The Touch MBA Admissions Podcast

Latest Episodes:

#200 The 3S’s of Scintillating Storytelling Jan 23, 2023

Show notes

“A well-crafted story helps create a magical sort of clarity. It can illuminate an experience your audience could not have fathomed a few minutes before, or draw them so close that they imagine they can feel your heart beating.” - How to Tell a Story by The Moth

Compelling stories make admissions officers feel closer to you - like they know you better.

Inspired by How to Tell a Story by The Moth, Darren highlights three tools you can use immediately to improve your stories, so you can show adcoms who you really are and draw them closer to you. Darren also shares over a dozen questions that will help you identify riveting stories for your MBA application.

Topics

A Story about Touch MBA (0:00)
The Moth (4:40)
Shift (6:50)
Scenes (9:20)
Stakes (13:20)
Applying the 3S's to Your MBA Application (16:20)

Episode write-up and show notes: https://www.touchmba.com/3s-scintillating-storytelling-the-moth

Get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: https://touchmba.com

#199 10 Application Lessons from 10 Years of Touch MBA Dec 14, 2022

Show notes

We're nearing 200 episodes of Touch MBA. Feeling nostalgic, Darren reflects on 10 lessons for applicants from 10 years of Touch MBA!

10 Lessons from 10 Years of Touch MBA

Introduction (0:00)
Know Your Must Haves (2:00)
Work on Your MBA Pitch with Others (5:50)
Master the MBA Coffee Chat (9:10)
Connect Your MBA Objectives with Those of MBA Admissions (12:45)
The GMAT Matters (16:15)
Resumes: Show How You've Impacted Organizations (19:12)
Essays: Unforgettable > Impressive (21:15)
Interviews: Answer the Questions Behind the Questions (30:40)
Selecting Business Schools: Who Do You Want to Marry? (33:15)
Careers: Be Humble, Hungry, and Do Your Homework (36:15)

Episode write-up and show notes: https://touchmba.com/ten

Get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: https://touchmba.com

#198 Inside the London Business School MBA & Honing Your Story with Chris Tran, LBS '22 Nov 21, 2022

Show notes

Chris Tran, London Business School (LBS) MBA '22, shares lessons learned from applying to and attending LBS, as well as how he landed his first post-MBA consulting gig in London.

Questions

Introducing Chris (0:00)
Chris' Pre-MBA Career & MBA Application Journey (3:45)
Consulting as a Post-MBA Career Goal (9:55)
Chris' Top 3 Tips for Applicants (12:30)
How Chris Honed his Application Story (16:40)
Preparing for the LBS MBA Interview (22:05)
Highlights from Chris' LBS MBA Experience (28:45)
Making the Most of Your MBA Time (47:45)
Structuring Your Network & Getting Help from Alumni (48:15)
Consulting Internships & Recruiting at LBS (49:40:)

About Chris

Chris graduated from London Business School's Full-time MBA program in 2022 and works as a Business Strategy Consultant for Accenture (UK). Chris received his Bachelors in Actuarial Science from Keele University. He then worked in investment management in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, for 8 years before getting his MBA.

Episode write-up and show notes: https://touchmba.com/inside-the-london-business-school-mba-chris-tran

Get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: https://touchmba.com

#197 Pivoting Geographies & Breaking into EdTech with Tony Ngo, Harvard Business School 08 Sep 30, 2022

Show notes

Tony Ngo, Harvard Business School '08, shares how he used the MBA to pivot to Vietnam, first in finance, and then as an edtech entrepreneur with Everest Education.

Questions

Introducing Tony (0:00)
Tony's Pre-MBA Career & MBA Application Journey (5:00)
Tony Pivots Towards Asia - Post-MBA Careers & Relationships (7:15)
Networking Your Way to Jobs vs. Resume Drops (13:10)
Having a Focus / One Question in Mind During Your MBA (21:00)
Succeeding in Private Equity & Hedge Funds (24:40)
Sponsors for Educational Opportunity - Vietnam (32:00)
Tony's Pivot from Finance to EdTech (36:30)
What MBAs Need to Know About Working in EdTech (47:10)

About Tony

Tony Ngo is co-founder and Executive Chairman of Everest Education (E2), which offers live small classes online and operates a network of premium learning centers offering a variety of subjects, including math, English Language Arts, college admissions consulting, test prep, and tutoring. Since 2014, he also has been a board member at Nam Long, a publicly-traded real estate developer. In 2009, he founded Sponsors for Educational Opportunity - Vietnam, a non-profit developing leadership capacity among young professionals in Vietnam.

Tony graduated from Harvard Business School in 2008 and received his Bachelors (Economics) and Masters (Industrial Engineering) from Stanford University. After getting his MBA, Tony was an investor for Bridger Capital, a long-short equities hedge fund, where he covered Asian and Technology, Media and Telecom investments from 2008-2015.

Tony frequently speaks and writes about leadership, community building, parenting, and career development. Tony lives in Los Angeles, California, with his wife and two children.

