The Touch MBA Admissions Podcast

Get an inside look at how top, international business schools assess MBA applicants. Interviews with MBA Admissions Directors and students from the world's top-ranked MBA programs. Strategies and tips on how to craft a successful MBA application and best present yourself. Straight talk on how to get accepted to the world's top MBA programs. Get a free, expert profile review at https://touchmba.com

#229 AI's Impact on MBA Careers: An Insider's Perspective 04/29/2025

#228 3 Exercises to Design Your Life and Find Best Fit MBA Programs 02/25/2025

#227 Inside the Frankfurt School Full-Time MBA: Admissions & Recruitment Insights with Ann-Marie Stephenson & Colleen McLister 01/24/2025

#226 HEC Paris MBA Program & Admissions Interview with Sara Vanos 11/11/2024

#225 Is an MBA Worth It for Startup Founders? with Bridget Pujals, Berkeley Haas MBA '24 09/03/2024

#225 Is an MBA Worth It for Startup Founders? with Bridget Pujals, Berkeley Haas MBA '24 Should aspiring entrepreneurs get an MBA? Bridget Pujals, University of California Berkeley Haas MBA '24 and Co-Founder of Saelo, shares her experience being an active founder during her Full-time MBA. What resources did she find most helpful? What should active and aspiring entrepreneurs consider before and during their MBA? And finally, what differentiates the MBA as a launchpad for founders? Bridget shares specific steps she (and other entrepreneurs at Berkeley) took to de-risk their startups and increase their odds of success. After listening to this conversation, you'll get a much clearer picture of whether an MBA makes sense for your entrepreneurial goals. Topics Introduction (0:00) How Bridget's entrepreneurial plans evolved during her MBA (4:00) Lean launchpad at Berkeley Haas (7:50) Co-founder dating (9:45) What entrepreneurial resources Bridget found most useful at Haas (14:30) Professors as an influential resource for MBA founders (18:40) How other active & aspiring entrepreneurs approached the MBA (25:00) Tips for active & aspiring founders to make the most of their MBA investment (30:15) Importance of student culture for MBA entrepreneurs (33:30) Should aspiring entrepreneurs get an MBA? (39:00) About Our Guest Bridget Pujals graduated from University of California's Berkeley’s Haas School of Business Full-time MBA program in 2024, where she focused on building her startup. She is Co-Founder and CEO of Saelo in San Francisco, which offers high-tech, clinical skin treatments. Before getting her MBA, Bridget worked for Meta as a Senior Product Manager (Messenger) and Product Lead (Privacy for Instagram Direct), and before that, Postmates in business development and product management roles. Bridget graduated from University of California Irvine with a Bachelors of Science in Biochemistry. Show Notes MBA Application Resources /episode/index/show/touchmba/id/32879462

#224 Important Things to Look for in MBA & EMBA Programs with Prof. Steven DeKrey, HKUST Business School 08/12/2024

#224 Important Things to Look for in MBA & EMBA Programs with Prof. Steven DeKrey, HKUST Business School Steven DeKrey, Senior Advisor and Professor Emeritus at HKUST Business School, has over 40 years of experience in building and running top-ranked MBA programs worldwide, including at Northwestern Kellogg, the University of Florida, Asian Institute of Management and HKUST, where he was Founding Director of the Kellogg-HKUST EMBA program. Darren asks Professor DeKrey about the value of top MBA programs in Asia, how applicants can stand out in the admissions process, who should apply to Full-Time MBA, Part-Time MBA and Executive MBA (EMBA) programs, and whether leadership can be taught. Listen carefully to materially improve your chances of finding a great business school and getting in! Topics Introduction (0:00) What makes top MBA programs in Asia and Hong Kong different? (4:06) The quality of top Asian MBA programs vs. top US programs (10:30) How important are local language skills for MBA graduates outside the US? (14:10) What questions applicants should ask when researching MBA programs? (18:35) MBA rankings and other signals of quality (24:30) Who should apply to Full-time MBAs, Part-time MBAs and Executive MBAs (EMBA) (28:30) Understanding EMBA Admissions (34:50) Can leadership be taught? The importance of learning agility (38:45) How can MBAs demonstrate leadership skills to employers? (46:40) About Our Guest Steven DeKrey is Senior Advisor and Professor Emeritus at HKUST Business School. He has over 40 years of experience in building and running top-ranked MBA programs worldwide, including at Northwestern Kellogg, the University of Florida, Asian Institute of Management, and HKUST, where he was Founding Director of the Kellogg-HKUST EMBA program. He served on the EQUIS accreditation board and AACSB's Asia-Pacific board, and today, teaches graduate students and executive training programs in leadership, corporate governance and board member development. Steven has written over 15 cases for the Thompson Case Center, 9 of which have been published by Harvard Business School Publishing. Before starting his career in business education, Steven worked as a School & Sports Psychologist in Iowa. He got his PhD in School & Sports Psychology from the University of Iowa and his MBA from Northwestern Kellogg. Show Notes MBA Application Resources /episode/index/show/touchmba/id/32509622

