Career Coaching, Events, and Resources

I am an experienced interview and career coach, specializing in helping candidates stand out when applying to top-tier companies. Having trained interviewers and led recruiting teams at companies such as Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and McKinsey, I know what separates candidates who get the offer from runners-up. Focus areas: Interview prep, mock interviews, storytelling, candid feedback, salary negotiation.

With nearly 20 years of experience in career development and executive coaching, I am passionate about helping professionals achieve their career goals. As the former Assistant Dean for Career Development at Darden School of Business and Director of Career Services at UNC Kenan-Flagler, I have led teams dedicated to enhancing career management skills and fostering relationships with top recruiting companies. I founded Acorn Associates to continue empowering business executives seeking impactful career changes. Having coached thousands of individuals, I am here to guide you through your career journey with personalized strategies and insights. Let's connect and take your career to the next level!

I've conducted more than 7,000 interviews and reviewed 100x as many resumes. Having been a Recruiter in tech for 8+ years, I've gained unique insights into what organizations look for when hiring people. Perhaps the most rewarding part of my job is being able to share these insights with friends, family members, and clients as they strive to achieve their career goals. Need to create or revise your resume? I know what recruiters are looking for. Got an interview next week? I can help you prepare. Nervous to negotiate an offer? I have extended and closed hundreds of them. I look forward to partnering with you on your journey to the career of your dreams!

Welcome to my profile! With an extensive background in healthcare leadership and innovation, I bring a wealth of experience to career development coaching. As a current CEO and founder of multiple healthcare ventures, I have a proven track record of strategic leadership and market entry success. My career journey spans roles at top organizations like Kindred Healthcare, Highmark Health, and Amgen, where I honed my skills in strategy, operations, marketing and brand management. I am passionate about helping professionals navigate their career paths, leveraging my insights from the healthcare industry to guide you towards achieving your career goals. Let's connect and chart a course for your professional success!

Welcome to my profile! As a current Harvard Business School MBA student and former Senior Associate Consultant at Bain & Company, I bring a wealth of experience in strategic problem-solving and career development. I have co-founded an investment firm and am currently building Midstone Service Group, focusing on acquiring and growing businesses. Over the past five years, I've successfully guided more than 10 applicants into top MBA programs like Harvard, Stanford, and Wharton. My approach combines consulting expertise with real-world operator and investor insights to help you craft compelling narratives, make strategic career decisions, and present your strongest self in applications. Whether you're aiming to break into private equity, consulting, or seeking career clarity, I'm here to help you achieve your goals. Let's connect and start your journey to success!

I am a Real Estate Private Equity and Asset Management professional with a comprehensive 360º view of the property lifecycle. I currently serve as Manager, Asset Management at Greystar, overseeing a €800M portfolio that includes pioneering Flex Living and PBSA platforms. Prior to Greystar, I developed my expertise across capital markets, investment analysis, acquisitions, and development advisory at leading international firms including Savills and EY. Outside of my corporate role, I am deeply committed to education. As a Dual Bachelor's alumnus of IE University, I founded the university's Real Estate Club and later returned as an Adjunct Professor of Real Estate Finance, where I received the Award for Teaching Excellence. Additionally, I hold a RICS-accredited MSc in Real Estate Investment Finance from Oxford Brookes University and stay connected to the industry's future through the ULI Spain Young Leaders executive committee and Nova Talent. Having reviewed hundreds of profiles, interviewed candidates, and built my own career from the ground up, I understand exactly what top-tier firms look for. I bridge the gap between academic theory and institutional reality to help you navigate the real estate job market with confidence.

Early in my career, a senior leader gave me a book about making the transition from engineer to manager. I studied and applied it, and within 18 months I was leading the team—beginning a 30-year career building products, businesses, and organizations. Since then, I have coached and mentored professionals at every stage of leadership. Today, I help high-performing individual contributors make that same critical transition: letting go of being the person who does everything, learning to lead through others, and developing the judgment, confidence, and communication skills required to become an effective manager.

I’m Brian Anderson, a former Group Marketing Manager at Abbott and owner of Brian Anderson Strategy LLC! My passion is helping people grow and succeed through personalized career coaching. I have deep industry expertise in medical devices and digital health technology and I specialize in helping clients in product management to advance in their professional development as well as mentoring those desiring to move into product management from other fields. With 25+ years in product management and marketing leadership roles in world class companies including Abbott, 3M, and Align Technology, I have a successful track record of managing teams and coaching and developing talent. I will bring my deep industry knowledge in medical device and digital health software product management to help clients land a new job, advance in their career, and sharpen their skills in this dynamic and rewarding field!

I've spent the last ten years hiring people and managing them. I led a team of six as the Regional Lead for US West and Canada at Blacklane, where I owned the P&L, and before that I worked in operations at Amazon and HelloFresh and started my career in consulting at Accenture. Today I work in the COO's office at the Clinton Health Access Initiative. I've read hundreds of resumes and run hundreds of interviews, so I know which parts of an application a hiring manager reads and which parts they skip. I have coached graduating bachelor's and master's students through Wall Street Tequila, most of them international students or early-career professionals targeting US consulting, tech, and operations roles, and coached Amazon employees on promotions and internal transfers. I speak Mandarin and English natively and understand how an accomplishment that lands in one culture can fall flat with a US recruiter. I earned my MBA from Columbia Business School in 2020 and used it to move from consulting into operations leadership, so I've done the career switch I help clients make. In our sessions I'll tell you what I'd think if I were the interviewer and help you fix it before it costs you an offer.

With over 15 years of leadership experience across top financial institutions, I bring deep, real-world expertise in executive leadership, career progression, and organizational strategy. Having managed global teams, led major DE&I and culture initiatives, and served on the Board of Governors for the Institute of Internal Auditors, I understand what it takes to navigate complex corporate environments, advocate for yourself, and step confidently into high-impact roles. As an NYU Stern MBA graduate and Certified Life Coach, my coaching approach blends strategic career development with personalized, evidence-based mentorship. I specialize in helping professionals build executive presence, master high-stakes communication, navigate career transitions, and set actionable goals for long-term growth. Whether you are looking to step into management, refine your strategic leadership, or break through your next career plateau, I provide the frameworks, candid feedback, and tailored support to help you achieve your career goals.