The Touch MBA Admissions Podcast

Latest Episodes:

#120 Breaking into Venture Capital (as an MBA) Nov 03, 2017

Show notes

What do MBA applicants need to know about MBA careers in venture capital?

Darren invites his friend Garrett to share his experience, both as an MBA student looking to break into venture capital and as an interviewer for Hewlett Packard Ventures.

Garret has worked in venture capital and related jobs in San Francisco for 7 years – don’t miss his hard-earned insights into the industry!

This is Part 3 of our MBA Career Series. Looking for more career-related podcasts? Click here.

Questions

Garrett’s background (4:50 )
What do venture capitalists do? (9:56)
What work background & experience are venture capital (VC) firms looking for? (17:00)
The importance of networking to break into the industry (20:39 )
How helpful are business school reputations and rankings in recruiting (23:40)
Common entry points into VC as an MBA? (25:34)
The (lack of a) recruiting process in VC (26:10)
How VC’s and startups perceive MBAs (28:50)
Interviewing with VCs - what you need to know (32:21)
Traits of successful VCs (35:38)
Best part of job? Worst part of job? (38:12)
Venture capital opportunities for international MBAs in US (44:42)?
Garrett’s recommended resources (48:47)
Garrett’s final thoughts on succeeding in venture capital (50:07)
Business school geography and venture capital (52:46)

About Our Guest

After graduating from UCLA with a degree in Electrical Engineering, Garrett Wong worked 3 years as an investment banker at Wachovia and UBS, and then 2 years as a corporate development associate at Cisco, where he evaluated venture capital investments in clean tech and technology. After getting his MBA from Wharton, Garrett worked in a number of PE, VC and product management roles before joining Hewlett Packard Ventures.

Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/mba-careers-venture-capital

Episode Sponsor

Ranked among the top public universities in the US, The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business provides an outstanding MBA experience tailored to your interests and leadership development.

Whether switching careers, enhancing a career or starting a business, an MBA from Fisher provides tomorrow’s leaders with the knowledge and skills to succeed today.

Visit fisher.osu.edu to learn more about Fisher’s personalized MBA program and competitive scholarship opportunities.

#119 Breaking into Investment Banking (as an MBA) Oct 21, 2017

Show notes

What do MBA applicants need to know about MBA careers in investment banking?

Darren invites his friend Scott to share his experience, both as an MBA student looking to break into investment banking and as an MBA recruiter for Wells Fargo Securities.

Scott has worked in investment banking for 7 years after his MBA – don’t miss his hard-earned insights into the industry!

This is Part 2 of our MBA Career Series. Looking for more career-related podcasts? Click here.

Questions

Scott's background (3:40)
The 2 paths to entering investment banking (6:46)
What do investment bankers do? (8:50)
Common roles for recent MBA graduates (10:58)
What is the recruiting process? (15:02)
Bulge bracket vs. boutique investment banks (24:39)
How b-schools help with recruiting (28:40)
The Wharton alumni network and how to stay connected (30:10)
What investment banks are looking for in new MBA hires (33:00)
Interviews and dealing with technical questions (43:20)
Scott's recommended resources for interview prep (49:35)
The role of office locations and ìcore b-schools in recruiting (51:05)
Investment banking opportunities for international students in the US? (59:20)
Best part of job? Worst part of job? (1.01:05)
Scott's final thoughts on succeeding in investment banking (1.07:25)

About Our Guest

Scott Dragicevich played professional baseball for the Toronto Blue Jays before going to business school. After getting his MBA from Wharton majoring in Finance and Entrepreneurship, Scott joined Wells Fargo Securities in New York City covering transportation and logistics. He currently works as Vice President - Investment Banking and Capital Markets, for Wells Fargo Securities in Los Angeles.

Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/mba-careers-investment-banking

Episode Sponsor

Ranked among the top public universities in the US, The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business provides an outstanding MBA experience tailored to your interests and leadership development.

Whether switching careers, enhancing a career or starting a business, an MBA from Fisher provides tomorrow’s leaders with the knowledge and skills to succeed today.

Visit fisher.osu.edu to learn more about Fisher’s personalized MBA program and competitive scholarship opportunities.

#118 Full-time vs. Part-time vs. Online vs. Executive MBA - Which is the Right MBA for You? Oct 10, 2017

Show notes

What is the difference between Full-time, Part-time, Online and EMBA degrees? Which one makes most sense for you?

A number of you coming to Touch MBA for school selection help are considering multiple MBA program formats so I thought it would be good to dedicate one short episode to covering key differences from an admissions, curriculum, career and reputation perspective.

Dirk is involved in all 4 MBA programs for IE Business School so I played the role of “applicant” and asked him common questions I get.

