you're looking to make a move or find your next role, this session will provide you with the tools and insights needed to elevate your career. Topics: Creating Credibility Showing Up Elevating Your Role Making Sure You & Your Work are a Priority About Jeff Sigel: With over two decades of experience in marketing and business intelligence, including VP roles at Cracker Barrel and Ahold Delhaize, I've honed my skills in leadership development and career advancement.

Stop Memorizing Answers: Build STAR Stories That Adapt [10/14/2026] (Recording)

Most candidates prepare behavioral interviews by memorizing answers to a list of expected questions. Then the interviewer changes the wording, asks an unexpected follow-up, and the answer falls apart. In this practical session, former Amazon Hiring Manager Giulio Famiglietti will show you how to build a flexible portfolio of STAR stories that can be adapted across different questions without sounding scripted. You’ll learn how interviewers assess evidence, how to choose the right story quickly, and how to keep your answer clear when you are put under pressure. We’ll cover: • Why memorized answers fail • How to build adaptable STAR stories • How one experience can answer several behavioral questions • The most common mistakes in Situation, Task, Action, and Result • How to handle probing follow-up questions • A live before-and-after answer example You’ll leave with a repeatable framework you can use for Big Tech, corporate, and leadership interviews. The session will finish with live Q&A.

How to Approach the GSB 'What Matters Most' Essay [7/10/2026] (Recording)

After this session, you will know how to frame a "What Matters Most" essay that feels personal without losing strategic clarity. We will cover how to identify a theme that is both authentic and differentiated, how to structure your response to signal self-awareness rather than just achievement, and where most applicants lose the reader's attention in the opening lines. Attending live means you can describe your specific situation and hear how the coach thinks through it in real time, which a recording cannot replicate. The coach works with GSB applicants regularly and will share the patterns that distinguish essays that resonate from those that read as generic, giving you a clear lens to apply to your own draft.

GMAT Quant: The Most Important Strategies for a 90th-Percentile Score [8/31/2026] (Recording)

In this livestream, I’ll share my recommended GMAT study schedule and teach some of the most important strategies for improving your performance on GMAT Quant. You’ll learn how to structure your preparation, what to prioritize at different stages, and how to use practice questions and full-length exams effectively. We’ll work through representative GMAT-style problems, focusing not just on getting the right answer, but on developing the decision-making skills that lead to better performance. You’ll learn how to recognize common question types, identify efficient solution methods, avoid common traps, and manage your time on difficult questions. By the end of the livestream, you should be able to: * Build a structured GMAT study plan based on your timeline and goals * Identify the Quant topics and skills you should prioritize * Recognize common GMAT Quant question types * Choose more efficient approaches to difficult problems * Improve your pacing and time-management strategy * Use practice questions and mock exams more effectively * Understand how high-scoring test takers approach GMAT Quant I’ve been tutoring standardized tests for more than 20 years and earned a 760 on the GMAT. I received my MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and earned a master’s degree in Political Science from Stanford University. This session is appropriate for students at a range of score levels, whether you’re just beginning your GMAT preparation or looking to push an already solid Quant score higher.

Acing the CBS Interview - from an Interviewer & Alumna [10/9/2026] (Recording)

Getting an interview at Columbia Business School is a major step, but the interview is your chance to turn a strong application into a compelling case for admission. Knowing what interviewers are evaluating and how to communicate your goals, experiences, and fit can make all the difference. This session is for MBA applicants preparing for a CBS interview who want to walk in prepared and confident. You’ll learn how to approach common CBS interview questions, tell your story effectively, and avoid the mistakes that can weaken an otherwise strong interview. Join live to hear from a Columbia Business School alumna and current admissions committee member who has interviewed CBS applicants. She’ll share firsthand insights into what interviewers look for, how to prepare your answers, and how to make a strong impression in the interview. Bring your questions and leave with a clearer strategy for acing your CBS interview.

The MBA Resume Breakdown: How to Show Impact, Trajectory, and Fit on One Page [7/29/2026] (Recording)

Your MBA resume isn't your job resume with a new header. Adcom is reading it differently than a hiring manager would — and most applicants don't adjust. They submit a resume optimized for getting a job, not for getting into a program. This session covers what they're actually looking for and how to make sure your resume is telling the right story. How Adcom Reads Your Resume -The difference between a hiring manager scan and an adcom read -What adcom is actually pulling from your resume: leadership signals, trajectory, and impact -Why formatting, included components, and structure matter differently for MBA applications Writing Bullets That Show Impact, Not Just Activity -How to quantify impact even when your role wasn't revenue-generating -What strong vs. weak bullets actually look like when an adcom reader is scanning them Telling a Coherent Story Across Your Career -How to frame promotions, transitions, and pivots so they read as intentional rather than accidental -What to do if your career path looks scattered on paper -How to make sure your resume sets up your essays rather than contradicting them

Investment Banking Recruiting General Advice - Technical & Networking Prep [9/6/2026] (Recording)

In this session we will go over the updated investment banking timeline, tips for recruiting, and best practices for preparing for interviews and networking calls.

Breaking Into APM Roles: What It Actually Takes [9/16/2026] (Recording)

Breaking into an Associate Product Manager (APM) role can be challenging when you’re competing for entry-level positions with candidates from a wide range of backgrounds. This panel is designed for aspiring product managers who want to understand what it takes to stand out and build a strong path into their first PM role. You’ll hear experts discuss how to build relevant experience, demonstrate product thinking, approach the recruiting process, and position your background effectively. Attending live gives you the opportunity to hear multiple perspectives from professionals who have helped candidates break into product management and ask questions about your own path in real time. Our panelists will share practical strategies, common mistakes to avoid, and what they see successful APM candidates doing differently. If you want a clearer picture of what it takes to land an APM role, it’s worth joining live.

Top Things Companies are Looking for in AI PMs [7/29/2026] (Recording)

After this session, you will know exactly what hiring teams are prioritizing when they evaluate AI PM candidates right now. We will cover how to demonstrate genuine AI fluency versus surface-level familiarity, what cross-functional leadership looks like in AI product roles, and how to position prior experience in a way that maps to the specific judgment calls AI teams need from their PMs. Attending live means you can describe your background and hear directly how to reframe it for AI PM roles, rather than applying general advice that may not fit your situation. The coach works inside this space and brings patterns observed across candidates who have successfully made this transition, offering a grounded perspective on what actually separates strong applicants from the rest.

MBA Essay Strategy: The 3 Questions Every Applicant Needs to Answer [7/23/2026] (Recording)

After this session, you will know how to answer the three questions that shape every competitive MBA essay: why an MBA, why now, and why this school. You will leave with a framework for building a narrative arc that connects your past experience to a specific post-MBA goal, and a clear sense of what makes a school-specific story feel genuine versus generic. Attending live means you can bring your actual background and get a direct response to how your situation fits the framework, which a recording cannot replicate. This coach works with MBA applicants daily and will share the patterns that consistently separate essays that resonate with admissions committees from those that do not.

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.

Breaking into PE through an MBA [10/2/2026] (Recording)

Getting into private equity through an MBA runs on a different clock than most people expect: on-cycle recruiting for megafunds often starts within weeks of orientation, while mid-market and growth equity roles move on their own slower, relationship-driven timeline. This session covers how those two tracks actually differ and what to prioritize first depending on which one fits your background. Maria spent time on the traditional finance side before her MBA and has since helped candidates connect prior experience, even a nontraditional one, to a credible PE narrative. She'll talk through what separates candidates who get traction from those sending the same generic outreach everyone else does.