Our 5 Favorite MBA Podcasts Right Now
Clear Admit recently looked into some of the best business school podcasts out today. Take a look at a few of the premiere productions below.
Many business schools and MBA students have recently begun to produce podcasts, discussing the diverse range of student and graduate experiences as well as current trends and relevant topics in business. These podcasts are unique in that they provide a candid, first-person look at business school from those currently enrolled, allowing for an open platform to discuss business topics outside of the confines of the university. While this is a fairly new trend, there are several different podcasts out there for those who might be interested to learn more. We’ve assembled our five favorite MBA podcasts right now, and we’ll keep an eye out for new podcasts to highlight going forward.
Business Beyond Usual, by Ross Business School Students
One very cool MBA podcast on our radar is Business Beyond Usual, produced by students at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. The podcast tackles a variety of issues of interest to both prospective and current business school students. Recent episodes have delved into topics including:
- Is business education a waste of money?
- Do school rankings actually mean anything?
- If you want to make a difference in the world, is working for a consulting firm selling out?
The podcast describes itself as having no rules or moderators, so those looking for an unfiltered opinion on the MBA experience may be interested in what these Michigan students are doing. With more than 20 episodes in the series already, there’s a wealth of material already for this relatively new podcast. Business Beyond Usual is available on iTunes, Stitcher, and Soundcloud.
Why CBS Podcast
Those looking for an Ivy League perspective may be interested in the Why CBS Podcast, a series for Columbia Business School hosted by Fahad Ahmed, a 2017 graduate of the program. Why CBS features interviews with students, faculty, and alumni who speak candidly about their MBA experience at Columbia, as well as the time leading up to the program and their lives and careers after graduation. Why CBS is currently available on the iTunes Store.
Wharton FinTech Podcast
MBA students at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School have been producing their own podcast, FinTech, since 2015, one of the earliest examples of this fairly recent trend. Boasting a back catalog of almost 50 episodes, this prolific podcast focuses specifically on global financial services, featuring diverse perspectives from CEOs, investors, students, and researchers. This “informative and high caliber” podcast is well-liked by its listeners, offering “a great source of insight into the minds of the founders, investors, and leaders in financial technology,” according to one user review.
Berkeley-Haas Podcasts
While they do not produce a serial podcast like many others, UC Berkeley’s Haas School offers a variety of podcasts and webinars on its website, including several produced by the admissions staff that provide a wealth of information for prospective applicants. There’s a series on financing your MBA, another series of webinars featuring current students discussing the school’s various areas of emphasis, and a third three-part series by Stephanie Fujii, the former executive director of the full-time MBA program, focusing specifically on what the school looks for in its applicants and how best to prepare for your application process.
There’s also a Humans of Haas Podcast produced by students in the full-time MBA program, though most seem to have graduated last year and it’s unclear whether anyone has taken up the reins to continue the podcast going forward. But there are four episodes available on Soundcloud that are worth checking out if you want to get a feel for the school’s students and culture. Each episode focuses on a specific theme and their titles include “Love at Haas,” “Vets at Haas,” “The Politics of Hair,” and “But Where Are You Really From?”
University of Chicago Booth School of Business Podcast
Also of note is the Chicago Booth Podcast Series. This production interviews a variety of CEOs, faculty, and other experienced professionals on a wide array of topics related to current and historical trends in business and finance. Selected archived episodes are available to stream for free on the school website and include diverse topics such as gender and the pay gap, interviews with important historical figures in business, and research on fiscal and monetary legal policy.
These are just a few examples of the many podcasts out there being produced by students and graduates as well as more officially by the schools themselves. These types of podcasts offer a fresh alternative to the often noisy, polluted world of online business commentary and there’s likely a podcast out there devoted to almost any topic that a prospective or current MBA might be interested in learning about.
Lehigh Online MBA Ranked Among the Best in the U.S.
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Lehigh’s College of Business and Economics was ranked on Poets&Quants’ recently debuted 2018 ranking of the best Online MBA programs. Inside the top 10, Lehigh earns the No. 6 spot among the best business schools in the U.S.
For Poets&Quants’ first ranking of online MBA programs, it based its rankings on three core dimensions: the quality of the incoming student, an assessment by graduates of the MBA experience, both the academic and the extracurricular activities, and the career outcomes of the programs’ graduates.
The data was gathered from both school and alumni surveys that included questions on statistics and a wide range of topics regarding whether the program met alumni expectations and if alumni would recommend the program.
The nationally ranked Flex MBA Program provides the flexibility to fit students’ professional and personal needs in an academically rigorous environment and an unparalleled peer group. Students can attend any given class in person or live online. It’s the ultimate hybrid learning environment.
