Case Interview Preparation & Management Consulting | Strategy | Critical Thinking

For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classic where we discuss four classic math mistakes in cases. Candidates mess up calculations for 4 primary reasons: missing units, complicated equations, weak visual layout and poor technique. Notice that we ignore speed and arithmetic. There is a reason for that and it is discussed in the podcast. The most surprising one of the lot is missing units. We have trained PhDs who graduated first in their schools and many tend to drop units thereby producing meaningless answers. These are all simple mistakes but the impact is substantial. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, we interviewed the author of Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life, Luke Burgis. Why do we want what we want? This topic is rarely presented in conversations, business meetings, or political agendas, but it has a comprehensive impact on our lives and shapes our societies. This episode explores the psychology behind human desires, role modeling, competition, and the awareness of intentional wanting. Luke Burgis has founded and led multiple companies. He’s currently entrepreneur-in-residence and director of programs at the Ciocca Center for Principled Entrepreneurship at the Catholic University of America, where he also teaches business and develops new education initiatives. He's also the founder and director of Fourth Wall Ventures, an incubator for people and companies that contribute to the formation of a healthy human ecology. He graduated from NYU Stern School of Business and later from a pontifical university in Rome, where he studied theology. He lives in Washington, D.

For this episode, we interviewed Jenn Lim, the CEO of Delivering Happiness, also known as DH. In this episode, Jenn speaks about her journey of discovering and understanding the meaning of happiness and purpose. What is the source of genuine happiness and how does it impact your work and career? Delivering Happiness, also known as DH is a company that Jenn Lim and Tony Hsieh, the late CEO of Zappos.com, cofounded to create happier company cultures for a more profitable and sustainable approach to business. DH started as a book and evolved into a business consultancy and global movement that has impacted and inspired over 400 companies around the world. Jenn’s mission is something both simple and profound: to teach businesses how to cultivate cultures that generate profit, sustain all people at every level of the organization with humanity, and share how we can make an impact by being true to our authentic selves. In 2017, Jenn was selected to be on the Global Happiness Council of Work and Wellbeing with the c

For this episode, we interviewed the author of Sales Management That Works: How to Sell in a World that Never Stops Changing, Frank Cespedes. How do you manage sales in a world that never stops changing? In this episode, Frank shares valuable insights to equip sales professionals and business leaders in managing sales within their organization and how to better improve and develop themselves while managing constant change. Frank Cespedes is a sales expert and Senior Lecturer at Harvard Business School. He runs a business, has served on the boards of corporations and start-ups, and has consulted to companies around the world. He is the author of articles in Harvard Business Review, California Management Review, Organization Science, The Wall Street Journal, and other publications as well as 6 books, including Aligning Strategy and Sales, which was cited as "the best sales book of the year" (Strategy+Business), "a must read" (Gartner), and "perhaps the best sales book ever" (Forbes). Get Frank’s book here: Sale

For this episode, we interview the coauthor of The Power of Trust, Sandra Sucher. In this book, Sandra Sucher and Shalene Gupta examine the economic impact of trust and the science behind it and conclusively prove that trust is built from the inside out. Trust emerges from a company being the “real deal”: creating products and services that work, having good intentions, treating people fairly, and taking responsibility for all the impacts an organization creates, whether intended or not. Sandra Sucher is a professor of management practice at Harvard Business School and studies trust and moral leadership. She’s authored 110 business cases, technical notes, video interviews, teaching notes, and three books. Sucher is on the Edelman Trust Institute advisory board and has collaborated with Deloitte on TrustIQ™, a proprietary tool that measures key elements of trust in major corporations and public sector organizations. Sucher was a business executive for 20 years before joining Harvard. As a senior executive at F

For this episode we interviewed one of Wall Street’s legendary tech analysts, Mark Mahaney.  In this episode, Mark discusses ten lessons that are proven to help investors succeed in tech stock investing. He shares powerful advice and knowledge from analyzing the most explosive sector on Wall Street over the past quarter century.  Lesson 1: There Will Be Blood… When You Pick Bad Stocks Lesson 2: You Can Lose $...Even When You Pick The Best Stocks Lesson 3: Don’t Play Quarters Lesson 4: Revenue Matters More Than Anything Lesson 5: It Doesn’t Mean a Thing, If It Ain't Got That Product Swing Lesson 6: TAMs - The Bigger The Better Lesson 7: Follow the Value Prop, Not the Money Lesson 8: Management Matters Most Lesson 9: Look for Ballpark Reasonable Valuation Lesson 10: Hunt for DHQs - Dislocated High-Quality Stocks Mark Mahaney has been covering internet stocks on Wall Street since 1998, with Morgan Stanley, American Technology Research, Citibank, RBC Capital Markets, and Evercore ISI. Institutional Investor magaz

