Leland+ Content Library

UC Berkeley Essay: Crafting a Personal Narrative

A deep dive into a successful UC Berkeley essay. Learn how to craft a compelling personal narrative that highlights your experiences and gets you accepted.

Where to Apply to Med School

Learn how to find the schools that are the best fit for you and build a smart school list that maximizes your chances of admission.

What is Usability?

Learn the core principles of usability and why it's essential for creating user-friendly products. This guide covers the 5 key components of great design.

Wireframing

Learn the fundamentals of wireframing. This guide covers how to create low-fidelity layouts to quickly test ideas and build the foundation of great design.

Technical Interview Questions List

Prepare for your technical interviews with this comprehensive guide. We break down common questions and provide short answers to point you in the right direction.

The Interview: What Not to Do

Avoid the most common mistakes in your interviews, from poor body language to unprepared answers, to make a lasting and positive impression on your interviewer.

How to Stand Out in Your Application

Learn how to differentiate your application from the competition with strategies for crafting a compelling narrative, showcasing your unique skills, and making a lasting impression.

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.

Live Case Interview Battle: BCG vs Bain

A never-before-seen consulting showdown. Two ex-MBB consultants—one from BCG, one from Bain—go head-to-head in a live mock case interview. One will win. One will be humiliated. ​And you’ll get a full case interview experience right along with them. ​🎯 What’s happening: ​You’ll watch a live case interview unfold in real time, with each contestant battling to show their smarts. You will receive a PDF with the case interview questions right when the event starts, so you can crack it alongside the competitors. ​👩‍⚖️ How it’s judged: ​50% Expert judges (former MBB consultants) ​50% Audience vote (you help decide the winner) ​🏆 What’s at stake: ​The winner gets bragging rights and glory ​The loser must post their celebrity crush on LinkedIn and turn on the #opentowork status for a full week ​It’s part masterclass, part chaos. Join live, learn how to actually crack a case, and help us crown a consulting champion.

Essays: Learn from Past Admits & Elevate Your Writing [10/2/2026] (Recording)

Part 5 of 6 — Build Your Best MBA Application: One Piece at a Time, a free series (5:00–5:45pm ET). The essays are won before you write them. We'll start with the reflection work that saves weeks of revision later — show, don't tell; specifics beat adjectives; go deep, not wide — and why the anchor essay (Stanford's "What matters most to you, and why?") gets written first, with everything else flowing from it. Then we'll look at real essays from my clients admitted to top programs — full essays, not excerpts: what they wrote, why it worked, and the specific, repeatable moves you can bring into your own drafts. Plus how strong applicants differentiate across schools instead of copy-pasting one narrative, and the v1 → v3/v4 revision ladder my clients run. If you're heading into R1 or R2 drafts, this is the fastest way I know to calibrate what "great" actually looks like.

How Finance Teams Actually Use AI Day to Day [8/21/2026] (Recording)

AI is becoming part of finance work, but knowing where it actually fits into day-to-day workflows can be harder than knowing what the technology can do. This session is designed for finance professionals who want practical examples of how AI can support the work they already do. You’ll see how finance teams are using AI for tasks like analysis, reporting, research, and process automation, and learn how to identify opportunities to incorporate it into your own workflow. Attending live gives you the opportunity to ask questions about your specific role and see how AI could apply to the work you do every day. The speaker will walk through real examples and practical best practices for using AI in finance, rather than focusing only on what the technology could do in theory. If you want a clearer picture of where AI can actually fit into finance work, it’s worth joining live.

Change Agents Wanted: Are You Ready for a Career in Public Policy? [10/21/2026] (Recording)

Change Agents Wanted...Are You Ready for a Career in Public Policy? Which issue matters most to you: affordable housing, healthcare, education, public safety, or the environment? Your answer can help shape your public policy career. Join me, Kimberly Hill Knott, Public Policy Coach, for a live session on turning your passion for change into a career plan. With nearly thirty years of public service experience, I will cover: • What public policy is and what it means to be a change agent • Real examples of change agents, including my own work turning Detroit's climate goals into policy • Where you can work, both in government and beyond it • A sample role, and the skills you may already have You will gain a clearer understanding of your place in public policy, and I will explain how my one-on-one coaching can help you develop a concrete career plan. Ready to begin? Book a one-hour session or select a coaching package on Leland.

Writing a Holistic Set of Kellogg Essays (with Top Leland Coaches)

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.

Grounded & Clear: Mindful Coaching for Meaningful Change [10/14/2026] (Recording)

Is there a decision, transition, or part of everyday life you want to approach differently? Join Gloria C. Anglón, NBC-HWC, for a 30-minute preview of mindful coaching for meaningful change. Explore four capacities: Pause, Notice, Relate, and Respond. Together, we’ll consider what matters within you and around you, including your strengths, relationships, pressures, and circumstances. Through a practical example, a brief optional mindfulness practice, and private reflection, explore what support or response might fit your life. That could mean taking a step, setting a boundary, asking for help, making room for connection or joy, or allowing more time. Leave with reflection questions you can revisit in everyday life. No meditation experience is needed. Practices can be adapted, paused, or skipped; sharing is optional. You do not need to leave with everything figured out. This educational preview includes time for general questions. It is not individualized coaching, therapy, or crisis support.

Consulting in the Age of AI: The skills that will make you irreplaceable [8/5/2026] (Recording)

AI is rewriting what it means to be good at consulting. It won't replace consultants, but it's already separating those who use it to think sharper from those who let it think for them. Join Andrea Terzi (founder of Consulting Bootcamp, ex-BCG Project Leader) and Simone Doro (ex-Kearney Senior manager and Professional Coach) for a candid 30-minute session on staying relevant in consulting as AI reshapes the job.

What should I be doing NOW before Round 1 Applications Open?

Applying to MBA and Master's degree programs can be VERY stressful. But they don't have to be. There are many actions you can take now to reduce stress later on, and ensure that you reach your school deadlines as prepared as possible, with applications that you feel truly proud to submit. Join me to review the steps you should be taking now, to have the best possible application process.

From Tool Chaos to Output Leverage: Designing a personal AI productivity system that actually compounds output

AI tools are everywhere—but most people use them in fragmented, low-impact ways. In this session, ex-OpenAI and head of AI at Spotify Andrew Q. will break down how to move from scattered experimentation to a cohesive personal AI system that meaningfully boosts output over time. You’ll learn how to choose the right tools, design repeatable workflows, and build habits that compound productivity without sacrificing quality or focus.

Insider Tips for the Harvard Kennedy School App from Former AdCom [8/18/2026] (Recording)

Applying to Harvard Kennedy School requires more than simply demonstrating policy interest or public service commitment. This session will provide insider perspective on how the HKS admissions committee evaluates candidates, what distinguishes successful applicants, and the common mistakes that undermine otherwise strong profiles. Attendees will gain practical guidance on how to position their experiences, essays, and career vision to align with what HKS looks for in future public leaders.

Insider Tips for the Harvard Kennedy School App from Former AdCom [6/16/2026] (Recording)

Applying to Harvard Kennedy School requires more than simply demonstrating policy interest or public service commitment. This session will provide insider perspective on how the HKS admissions committee evaluates candidates, what distinguishes successful applicants, and the common mistakes that undermine otherwise strong profiles. Attendees will gain practical guidance on how to position their experiences, essays, and career vision to align with what HKS looks for in future public leaders.