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.

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.

MIT Sloan Data Visualization Slide – Technician Efficiency and Margin Impact

A pre-interview supplement slide analyzing technician compensation models and operational improvements to drive a projected 13.4% EBITDA margin increase.

A Peek Behind the Curtain: How Your Application is Really Evaluated at Top Business Schools

Have you ever wondered what happens once you hit submit? Join this one-of-a-kind event to learn what really goes on behind the scenes from two coaches who have seen it all. ​Christine B.'s 25+ year admissions career has included as an Admissions Director for The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, London Business School and Yale School of Management. ​Faisal K. has been an MBA coach for 15+ years, and worked with Christine as an admissions committee member at the Chicago Booth. ​This fireside chat between Faisal and Christine will explore how an application is assessed, decisions are made to interview and admit, and offer tips on how to put your best foot forward at the world’s most selective business schools.

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.

Strategy Roles in the Age of AI [5/28/2026] (Recording)

After this session, you will understand how AI is reshaping the strategy function and what that means for how you position yourself as a candidate or practitioner. We will cover how to evaluate which strategic roles are growing versus shrinking as AI capabilities expand, how to frame your experience to reflect genuine AI fluency, and what hiring managers in transformation-focused roles are actually prioritizing right now. Attending live means you can ask how these shifts apply to your specific background, industry, or target role, and hear how the coach thinks through cases like yours in real time. The coach works directly with organizations navigating AI strategy today, and this session reflects the patterns they see across candidates who successfully make the transition into these roles.

What Top Investment Banking Candidates Do Differently: Strategy, Positioning & Interview Edge

In this session, you will learn how to position yourself as a compelling investment banking candidate before you ever walk into an interview. We will cover how to build a deal experience narrative that holds up under pressure, how to differentiate yourself in a crowded applicant pool, and what interviewers are actually evaluating when they ask behavioral questions.

The Three Biggest Secrets of the GMAT: Scoring Algorithm & Test Strategy

Learn how to ace the GMAT with these tips and tricks.

Strategic Approach to GRE Verbal Reasoning

GRE Verbal Reasoning can feel unpredictable, especially when strong readers still struggle with timing and tricky answer choices. This session is for test takers who want a more strategic and repeatable approach to the verbal section. You’ll learn how to break down question types, eliminate misleading options with confidence, and improve both accuracy and pacing under timed conditions.

Equity Research Recruiting 101: Strategic Planning

Equity research recruiting rewards candidates who plan ahead. This session cuts through the noise to show how the process really works and how to approach it with intention. You’ll learn what hiring teams care about, how to prepare your stock pitch and resume, and when to network for maximum impact. Whether you’re just exploring equity research or getting ready to recruit, you’ll leave with a sharper strategy and clearer next steps.

Strategic Approach to GRE Quant Questions

GRE Quant can feel less about math knowledge and more about strategy—and that’s exactly where most test-takers lose points. Join this session, Strategic Approach to GRE Quant Questions, designed to help you think smarter, not harder, when tackling quantitative problems on test day. In this event, you’ll learn how to recognize common GRE question patterns, choose the most efficient solving methods, and avoid time-consuming traps that can derail your score. The session focuses on decision-making under pressure, strategic shortcuts, and knowing when to calculate, estimate, or eliminate answer choices. Whether you’re struggling to manage time or aiming to push your Quant score into a higher range, this coaching event will give you practical tools you can apply immediately. Walk away with clearer strategies, increased confidence, and a more controlled approach to GRE Quant questions.

Strategic Networking & The Hidden Job Market

Do you want to have a choice in which job offer you respond to? If you are merely responding to job openings, you are wasting a lot of time. Would you rather spend 80% of your time getting more interviews or spend the same time “ticking off a box” by sending a large amount of applications to job openings? The answer is simple. If you identify the activities that yield the highest reward, you should pursue them.

BCG Example Resume – Military Leadership, Resilience, and Public Service

Resume of a Wharton MBA candidate and former Marine officer, highlighting operational excellence, adaptive sports achievements, and a career pivot toward consulting and civic leadership.

Gas Station Case Example

A practice case focused on diagnosing performance issues at a gas station, covering levers like pricing, product mix, customer behavior, and operational efficiency.

Wharton Deferred Essays – Ethical Product Design and Inclusive Tech Leadership

Two essays responding to Wharton’s deferred prompts, outlining a career in ethical productivity software and proposing new initiatives to bridge business and tech through PennApps and Wharton Women in Business.

From Service to Grad School: Getting into an MBA Program

Transitioning from service—military, nonprofit, public sector, or community leadership—into an MBA program requires translating impact into a language admissions committees understand. In this session, you’ll learn how to position your service experience as leadership, quantify outcomes, and craft a compelling narrative that highlights readiness for business school. We’ll cover program fit, essays, recommendations, testing strategy, and common pitfalls unique to service backgrounds, so you can present a clear, confident case for admission.

Wharton Example Essays – Fashion, Heritage, and Inclusive Leadership

Two essays from an admitted applicant connecting operational excellence in fashion to a mission of sustainability and inclusion, with concrete plans to contribute across retail, DEI, and wellness communities at Wharton.