Welcome to an episode with the author of Digital Transformation Payday, Tim Bottke. Why do companies embark on digital transformation? Is it because they need it? Or is it because it’s the trend? In this episode, we deep dived into the world of digital transformation. We discussed the common mistakes companies make when pursuing digital transformation and the rationale that CEOs and leaders must have to succeed in this endeavor. Tim Bottke is a senior Strategy Partner at Monitor Deloitte and an Associate Professor for Strategy and Digital Transformation at SDA Bocconi, a Financial Times, Forbes, and Bloomberg Businessweek top five European business school. He has more than 22 years of top management consulting and digital transformation experience from two global strategy boutiques and Deloitte, working with clients in more than 20 countries. Digital Transformation Payday: Navigate the Hype, Lower the Risks, Increase Return on Investments. Tim Bottke Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced train

For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classics where we interviewed Suneel Gupta, the author of the international bestselling book Backable (2020). This book is rooted in his inner journey from twice-failed entrepreneur to becoming a leader behind two IPOs and being named “The New Face of Innovation” by the New York Stock Exchange. The book reveals the mindset shifts and hidden habits of people who are extraordinary at pushing new ideas forward. It shows how the key to success is not charisma, connections, or even your résumé, but rather your ability to persuade others to take a chance on you. As the founding CEO of RISE, a breakthrough wellness company, Suneel helped thousands of people establish a way to personalize their physical and mental health journey while connecting with certified nutritionists and trainers at an affordable price. The company was named “App of the Year” and partnered with then first-Lady Michelle Obama before being acquired by the NASDAQ-listed

For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classics where we interviewed the former Amazon Digital Media VP, Bill Carr. Bill is the coauthor of Working Backwards: Insights, Stories, and Secrets from Inside Amazon, an insider's breakdown of Amazon's approach to culture, leadership, and best practices from two long-time, top-level Amazon executives.  Bill Carr joined Amazon in 1999 and spent more than 15 years with the company. As the former Vice President of Digital Media, Bill launched and managed the company's global digital music and video businesses, including Amazon Music, Prime Video, and Amazon Studios. After Amazon, Bill was an Executive In Residence with Maveron LLC, an early-stage, consumer-only venture capital firm. Bill later served as the Chief Operating Officer of OfferUp, the largest mobile marketplace for local buyers and sellers in the U.S. Today, Bill is the co-founder of Working Backwards LLC where he coaches executives at large and early-stage companies on

Welcome to an episode with the Editor-in-Chief of the Harvard Business Review Group, Adi Ignatius. In this episode with Adi Ignatius, we discussed timeless pieces from the Harvard Business Review, deep-dived into the business ideas and concepts within, and discussed how its perspective on business ideas helps us prepare for the future. Adi shared how HBR’s mission changed from the time it was founded and how it is improving for readers. Adi Ignatius oversees the editorial activities of Harvard Business Review, hbr.org, and HBR’s book-publishing unit. Prior to joining HBR in 2009, Mr. Ignatius was the No. 2 editor at TIME. He is the editor of two books: President Obama: The Path to the White House and Prisoner of the State: The Secret Diaries of Premier Zhao Ziyang. Both made the New York Times Bestseller List. Adi lived and worked overseas for nearly 20 years. He was Editor of Time’s Asian edition and served as Beijing Bureau Chief and Moscow Bureau Chief for the Wall Street Journal. He is also host of the HB

Welcome to an episode with one of America’s most respected and accomplished voices on women as leaders and their relationship with power, Carolyn Buck Luce. Have you ever wondered what the world looks like from someone else’s point of view? We are all born different, with unique perspective, set of skills, talent, and experience, and with this combination, we can write our own story and design a life that is aligned with our purpose and meaning. As Carolyn said, “If you want to live in a way that is worth dying for, you can choose the most epic story for yourself knowing that you already have everything you need to have a life of meaning and purpose. The only question is how you want to invest your time, your trust, your talent, and your treasures.” Carolyn Buck Luce is a sought-after speaker, she was appointed by New York City’s former Mayor Bloomberg to his Commission on Women’s Issues and has co-authored numerous articles in the Harvard Business Review on women’s leadership, as well as diversity and inclus

Welcome to an episode with a leading expert in digital marketing, Dr. Mindy Weinstein. In this episode, Mindy discussed how to leverage the principle of scarcity to influence customer decisions, boost sales, and positively impact your business. She also shared the four types of scarcity: time-related, supply-related, demand-related, and limited edition. In this conversation, Mindy highlighted the importance of using scarcity ethically and developing marketing tactics that align with your product or service that aim not only to sell but to help your audience and customers. Dr. Mindy Weinstein is a leading expert in digital marketing and has been named one of the top women in the industry globally. Founder of the digital marketing firm Market MindShift, she has trained thousands of professionals from organizations of all sizes, including Facebook, The Weather Channel, and World Fuel Services. She has a doctor of philosophy degree in general psychology with an emphasis on technology and is a marketing instructor

