The Touch MBA Admissions Podcast

Job hoppers, this episode is for you! Darren shares three strategies you can use to mitigate your track record of job hopping. How can you present this as an asset to your target MBA programs?

Episode summary, show notes and more at: https://touchmba.com/mba-positioning-strategies-for-job-hoppers

Gilbert Chua, Deputy Director of Marketing, Recruitment & Admissions at Nanyang Business School, discusses what makes the Nanyang MBA unique, the school’s admissions process, career opportunities and more.

Program Highlights (2:30) | Admissions (11:50) | Scholarships (31:45) | Careers (34:20)

About Our Guest

Gilbert Chua is the Deputy Director of Marketing, Recruitment & Admissions at Nanyang Business School. Gilbert previously served as Head of Recruitment & Admissions for Singapore Management University's Postgraduate Programmes, where he also got his EMBA.

What is unique about the Nanyang MBA? What are its key advantages?

• 1-year program includes 9 core courses + 4 electives + 1 leadership module + 1 business study mission + 1 strategy project, with option to add a summer / fall exchange or get Double Masters with Waseda (Japan), St. Gallen (Switzerland) or Essec (France)
• Offers 5 concentrations in Banking & Finance, Strategy & Innovation, General Management, Marketing Management, Human Capital Management, and Strategy Projects
• Admissions looking for academic capacity, those with "T-shaped" leadership potential, ability to contribute in classroom, and cultural adaptability
• The Nanyang MBA was ranked the 35th worldwide by Financial Times (2020) and 73rd worldwide by the Economist (2019), and Nanyang Technological University was ranked 48th Worldwide in the Times Higher Education's World University Rankings (2020)

Episode summary, show notes and more at: https://touchmba.com/nanyang-mba-program-admissions-interview-gilbert-chua

James Kent, Marketing Manager for the MBA Admissions & Marketing Team at China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), discusses what makes the CEIBS MBA unique, the school’s admissions process, career opportunities and more.

Program Highlights (3:00) | Admissions (23:40) | Scholarships & Covid-19 (39:40) | Careers (49:30)

About Our Guest

James Kent is the Marketing Manager for the MBA Admissions & Marketing Team at CEIBS. James got his Bachelors in Chinese and Management from Sheffield University and has worked in recruitment and marketing for 10 years.

What is unique about the CEIBS MBA? What are its key advantages?

• China's top-ranked MBA lasts 18 months and focuses on "China Depth, Global Breadth"
• CEIBS was co-founded in 1994 by the Chinese Government and the European Union, and has campuses in Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Accra and Zurich
• CEIBS is looking for proactive candidates with a pioneering spirit
• Mentoring program matches each MBA student with a CEIBS EMBA alumni
• CEIBS 70 faculty members are 1/3 from China, 1/3 from the US and 1/3 from Europe, many of whom consult for MNCs and Chinese Companies in China
• CEIBS has three coordinated degrees options as well: CEIBS-Fletcher (Law & Diplomacy), CEIBS-Cornell (Hospitality), CEIBS-Johns Hopkins (Public Health)
• The CEIBS MBA was ranked the 5th worldwide by Financial Times (2020)

Episode summary, show notes and more at: https://touchmba.com/ceibs-mba-program-admissions-interview-james-kent

This episode is from my new podcast, ASE, which explores making a living and life as a solopreneur. I bring on artists, social entrepreneurs, and solo founders to explore the self-employed, creative life and how to do your best work.

A number of my salsa friends in their 20s and 30s have found it helpful, so I thought I'd share it with you too. ASE showcases a different, more personal side to me (with some cursing, so be warned!).

And for those of you who are looking for more MBA admissions content, don't worry, I have plenty more MBA episodes coming your way - including more interviews with MBA Admissions Directors - so stay tuned.

Live the Questions

A month ago my salsa friends and I shared our personal challenges over smoothies. Most revolved around feeling more whole and complete with ourselves and our lives. I've thought about that conversation for weeks.

Here is my unsolicited advice to friends in their 20s searching for purpose, work, home and satisfaction. More than anything, this episode is a reminder to myself to love and live the questions - cause they never go away.

Questions

• Satisfaction (6:20)
• Home (9:35)
• Work (13:30)
• Purpose (17:10)

Subscribe to the ASE Podcast

Email / Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Stitcher / Google Podcasts / YouTube

• ASE #18: Live the Questions 
• Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging (Sebastian Junger)
• The Nuclear Family Was a Mistake (David Brooks)
• The Labyrinth of Solitude (Octavio Paz)
• Man’s Search for Meaning (Victor E. Frankl)
• Xiu Yang: The Ancient Chinese Art of Self-Cultivation for a Healthier, Happier, More Balanced Life (Mimi Kuo Deemer)

How did Henry Nguyen, who graduated from Kellogg 20 years ago, launch Vietnam’s first technology venture capital fund, Vietnam’s first professional basketball team, and Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC), a Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise?

