Not every strong MBA profile looks the same.

In this episode of the MBA Golden Buzzer Podcast, I’m joined by Nina Berenger, a Chicago Booth MBA, to unpack what actually defines a strong Booth candidate, beyond test scores, titles, and traditional paths.

We talk about Nina’s background before the MBA, why Chicago Booth stood out in her decision process, and how non-traditional profiles can become a real advantage when positioned with clarity and intention. Nina also shares what it’s like to experience Booth as both a student and a partner, how recruiting works outside the “typical” MBA lanes, and how Booth’s flexible curriculum shapes very different outcomes for different students.

What is it really like to experience the Berkeley Haas MBA?

In this episode of the MBA Golden Buzzer Podcast, I’m joined by Rebeca Sousa, a former client and Berkeley Haas MBA graduate, for an honest conversation about choosing Haas, navigating its values-driven culture, and facing the pressure that many students aren’t prepared for.

Rebeca shares why Haas stood out during her application journey, how the school’s defining leadership principles show up in daily life, and what it feels like to truly belong in a values-aligned MBA community. We also dive into a topic rarely discussed openly: burnout in business school. From anxiety and overcommitment to the moment she realized something wasn’t right, Rebeca walks us through her experience with clarity and vulnerability.

What does it take to walk away from a successful medical career and build a mission-driven startup instead?

In this episode of the MBA Golden Buzzer Podcast, Rene Caissie shares his journey from practicing surgeon to entrepreneur and founder, and the pivotal moments that pushed him to rethink what impact, fulfillment, and leadership really mean. René opens up about leaving clinical practice, choosing to pursue an MBA, and how his personal experiences shaped the company he later built.

We talk about the hidden challenges of career pivots, what most students misunderstand about building meaningful careers, and how to use an MBA not just as a credential but as a platform for long-term impact.

What does it look like to navigate the MBA journey side by side with your partner?

In Part 2 of my conversation with Valentina and Arthur, we dive deep into their experience as an MBA couple, from early expectations to the unexpected challenges, biggest growth moments, and what they learned about balancing love, independence, and ambition during business school. Their story is honest, insightful, and full of lessons for anyone considering the MBA together with a partner.

In this episode, Valentina Tasende and Arthur Libanio share their experience navigating life, academics, and culture at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management as international students. From managing the first-year intensity and the ACE program to finding community through KWEST, this conversation offers a true inside look at what makes Kellogg unique.

Julian Gerhart joins me to share his journey from founding a mission-driven education startup in Slovakia to earning the Skoll Scholarship and pursuing the Oxford MBA, and how the program reshaped his thinking as a social entrepreneur. We discuss what drew him to Oxford, how the MBA sharpened his leadership and communication skills, and the real challenges (and surprises) behind measuring impact and building ventures in high-pressure environments. If you’re curious about social impact pathways, entrepreneurship at Oxford, or the Skoll ecosystem, this episode is a must-listen.

What happens when you walk away from a “dream job” to build a life that feels truly your own? In this episode, Tathiana Machado shares her powerful career pivot from consulting to coaching and women’s empowerment. From her INSEAD MBA to building a new life in Dubai, she reveals the lessons, challenges, and courage it takes to design a career aligned with your values.

What’s it really like to be a Latin American MBA student at Cornell Johnson?

In this special panel episode of the MBA Golden Buzzer Podcast, I sit down with João Fantacini (Brazil), Katherine Jauregui (Peru), and Mauricio Borja (Colombia) to talk about why they chose Cornell, what makes the Johnson experience unique, and how the program has shaped their careers. From the classroom to campus life in Ithaca, and through the support of the Latin American Business Association (LABA), they share how community, recruiting, and personal growth come together in the MBA journey.

What happens when you and your partner take on an MBA together? In this episode, Claudia Einhorn and Nicolas Kudrna share the highs, lows, and surprising lessons of navigating the Duke Fuqua MBA as a couple. From budgeting and academics to recruitment and personal growth, they reveal how they balanced love, careers, and the pressure of business school and what they’d do differently if they could do it again.

Claudia Einhorn and Nicolas Kudrna share their unfiltered Duke Fuqua MBA experience: from choosing Fuqua to navigating Team Fuqua culture, academics, and life in Durham. Hear what surprised them most, how the program shaped their careers, and why the Fuqua community is unlike any other.