Episode write-up and show notes: https://touchmba.com/pivoting-to-vietnam-breaking-into-edtech-tony-ngo

Connect with Tony online: https://linktr.ee/thaytonyoi

Get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: https://touchmba.com

#196 How I Got Into Berkeley Haas MBA (and HBS, Wharton, UCLA too!) & Breaking into Product Management with Bridget Pujals Jul 07, 2022

Show notes

Bridget Pujals shares lessons learned from her MBA application journey, culminating in admits to Harvard, Wharton ($70K scholarship), UCLA Anderson ($100K scholarship), and Berkeley Haas ($175K scholarship). She will attend UC Berkeley Haas this Fall.

While her results are spectacular, Bridget took the GRE three times, and spent two years researching, preparing, and applying to b-schools. As Bridget makes clear, “It was a two year grind to make this happen. No one sees the tears.”

Bridget and Darren discuss the importance of knowing your priorities, starting your essays early, and the benefits of working with an admissions consultant.

And after working in product management roles at Postmates and Facebook for 6 years, Bridget shares her thoughts breaking into product management at startups and tech giants.

Questions

Introducing Bridget (0:00)
Bridget’s Pre-MBA Career & MBA Application Journey (3:20)
Bridget’s Best Application Tips (18:20)
Prepping for MBA Interviews (29:00)
The Consortium & Scholarships (33:00)
Picking & Prepping Recommenders (37:40)
Breaking into Product Management (41:00)
How Bridget Plans to Pursue Entrepreneurship at Berkeley Haas (54:20)

About Bridget

Bridget Pujals will be attending the UC Berkeley Haas Full-time MBA in Fall 2022, where she will focus on entrepreneurship. After graduating from UC Irvine with a Bachelors of Science in Biochemistry, Bridget worked for Postmates in business development and sales before transitioning into a product management role. She then worked for Facebook as a Senior Product Manager (Messenger) and Product Lead (Privacy for Instagram Direct). Bridget also launched a coaching service to help more women break into product management roles in technology and serves as a Startup Mentor for First Round Capital.

Episode write-up and show notes: https://touchmba.com/how-i-got-into-uc-berkeley-haas-mba-bridget-pujals

Get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: https://touchmba.com

#195 Business School Selection Simplified - How to Shortlist MBA Programs You're Excited About and Competitive At Jun 27, 2022

Show notes

“The most frustrating part I have found is the vast amount of information about schools, applications, and chances that is out there. It’s been hard to sift through all the noise and really figure out what schools are good for you and what your actual chances are.”
– Margaret, USA

Feel the same way?

Trust me, you’re not alone.

We’ve helped over 3,500 MBA applicants from 50 countries shortlist MBA programs, and hear comments like this all the time.

What if you could figure out MBA programs you’re excited about AND competitive at, that would be a great investment in your future? And do this with the least time and effort?

I’m a former MBA Admissions Director who has thought about this problem – how to make school selection easier – for the past 10 years.

I’ve also observed where applicants end up applying and attending. Why? So I could cut out any part of the research and selection process that has no utility. In other words, to save you time.

I would like to share with you the 4-step method that I believe is most effective for shortlisting best-fit MBA programs.

The best part of this method? It will give you the best chance of getting in, too.

Topics

Introduction (0:00)
Rankings: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (3:40)
Step 1: Reflect on Your A, B, and C (9:25)
Step 2: Determine Your "Must Haves" (12:10)
Step 3: Evaluate Your Competitiveness (17:00)
Step 4: Interact to Find Fit (22:00)
Conclusion (24:45)

Show Notes

How to Choose the Right MBA Programs for You: Follow these Four Steps to Find the Right Business Schools

Episode write-up and show notes: https://touchmba.com/business-school-selection-simplified

Get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: https://touchmba.com

#194 Building a Professional MBA Network with Nicolle Lee, Wharton MBA '22 Apr 22, 2022

Show notes

Nicolle Lee, Wharton MBA '22, shares how building relationships helped her reach her MBA goals - including breaking into the real estate industry. After listening to this episode, you'll have a detailed and instructive case study of what's required to make a career pivot at a world-class business school.

Questions

Nicolle's Wharton MBA application & interview strategy (4:00)
How Nicolle pursued her real estate career goals at Wharton (18:10)
Real estate case competitions and student clubs (25:25)
How Nicolle secured her real estate internship - and then job - at Morgan Stanley (32:20)
Nicolle's second year at Wharton + conducting hundreds of coffee chats (44:00)
Wharton's culture and resources for social impact & women empowerment (50:15)
Nicolle's last thoughts on making the best MBA investment (55:25)

About Nicolle

Nicolle Lee is a second year MBA at Wharton majoring in Real Estate and Finance. After graduating from Columbia University with a Bachelors in Financial Economics, she worked at Banc of California and then Voya Financial doing venture capital, strategy and business development. After graduating from Wharton, Nicolle will work for Morgan Stanley's Real Estate Investment Banking group in New York.

