Investment Banking Coaches

With direct investment banking and investing experience across multiple sectors, I bring a well-rounded perspective to help you target and excel in specialized groups. At Lazard, I worked directly on Media & Telecommunications mandates, gaining firsthand exposure to the strategic and financial nuances of the industry. I also supported several Restructuring (RX) engagements during my internship, giving me practical experience with distressed situations and debt advisory, and I’ve since helped clients successfully place into top restructuring groups at elite boutiques. In addition, I gained Financial Institutions Group (FIG) experience through my work on an insurance-focused private equity investment, developing a strong understanding of how investors and banks evaluate capital-intensive, regulated businesses. Beyond traditional coverage groups, I’ve recruited for and coached candidates into Energy investment banking, having gone through the Houston recruiting process myself and understanding both the technical depth and industry-specific expectations of those roles. I also bring experience in Software, having worked on a growth-stage software investment and successfully coached multiple clients into leading software-focused growth equity and private equity firms. This cross-sector exposure allows me to provide tailored coaching not only on technical and market-specific preparation, but also on how to differentiate yourself for specialized groups. Whether you are targeting Media & Telecom, FIG, Energy, Software, or Restructuring, I can help you craft a compelling story, sharpen your technicals, and position yourself as a top candidate.

With a robust background in finance and investment banking, I bring over two decades of experience to my coaching practice. As a former Director at Merrill Lynch, I led numerous IPOs and raised over $1B for Asian companies, working closely with top institutional funds such as Fidelity and Vanguard. In addition to my transactional experience, I was involved in interviewing and evaluating candidates as part of the hiring process, giving me firsthand insight into how banks assess talent. My expertise extends to coaching startup founders and C-suite executives, empowering them to unlock their full potential and thrive in dynamic environments. Whether you’re aiming to break into investment banking or advance your career, I help clients navigate complexity with clarity and confidence. Let’s connect and chart your path to success

I’m an investment banker with ~8 years of experience advising companies and sponsors on complex M&A, capital raises, and restructuring transactions across media, sports, consumer, and technology. I’ve worked at Citi, Three Ocean Partners, and currently LionTree, where I advise founders, executives, and investors on high-stakes transactions with real strategic and financial complexity. I also hold an MBA from Columbia Business School. I work with candidates not only on breaking into investment banking, but also on succeeding once they’re on the job. I help clients prepare for interviews, develop strong technical and deal discussion skills, and build confidence in financial modeling, valuation, and transaction structuring. For those already in seat, I also provide hands-on support with modeling, diligence, and thinking through how deals actually progress — from initial materials and outreach through execution and closing. My goal is to help clients think clearly, communicate crisply, and operate at a high level in real banking situations.

The candidates who don't get offers typically aren't underprepared — they're overprepared on the wrong things. The pattern I see over and over: candidates who memorized 500 technicals but have a generic "Why Banking." Who can nail the DCF walkthrough but can't actually talk about a deal or a trend with any conviction. Technical accuracy doesn't create separation. Delivery does. I've guided hundreds of candidates to offers at Centerview, Goldman, Qatalyst, and more — through one-on-one coaching and the prep platform I built from scratch. What separated them was understanding that getting the answer right is only 10% of the interview. ——— BEHAVIORALS The hardest part is knowing when your story isn't working. Every candidate has a "Why IB" answer. Very few are memorable. We rebuild your TMAY, your "Why's," and your scenarios from the ground up. I'll interview you, figure out what actually makes you different, and build a narrative around it. The goal: a story that is genuinely yours and impossible to mistake for anyone else's. ——— TECHNICALS Most candidates who fail actually knew the material. They just couldn't deliver it under pressure. I wrote the open-access textbook on IB technicals. I'll identify your blind spots, teach you to structure answers like a senior banker, and show you how to play defense when you're unsure. We turn a "pass" into a "top bucket." ——— MARKET This is where preparation becomes differentiation. Bankers are looking for colleagues, not students — and they can tell the difference between someone who follows markets and someone who's cramming for an interview. Most candidates treat market knowledge like a homework assignment. Bankers can tell. They're looking for the start of a real point of view. We'll carve out your sector niche so you speak with the conviction of someone who's been covering the space for years. This is the section that gets you the callback.