About Our Guest

Dirk Hopfl is Director, IE Center Singapore for IE Business School. Dirk got his MBA from IE in 1999 and done admissions and development for IE's graduate and undergraduate programs for over 15 years.

Episode Sponsor

Ranked among the top public universities in the US, The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business provides an outstanding MBA experience tailored to your interests and leadership development.

Whether switching careers, enhancing a career or starting a business, an MBA from Fisher provides tomorrow’s leaders with the knowledge and skills to succeed today.

Visit fisher.osu.edu to learn more about Fisher’s personalized MBA program and competitive scholarship opportunities.

#117 Breaking into Management Consulting (as an MBA) Oct 05, 2017

Show notes

What do MBA applicants need to know about MBA careers in management consulting?

Darren invites his friend Sandra to share her experience, both as an MBA student looking to break into consulting and as an MBA recruiter for McKinsey & Company.

Sandra worked in management consulting for 5 years after her MBA - don't miss her hard-earned insights into the industry!

This is Part 1 of our MBA Career Series. Looking for more career-related podcasts? Click here.

Questions

Sandra’s background (3:42)
The role summer internships play in the recruiting process (6:12)
Common types of consulting jobs for MBA grads (11:06)
The recruiting process for management consulting (12:52)
What McKinsey is looking for in hires? (16:00)
What if you don’t go to a top-ranked b-school? (20:00)
What do applicants need to know about succeeding in consulting? (21:41)
Misconceptions about management consulting (27:16)
Best part of job? Worst part of job? (32:24)
Consulting opportunities for international students in the US? (38:08)
The role of locational offices in recruiting (44:18)
Recommended resources for breaking into management consulting (48:36)

About Our Guest

After getting her MBA from Northwestern Kellogg, Sandra worked for McKinsey & Company for 5 years. She currently lives and works in New York.

Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/mba-careers-management-consulting

Episode Sponsor

Ranked among the top public universities in the US, The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business provides an outstanding MBA experience tailored to your interests and leadership development.

Whether switching careers, enhancing a career or starting a business, an MBA from Fisher provides tomorrow’s leaders with the knowledge and skills to succeed today.

Visit fisher.osu.edu to learn more about Fisher’s personalized MBA program and competitive scholarship opportunities.

#116 Interacting with MBA Admissions Officers at Events Sep 13, 2017

Show notes

How can you make a memorable impression on MBA Admissions Officers at MBA recruiting events? Drawing on his experience recruiting at MBA Tours and information sessions, Darren shares 3 tips for how you can stand out.

Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/interacting-with-mba-admissions-officers

Episode Sponsor

Ranked among the top public universities in the US, The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business provides an outstanding MBA experience tailored to your interests and leadership development.

Whether switching careers, enhancing a career or starting a business, an MBA from Fisher provides tomorrow’s leaders with the knowledge and skills to succeed today.

Visit fisher.osu.edu to learn more about Fisher’s personalized MBA program and competitive scholarship opportunities.

#115 Charting Your Own Path in China with Jesse Miller, CEIBS MBA '17 Sep 01, 2017

Show notes

Why did an American Ivy League graduate decide to pursue an MBA in China?

In 2015 Jesse Miller decided to pursue his MBA at CEIBS, ranked #11 worldwide by the Financial Times in 2017 and China's top-ranked program.

Jesse discusses the pros and cons of pursuing a top-ranked MBA in Asia, his experience as a minority American student at CEIBS (Shanghai) and ISB (Hyderabad) where he studied one semester, and how he jumped from working in fashion to the entertainment industry. Jesse also shares his thoughts on the startup and entrepreneurship environment in China.

Listen to one applicant's take on using the MBA to chart your own path.

Questions

Jesse's background (4:06)
Why Jesse chose to study in China after graduating from a top US university (7:14)
The case for and against getting an MBA in China (9:06)
How Jesse secured his internship and job (14:50)
CEIBS' alumni network and student clubs (17:26)
Jesse's thoughts on CEIBS' reputation inside and outside of China (21:00)
Exchanging for 3 months at the Indian School of Business (23:00)
Jesse's thoughts on the startup and entertainment industry in China (27:20)
Jesse's final thoughts on who should pursue MBAs in China (33:16)

About Our Guest

Jesse Miller graduated from Brown University where he majored in Political Science and Government. He then led the expansion of his family jewelry business into China. At CEIBS, Jesse was President of the CEIBS MBA Energy and Environment Club and played an active role in CEIBS eLab Incubator. Jesse speaks fluent Chinese and recently started working as an International Development Manager at Shanghai Media Group, one of China's largest media conglomerates.

Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/charting-your-own-path-in-china-ceibs

Episode Sponsor

When three MBAs struggled with student loans, they knew there had to be a better way – so they created one. Now, CommonBond is a leading student lender, saving members up to thirteen thousand dollars on MBA loans. Learn more at http://CommonBond.co/TouchMBA. CommonBond Lending LLC, NMLS number 1175900.