#223 How to 3x Your Chances to Top 10 MBA Programs with Melody Jones, Vantage Point MBA 06/19/2024

#222 Mid-Career MBA Alternatives with Richard Campbell (HBS Program for Leadership Development, LBS Sloan Masters in Leadership & Strategy, 500 Global Accelerator) 05/27/2024

#222 Mid-Career MBA Alternatives with Richard Campbell (HBS Program for Leadership Development, LBS Sloan Masters in Leadership & Strategy, 500 Global Accelerator) What should you do if you have 10+ years of working experience but are looking for an MBA-type experience to build your skills and network? Richard Campbell, Founder and CEO of 10Adventures, joins the show to discuss his experience with three mid-career MBA alternatives: Harvard Business School's Program for Leadership Development (HBS PLD), London Business School's Sloan Masters in Leadership and Strategy (LBS Sloan Masters), and 500 Global's Accelerator program. Listen on to learn more about the learning experience, alumni networks and benefits of attending each of these programs! Topics Introduction (0:00) Richard's career arc before business school (4:40) Harvard Business School Program for Leadership Development (8:40) The London Business School Sloan Masters in Leadership and Strategy (22:45) 10 Adventures and the 500 Global Accelerator Program (48:00) Richard' advice for entrepreneurs considering mid-career MBA alternatives (59:00) About Our Guest Richard Campbell is Founder and CEO of 10Adventures, which helps people book personalized, active vacations worldwide. Before 10Adventures, Richard worked as COO of Vista Projects, an industrial engineering firm that helps clients navigate the digital transformation of their operations. Richard got his Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Calgary; after ten years growing Vista Projects, he took Harvard Business School's Program for Leadership Development and then completed London Business School's Sloan Masters in Leadership and Strategy. In 2023, he joined 500 Global's Accelerator program in Calgary, where he currently resides. Richard also hosts the 10Adventures Podcast and serves on the Board of Directors for The Alpine Club of Canada. Show Notes Get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: Learn proven strategies to get into top-ranked MBA programs and optimize every part of your application through Touch MBA's Admissions Edge Course. See resumes, essays and case-studies of admitted MBAs. Save thousands of dollars on consulting fees: /episode/index/show/touchmba/id/31482382

#221 Excellent Advice for Living (and MBA Applications!) 04/16/2024

#220 GLOBIS MBA Program & Admissions Interview with Tomoya Nakamura - "Find Your Kokorozashi" 03/11/2024

#220 GLOBIS MBA Program & Admissions Interview with Tomoya Nakamura - "Find Your Kokorozashi" Sometimes, it's hard to differentiate MBA programs. That is not the case with GLOBIS University, Japan's number 1 MBA, which prizes entrepreneurial skills, societal impact, and helping its students find their kokorozashi (personal mission). Professor Tomoya Nakamura, President of GLOBIS USA, discusses what makes the GLOBIS MBA unique, the school's admissions process, career opportunities and more. Started by Harvard Business School MBA graduate and entrepreneur Yoshito Hori in 1992 as a single marketing course in Tokyo, GLOBIS has grown to become Japan's largest MBA program, consulting with 60-70% of public Japanese companies with learning hubs in 5 countries. Listen on to learn what makes getting an MBA at GLOBIS - and in Tokyo - unique. Topics Introduction to GLOBIS and Tomoya Nakamura (0:00) Program Highlights - What Makes the GLOBIS MBA Unique? (6:30) GLOBIS MBA Admissions & Scholarships - How to Improve Your Chances? (33:30) Career Opportunities after GLOBIS - What to Know & How to Prepare (55:00) About Our Guest Tomoya Nakamura is President of GLOBIS USA. Tomoya started his professional career at Marubeni Corporation, reorganized an investment company at Advantage Partners (a buyout VC firm), and was the Senior Managing Director of Sun-Life Corporation. He served as Dean of the English MBA Programs at GLOBIS University while also starting the GLOBIS global training business and continues to serve as the main facilitator for various corporate clients. He primarily lectures on leadership, kokorozashi, and globalization. Tomoya graduated from the Hitotsubashi University with a Bachelors in Social Studies before getting his MBA from Harvard Business School. Show Notes , March 12, 2024 (6:30pm-7:30pm PST) Touch MBA's Summary of the GLOBIS Full-time MBA: Get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: /episode/index/show/touchmba/id/30315743