Henry recounts his journey from travel writer to MD to MBA to Wall Street and then back to Vietnam, where he has built a career as an entrepreneur and venture capitalist.

Henry also gives a behind a scenes look into putting together a winning bid for LAFC, building a 22,000 capacity outdoor arena in downtown Los Angeles, and growing a raving fanbase before LAFC’s first game in 2018. Henry shares what he gained from his Kellogg MBA, as well as his advice to young professionals and entrepreneurs considering business school.

"Being an entrepreneur is sometimes just saying 'Why Not?'"

- Henry Nguyen

Questions

• Introducing Henry Nguyen (0:00)
• Henry’s unanticipated MBA and business career (6:30)
• Henry’s heads to Wall Street (11:00)
• The travel writing experience that changed Henry’s life (14:45)
• Henry’s journey back to Vietnam (21:15)
• Starting IDG Ventures Vietnam – “My life is a serendipitous series of fortunate circumstances” (26:30)
• From “funny money” to “startup” – the growth of entrepreneurship in Vietnam (30:30)
• Breaking into venture capital (34:10)
• Henry’s thoughts on the value of a MBA for career changers vs. entrepreneurs, and what he learned from Kellogg (39:30)
• Henry’s foray into the business of sports, and starting amateur and professional sports leagues in Vietnam (49:30)
• Behind the scenes of Henry’s winning bid for LAFC (1:01:27)
• Growing LAFC’s fanbase – “the 3252” – in a city with 11 sports franchises (1:15:10)
• Opportunities for MBAs in sports (1:17:35)
• How Henry manages his businesses and engagements (1:25:20)
• Henry’s last advice to MBA applicants and students (1:29:40)

About Henry

Henry Nguyen is the Chairman of Phoenix Holdings, an investment company with operations in consumer, media, retail, food & beverage, and financial services sectors, and Managing General Partner of IDG Ventures Vietnam. He is the Developmental Licensee of McDonalds Vietnam and Chairman of XLE Group, which develops sports at the professional, collegiate and grass roots level in Vietnam. He is also Founding Owner of Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) and one of the Founding Trustees at Fulbright University Vietnam.

After majoring in classics at Harvard University, Henry earned his MD and MBA from Northwestern University Medical School and the Kellogg School of Management.

Episode summary, show notes and more at: https://touchmba.com/mba-careers-vietnam-venture-capital-sports-lafc-henry-nguyen

Why did a Colombian civil engineer choose to do his MBA in Israel?

Manuel Fajardo shares his journey to the Tel Aviv University’s Sofaer Global MBA, and how the program’s focus on new venture creation has helped him pursue his business idea.

About Manuel

Manuel Fajardo will graduate from the Sofaer Global MBA this Fall. Before getting his MBA, Manuel worked as General Manager of EDS LA PAZ, and as COO and Chief Engineer at Agregados el Rodeo in Colombia. Manuel got his degree in Civil Engineering from Universidad de Los Andes.

Questions

• Introducing Manuel Fajardo (0:00)
• Why Manuel decided to study in Israel (3:38)
• Is Israel safe? (10:18)
• Attending a young MBA program (12:10)
• Tel Aviv University’s ties to the start-up ecosystem (13:55)
• Manuel’s business idea (17:45)
• Sofaer’s entrepreneurial curriculum, competition and opportunities (19:00)
• What Manuel found surprising about studying in Israel (24:05)
• Being in a small MBA class with less than 40 students (27:20)
• Working in Israel post-MBA (30:25)
• Manuel’s post-MBA career plan (31:50)
• Manuel’s biggest takeaways from the MBA (32:45)
• Is it tough to get a job in Israel as a foreigner? (35:20)

Episode summary, show notes and more at: 

https://touchmba.com/sofaer-global-mba-manuel-fajardo

Darren invites Dirk Hopfl from IE Business School to share how Covid-19 has affected its MBA program and IE's plan moving forward. IE, based in Spain, is one of Europe's leading business schools with one of world's most international MBA programs, regularly admitting 90% of its students from 75 countries outside Spain. Its response offers one possibility for how MBAs will evolve to meet student needs during a pandemic.

About Dirk

Dirk Hopfl is Regional Director South East Asia for IE Business School. Dirk got his MBA in 1999 from IE and has over 20 years of leadership experience in international management education.

