The mbaMission Podcast

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Artificial intelligence (AI) is the current focus of Harvard Business School’s online and executive education programs. In Episode 127 of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky is joined by Patrick Mullane, executive director of Harvard Business School (HBS) Online and Executive Education, and Simeen Mohsen, senior managing director of HBS Online, for a conversation about HBS’s non-degree programs and the role AI is expected to play in their future.

Patrick and Simeen lay out the portfolio—upwards of 35 online programs and approximately 70 in-person programs a year—and discuss blended learning, living groups on campus, alumni status, and the cross-pollination between executive education, online learning, and the two-year MBA program. They close with what surprises participants most and what comes next for both portfolios.

00:00 How Is AI Changing Harvard Business School’s Online and Executive Education Programs?

03:37 Why Did HBS Reverse Course on Online Learning?

04:58 How Many People Participate in HBS Online and Executive Education Each Year?

05:54 For Whom Are the In-Person Executive Education Programs Designed?

07:28 How Do the Online and In-Person Programs Fit Together?

10:53 Can an Online or Executive Education Program Lead to an MBA?

16:32 How Is AI Changing In-Person Programs?

19:43 How Do Online and Executive Education Feed Back into the Two-Year MBA Program?

22:44 What Surprises Executive Education Participants the Most?

24:10 What Comes Next for HBS Online and Executive Education?

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In Episode 126 of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and Founder Jeremy Shinewald welcome back Jim Caruso, chief innovation officer at Elevate and a graduate of the Michigan Ross Online MBA program, for a conversation about artificial intelligence (AI) and the future of MBA careers.

Jim teaches AI at Montclair State University and builds AI products every day at Elevate, so he has insight into the technology from both the classroom and the C-suite. He shares that many of his students begin his course fearful of the technology, and explains the shift from a knowledge economy to a relevance economy, why AI applications differ so sharply by task and industry, and the data analytics case he calls one of the most successful applications of large language models. He closes with what an MBA program still teaches that no technology can replace: how to collaborate with people, work for people, and mentor people.

00:00 Is AI the Future of MBA Careers?

03:56 Has the AI Job Apocalypse Been Overblown?

05:52 Why Are Students Not Using AI in the Classroom?

08:35 What Is the Relevance Economy?

09:46 How Should Schools Adapt to AI?

11:50 What Turns a Great Idea into a Business?

16:33 How Can Large Language Models Convert Data into Insight?

19:50 What Does an MBA Teach That Technology Cannot Replace?

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In Episode 125 of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and Founder Jeremy Shinewald take on the most frustrating part of the MBA admissions process: the waitlist.

Harold and Jeremy explain why schools use waitlists, what your odds look like, and the deliberate steps you can take while you wait — from retaking the GMAT and taking quant coursework to writing thoughtful monthly updates and building a relationship with the waitlist manager. They also discuss additional recommendations, yield management, international applicant timelines, and how to leave the door open for reapplication if you decide you cannot wait any longer.

00:00 Why Is the MBA Waitlist So Frustrating?

01:22 How Many Applicants End Up on the Waitlist?

04:34 How Do You Fill the Holes in Your Application?

07:40 How Often Should You Contact the Admissions Committee?

12:48 How Long Can You Afford to Stay on the Waitlist?

14:57 Why Do Schools Refuse to Rank Their Waitlists?

17:53 Should You Send Additional Letters of Recommendation?

22:21 How Do You Stay Hopeful While You Wait?

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How do you extend your research on a business school beyond its website? By having authentic conversations with the people who know it best.

In Episode 124 of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and Founder Jeremy Shinewald break down how applicants should connect with their target schools and with those schools’ students and alumni. They discuss whom to contact, how to reach out, what questions to ask, and how to integrate what you learn from those conversations into your essays and interviews.

In their discussion, Harold and Jeremy cover how applicants can learn about upcoming school events, how to approach student ambassadors, how to cold email a club officer without being awkward, and how to benefit from one’s professional network—from LinkedIn connections to former colleagues. They also explain what “demonstrated interest” means, why you should not expect any single person to become an advocate for your candidacy, and when visiting campus is worth the effort and cost.