EPISODE SPONSOR: QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY'S SMITH FULL-TIME MBA

The path to your next big career move goes through Canada. The 12-month Full-time MBA program at Queen’s University’s Smith School of Business features a proven team-based, experiential curriculum — built around the exact set of skills that top employers seek. The results speak for themselves. 98% of the Class of 2021 accepted an offer for their dream role within 3 months of graduation. Listeners of the Touch MBA Podcast can receive a complimentary virtual consultation by visiting Yoursmithmba.com/touchmba.

Episode write-up and show notes: https://touchmba.com/building-a-professional-mba-network-nicolle-lee-wharton-mba

Get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: https://touchmba.com

#193 Hiring Trends & Salaries for Business School Graduates via the Corporate Recruiters Survey Apr 11, 2022

Show notes

What are corporate recruiters looking for from business graduate students? And how do median MBA salaries compare to those of specialized business masters programs?

Darren shares 3 interesting findings from GMAC’s Corporate Recruiters Survey. This way, you can think more like an admissions officer, and put forward your strongest application.

This episode is about taking advantage of GMAC’s free market intelligence reports to inform your graduate school plans and strategy.

Topics

Introduction (0:00)
Most important skills for business school graduates (6:00)
MBA salaries vs. other business masters salaries (11:10)
GMAT testing statistics per country (14:45)

EPISODE SPONSOR: QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY'S SMITH FULL-TIME MBA

Show Notes

Episode write-up and show notes: https://touchmba.com/hiring-trends-salaries-business-school-graduates-gmac-corporate-recruiters-survey

Get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: https://touchmba.com

#192 MBA Coffee Chats: Thoughtful Advice on How to Get the Most out of your MBA with Adam Putterman, Kellogg MMM '19 Mar 28, 2022

Show notes

How can you make the most of your MBA experience?

After reflecting on their own MBA experiences and those of hundreds of successful grads, Adam Putterman, Northwestern MMM '19, and Bob Manfreda, Stanford GSB '19, wrote MBA Coffee Chats: Thoughtful Advice on How to Get the Most out of your MBA.

The book answers frequently asked questions from recent MBA admits, and aims to help this group have more productive coffee chats with MBAs before starting business school.

Darren invites Adam, who graduated from Northwestern's Dual Degree MBA & M.S. in Design Innovation program, to discuss how to find people to have coffee chats and what to ask. The two also discuss prioritizing time and personal growth at business school.

At Touch MBA, we're all about helping you make the best MBA investment. Although MBA Coffee Chats is intended for MBA admits, why not get a sneak preview of the best practices and big questions you'll need to answer before starting your MBA?

Questions

Introducing Adam (0:00)
Why MBA coffee chats? (4:30)
How to find people and what to ask (8:20)
Writing an MBA "to don't list" (25:45)
Getting peer feedback (32:15)
Adam asks Darren questions about podcasting (35:30)

About Adam

Adam Putterman is Co-Founder of Ours, a relationship wellness company. He got a dual MBA and MS in Design Innovation Degree (MMM) from Northwestern University. Before attending Kellogg, Adam got his B.S in Business Administration from Washington University in St. Louis and worked for Deloitte as a consultant.

EPISODE SPONSOR: QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY'S SMITH FULL-TIME MBA

Show Notes

Episode write-up and show notes: https://touchmba.com/mba-coffee-chats-adam-putterman/

Get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: https://touchmba.com

#191 Inside Harvard Business School - An Introvert's Experience with Graciela Brewer, HBS MBA '22 Mar 03, 2022

Show notes

Back by popular demand, Graciela Brewer returns to reflect on her Harvard Business School experience. We discuss what she found easier and more difficult than expected, how she has made the most of her HBS MBA, and her thoughts on how applicants can best prepare for business school.

Questions

Introducing Graciela Brewer (0:00)
Graciela's Harvard Business School experience: expectations vs. reality (4:00)
What Graciela found most valuable about her HBS experience (17:30)
HBS during the pandemic (23:10)
Graciela's involvement in the Latino Student Organization and Socioeconomic Inclusion Task Force (28:00)
Graciela's thoughts on prioritizing mental health, well-being and family at HBS (34:00)
How Graciela landed her internship - and post-MBA job - at Toast (38:00)
Taking advantage of "time off" at business school (47:00)
Graciela's advice for MBA applicants: talk to students and work on your stories! (51:30)
How Graciela would re-design the HBS MBA (55:30)
Last thoughts for applicants, including her formula for student involvement (1:00:00)

About Graciela (Grace)

Graciela Brewer is a second year MBA at Harvard Business School. After she graduates, she will help Toast, which makes software for the restaurant industry, with design operations. Before attending Harvard Business School, Grace got her B.S in Information Science from Missouri University of Science & Technology and worked as a Senior UX Designer at Netsmart.

EPISODE SPONSOR: QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY'S SMITH FULL-TIME MBA

Episode write-up and show notes: https://touchmba.com/inside-the-hbs-mba-graciela-brewer

Get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: https://touchmba.com