Career Coaching & Resources

With experiences at Google, Wells Fargo, American Express etc, I am a subject matter expert in job search, interviewing and career growth. I have achieved this through serious perseverance, and determination. I have overcome multiple layoffs and always landed a better option. Whether you're looking to break into the tech industry or advance in your current role or thrive from your layoff, I'm here to provide tailored guidance and support. Let's connect and chart a path to your career success!

I help ambitious professionals take control of their careers—whether they’re breaking into tech, pivoting to product management, or leveling up in their current role. My own path has been anything but traditional: I went from studying liberal arts to landing a role in M&A investment banking, then transitioned into product management at LinkedIn and Meta. Along the way, I’ve mastered the art of navigating career shifts, acing interviews, and crafting bold, strategic moves in highly competitive industries. I coach people through career visioning, job search and promotion strategy, networking that actually opens doors, and interview prep that helps you show up with clarity and confidence. Whether you’re switching paths or pushing for that next big step, I bring both experience and insight from inside the rooms where decisions get made.

Jake Cortez is a Vice President and Strategy Manager at JPMorgan Chase & Co., where he leads the strategic organization of operations teams for Employee Compute, one of the firm's most significant technology organizations. With over 17 combined years of experience in military and financial services, he is a transformational-focused leader who drives strategic and metrics alignment across global software development, engineering, operations, and technology incubation teams. He is also an alum of Harvard Business School and a combat veteran. He is a continual servant to the Veteran community as a leader, accelerating toward the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals at scale. Specialties: Strategy Execution, Training, Administration, Operations Management, Development Planning, Process Development, Critical Thinking, Analytical Skills, Leadership, Communication Skills, Detail Oriented, Management Skills.

With over 20 years of experience at industry-leading companies like Netflix, Zappos, and Outschool, I specialize in executive and career coaching for creatives and creative leaders. As the architect of the Netflix Creative Studio, I transformed content strategies and led high-performing teams to drive engagement and innovation. My approach blends creative insight with strategic leadership, empowering clients to navigate their career paths effectively and enhance their leadership capabilities. Having coached 62 individuals, I am passionate about unlocking the potential of creative professionals and equipping them with the tools needed to thrive in a rapidly changing landscape. Whether you're looking to advance your career, develop your leadership skills, or build a dynamic team, I'm here to help you achieve your goals. Connect with me to start your journey toward excellence in leadership and creativity!

tl;dr on me: I'm an experienced consumer-facing product leader and founder who has scaled teams, launched products with millions of users and more millions of revenue impact, and raised money (within corporations and from top VCs). I've also felt imposter syndrome, doubted my career decisions, and been rejected from more job positions than I can count. Throughout both, I've always enjoyed sharing my learnings with students and mentees so they can avoid the mistakes I've made and find fulfillment as quickly and abundantly as possible. While I was a student at the University of Texas, I founded the campus’s first product-focused peer mentorship and recruiting organization. Through the organization and independently, I’ve coached dozens of students and young professionals on how to break into and succeed in product and consumer-facing roles — and like any great PM, I enjoy getting into the nitty gritty, from resume review to international launches and fighting for more eng staffing. I personally understand the challenges presented by coming from a public, non-Ivy university, as well as the anxiety that comes from being “non-technical”. After interning at VRBO, I joined Uber’s Associate Product Manager (APM) program — giving me exposure to leading tech teams in highly operational contexts (scooters and bikes), shipping design systems for core rider experience, and 3x-ing revenue and team size for a new business line (takeout) at Uber Eats.

Welcome to my profile! With over two decades of experience in career development and advising, I have guided over 1000 individuals to achieve their professional goals. As the former Assistant Dean of Graduate Career Services at USC Marshall School of Business and Associate Dean at Washington University's Olin Business School, I have honed my skills in problem-solving, communication, and student success. My extensive background includes directing career education at Indiana University and currently advising graduate programs at Duke University. Whether you're navigating career transitions or seeking to enhance your professional trajectory, I'm here to provide tailored support and strategic insights. Let's connect and chart your path to success!

Visionary and astute senior product manager, consultant, and coach who’s built, launched, and scaled world-class products at Netflix, Instagram, Apple, and Coinbase. With over 8 years of experience across B2C, SaaS, and marketplace platforms, I’ve helped drive more than $140M+ in ARR, launched AI-powered workflows that cut technical inefficiencies by 56%, and scaled user engagement by double digits across 6 international markets. If you're looking for a coach who’s sat in the trenches with Product Directors at Instagram, collaborated directly with the VP of Product at Apple, and co-built game-changing dashboards recognized by Netflix stakeholders—I'm your guy. But here’s what really sets me apart: I bring storytelling into product strategy. I don’t just ship feature, I help teams craft narratives users care about, growth teams get behind, and execs fund confidently. Whether you're looking to transition into product, or unlock a new growth horizon in your startup, I’ll guide you with sharp insight, battle-tested frameworks, and AI-infused thinking that gets results. At Leland, my mission is simple: elevate product talent to C-suite caliber. You bring the ambition and I’ll bring the playbook.

I've guided 300+ students from underrepresented backgrounds into competitive careers at top companies, combining personal experience overcoming barriers with proven systems that deliver results. I've personally mentored students who landed roles at Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and Bank of America, often helping them go from having no industry connections to securing life-changing opportunities. My own journey from a first-generation Nigerian-American immigrant to working at firms like General Atlantic, Goldman Sachs, and Lead Edge Capital gives me deep insight into what it really takes to break into competitive industries. I specialize in helping people who feel like outsiders figure out how to get insider access to the careers they want, using practical strategies based on real data from hundreds of successful career transitions.

As an HR/People professional, much of my day job is focused on employee coaching and development. I regularly engage with employees on career transitions, self-advocacy, work-life balance, how to work with your manager, etc. Helping others gives me energy, and I'd love to work with you in whatever stage you are at in your career journey! On a personal level, I have been coaching since high school. I started out as a part-time consultant for families relocating between the US and Asia. At Middlebury, I founded a first-generation student-to-student mentorship program. At Stanford, I was an Arbuckle Fellow and spent years honing my coaching skills. Please read my profile for more about me!

Born in New Jersey and raised in Mexico and Philadelphia, Ben is a senior at Brown University studying International and Public Affairs and Entrepreneurship. He also serves as a mentor and business advisor to graduate student founders in Harvard Business School's Field X and Field Y courses. Ben has experience building companies, including his own, in industries such as technology, social media, entertainment, and education. He has performed internal risk management consulting for Goldman Sachs in New York City and marketing consulting for Soulsight. Ben is a passionate musician and has experience as a professional singer. Ben is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School’s Summer Venture in Management Program, was a Latitude Fellow at D.E. Shaw & Co., an MLT Career Prep Fellow, a 2021 Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar, and a Bridging the Gap Power Awardee. He also studied at the University of Edinburgh while pursuing his undergraduate degree. In his free time, Ben enjoys traveling (has been to 33 countries so far), playing tennis, scuba diving, and cooking. With a myriad of experiences in pre-professional and early career settings, Ben is passionate about sharing his knowledge, advice, and biggest takeaways with aspiring young leaders.