The central takeaway of the episode is that a few thoughtful 15-minute conversations can bring out the kinds of specific, insightful details that can set your application apart—and that no amount of online research could replicate.

00:00 Why Should You Go Beyond a School’s Website?

03:04 What Is the Point of Demonstrated Interest?

09:46 How Can You Find In-Person and Online School Events?

12:45 What Questions Reveal More Than the Obvious?

16:50 Is Finding a Primary Advocate Possible?

18:45 How Can Contacting a Student or Graduate Strengthen Your Candidacy?

22:08 How Do You Cold Email a Club Leader?

25:14 How Do You Integrate What You Learn into Essays and Interviews?

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Why would an experienced entrepreneur and product leader decide to attend business school—and choose an online MBA program?

In Episode 123 of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and Founder Jeremy Shinewald speak with Jim Caruso, chief innovation officer at Elevate and a graduate of the Michigan Ross Online MBA program. Jim explains how the program fit into his career, which already involved product leadership, company building, and the sale of a software business.

Their conversation examines the Ross program’s blend of live classes, asynchronous coursework, collaborative learning, and in-person residencies. Jim describes how his finance and statistics studies broadened his technical foundation, while some of his most enduring lessons came in the areas of leadership, change management, and organizational design. He also discusses the reality of entrepreneurship, the importance of learning from one’s classmates, and the reach of the University of Michigan alumni community.

The practical takeaway of the episode is that applicants should evaluate an online MBA program by assessing whether its structure, curriculum, and community address their professional and personal needs.

00:00 Why Would a CEO Choose an Online MBA Program?

04:27 Why Pursue an MBA After Studying Business as an Undergrad?

06:36 What Does Entrepreneurship Really Demand?

12:04 Why Attend Business School Mid-career?

16:35 Why Choose the Michigan Ross Online MBA Option?

19:26 How Does the Ross Online MBA Program Work?

20:32 Which MBA Courses Surprised Jim Most?

25:14 What Value Has Lasted Beyond the Degree?

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Which MBA candidates should choose the MIT Sloan Fellows MBA over a traditional two-year MBA or executive MBA program?

In Episode 122 of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky speaks with Ricardo Heredia, a biotech scientist, life sciences investor, and recent MIT Sloan Fellows MBA graduate. Ricardo explains how the immersive, 12-month program helped him connect his scientific and pharmaceutical experience with finance, entrepreneurship, and life sciences investing.

The discussion delves into the program’s customizable curriculum, experienced global cohort, accessible faculty, and opportunities to study throughout MIT and even beyond the school. Ricardo also highlights an important trade-off that applicants should not ignore: Although the accelerated structure offers extraordinary access, it allows less time to explore one’s career options. As a result, candidates should enter the program with a strong sense of what they want to learn, which communities they want to join, and how the degree will support their next decade or more of work.

00:00 How Can MIT Sloan Fellows Support a Biotech Career?

05:07 Why Is Business Education Important for Scientists?

08:02 Who Should Consider the MIT Sloan Fellows MBA?

10:31 How Is the 12-Month Program Structured?

13:24 What Can Fellows Study Across MIT?

19:26 What Surprised Ricardo About MIT Sloan?

22:03 Who Benefits Most from the Program?

25:07 How Should Applicants Prepare for the Experience?

Related Resources

MIT Sloan Fellows MBA Program

MIT Sloan Fellows MBA Curriculum

MIT Sloan Fellows MBA Admissions

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The Johnson Cornell Tech MBA offers an accelerated path for professionals who know they want to work where business and technology intersect.

In Episode 121 of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and Managing Director Gavriella Semaya welcome Corey Laffel Solon, Gavi’s classmate in the inaugural Johnson Cornell Tech MBA cohort and currently the associate director of growth for Grubhub. Corey and Gavi explain how the program’s Studio curriculum, multidisciplinary teams, practitioner access, and New York City setting prepared them to work across business and technology.