To learn more about the Lehigh University College of Business and Economics Flex MBA program, visit https://cbe.lehigh.edu/academics/graduate/flex-mba.
How Quickly Can You Earn an MBA in New York City?
The time of the two-year MBA is coming to an end. Now, many top schools offer accelerated MBA programs that can be completed in as little as 12 months—with one school offering a nine-month MBA program designed just for business school graduates. So where you can find the fastest MBA degrees in NYC?
For most of these one-year NYC business school programs, the MBA curriculum and experience is similar to that of the traditional two-year MBA but condensed into a more intense 12-month format. These are the ideal programs for business professionals who do not have the time to take off two years of work but want the full MBA experience. Continue reading…
Toronto News: Ivey Students Come to the UN, and More
Let’s visit some of the biggest news coming out of Toronto business schools this week.
François Neville Unpacks Why Some Minority Groups Won’t Seek Business Loans – DeGroote Communications Department
François Neville, Assistant Professor of Strategic Management at the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University, recently investigated whether certain minority entrepreneurs become discouraged when it comes to entrepreneurial activities such as seeking capital. Neville’s has published a study in the Journal of Management Studies breaks down how years of mistreatment have led to many minority business owners not wanting to begin the process of seeking a loan.
“There is a fairly established body of research offering compelling evidence that minorities are subject to inequality in the workplace and entrepreneurship, despite numerous policy initiatives to curb this,” Neville told the school.
You can read more about Neville and the study here.
Ivey Students Participating in UN Conference – News@Ivey
Two Ivey Business School students were given the special opportunity to take part in a United Nations (UN) conference earlier this month. Emma Hogeterp, HBA/Huron Global Studies ’19; and Sanket Mehta, MBA ’18 , participating in the 2018 Winter Youth Assembly at the United Nations headquarters in New York City from Feb. 14-16.
“The purpose of the conference is to not only discuss ideas, but also how they can be applicable in your country,” said Mehta. “What works in one country might not work in another because every country has a different set of economic indicators, such as life expectancy, income levels, and population.”
Ivey Business School students Emma Hogeterp and Sanket Mehta / Photo via ivey.uwo.ca
Learn more about the Youth Assembly and the Ivey students attending the summit here.
Student Trading Competition Celebrates its 15th Anniversary at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management – Rotman Media Centre
The Rotman School of Management is hosting the 15th annual Rotman International Trading Competition (RITC) from February 22 to 24 in the Rotman School’s BMO Financial Group Finance Research and Trading Lab. Teams from 52 different universities spanning the globe will participate in various activities including electronic and outcry trading cases, seminars with industry practitioners, and social events with their fellow competitors.
“Given the challenge associated with each competition case, participants build models to apply theory, process information to separate the signal from the noise, quantify uncertainty and manage risks. Teams who combine those skills with good decision making do the best over the weekend.” Prof. Tom McCurdy, the Bonham Chair in Finance and academic director of the lab and the competition, said.
You can read more about RITC here.
The Differences Between a Full-Time MBA in New York City and Toronto – MetroMBA
We stack up the best of the best when it comes to NYC and Toronto MBA programs, and where each city stands out. Not surprisingly, Toronto MBAs are more affordable, and the cost of living in the city is infinitely more reasonable, but NYC programs have more prestige and potential financial reward.
Even for those who do not pay extra for room and board, expenses for U.S. residents studying at many NYC business schools will be higher than their neighbors to the north. According to Numbeo, the cost of living in Toronto is 24 percent less than the cost of living in New York City, and rent is nearly 40 percent less.
However, the value of the individual school tends to favor New York City programs over its Toronto counterparts. NYU Stern is currently the 12th overall on the U.S. News & World Report 2018 ranking, with CBS coming even higher at 9th overall. The ranking comparison remains consistent with The Economist as well, with CBS coming in 9th (again), Stern coming in 14th. The highest ranked Canadian program in The Economist ranking—Ivey Business School—came in 59th.
Check out the rest of our comparison here.
Top MBA Recruiters: Finding Your MBA Career at PwC Firm Strategy&
Navigating job applications and interviews after all the hard work of earning your MBA can be tiresome. After devoting a year or more of your time to gaining the skills of a top business professional, shouldn’t future companies be knocking down your door?
It might not be that easy, but there are certainly a number of companies currently seeking the best and the brightest up-and-coming business leaders, who acknowledge the kind of skills an MBA can contribute to their team. Among them is Strategy&, one of the top recruiters of MBA students at business schools throughout the world.
