Career Coaching, Events, and Resources

Hello! My own career journey through the public sector, private sector, career breaks, and entrepreneurship has equipped me with the tools and insights to guide you through your challenges. Whether you're pivoting between industries, navigating the corporate world, considering higher education, or pursuing roles in policy, let's work together on your career aspirations!

I’ve helped clients land interviews and roles at top companies like Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, Google, BCG, Netflix, and McKinsey—and I’ve done it without charging Silicon Valley prices. I know what hiring managers are looking for, and I specialize in helping you tell your story in a way that opens $100K+ doors. As a nationally ranked debater and a product manager who’s built my own career at top companies like LinkedIn & HubSpot, I bring a strategic lens to everything from resume rewrites to interview prep. Whether you're trying to break into competitive industries or level up your early career, I’m here to help you do it clearly, confidently, and affordably.

The most-requested, highest-rated MBA Career coach at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Former strategy consultant and politico turned career coach and entrepreneur, I personally have taught and coached more than 1,200 students who now work at top companies across major MBA industries (Consulting, Tech, Private Equity, Venture Capital, Marketing, etc.). I've successfully advised domestic and international students, military veterans, tranditional pre-MBA professionals, artists, musicians, teachers, engineers, and others. As the Consulting coach, I'm proud that Chicago Booth had the most internship and job offers from Tier 1 Consulting firms across top MBA schools every year of my tenure. I am excited to contribute my expertise and knowledge from the world's business school to help you achieve your career goals.

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.

Over the past eight years, I’ve coached more than 60 professionals through high-stakes career transitions across law, finance, and private equity. My own path, from a top-10% graduate of Howard University School of Law to M&A attorney at Paul, Weiss and Kirkland & Ellis, and now a middle-market private equity fund while earning my MBA at Wharton, gives me a unique perspective on navigating elite recruiting and ambitious pivots. I specialize in helping clients clarify career goals, tell a compelling story, and secure offers in competitive industries. From resume and LinkedIn optimization to networking strategy, interview prep, and offer negotiation, my coaching blends insider knowledge of Big Law and high finance with a structured, data-driven approach. Whether you’re seeking your first post-graduate role, planning a major industry switch, or aiming for leadership positions, I provide actionable guidance and proven tactics to help you achieve the next stage of your career.

I’ve navigated a career path that spans consulting, Big Tech, and mid-market PE operations - experiences that give me a unique perspective as a coach. I started in management consulting at Deloitte, advising executives on strategy and transformation. From there, I transitioned into Google, where I worked across partnerships, strategy, and technical sales, learning how to thrive in one of the world’s most competitive tech environments. Today, as a Director of operations at Valsoft, I act as an operations executive across a portfolio of software companies, helping leadership teams grow and operate effectively. Having made these transitions myself, I know firsthand how to break into new industries, succeed once you’re in, and build the skills to lead — and I bring that experience directly into my coaching.

Welcome to my profile! With over 8 years of experience in the tech industry, I've honed my skills as a Senior Software Engineer at top companies like Google, AWS, and Snapchat. My journey has equipped me with a deep understanding of backend systems and cloud platforms, making me well-suited to guide aspiring software engineers in their career development. Whether you're looking to break into the industry or advance your career, I'm here to provide personalized guidance and support. Let's connect and chart a path to your success!

I have an MBA from Columbia Business School and a diverse career spanning top companies like The Walt Disney Company, Samsung Electronics, Nordstrom, and Accenture. I bring a wealth of experience in global strategy and development. Over the years, I've helped numerous professionals navigate their career paths, leveraging my insights the different companies I've been at. Whether you're looking to break into a new industry or climb the corporate ladder, I'm here to provide tailored guidance and actionable strategies. Let's connect and chart your path to success!

I’m qualified as a career coach because I’ve spent nearly three decades navigating the kinds of career decisions my clients are facing. I’ve built and scaled teams, led global practices, owned P&Ls, and worked closely with senior leaders at Deloitte, KPMG, Rolta, and Amazon Web Services. I’ve experienced promotions, plateaus, reinvention, and high-stakes transitions firsthand—not just advised on them. Alongside this experience, I’m an ICF-ACC certified coach with 125+ hours of formal coaching. My coaching blends structured frameworks with deep real-world context, helping clients gain clarity, confidence, and direction during critical inflection points. I focus on visibility, leadership identity, decision-making, and execution—so clients don’t just choose their next step, but step into it with conviction.

Hey! I’m Michael, a Forbes 30 Under 30 founder whose career has been shaped by navigating major pivots and high-stakes decisions without a clear playbook. I started on a traditional path toward medicine, left medical school to pursue entrepreneurship, built and scaled a media company reaching over 25 million people monthly, and later earned my MBA from Wharton to deepen how I think about strategy, leadership, and long-term career planning. I understand how overwhelming career decisions can feel, especially when you’re questioning a path you’ve invested years into or considering a pivot into something less traditional like entrepreneurship. I’ve lived the tension between stability and risk, prestige and fulfillment, and short-term security versus long-term optionality. I’ve also had the benefit of learning from mentors, building teams, and making real decisions with real consequences, not hypothetical ones. I work with people who are feeling stuck, at a crossroads, or thinking seriously about changing direction. Some are exploring entrepreneurship or side projects. Others are deciding whether to pivot roles, industries, or functions, or trying to understand what success should look like at this stage of their life and career. My approach is practical, honest, and grounded in real experience. I focus on helping you clarify what you want, pressure-test your options, and move forward with confidence rather than second-guessing. If you’re facing a big career decision and want thoughtful guidance from someone who’s navigated multiple transitions at scale, I’d love to help you think clearly and build a path you can stand behind.