Their experiences also reveal the trade-offs of the one-year format. Cornell Tech can suit professionals who already know they want to pursue technology or technology-adjacent work and who learn best through rapid, hands-on experimentation. Candidates seeking more time to explore industries or build a broader business foundation might prefer a traditional two-year MBA or Cornell’s 1+1 option.

00:00 What Makes Cornell Tech Feel Future Focused?

00:40 How Does Cornell Tech Compare to a Traditional MBA?

01:09 Why Did Corey and Gavi Choose a New One-Year Program?

03:09 What Are the Trade-Offs of a One-Year MBA?

05:32 How Does Cornell Tech Combine Business and Technology?

09:34 Which Skills Continue to Matter After Graduation?

10:25 Who Is the Cornell Tech MBA Right For?

13:35 How Has Cornell Tech Shaped Alumni Careers?

16:08 Should Applicants Choose Cornell Tech or a Two-Year MBA?

21:50 How Strong Is Cornell Tech’s Alumni Network?

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Which admissions test should you take? Can you overcome a lower GPA? How should reapplicants choose their recommenders, and how much clarity do business schools expect applicants to have about their career goals?

In Episode 120 of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and Managing Director Gavriella Semaya explain how candidates from varied backgrounds can make strategic choices, address weaknesses, and present a stronger, more focused MBA profile.

The episode offers a practical framework for evaluating what every part of an MBA application communicates—and for crafting a submission supported by clear reasoning, concrete evidence, and an authentic story.

00:00 What MBA Admissions Questions Do Applicants Ask Most?
00:56 Should Applicants Take the GMAT, GRE, or Executive Assessment?
02:50 Do Reapplicants Have Options for Strengthening Their Candidacy?
05:55 What Do Business Schools Look for When Evaluating Military Veterans?
08:04 How Can Professionals in Specialized Industries Frame Their Experience for an MBA?
09:52 Can Applicants Mitigate a Lower GPA and Limited Leadership Experience?
13:21 What Might Applicants with Common Professional Profiles Do to Stand Out?
16:30 How Should Applicants Explain Candidacy Issues in the Optional Essay?
17:55 Why Do Focused Career Goals Strengthen an MBA Application?
19:25 How Should Applicants Approach Timing, Personal Branding, and Credentials?

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In this episode, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and Founder Jeremy Shinewald speak with Shari Hubert, associate dean of admissions at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, about MBA career outcomes and the school’s approach to long-term professional development. Shari explains that Fuqua’s Career Management Center assists students with increasing their self-awareness, building relationships, and developing adaptability, then supports their job searches through sector directors, career fellows, employer partnerships, and alumni connections.

The conversation also explores Fuqua’s breadth across industries, longstanding strength in healthcare and life sciences, social impact resources, entrepreneurship growth, and alumni reach across the United States and beyond. If you are wondering whether Fuqua can support your post-MBA career goals, this episode offers insight into how the school helps students pursue professional paths that match their ambitions.

00:00 What Fuqua Career Outcomes Reveal About MBA Fit

00:50 How Fuqua Supports MBA Career Transitions

03:03 Professional Outcomes Show Breadth Across Industries

05:56 Why Relationships Matter Beyond On-Campus Recruiting

08:30 Sector Directors Coach Students for Long-Term Success

11:21 Duke Fuqua’s Deep Strength in Healthcare

14:01 How Social Impact Shapes the Fuqua MBA Experience

16:52 Fuqua’s Alumni Network Reaches Far Beyond Durham

19:58 How Entrepreneurship is Growing at Fuqua

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The perfect MBA program to get you closer to your goals might be outside the top ten.

In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky, mbaMission Founder Jeremy Shinewald, and Managing Director Gavriella Semaya discuss how applicants can build a more appropriate list of target MBA programs by looking beyond the top tiers of the rankings. Their conversation starts with a simple question: What do you want your MBA to help you do?

From that point, the discussion moves into employment reports, regional recruiting patterns, industry specialization, scholarship opportunities, one-year MBA formats, alumni networks, and quality of life. Harold, Jeremy, and Gavriella explain why a program outside the top 10 or 15 can often be a better fit for someone when it has deep ties to their target industry, strong access in a specific region, a lower debt burden, and/or a curriculum built around the career path they want to pursue.