Welcome to my profile! With extensive experience in investment banking and private equity, I am here to help you navigate the competitive landscape of investment banking careers. I worked at Goldman Sachs for 2 summers and 5 years (Summer Analyst-Associate), in multiple private equity roles (Vista Equity Partners, Audax Private Equity) and have extensive experience with interview preparation, on-the-desk readiness, general career navigation, technical skill refinement, and more. Currently, I am pursuing my MBA at Columbia Business School as a Robert F. Smith Scholar, further deepening my expertise in alternative investments and entrepreneurship. Over the last decade, I have coached 75+ students/early stage professionals across a variety of formal and informal capacities. Whether you need help with interview preparation, resume refinement, or networking strategies, I'm here to support your journey. I genuinely love this stuff and remember how difficult my journey was trying to "figure it out" - Let's book time to chat about how I can be helpful!

I have worked at Goldman Sachs (TMT IB), Stifel (TMT IB), and J.P. Morgan (Corporate Banking). I can help you prepare for summer analyst recruiting, full-time recruiting (which is super unstructured), or lateral recruiting -- I've done all 3. I have also helped 75 individuals prepare for technical, behavioral, networking meetings, resume prep, and everything in between.

I'm an investor with 10 years of experience across hedge funds, growth equity and investment banking. I started my career at Goldman Sachs in the Investment Banking division for 2 years in the Financial Institutions Group (FIG). I interned at GS in my junior year summer and received a full time offer. I then went on to spend the next year years in the hedge fund world with roles at Citadel and Echo Street (~$15bn long short and long only manager) focusing on both public equities and private growth equity investments. I graduated first class honors from Queen's University and held internships every year of college. My approach is personal. I can help candidates break into hedge funds, growth equity and investment banking roles including deep dives into industry trends, stock ideas, thesis crafting and conviction, valuation and risk analysis and mock interviews. I can also help with crafting resumes, behavioral and technical preparation. I can also help with deep dives also can help candidates prepare for the day to day rigor of working in the hedge fund and investment banking industry. If you are looking for honest and candid feedback from someone with significant industry experience I'm happy to help.

Fiona Taft is an exceptional coach for investment banking careers, with deep expertise developed through her leadership of career services at UC Berkeley’s elite Master of Financial Engineering (MFE) Program—one of the top pipelines for investment banking, sales and trading, and quantitative finance roles. She has successfully coached students into front-office positions at leading global banks by providing targeted guidance on technical and behavioral interview preparation, networking strategies, and offer negotiation. Fiona has also cultivated strong relationships with top-tier investment banks and led career treks to financial hubs like New York and Chicago, resulting in increased placement rates and stronger employer engagement. Her deep understanding of the finance landscape, coupled with her data-driven approach and individualized coaching style, uniquely equips her to help candidates break into and thrive in competitive investment banking roles.

Welcome to my profile! With a robust background in finance and investment banking, I am here to help you navigate the competitive world of investment banking applications. I have firsthand experience as a Summer Investment Banking Analyst at J.P. Morgan, where I received a full-time offer, and have interned with prestigious firms like The D. E. Shaw Group and Rothschild & Co. As the President of Bocconi Students Women in Finance, I have honed my leadership and mentorship skills, which I bring to my coaching practice. Having successfully coached 20+ individuals, I specialize in guiding clients through resume building, interview preparation, and networking strategies. Let's work together to secure your dream role in investment banking!

I broke into Goldman Sachs investment banking without a finance degree. Here's how I did it. I started in biotech investor relations at one of the most active boutique IR firms in the country, advising on some of the busiest biotech IPOs during the record breaking 2020 boom year. From there I moved to Wells Fargo Securities investment banking in the REGAL group covering Real Estate, Gaming and Lodging. I worked on landmark deals including Aristocrat's $3.7B acquisition of Playtech and MGM's $3.9B sale of CityCenter, advising institutional clients like Blackstone, VICI Properties, Red Rock Resorts and Bally's. Then I lateraled to Goldman Sachs TMT and Consumer where I was exclusive buy-side advisor on Amazon's $3.9B acquisition of One Medical and Amazon's $1.7B acquisition of iRobot. I also worked on transactions for Nike, Starbucks and Nordstrom. I help two types of people. First, non-traditional candidates including non-finance majors, non-target school students and career switchers who feel like the door is closed. I got in without a finance degree and I know exactly how to position your story to get past the gatekeepers. Second, analysts at regional or middle market banks who want to lateral up to Goldman, Morgan Stanley or top boutiques. I made that exact move and I know what it takes on both sides of the table. If you think your background disqualifies you, it probably does not. Mine almost did and I found a way through anyway.