The mbaMission Podcast

How to Define Your Post-MBA Career Goals | Ep 103

Send us your admissions questions! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2368294/fan_mail/new] 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 admissions committee. The admissions experts explain why so many candidates get stuck on the career goals question, how to transition from a vague desire for “more” and a credible post-MBA plan, and why schools care that candidates have goals that are both ambitious and achievable. The conversation also covers practical research tools—such as LinkedIn, school employment reports, student club leaders, and job postings—that can help applicants build a stronger, more realistic story. If you are struggling to connect your past experience to your future objectives, this episode will help you approach the problem with more structure and confidence. 00:00 Why MBA Career Goals Trip Up So Many Applicants 01:50 Your Story Only Needs to Make Sense—for Now 03:59 What “Ambitious but Achievable” Really Means 06:12 Reflecting on What You Want from Your MBA 08:16 Researching Roles Through LinkedIn and Business School Resources 09:23 Using Business School Employment Reports to Test Your Assumptions 15:30 Frameworks for Narrowing Your Options 24:23 Why Unclear Post-MBA Goals Can Lead to Rejection 26:14 Final Advice for MBA Applicants Book your FREE 30-minute MBA admissions consultation with Harold or another one of our experienced MBA admissions consultants by filling out this form. [https://www.mbamission.com/consult/] Learn more about onTrack by mbaMission, [https://ontrack.mbamission.com/] 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 [ info@mbamission.com] Follow Us: YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@mbaMission] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/mbamission/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/mbamission]

Reapplying to Business School: MBA Admissions Strategies for Reapplicants | Ep. 102

Send us your admissions questions! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2368294/fan_mail/new] 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 applicants can identify weaknesses in their original applications, and what kinds of growth schools want to see from candidates before a second attempt. Harold, Jessica, and Melissa also share advice on improving one’s essays, recommendations, career goals, extracurricular involvement, and school research. Whether you are considering reapplying to Harvard Business School, the Stanford GSB, UPenn Wharton, Northwestern Kellogg, or another top MBA program, this episode offers practical advice for moving forward strategically and confidently. 0:00 Why MBA Reapplicants Can Still Be Successful 1:53 How Admissions Committees View Reapplicants 5:46 The Biggest Reasons Strong Applicants Get Rejected 7:25 Improving Essays, Goals, and School Fit 13:01 How to Show Growth Before Reapplying 17:08 Reapplying Strategically and Expanding Your School List 19:17 Why MBA Rejection Does Not Define Your Future Book your FREE 30-minute MBA admissions consultation with Harold or another one of our experienced MBA admissions consultants by filling out this form. [https://www.mbamission.com/consult/] Learn more about onTrack by mbaMission, [https://ontrack.mbamission.com/] 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 [ info@mbamission.com] Follow Us: YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@mbaMission] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/mbamission/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/mbamission]

From Rejection to Partner: 32 Years at Boston Consulting Group | Ep. 101

Send us your admissions questions! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2368294/fan_mail/new] 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 woman on the firm’s executive committee. She later stepped away from the partner role to find work-balance before returning and making senior partner on her own terms. This episode covers the unglamorous truth about work-life balance in consulting, why Debbie got rejected by BCG twice before being hired, how the “up or out” culture actually functions, and what she tells every MBA applicant who thinks they want to do consulting. This episode is must-listen for anyone considering an MBA with consulting as their career goal. 📖 Debbie’s new book, Make Work Work: The 5 Daily Practices of the Employee-Centric Leader, will be released in November 2026. Preorder now: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/831079/make-work-work-by-deborah-lovich/ 00:00 Introducing Debbie Lovich, BCG Managing Director and Senior Partner 07:48 The Path to Partner — Speed, Serendipity, and Purpose 16:01 Work, Life, and Finding Balance 24:41 Advice for MBA Applicants 30:49 Retiring from Consulting and Writing a Book Book your FREE 30-minute MBA admissions consultation with Harold or another one of our experienced MBA admissions consultants by filling out this form. [https://www.mbamission.com/consult/] Learn more about onTrack by mbaMission, [https://ontrack.mbamission.com/] 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 [ info@mbamission.com] Follow Us: YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@mbaMission] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/mbamission/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/mbamission]

100 Episodes Later – Reflections, Lessons, and What Comes Next

Send us your admissions questions! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2368294/fan_mail/new] 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 podcast. 00:00 Celebrating 100 Episodes and Podcast Milestones 01:15 Growth, Reach, and Impact of the Podcast 02:18 The MBA “X Factor” and What Sets Applicants Apart 03:43 Favorite Guests and Most Memorable Episodes 06:38 AI in MBA Applications: Opportunities and Risks 10:47 MBA Experience Today: In-Person Learning and Global Exposure 15:49 Changing Applicant Profiles and Career Planning Advice 18:19 On-Track by mbaMission, Admissions Strategy, and School Research 21:33 Interviews, Emotional Intelligence, and Final Reflections Book your FREE 30-minute MBA admissions consultation with Harold or another one of our experienced MBA admissions consultants by filling out this form. [https://www.mbamission.com/consult/] Learn more about onTrack by mbaMission, [https://ontrack.mbamission.com/] 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 [ info@mbamission.com] Follow Us: YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@mbaMission] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/mbamission/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/mbamission]

Product Management as an MBA Career Path | Ep 99

Send us your admissions questions! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2368294/fan_mail/new] 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 expanded far beyond big tech and where candidates with nontechnical backgrounds can find their footing. The conversation covers the AI era and why strategic thinking gives MBAs a decisive edge, the realistic career trajectory from product manager to chief product officer, which MBA programs best prepare candidates for PM recruiting, and why experiential learning is nonnegotiable for this career path. If you have ever thought “I want to be a product manager” without knowing exactly what that means, this episode is for you. New episodes of The mbaMission Podcast are released every Tuesday on all major streaming platforms. 00:00 What Is a Product Manager? 03:52 Project Manager Beyond Silicon Valley 06:59 The MBA as a PM Jumping Point 08:59 PM Career Path to Chief Product Officer 14:11 Programs That Excel in Product Management Book your FREE 30-minute MBA admissions consultation with Harold or another one of our experienced MBA admissions consultants by filling out this form. [https://www.mbamission.com/consult/] Learn more about onTrack by mbaMission, [https://ontrack.mbamission.com/] 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 [ info@mbamission.com] Follow Us: YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@mbaMission] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/mbamission/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/mbamission]