This episode offers a practical way to evaluate an MBA program’s true fit, return on investment, and long-term career value, particularly for candidates who have thus far only been considering the most elite options.

00:00 Why Overlooked MBA Programs Deserve a Closer Look

00:47 Start with Career Goals and Employment Reports

02:52 A Region’s Role in Recruiting Access

05:42 Finding Specialized Strengths Beyond the M7

08:10 How Scholarships and Debt Change ROI

11:42 Matching Geography to Long-Term Career Plans

13:24 Choosing Industry Hubs for Healthcare, Energy, and Startups

16:45 When a One-Year MBA Program Makes Sense

21:17 What Emerging Innovation Hubs Can Offer

26:15 Weighing Quality of Life, Cost, and Alumni Networks

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Can Harvard Business School (HBS) Online’s Core Business Essentials program help MBA applicants prove they are ready for the classroom?

In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and Managing Director Gavriella Semaya speak with Simeen Mohsen, senior managing director of HBS Online, about the program’s origins, structure, rigor, and value for MBA applicants. They discuss how Core Business Essentials, which demands a serious commitment from its students, grew out of pre-MBA preparation and now serves college students, early- and mid-career professionals, entrepreneurs, and aspiring MBA students.

Simeen explains that the program combines courses in financial accounting, business analytics, business strategy, and workplace dynamics, along with a capstone project, into a 17-week online experience. The conversation offers a useful framework for deciding whether Core Business Essentials can strengthen a one’s readiness and confidence, particularly for applicants with a modest academic record, limited quantitative preparation, or a less-conventional professional background.

00:00 How Core Business Essentials Can Help MBA Applicants

03:29 The Program’s Origins as MBA Preparation

05:09 Who Takes Core Business Essentials Today

07:17 What Core Business Essentials Includes

10:09 How the 17-Week Online Experience Works

14:55 Enrollment and Credentialing Explained

17:04 Why Rigor and Application Matter

20:53 Using Individual Courses to Fill Specific Gaps

22:55 Keeping the Curriculum Current

Related Resources

• HBS Online Core Business Essentials
• HBS Online leadership team
• HBS Online courses and program

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What does Team Fuqua mean for Duke MBA students once they arrive on campus?

In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and Founder Jeremy Shinewald continue their conversation with Shari Hubert, associate dean of admissions at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. This time, they move beyond admissions to explore Fuqua’s paired principles, leadership development model, student-led community, alumni culture, Duke University connections, and Durham setting.

Shari explains how Fuqua turns values into practice through C-LEAD teams, COLE Fellows, peer coaching, admissions fellows, career fellows, and other student leadership roles. She also discusses why Fuqua emphasizes IQ, EQ, and DQ—Decency Quotient—how students use Duke University’s broader academic ecosystem, and why Durham and the Research Triangle Park region often surprise students with all they have to offer.

For applicants comparing Duke Fuqua with peer MBA programs, this episode offers a closer look at the school’s collaborative environment, diverse perspectives, and give-and-receive culture.

Part one of mbaMission’s interview with Shari Hebert.

00:00 What Team Fuqua Means Beyond Admissions

01:22 How the Paired Principles Shape the Community

03:51 Why Fuqua Teaches IQ, EQ, and Decency Quotient

06:40 How Fuqua Students Benefit from Duke University Access

10:06 What Durham and Research Triangle Park Add to the MBA Experience

12:44 How Alumni Carry Team Fuqua Forward

16:15 Why Student-Driven Leadership Defines Fuqua

18:42 How C-LEAD Turns Teamwork into Practice

25:10 Why Diverse Perspectives Matter to Learning

29:28 What Applicants Misunderstand About Durham

Related Resources

• Duke Fuqua Daytime MBA
• Fuqua paired principles
• mbaMission’s Duke Fuqua essay tips

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In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and Managing Director Gavriella Semaya discuss how MBA candidates can use AI responsibly when preparing their applications, without losing their unique voice. They explain that AI detectors are unreliable, offer guidance on responding to schools’ AI disclosure questions, and share that programs are increasingly using spontaneous video components to get a clearer sense of who applicants truly are.