#219 From Military to MBA, Consultant & More with Beau Gresham, NYU Stern MBA '20 - "Find Your Champions" 02/20/2024

#218 Lessons from Listeners (Vol. 2): Drawing a Roadmap for Admissions, Prioritizing Conversations, Prematurely Applying, Being Strategic Yet Flexible 01/29/2024

#217 Lessons from Listeners (Vol. 1): Working for Unknown Companies, Determining Best-Fit Schools, Dealing with Dings 01/20/2024

#216 The GMAT Focus Episode (GRE, too) 12/21/2023

#215 Frankfurt School of Finance & Management MBA Program & Admissions Interview with Dr. Adrian Buss 10/17/2023

#214 Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) MBA Program & Admissions Interview with Prof. Wan Wongsunwai 10/12/2023

#213 Duke University Fuqua MBA Program & Admissions Interview with Shari Hubert 10/04/2023

#212 Georgia Tech Scheller MBA Program & Admissions Interview with Jonathan Clarke 08/28/2023

#211 Vanderbilt MBA Program & Admissions Interview with Sue Oldham 07/10/2023

#210 Georgetown MBA Program & Admissions Interview with Shelly Heinrich 06/28/2023

#209 How Wharton Reviews MBA Applicants & More with Thomas Caleel, Former Head of MBA Admissions for Wharton 06/19/2023

#208 Undercover MBA Subrankings 05/31/2023

#207 NUS MBA Program & Admissions Interview with Wedad Sunny 05/23/2023

#206 Strategies for Optimal MBA Student Loans with Nikhil Agarwal from Juno 04/24/2023

#205 ESMT Berlin MBA Program & Admissions Interview with Rebecca Loades 03/20/2023

#204 IESE MBA Program & Admissions Interview with Paula Amorim 03/13/2023

#203 What Are Your Game-Changing Differentiators? with Paul Bodine from Admitify 03/02/2023

#203 What Are Your Game-Changing Differentiators? with Paul Bodine from Admitify Paul Bodine, one of the world's most experienced admissions consultants and president of Admitify, shares how he helps clients with seemingly par-for-the-course profiles discover their game-changing assets. How does Paul help his clients dig deep to unearth their most remarkable stories? How does he advise his clients to present these stories? If you feel like your profile is nothing special, you are most likely mistaken - even the most common profiles have parts which are uncommon. Sixty percent of Admitify's MBA clients gain admission or interview invitations at Stanford, Wharton and Harvard, and Admitify's clients win over $2M in scholarships each year. Listen on to learn Paul's process for identifying your game-changing differentiators. About Paul Admitify’s president, Paul Bodine, is among the world’s most experienced admissions consultants. A graduate of University of Chicago and Johns Hopkins University, Paul is the author of 6 books on admissions including the best-selling Great Applications for Business School, Perfect Phrases for Business School Acceptance, and Perfect Phrases for Letters of Recommendation (McGraw-Hill). Paul was recognized in Poets & Quants Admissions Coach Hall of Fame in 2021 for his 5 consecutive years on the Best Consultant list. He was one of only three consultants who made every single ranking since the inaugural list of the Top 10 in 2017. He is also ranked as a Top 10 Consultant With The Most Positive Client Reviews Over Time. Paul’s Admitify team has over 140 years of collective admissions consulting experience with more than 2,000 admitted clients. Paul has been quoted in such publications as the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, Money magazine, U.S. News & World Report, and Poets & Quants, Topics Introducing Paul Bodine & Admitify (0:00) Finding Your Game-Changing Assets (4:30) Which Differentiators Should You Present? (11:35) Case-Studies of Digging Deeper to Find Unusual and Remarkable Stories (17:20) Presenting Your Remarkable Stories in Essays (23:05) Learn More About Paul Bodine & Admitify - Mention TOUCH MBA to get $300 off First-school package, and then $250 off each additional school for multiple school packages OR $100 off 5-hour packages and $150 off 10-hour packages Episode write-up and links: Get free, personalized school selection help at Touch MBA: /episode/index/show/touchmba/id/26101437

#202 Inside the National University of Singapore (NUS) MBA with Tilla Caveng, NUS MBA '24 02/16/2023

#201 Rotterdam School of Management (RSM) MBA Program & Admissions Interview with Jochem Kroezen and Maria Tsachli 02/05/2023

#200 The 3S’s of Scintillating Storytelling 01/23/2023

The Touch MBA Admissions Podcast

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