#114 Stephen Huber, USC Marshall MBA ’18 on Getting Off the Waitlist, Preparing Significant Others, and Breaking Into a New Industry Aug 11, 2017

Show notes

Stephen Huber discusses his MBA experience at USC Marshall, from what he did to get off the waitlist, to preparing his wife for an intense first year, to leading the High Tech and Interactive Gaming Associations, to landing internships and jobs in tech and the hard-to-break into entertainment industry.

After listening to this talk, you'll have a good idea of what it takes to make the most of your MBA experience, especially as a career switcher.

Stephen is also open to answering your questions about the the USC Marshall experience on our Ambassadors Forum.

Questions

What Stephen did to get off the waitlist (9:31)
Preparing significant others for the Full-time MBA experience (14:06)
How to prepare for your first semester (21:13)
Recruiting and Internships at USC (22:06)
How USC Marshall has transformed Stephen (32:35)
The importance of professional clubs at USC (38:07)
What most applicants don't know about USC (46:10)
Stephen's advice on what applicants should look for in an MBA program (49:20)

About Our Guest

Stephen Huber got his B.S. in Nuclear Engineering from the UC Berkeley and worked as a Nuclear Engineer for General Dynamics before starting business school. Stephen recently completed his first year at USC Marshall's Full-time MBA program and will graduate in Summer 2018.

Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/usc-marshall-mba-insights-real-time/

Episode Sponsor

Ever wish there was an easier, more affordable way to get your MBA loans? Well now there is. CommonBond is leading student lender, saving members up to thirteen thousand dollars on MBA loans. Learn more at http://CommonBond.co/TouchMBA. CommonBond Lending LLC, NMLS number 1175900.

#113 Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t Aug 02, 2017

Show notes

Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t

It's not that admissions officers (or readers, movie-goers, consumers) are mean or cruel. They are just busy.

How can you reward your application readers for their gift of time and attention?

By telling an interesting story.

How do you do this with your MBA applications?

Inspired by Steven Pressfield's book, Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t, Darren offers 3 pillars to frame your MBA story: concept, theme, and structure (hook, build, payoff).

Darren also dissects 3 successful applicants' positioning through the lens of these core story elements.

By choosing what to focus on, represent something bigger than yourself, and using a story structure embedded in our collective unconscious, you make your application more memorable, and easier for admissions to process.

Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/nobody-wants-to-read-your-shit

Episode Sponsor

#112 LinkedIn Tips for MBA Applicants Jun 27, 2017

Show notes

Your LinkedIn profile could be the first thing business schools see.

Darren draws on his admissions experience and shares 7 tips to make a good first impression, reinforce your MBA story, and highlight additional qualities not in your application.

MBA programs are looking at your social media, especially your LinkedIn profile. Take 15 minutes to follow these guidelines, optimize your LinkedIn presence, and represent yourself well to b-schools, MBA students & alumni, and future employers.

Episode summary, show notes and more at: http://touchmba.com/linkedin-tips-mba-applicants

Episode Sponsor

#111 MBA for Entrepreneurs - Worth It? Jun 19, 2017

Show notes

Many MBA applicants are interested in entrepreneurship, but have trouble reconciling the cost of an MBA with their goal of starting a business. Darren invites 2 recent Wharton MBA graduates, Alex Kubo and Renata Arauz De Stefano, to discuss if an MBA helps you become a better entrepreneur. Alex currently works at Burrow.com, a Y Combinator backed startup in New York City, and Renata started Mwayi, a fashion social enterprise that brings customized, African-print apparel to US consumers.

How helpful is an MBA for starting your own business? For joining startups? How can you make the most of your MBA experience if you have entrepreneurship goals? Is it tough to go this route when your peers are getting high paying jobs? Can entrepreneurship be taught? Listen on to get the perspective of 2 students who started organizations during their MBA.

About Our Guests

Alex Kubo graduated from Lehigh University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He then worked as a Project Manager and Project Engineer for ExxonMobil before attending Wharton, where he majored in Entrepreneurial Management and Marketing. After a summer internship and consulting role at Andela, Alex joined 2 of his Wharton classmates in the Fall of 2016 to help lead Burrow.

Renata Aráuz-DeStefano majored in International Relations and French at Tufts University and worked for 4 years at FINCA International in microfinance before heading to Wharton. In her second year, she started Mwayi, a fashion social enterprise. This summer, she will be investment banking for Bank of America - Merrill Lynch.

Alex Kubo, Burrow (4:50)
Renata Arauz DeStefano, Mwayi (39:15)

Episode summary, links and more at http://touchmba.com/mba-for-entrepreneurs-worth-it/

Episode Sponsor

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