Although AI can help with tasks such as checking grammar, performing surface-level research, and brainstorming, crafting a strong, compelling application requires judgment, perspective, and details that only the candidate can supply. To conclude the episode, Harold and Gavriella offer a straightforward way of testing whether your essays reflect your authentic self.

00:00 Why AI Can Make MBA Essays Sound Generic

01:12 Admissions Readers Notice AI Right Away

02:28 Specificity Always Beats Polished Sameness

04:32 AI Detectors Are Often Wrong

07:37 How to Describe Your AI Use for the Admissions Committee

09:29 AI’s Strengths and Shortcomings

10:44 Why Video Essays Are Increasingly Popular

12:14 How to Stress Test Your Voice

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What does Duke Fuqua’s admissions team want candidates to understand before they start working on their application to the school’s MBA program?

In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and Founder Jeremy Shinewald speak with Shari Hubert, associate dean of admissions at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, about the MBA program’s collaborative philosophy, distinctive essay prompts, and behind-the-scenes admissions process. Shari explains that rather than focusing on the simple notion of “fit,” Fuqua looks for applicants who will thrive in the school’s community because of their intellectual curiosity, resilience, self-awareness, and willingness to work with others.

The conversation digs into Fuqua’s well-known “25 Random Facts” essay and why Shari believes that it is especially resistant to the use of AI. She explains that the goal of the distinctive prompt is to make applicants more knowable, which makes the prompt hard to game: AI can help with clarity, but it cannot identify someone’s fundamental personal experiences or their unique voice. She reminds applicants that no one can tell their story better than they can and that Fuqua’s admissions team can recognize when essays and interview responses seem overly polished or inauthentic.

For candidates trying to understand how a top MBA program weighs its applicants’ academics, character, judgment, and community-minded leadership, this episode offers a clear look at what Fuqua values and how you can present yourself to its admissions committee with more confidence and authenticity.

00:00 What Fuqua Means by Thriving in Its Community

06:15 How Fuqua Admissions Functions as a Mini Business

07:37 What Applicants Misunderstand About MBA Admissions

11:52 The Qualities Fuqua Looks for in Its Candidates

12:06 What Kind of Applicants Thrive in the Fuqua Community

14:54 Why Fuqua’s “25 Random Facts” Essay Is So Valuable

19:40 Highlighting “How” Rather Than “What” in Your Fuqua Essays

23:09 How to Build Your Understanding of the Fuqua MBA Program

25:45 The Fuqua Admissions Committee’s Evaluation Process

28:37 Proving Your Readiness for the Fuqua Curriculum

30:55 The Concept of “Durable Skills”

33:42 Why (and How) You Should Prepare Your Fuqua Recommenders

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Is an MBA still worth the investment in 2026? What about in the years ahead?

In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky, Founder Jeremy Shinewald, and Managing Director Gavriella Semaya discuss the MBA’s return on investment, AI, hiring headlines, scholarship opportunities, and the long-term value of business school. They explain why applicants should evaluate the expense of earning the degree through a broad lens that considers professional direction, leadership development, strategic thinking, workplace confidence, and the genesis of relationships that can shape one’s entire career.

The conversation also addresses practical issues. The hosts explain how to use schools’ employment reports in the decision to pursue the degree and how to weigh the short-term costs against the long-term rewards. They also explore the importance of human leadership skills amid the ever-increasing prevalence of AI and how a softer application environment creates opportunity for strong candidates. For anyone wondering whether now is the right time to apply to business school, this episode offers a thoughtful framework for making that call with confidence.

00:00 Is an MBA Still Worth the Investment?

01:30 The Extended Career Value of Business School

05:13 The Human Skills AI Cannot Replace

07:41 Weighing the Overall Return on Investment

10:12 The Truth Behind the Hiring Headlines

13:02 Critical Thinking, Leadership, and the MBA Network

20:28 How a Softer MBA Application Season Creates Opportunity

22:04 Scholarships and the Decision to Enroll

24:00 Final Advice for Long-Term Thinkers

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What does starting a company during business school really demand beyond a strong idea?