Episode summary, show notes and more at: https://touchmba.com/how-is-covid-19-impacting-b-schools-dirk-hopfl-shares-ie-business-schools-response/

Tawan (Tina) Suvapatrachai shares her MBA journey from Bangkok to Virginia Darden and then back to Thailand to do strategy for Samsung. Like many international applicants, Tina didn't have the chance to visit her four target US business schools. How did she research schools and find her best fit? Why did she choose Darden and what did she take from her Darden MBA experience?

Questions

• Tina's background (3:40)
• Tina's school research and application tips (5:00)
• How the MBA did not give Tina more career clarity, but rather a powerful career platform (11:30)
• Common problems Tina sees from international MBA applicants (17:00)
• Tina's Darden experience (24:40)
• Blending in as an international student (34:20)
• How to make the most of the MBA experience (36:30)
• The importance of the on-campus experience (39:00)
• Tina's internship and job search (42:05)
• Tina's big takeaways from her Darden experience (48:55)

About Tina

Tawan (Tina) Suvapatrachai works as a Channel Strategy Lead at Samsung in Bangkok, Thailand. Before getting her MBA Tina worked as an Account Manager at Proctor & Gamble. Tina got into Cambridge Judge, UCLA Anderson and NYU Stern, but chose to attend Virginia Darden, where she graduated in 2018. Tina got her B.S in Chemical Engineering from Penn State University

Episode summary, show notes and more at:

https://touchmba.com/inside-the-virginia-darden-mba-tawan-tina-suvapatrachai

As a UX Designer and mother in Kansas City with no MBA network, Graciela Brewer wasn't sure if she "had a sliver of a chance" at her targets: HBS, MIT Sloan, NYU Stern and Cornell Tech. Four months later, she got into all four programs. In this episode, Grace shares how she shortlisted schools, submitted her strongest resume, essays, and recommendations, and stayed sane during a stressful application process.

Questions

• How Covid-19 is affecting Grace's HBS plans (5:24)
• How family and motherhood factored into Grace's school choices (7:57)
• Grace's educational and work background (13:10)
• Grace's post-MBA career goals (16:38)
• How Grace shortlisted schools (18:33)
• Why Grace focused her school research process on student clubs (21:25)
• Grace's most helpful resources: Touch MBA, Poets & Quants, Applicant Lab (24:14)
• Grace's resume tips and extracurriculars (31:50)
• How Grace answered the HBS essay (37:00)
• Grace's HBS interview & post-interview reflection (44:15)
• How Grace handled MIT Sloan's cover letter & 1-minute video (48:54)
• Cornell Tech's case study interview (58:15)
• How Grace selected and prepare her recommenders (1:01:15)
• Grace's tips for dealing with a stressful application process (1:05:09)
• Grace's UX suggestions for MBA applications (1:17:55)

About Graciela (Grace)

Grace Brewer works as a Senior UX Designer at Netsmart, which designs and delivers electronic health records. Grace got into Harvard Business School, MIT Sloan, NYU Stern, and Cornell Tech, and will pursue her MBA at HBS. Grace got her B.S in Information Science from Missouri University of Science & Technology.

Episode summary, show notes and more at: https://touchmba.com/how-i-got-into-harvard-business-school-graciela-brewer/

Dr. Gleb Tsipursky has dedicated his professional life to helping others overcome cognitive biases and make better decisions. In this episode, Darren and Dr. Gleb discuss ways MBA applicants can make better decisions when it comes to business school and their careers.

Questions

• Why Dr. Gleb has dedicated two decades of his life to overcoming cognitive biases with decision making (3:00)
• Autopilot vs. Intentional decision making (7:45)
• When our gut serves us in career decisions (14:30)
• Best practices for overcoming our cognitive biases (20:48)
• Common biases when making career decisions (27:17)
• How important are rankings? (33:33)
• Five questions to avoid decision disasters (37:07)
• Navigating emotions and decision making (43:48)

About Our Guest

Dr. Gleb Tsipursky is on a mission to protect leaders from dangerous judgment errors known as cognitive biases by developing the most effective decision making strategies. He has over two decades of consulting, coaching, and training experience as CEO of Disaster Avoidance Experts, and over 15 years of experience in academia as a cognitive neuroscientist and behavioral economist. Dr. Tsipursky has been featured in Inc. Magazine, Time, Scientific American, Fast Company, and Psychology Today. His new book is called Never Go with Your Gut: How How Pioneering Leaders Make the Best Decisions and Avoid Business Disasters.

Dr. Gleb earned his PhD in the History of Behavioral Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2011.

Episode summary, show notes and more at: https://touchmba.com/dont-trust-your-gut-career-decisions-dr-gleb-tsipursky/‎