For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classic where we discuss why you need case interview structures. Despite the words “framework” and “structure” used so often, most candidates cannot explain what it is and why it is used. Unless you know the latter, you tend to misuse the framework and incorrectly use it in a case. This podcast presents the need for case structures from the viewpoint of the interviewer or engagement partner. It indicates that case structures are not there merely to guide you, but to guide the person guiding you. And if you extend this to its logical conclusion, if the framework is their to guide the interviewer, then communicating your structure and thinking becomes very important. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classic where we discuss about candidates drowning in feedback. They want as much good feedback as possible and speak to as many people as possible thereby receiving lots of detailed and sometimes average feedback on their performance. There are two problems here. First, much of this feedback will likely be contradictory and possibly misleading. Second, the candidate will literally drown in this feedback usually consisting of a 2-page list of improvement areas. We expect our candidates to always prioritize the top 3 issues and tackle them, as explained in this podcast. It is vital to follow this 80/20 principle and ignore the majority which will be of little value overall. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classic where we discuss the disclosure rules on resumes. Candidates sometimes divulge too much confidential details, or too little in interviews, resumes, cover letters and LinkedIn profiles. These are the rules for disclosure. It is important to remember that disclosing confidential information merely indicates to McKinsey that you cannot be trusted with their own client information. Moreover, disclosing information on your resume and hiding it from your LinkedIn merely means you are aware of the ethical breach you are making. It is important to avoid these problems at all costs. From the beginning, be the person that is worthy of a consulting firm. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classic where we discuss how build hypotheses with decision trees. Building hypotheses is very difficult. Most candidates in a McKinsey, BCG et al interview would not know when to build the hypothesis, what comprises the hypothesis, how to test if it is MECE etc. This simple technique is one way to build hypotheses and used on real consulting engagements. It was developed to help candidates prioritize their analyzes and ensure the hypotheses are MECE. When practicing this technique note that the development of the decision tree must be done quickly and cleanly. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classic where we discuss an example of poor case dialogue. Interviewers can only respond to what you say, and poor communication, like in this example, not only wastes time, but is a poor reflection on your candidacy. This is a crucial point to remember. No matter how brilliant you may be, if you cannot communicate that brilliance, and do so in a manner laymen would understand, your intellect counts for little in a case interview since it is all about demonstrated competency. You must demonstrate your competency. Period. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

Welcome to an episode with Dr. Ella F. Washington, the author of The Necessary Journey: Making Real Progress on Equity and Inclusion. How do we build an environment where employees feel safe to be themselves? Who is responsible for creating an organization that values and embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion? And what do we truly need to achieve, sustain, and maintain the workplace utopia that we dreamed of? Dr. Ella F. Washington is an organizational psychologist and DEI expert with a wealth of experience through her involvement as the Founder and CEO of Ellavate Solutions, a Professor of Practice at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business, and the co-host of Gallup's Center of Black Voices Cultural Competence Podcast. Dr. Washington continues to deepen her research pipeline and thought leadership as a Gallup Senior Scientist studying inclusive leadership, strengths and other DEI workplace topics. She has global consulting experience in the human capital space, which has allowed her to impa

For this episode, let's revisit a Case Interview & Management Consulting classic where we discuss how to hold networking conversations Networking calls/coffee chats are tricky. You should not be following the advice found for general recruitment. We insist our clients network with partners so most of the advice we provide is for networking with McKinsey and BCG partners. The reality is that partners are best equipped, and most influential, to assess a unique profile and make a judgement call on the spot. The danger is that if you do not impress the partner, you are very unlikely to go anywhere with further networking. The more atypical your profile, though, the greater the need to network with a partner, and the benefits far outweigh the risks. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

Welcome to an episode with Frank O’Connell, the author of Jump First, Think Fast. In this episode, Frank takes us on his career journey as he successfully explores multiple industries from baked goods to sporting apparel to video games. He shares the lessons he learned and how he built lasting relationships as he worked in different industries. Frank O’Connell is known for his unconventional approach for high performance through his strategic thinking, brand building, breakthrough marketing, and new product ideas. His accomplishments include serving as president of Reebok Brands, president of HBO Video, CEO of Indian Motorcycle, and chairman and CEO of Gibson Greetings, Inc. He spent the first fourteen years of his career developing well-known brands at Arnold Bakery, Mattel, Carnation Company, and Hunt Wesson foods, among other brands in the baking and natural foods industry. O’Connell was a senior partner with The Parthenon Group, a top strategic consulting company for seven years. He also spent sixteen yea