In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky and Gatehouse Founder Liza Weale sit down with GrowthFactor CEO and MIT Sloan alumnus Clyde Anderson for a candid conversation about the Sloan experience, entrepreneurship, and school fit. Clyde explains how he moved from finance to business school, why Sloan became the right match after a surprising waitlist turn, and how a classroom insight became the seed of a company.

The discussion covers Sloan’s analytical core, its culture of experimentation, the role of co-founders, and the practical resources that supported GrowthFactor, including startup workspace, entrepreneurship classes, faculty guidance, and MIT delta v. Clyde also describes why Sloan remains valuable for students who do not plan to launch a company, from consulting and finance paths to veterans, operators, and students pursuing less linear careers.

For applicants considering MIT Sloan, this episode offers a useful reminder: fit comes from more than a school’s reputation. The strongest match often appears when your goals, your way of learning, and the community around you push you to become more fully yourself.

Guest contact:

Clyde Anderson, CEO of GrowthFactor

clyde@growthfactor.ai

https://www.growthfactor.ai/

00:00 From Sloan Waitlist to Startup CEO

05:03 From a Waitlist Update to a Sloan Interview

09:28 The Benefit of Authenticity When Applying to Sloan

13:22 The Birth of GrowthFactor

19:47 Finding Co-Founders at Sloan

22:51 The Sloan Startup Resources That Supported GrowthFactor

25:07 How Sloan Students Champion One Another

28:38 Sloan Career Paths Outside of Entrepreneurship

34:21 How Delta V Helps Launch Student Ventures

35:17 The Post-Graduate Power of Sloan’s Alumni Network

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How do MBA admissions consultants help their clients beyond editing their essays?

In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky sits down with two highly experienced admissions consultants, mbaMission Managing Director Rachel Beck and Gatehouse Admissions Founder Liza Weale, for a candid, inside look at what MBA consulting entails.

The conversation covers the brainstorming and experience inventory process that begins every client engagement and how consultants build personal relationships with their clients over months of collaboration. Rachel and Liza also shed light on the qualities that separate successful applicants from candidates whose results are less positive. They explain why the process often feels “messy” in the early stages and why reading your essay out loud is one of the most powerful strategies in the revision process. In addition, the discussion touches on the show-versus-tell principle, why applicants should spend more time on their resume, and how to identify “alignment” across an application when reviewing a final draft.

Whether you are just starting to think about business school or are already fully immersed in the application process, this episode offers a rare look at how experienced admissions consultants work and what you can learn from the process, even if you never hire one.

00:00 Pulling Back the Curtain on MBA Consulting

03:18 The Kicker and the Art of Layering: Storytelling in Essays

06:13 Brainstorming and the Experience Inventory Process

09:40 What Makes a Client Succeed and How Relationships Factor In

14:12 The Messy Middle: Ambiguity, Authenticity, and Trust in the Process

16:08 The Importance of Answering the Question and Reading Out Loud

19:19 Editing Without Attachment

20:41 The Underrated MBA Application Resume

31:14 The Human Side of MBA Admissions

Book your FREE 30-minute MBA admissions consultation with Harold or another one of our experienced MBA admissions consultants by filling out this form.

Learn more about onTrack by mbaMission, our innovative, on-demand MBA application platform, and take our two-minute questionnaire to receive your customized learning path.

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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 conversation about the future of work, the collapse of the traditional employment bargain, and why the most successful companies of the next decade will be the ones that learn to make work human again.

Debbie is the author of Make Work Work: The 5 Daily Practices of the Employee-Centric Leader, available for preorder now. She has spent 32 years at BCG advising global organizations, and this book represents a lifetime of lessons she wanted to pass on before retiring at the end of 2026.

Whether you are a current or aspiring leader, an MBA candidate thinking about organizational culture, or someone who spends most of your waking hours somewhere you wish was better, this episode will give you valuable insight into what the future of work could look like.

Preorder Make Work Work today: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/831079/make-work-work-by-deborah-lovich/

00:00 Introduction: The Old Deal with Work Is Broken

01:27 What Is Employee-Centric Leadership?

