Leland+ Content Library

Banking to Buy-Side: IB & Venture Playbook [5/18/2026] (Recording)

After this session, you'll understand how investment banking experience translates into a credible VC narrative and where most candidates lose the thread making that transition. We'll cover how to position deal experience for early-stage fund interviews, what VC firms actually look for in candidates coming from IB versus other paths, and how to think about sourcing as a differentiator when you have limited buy-side exposure. Attending live means you can bring your specific background and get a direct read on how it lands, which a recording cannot replicate. The coach works inside this industry and will share the patterns they see across candidates who successfully make this move, giving you a real look at how practitioners evaluate this transition.

Turning a Non-Traditional Background Into a PE Offer: Retail Banking to PE [4/30/2026] (Recording)

If your background is non-traditional for PE, this session will show you exactly how to reframe that experience into a compelling PE narrative, how to identify the right funds to target given your profile, and how to position your deal exposure in a way that resonates with PE interviewers. Non-traditional candidates often lose ground in the screening phase, and this session addresses the specific signals that help you clear it. Attending live means you can ask how your particular background maps to this framework and hear a direct response, not a general one. The coach works with candidates navigating this exact transition regularly, and the patterns they share about what separates successful non-traditional hires are worth showing up to hear firsthand.

How to Land a Role as a Growth Equity Analyst

Breaking into growth equity is competitive, and most candidates struggle because they don't know how the role differs from traditional private equity or what firms are actually evaluating. This session is for undergraduates, MBA students, and early-career professionals who are actively recruiting for growth equity analyst positions. You'll leave with a clearer understanding of how to position your deal experience, what frameworks interviewers use to assess market sizing and company evaluation, and how to tailor your story for growth-stage investing roles specifically. Attending live gives you the chance to ask questions about your specific background and get real-time feedback that a recording simply can't offer. The insights shared here reflect the patterns seen across successful candidates, the kind of guidance that typically comes up in one-on-one coaching conversations. If you're actively recruiting or plan to start soon, this is worth your time.

IB Resume Secrets: What Actually Works (and What Doesn't)

​Breaking into investment banking starts with one thing: a resume that grabs attention. But with so many conflicting tips out there, it’s hard to know what really matters to recruiters and deal teams. ​In this session, Ryan T., a former Investment Banker at Wells Fargo Securities with nearly 5 years of experience in healthcare investment banking, will reveal what top firms actually look for in resumes. Ryan has served as Staffer, Recruiting Team Captain, and Manager - interviewing, hiring, and training multiple analyst classes while executing $10B+ in deals across 90+ transactions. He’s also coached 70+ candidates into roles at leading firms, so you won't want to miss his advice! ​You’ll learn how to structure your bullet points for maximum impact, highlight the experiences that truly matter, and avoid the common mistakes that hold applicants back. Whether you’re recruiting for summer analyst positions or full-time roles, this session will give you the insight and clarity to stand out in one of the most competitive fields in finance.

How to Prepare and Standout for PE Interviews

Breaking into private equity is competitive, and strong technical skills alone won’t separate you from the pack. This session is for candidates preparing for PE interviews who want to understand what actually stands out in the room—and the subtle mistakes that can quietly weaken your candidacy. You’ll learn how to position your deal experience with clarity, master the nuances of case studies and LBO discussions, and communicate investor judgment in a way that reflects how firms truly evaluate talent. Join live to ask your specific questions about headhunters, modeling tests, or navigating on-cycle and off-cycle processes, and get real-time feedback grounded in 20+ years as a principal and investor. The speaker works 1:1 with candidates and will share the patterns they see across successful applicants and what they personally look for when evaluating hires. If you’re serious about breaking into PE, this is a conversation worth being in live.

How to Run an Efficient Small Business Search

Buying a small business sounds simple until you actually start searching. Suddenly you are juggling deal flow, broker calls, industry research, financial review, diligence, and legal concepts. All while trying to keep your life and job moving. This session is for the person who is ramping into acquisition entrepreneurship and wants real guidance, not a generic accelerator curriculum and not “just ask ChatGPT.” If you are smart, motivated, and serious about buying a business but feel overwhelmed by the volume of decisions and the lack of a clear path, this will click. We will walk through what an efficient search actually looks like in the real world: the phases of search, where people waste time, what progress looks like, and what it realistically takes to get competent. Spoiler: 5 hours a week is usually not enough. Most people underestimate the reps required (think hundreds of hours, not a weekend), and the main goal is to compress the learning curve by focusing on the highest-leverage work. What you will leave with: - A clear picture of the search process end-to-end and what “good” looks like at each stage - The real time commitment and why most searches stall - Practical ways to run search faster and cleaner (systems, workflows, decision filters) - A map of the core skill areas you need to build: deal sourcing, industry analysis, financial fluency, diligence, and negotiation A simple decision framework for your next step: learn it, hire it out, or partner Who this is for: - You want to buy a small business, but you do not want to wander for 12 months figuring it out the hard way - You want more hands-on support than an accelerator, and more signal than generic online content - You are ready to put in the work, but you want a more efficient path and fewer dead ends We will also share a bit of our own search context - what we have tried, what has worked, what has not - and why we believe 1:1 support can meaningfully cut down ramp time when you apply it correctly. If you have been circling ETA and keep thinking “this is a lot,” you are not wrong. Come get a sharper path.

Differentiate your MBA Application: School Research & Networking Part 1 of 2

⚡School research and networking are the secret weapons that separate good MBA applicants from the ones admissions committees can’t forget. They shape every part of your application, from essays and interviews to your ability to turn a waitlist into an admit. Yet most applicants never learn how to do them at the level that truly changes the game. This is Part 1 of a two-part workshop series. In this session, you will learn the research and networking strategy and methods. You will then have two weeks to complete your own school research and networking as guided homework. In Part 2, I will demonstrate how to put this work into action through a live walkthrough, including discussion of participant progress and real questions that arise during the process. ⚠️Register for Part 2 in the event calendar on March 13th Part 1 has been my most popular event, run multiple times each year, and consistently rated by attendees as one of the most helpful and actionable MBA preparation sessions they’ve experienced. This is the first time I am introducing the Part 2 execution workshop. In this session, you’ll discover how to: 🔷 Conduct deep-dive school research that goes far beyond websites and brochures 🔷 Strategically network with the right people, turning what may be the greatest networking opportunity of your life into a clear advantage for admission and beyond 🔷 Create an MBA Journey document that becomes your central reference for aligning fit, goals, and contributions across the application 🔷 Integrate your findings seamlessly into essays, interviews, networking conversations, and campus interactions You’ll learn how to pinpoint the exact courses, professors, centers, career services, experiential programs, internships, clubs, culture elements, current students, and alumni connections that will help you achieve your goals, and how to clearly show the value you will bring in return. By the end of this session, you will know how to demonstrate, with clarity and credibility, that you and your target MBA program are the right fit for each other. Bonus Offer ✅1 attendee will receive a free 1-hour coaching session. ✅All attendees may request a free copy of the MBA Research & Networking Template. ⚡Spots are limited. Register now to gain the advantage that can set your MBA application apart.