A software engineer turned college professor turned independent coach, Anitha's career took a few turns. She realized her passion for working at the intersection of business and technology while working as an Assistant Professor.

With the support of her husband and family, she began her MBA journey in 2022. But the biggest challenge she faced was her current role as a freelance coach. Her conversations with her SWC consultant Samriddhi helped her understand that she needed to move away from this framing. A better way to position herself would be as a solopreneurship applicant, focusing on her business development and marketing skills.

This repositioning made a significant difference to her application. Schools responded more positively, and Anitha received 3 admits, all with scholarships.

She is now on her way to Ivey Business School with a Forté Fellowship scholarship worth CAD $45,000!

In this interview, Anitha and Samriddhi reflect on her MBA application journey, how she reframed her experience more positively, and how she cracked the MBA interview.

The questions:
00:00 - Meet Anitha and Samriddhi
02:35 - Experience as a Professor and Independent Consultant
04:24 - Pivot from education to product management
05:57 - How did you identify the right consultant?
08:47 - How did you find your experience with Samriddhi compared to the previous consultant?
14:33 - How would you summarize your MBA application narrative?
21:20 - Pivot from positioning yourself from an independent coach to entrepreneur
23:30 - Admits and scholarships received
26:25 - Difference between MBA interview and job interview
29:48 - IE interview experience
31:39 - Advice for other Round 1 MBA applicants