08:12 Joy Is a Business Value Driver

11:51 The Five Daily Practices: An Overview

12:06 Practice 1: Celebrate People – Be Specific, Be Timely, Know Your Person

14:53 Practice 2: Go See and Help – With the Intent to Assist, Not Judge

16:43 Practice 3: Be Interested in the Person – Curiosity as Leadership

18:51 Practice 4: Co-Create Everything – Take Pride, Not Credit

23:07 Practice 5: Do First – Never Ask Anyone to Do Something You Have Not Done

37:09 AI, the Employee-Centric Imperative

Book your FREE 30-minute MBA admissions consultation with Harold or another one of our experienced MBA admissions consultants by filling out this form.

Learn more about onTrack by mbaMission, our innovative, on-demand MBA application platform, and take our two-minute questionnaire to receive your customized learning path.

‼️Use code MBAMPOD for 30% off any onTrack subscription‼️

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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 instructions, avoiding technical jargon, and setting feasible career goals are so crucial in the application process. Listeners gain deep insights into showcasing collaboration over individual achievement, managing post-submission anxiety, and navigating team-based interview formats.

00:00 Hidden Messages in Your Application and Why They Matter

01:26 Professionalism Basics: Typos, Formatting, and the Wrong School Name

03:51 Word Count Violations and Resume Overstuffing

07:06 Interview Rambling and the Wharton Team Based Discussion

11:30 Red Flags in Extracurricular Activities

15:17 Handling Test Score and GPA Shortcomings

20:49 Identity, Oversharing, and Knowing What Belongs in an Application

29:41 Optimizing Short-Answer Application Questions

31:57 Seeing Every Line as an Opportunity

Book your FREE 30-minute MBA admissions consultation with Harold or another one of our experienced MBA admissions consultants by filling out this form.

Learn more about onTrack by mbaMission, our innovative, on-demand MBA application platform, and take our two-minute questionnaire to receive your customized learning path.

‼️Use code MBAMPOD for 30% off any onTrack subscription‼️

Contact Us:
info@mbamission.com

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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 discussion of how the case method works at the world’s most case-driven business school.

Professor Margolis, who helps train the next generation of HBS case method teachers, walks listeners through what a “case” is, how the school’s three-step learning model works (individual prep, study group, full class discussion), and how HBS instructs its faculty to write and teach cases. In addition, he breaks down the infamous “cold call,” including how the classroom is laid out and how faculty keep track of which students have contributed (and which have not). He also explains that the goal of the cold call is to establish a foundation for a robust discussion, not to embarrass the student who is picked.

The conversation also gets practical for applicants: how much time a first-year student should expect to spend preparing for each case (two to four hours individually, plus more as part of their study group), the “learning to learn” curve of the first six weeks, and the “warm call”—when Professor Margolis gives a student five minutes’ notice at the end of class to summarize the discussion, identify three themes, and take a position. In his view, this exercise is the most direct thing HBS does to train future leaders.

00:00 What Is the Case Method (and Why Does HBS Use It)?

01:19 The Three Components of the HBS Learning Model: Case, Study Group, Classroom

03:27 How HBS Faculty Are Instructed to Write and Teach Cases

07:56 What Teaching Using the Case Method Is Like

12:53 How Cases Are Revised After Being Taught

16:10 How the Cold Call Works and How Faculty Pick a Student to Open Class

19:47 Cold Calls in the Middle of Class and the Warm Call at the End

22:30 How HBS Professors Get to Know Their Students

24:42 How Much Time First-Year Students Should Spend Preparing a Case

28:57 Evaluating a Case Class as a Prospective Applicant

36:13 Understanding the First Six Weeks’ “Learning to Learn” Curve

Book your FREE 30-minute MBA admissions consultation with Harold or another one of our experienced MBA admissions consultants by filling out this form.

Learn more about onTrack by mbaMission, our innovative, on-demand MBA application platform, and take our two-minute questionnaire to receive your customized learning path.

‼️Use code MBAMPOD for 30% off any onTrack subscription‼️

Contact Us:
info@mbamission.com

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