The mbaMission Podcast

Епизоди

• The Future of Work and Reinventing Work | Ep 110 07.07.2026 40мин

  Send us your admissions questions! The old deal with work is broken. Leaders today are looking for a way to get their company’s culture back, but an expert in the consulting space argues that rather than returning to old ways, we should be reinventing work from scratch. In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Founder Jeremy Shinewald and Executive Director Jessica Shklar sit down with Debbie Lovich, a BCG managing director and senior partner with 32 years of experience, for a co...
• How to Avoid Business School Application Mistakes | Ep 109 30.06.2026 36мин

  Send us your admissions questions! In this episode, listeners learn how to optimize the formatting of their resume, strategically handle issues with their transcript, and make their short-answer responses effective. Host and mbaMission Founder Jeremy Shinewald talks with Executive Director Jessica Shklar and Managing Director Rachel Beck about how admissions committees evaluate applicants’ professionalism. Drawing on decades of evaluation experience, these experts discuss why following instru...
• Understanding the Case Method with HBS Professor Joshua Margolis | Ep 108 23.06.2026 42мин

  Send us your admissions questions! What is the case method, and how does it work at Harvard Business School (HBS)? Plus, what should MBA applicants know before they enroll? In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky and mbaMission Executive Director Jessica Shklar sit down with HBS professor Joshua Margolis—a member of the program’s Organizational Behavior Unit and a faculty member in the Christensen Center for Teaching and Learning—for a candid, behind-the-scenes discuss...
• Real Estate as an MBA Career Path with Frank Cohen | Ep 107 16.06.2026 25мин

  Send us your admissions questions! Is real estate a feasible career path for MBA students? And how can one break into the industry? In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky and mbaMission Founder Jeremy Shinewald speak with Frank Cohen, a Boston-based real estate developer, co-founder of Sheridan Road Properties, former senior director at Tishman Speyer, and a Kellogg MBA, about how MBA students can effectively pursue careers in real estate, even if they arrive on campu...
• Why “Nontraditional” MBA Applicants Don't Exist (And What Does) | Ep 106 09.06.2026 24мин

  Send us your admissions questions! Are any MBA applicants truly “nontraditional” applicants? In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, Harold Simansky is joined by Jeremy Shinewald, the founder of mbaMission, to examine a common notion in MBA admissions: that of the “nontraditional” applicant. Drawing on more than two decades of experience, Jeremy argues that applicants should not focus on whether or not their background is “traditional” but on identifying and showcasing the personal stories...
• The Truth About Informal Business School Endorsements | Ep 105 02.06.2026 18мин

  Send us your admissions questions! What role do informal letters of recommendation play in business school admissions decisions? Host Harold Simansky is joined by Melissa Blakeslee, an experienced MBA admissions consultant and former admissions director, to clarify what these endorsements are and why most programs discourage them. In this episode, Melissa shares firsthand insight into how admissions committees evaluate external outreach, helping candidates understand when an extra recom...
• MBA Networking That Leads to Referrals | Ep 104 26.05.2026 35мин

  Send us your admissions questions! How can MBA applicants and business school students network effectively? In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky and Jessica Shklar, mbaMission Executive Director, speak with Jeff Yolen, CEO and founder of Career Connector, about how to network effectively to advance your career. Jeff explains why cold applications so rarely lead to offers, how referrals can improve your odds of landing a job, and why informational interviews are one ...
• How to Define Your Post-MBA Career Goals | Ep 103 19.05.2026 27мин

  Send us your admissions questions! How do you figure out what your post-MBA career goals should be when you only know you want change but do not yet understand what that change entails? In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, Harold Simansky speaks with Melissa Blakeslee, an mbaMission Senior Admissions Consultant, and Rachel Beck, an mbaMission Managing Director, about how business school applicants can clarify, research, and articulate MBA career goals that will resonate with an admissio...
• Reapplying to Business School: MBA Admissions Strategies for Reapplicants | Ep. 102 12.05.2026 22мин

  Send us your admissions questions! Many successful MBA applicants were not accepted the first time they applied. In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky is joined by mbaMission Executive Director Jessica Shklar and Senior Admissions Consultant Melissa Blakeslee to discuss what MBA reapplicants can do to strengthen their candidacy and improve their chances of admission. The conversation explores why admissions committees do not view reapplicants in a negative light, how...
• From Rejection to Partner: 32 Years at Boston Consulting Group | Ep. 101 05.05.2026 37мин

  Send us your admissions questions! What does it really take to make partner at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and stay with the firm for more than three decades without losing yourself? Debbie Lovich, BCG managing director and senior partner, joins host Harold Simansky and mbaMission Executive Director Jessica Shklar for a candid conversation about her path through consulting. Debbie became BCG’s fastest-promoted partner, achieving the position in less than six years. She was also the first wo...
• 100 Episodes Later – Reflections, Lessons, and What Comes Next 28.04.2026 31мин

  Send us your admissions questions! In this milestone 100th episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky and mbaMission founder Jeremy Shinewald reflect on more than two years of MBA admissions insights. They share favorite moments, discuss what sets applicants apart, and explore how AI and evolving trends are shaping the application process. They also highlight the long-term value of an MBA, from career outcomes to lifelong connections, and look ahead to what comes next for the pod...
• Product Management as an MBA Career Path | Ep 99 21.04.2026 19мин

  Send us your admissions questions! Think product management is just a Silicon Valley thing? Think again. In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, Managing Director Rachel Beck and host Harold Simansky break down one of the most in-demand post-MBA career paths that most applicants overlook: product management. Rachel defines the product manager role as that of a “mini CEO” who sits at the intersection of engineering, operations, marketing, finance, and strategy. She explains why the role has...
• HBS Professor on AI, Leadership and the Future of the MBA | Ep 98 14.04.2026 22мин

  Send us your admissions questions! What does the future of business school look like? Harvard Business School Professor Joshua Margolis joins host Harold Simansky and MBA Admissions Executive Director Jessica Shklar to explore how AI is reshaping the MBA experience. Joshua Margolis is the James Dinan and Elizabeth Miller Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School and the Unit Head for the Organizational Behavior unit. He is also Faculty Chair of the Program for Leadershi...
• What Business Schools Really Want: The Truth About Extracurriculars | Ep 97 07.04.2026 35мин

  Send us your admissions questions! Business schools ask about your activities outside of work but what are they really looking for? In this episode, host Harold Simansky is joined by MBA Admissions Executive Director Jessica Shklar and MBA Admissions Managing Director Rachel Beck to break down how MBA admissions committees evaluate extracurricular activities. They explain why who you are as a person matters just as much as your professional story, what counts versus what doesn't, and how to ...
• EP 96 | MBA Rejections Explained: Why You Got Dinged and How to Improve Your Business SchoolApplication 31.03.2026 24мин

  Send us your admissions questions! Getting rejected from business school can feel discouraging but it’s often a signal, not a setback. In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky is joined by Senior MBA Admissions Consultant Nisha Trivedi and MBA Admissions Managing Director Harshad Mali to break down the most common reasons applicants get rejected and what they can do differently next time. From unclear career goals and weak school fit to generic essays and ineffec...
• Ep 95 | Harvard Business School vs Stanford GSB 24.03.2026 38мин

  Send us your admissions questions! Harvard Business School and Stanford Graduate School of Business sit at the very top of the MBA world—but the experience at each school can be dramatically different. In this episode of the mbaMission Podcast, Harold Simansky and Jeremy Shinewald welcome MBA Admissions Executive Director Katy Lewis, a Harvard JD-MBA and former Stanford GSB admissions evaluator, to compare these two powerhouse programs. The conversation explores how Harvard and Stanford ...
• Ep 94 | MBA Reapplication Strategy: What Successful Reapplicants Do Differently 17.03.2026 28мин

  Send us your admissions questions! What should you do if your first MBA application cycle did not go as planned? In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky is joined by mbaMission Founder Jeremy Shinewald and MBA Admissions Managing Director Debbie Choy for an in-depth conversation about the MBA reapplication process. Together, they discuss what it really means to be a reapplicant, why reapplying is not a “scarlet letter,” and how applicants can use a previous rejection a...
• Ep 93 | What Makes a Great MBA Admissions Consultant? Experience, Strategy, and Expertise 10.03.2026 19мин

  Send us your admissions questions! How do you choose the right MBA admissions consultant, and what separates experienced advisors from newcomers to the industry? In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky is joined by mbaMission founder Jeremy Shinewald and Senior MBA Admissions Consultant Nisha Trivedi to discuss what truly defines expertise in MBA admissions consulting. They explore why experience, collaboration, and rigorous training matter when helping applicants buil...
• Ep 92 | Finance Applicants Beyond Private Equity: How to Stand Out in MBA Admissions 03.03.2026 36мин

  Send us your admissions questions! Private equity often dominates the MBA admissions conversation — but finance is far broader than PE alone. In this episode, host Harold Simansky is joined by mbaMission Founder Jeremy Shinewald and Senior MBA Admissions Consultant Julie-Anne Heafey to explore how finance applicants from investment banking, venture capital, equity research, and investment management can stand out in an intensely competitive pool. What truly differentiates a finance candidate?...
• Ep 91 | West Coast MBA Programs You Are Probably Not Considering (But Should) 24.02.2026 27мин

  Send us your admissions questions! West Coast MBA programs offer more than just proximity to tech. In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky is joined by MBA Admissions Managing Director Debbie Choy to explore the distinctive culture, career pathways, and hidden gems across leading West Coast business schools. From innovation-driven classrooms and entrepreneurial ecosystems to recruiting pipelines shaped by Silicon Valley and beyond, the team discusses how geography infl...