For MBA graduates looking for careers in the consulting industry, Strategy& could be the perfect opportunity to break into the field and develop critical skills in strategy and consulting. And as an MBA graduate with a wealth of knowledge within the industry, companies like Strategy& are probably also looking for you.
About Strategy&
Strategy& was established more than 100 years ago by Edwin G. Booz, eventually being known for most of its life as Booz & Company. In 2014, the firm was acquired by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), when it was renamed to Strategy&. The firm is headquartered in New York City, with more than 57 offices throughout the world. Today, the company features roughly 3,000 employees and more more than $1.3 billion in revenue.
Strategy& functions currently as the strategy consulting team for PwC, offering strategic solutions in an uneven business climate, helping companies to transform, invest in growth, and stay in tune with business trends even through rapidly changing times.
Why MBAs Love Strategy&
Strategy& is an active recruiter from business schools around the world, including top programs like Harvard Business School, NYU Stern, and INSEAD, among many others. The company is also supportive of staff who have not yet earned an MBA but hope to advance their business education. Strategy& even offers junior staff the chance to apply for full MBA sponsorship, and provides flexible work opportunities so students can pursue a degree while still maintaining their career.
The Strategy& consulting experience is shaped in a way that relies on mentorship, with a 1:6 ratio of partners to junior consultants. For MBA students—who have already demonstrated an interest in investing in their growth and education in the field—this type of setting means that class is always in session.
Life at Strategy&
New consultants at Strategy& can expect a clear and structured path laid out at the start of their career, with rapid career progression possible. New associates will advance towards roles as partners, typically spending two to three years at each level along the way.
While undergraduates would begin in associate roles, those with MBA degrees can jump right in at the senior associate level. Senior associates have the opportunity to develop their skills by working closely alongside clients to resolve complex issues and guide clients and their companies towards success. From there, MBAs could move upward into a manager role, then director, and finally partner.
The development of strong mentor relationships is seen as crucial at Strategy&. Mentors will provide a constant source of support for new associates, offering guidance as they move upwards through the company, choosing projects they are passionate about and forming strong professional networks. Mentors will also provide real-time feedback, helping pave the way for a successful career.
Landing a Job at Strategy&
Strategy& is an active recruiter of MBA programs throughout the country, where they may host events on campus and offer direct information to students on applying for positions at the company. Students from any program, even if the school does not actively recruit there, are able to apply directly for their internship and job openings through their website. Jobs are available at a number of the firm’s locations throughout the country and around the globe.
Summer internship opportunities are a great way for students to get their foot in the door at Strategy&, and may end up leading to full time employment. This was the case for Bryan, now a director at the company and based out of Chicago. Bryan interned for the company during the summer while earning his MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He completed his MBA in 2011, joined Strategy& as a full-time colleague, and is now a key member of the Technology Strategy team.
“I had the opportunity to do an internship with the firm between my first and second year at business school, and I came away impressed with the caliber and character of the people at the firm,” Bryan said of his experience with Strategy&. “In only nine weeks, the camaraderie and professional bonds that I was able to develop with my teammates, fellow interns and leaders at the firm was special.”
Harvard Helps Business Students Take Startups to NYC
Launching a startup isn’t easy, but Harvard Business School is working to change that for its alumni with the start of its new RISE program. Put together by Harvard’s Rock Center for Entrepreneurship, the RISE program will help HBS graduates accelerate the growth of their NYC startups.
With the goal of seeing more of its alumni entrepreneurs make it big, the new HBS RISE program will offer a range of benefits and support. Planned programming will help new enterprises with the many challenges that accompany startup life—from developing culture to hiring employees, building leadership skills, managing boards, raising funds, optimizing sales, and more. The eventual goal is to help small ventures successful scale from just a handful of employees to hundreds.
In order to participate in the program, HBS alumni have to own a company that is revenue generating and has already raised $1 million in capital. These qualifications were set to help ensure that participating companies have the best chance for successful scaling.
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According to Professor Thomas Eisenmann, faculty chair of the Rock Center, the RISE program is all about helping enterprises scale individually. “In the RISE program, HBS faculty members, alongside seasoned entrepreneurs, will convey best practices and frameworks to help entrepreneurs address startup challenges that can make or break a company,” he explained in a news release. “The program has been developed to leverage extensive faculty research on what it takes to successfully scale an enterprise.”
HBS alumni chosen for the program can expect to learn about scaling their businesses from both faculty and peers. RISE will be broken down into sessions, each of which will have curated content developed by other successful alumni entrepreneurs and investors. At the end of each session, a roundtable discussion will allow for candid conversation between peers where founders can discuss challenges and offer advice.
Nine HBS alumni founders have already been accepted into the first RISE cohort, including:
