Ben L.
5.0
Stanford GSB '21 | Essay Expert | ex-McKinsey, Policy, Speechwriting
Studied at Stanford Graduate School of Business
Worked at McKinsey & Company
Available Monday at 5:30 PM UTC
Usually responds within 24 hours
Questions? Start chatting with this coach before you get started.
Ben’s Master’s Programs Qualifications
Open to working with clients outside the U.S.
Ben has helped clients get into these schools:
MBA & MASTER'S COACHING, WRITING EXPERTISE & GMAT WORK • Stanford GSB Alum, Class of 2021 -- see relevant experience sets below: • Coaching | Advised multiple admits into Stanford GSB, HBS, Wharton, Kellogg, MIT Sloan, INSEAD, Haas, and more (see >20 Leland reviews), while teaching multiple courses through Leland • Professional Writing | Speechwriting in public policy & political environments, Lead Editor for Nondisclosure (Stanford GSB's magazine) and Managing Editor for the Stanford International Policy Review • GMAT / Test-Taking | Scored in the highest percentile of GMAT test-takers (99th), but more importantly I've honed my ability to help others extrapolate top test-testing strategies in the areas they're weakest • Interview Training | I'm interview-trained for McKinsey, allowing me to give high-quality mock interviews for MBBs and any MBA program • Additional Writing | Crafting op-eds, ghostwriting for major publications, developing a fictional short story collection, policy deep dives, a book on chess applications to life, and application essays of all sorts CAREER • What I'm Doing Now | Based in NYC working on a stealth, marketplace startup while continuing various forms of advisory work • Public Policy | Prior to Stanford, worked on the Policy Team for the Chicago Mayor's Office under Mayor Rahm Emanuel, focusing on 5G infrastructure policy, criminal justice policy, and citywide corporate/economic development deals • McKinsey | Before policy, worked at McKinsey & Co , with casework focused on job training for the formerly incarcerated and workforce development for at-risk youth • PE / VC / Startup Advising | After Stanford, worked in Bain's Private Equity Group on various due diliegences, managed deals with several venture capital firms, and advised multiple startups on growth and go-to-market strategy
Ben can help with:
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Editing
Recommendations
Interviews
Waitlist Strategy
School Selection
Application Strategy
Essays
Resume
Ben also coaches for MBA, Management Consulting, GMAT, Career Development, and Life. View all.
About Ben
• Stanford GSB Alum, Class of 2021 -- see relevant experience below: • Coaching | Advised dozens of admits into Stanford GSB, HBS, Wharton, Kellogg, MIT Sloan, INSEAD, Haas, and more (see >20 Leland reviews), while teaching multiple courses through Leland • Public Policy | Prior to Stanford, worked on the Policy Team for the Chicago Mayor's Office under Mayor Rahm Emanuel, focusing on 5G infrastructure policy, criminal justice policy, and citywide corporate/economic development deals • McKinsey | Before policy, worked at McKinsey & Co , with casework focused on job training for the formerly incarcerated and workforce development for at-risk youth • PE / VC / Startup Advising | After Stanford, worked in Bain's Private Equity Group on various due diliegences, managed deals with several venture capital firms, and advised multiple startups on growth and go-to-market strategy • Professional Writing | Speechwriting in public policy & political environments, Lead Editor for Nondisclosure (Stanford GSB's magazine) and Managing Editor for the Stanford International Policy Review • Additional Writing | Crafting op-eds, ghostwriting for major publications, developing a fictional short story collection, policy deep dives, a book on chess applications to life, and application essays of all sorts • What I'm Doing Now | Based in NYC working on a stealth, marketplace startup while continuing various forms of advisory work • GMAT / Test-Taking | Scored in the highest percentile of GMAT test-takers, but more importantly I've honed my ability to help others extrapolate top test-testing strategies in the areas they're weakest • Additional Coaching Details | 5+ years experience working with >250 individuals on essay writing and resume professionalization for top consulting firms, MBA programs, execs, and the broader job market • Interview Training | I'm interview-trained for McKinsey, allowing me to give high-quality mock interviews for MBBs and any MBA program
Why do I coach?
The main reason I coach is the profound impact a handful of mentors have had on my own life. Whether that was helping me navigate uncertainty professionally or working to overcome something personally, I have deep gratitude for those that stepped in to give me a hand. I didn't have a formal coach when applying to places like McKinsey or Stanford GSB, and only a handful of people where I grew up get those kinds of opportunities. Paying it forward comes from feeling lucky to be where I am, and knowing I have something tangible and meaningful to give. Beyond that, I genuinely love writing and helping individuals craft their narrative. It's more complicated than meets the eye, often as much psychological as anything else. Helping people find the threads that underpin their life to date and unlock their vision for the future nearly always proves much more than words on paper. By the time we've finished working together, my hope is you've not only made yourself a compelling applicant, but found a deeper source of confidence in who you are and where you're going.
Work Experience
Founder
TownSquare Chess
February 2023 - Present
• The first dynamic online marketplace set to democratize chess coaching — giving coaches a way to build a business, and players of all levels the opportunity to learn the game the right way • Partners: Tangram.io, URBN Playground, Marshall Chess Club, FourthWall and more
Business Owner
Elevate Advisory
August 2021 - Present
• advising startups, small businesses, funds, and individuals looking to grow • private equity advising for funds of all sizes & MBB / consulting arms with PE practices • targeted work with fast-paced startups (e.g., Linus Biotechnology $16M Series A, Peak Metrics $1 Seed, G-Filtera (Pre-Seed), Orbital Studios (Seed), Imagen Tech (Series C), and more) • contacts with VCs and alternative funds looking into new markets, particularly aerospace, health tech, and workforce development) • writing and editing services (ad hoc)
Principal
17a - Advising
2022 - 2023
• Advising NYC and other City agencies on large-scale government projects • Drove creation of major city government blueprint to simplify procurement processes across City agencies
Private Equity
Bain & Company
2021 - 2022
• Worked in Bain & Co's Private Equity Group (PEG) as an independent contractor (to significantly accelerate payoff of Stanford gsb loans) before moving back into federal policy and/or speechwriting
Investor
Beyond Capital Ventures
2020 - 2020
• Venture investing in healthcare, fintech & agtech across India & East Africa
Economic Development Policy Associate
City of Chicago Mayor's Office
2018 - 2019
• Public policy work for the Chicago Mayor's Office (Emanuel administration), spanning infrastructure (5G, real estate), transportation, crime & public safety • Corporate recruitment (amazon hq2), economic development, opportunity zones, investment mapping, SMB solutions (e.g., chibizhub.com), education, workforce development
Senior Consultant
McKinsey & Company
2016 - 2018
• Focused on public sector / prison reform work • Healthcare go-to-market strategy • Business development fellow for Generation (McKinsey's social sector arm) building city partnerships & city partnerships
Ben was also given offers to work at
BlackRock
Beyond Capital Ventures
Bain & Company
Education
Stanford Graduate School of Business
MBA
2019 - 2021
• Miller Social Innovation Award | Nominated by fellow classmates • Poet's & Quants MBAs to Watch | Stanford GSB • George & Mary Lou Shott Academic Fellowship • Social Management & Innovation Fellowship (SMIF) • Editor in Chief at Stanford GSB Paper (Nondisclosure) • Managing Editor at Stanford International Policy Review • Investor @ Impact Fund (Justice Team) • Stanford Venture Capital Club • Social Innovation Club • GSB Aerospace Club • Opioid Crisis Response Fund • Design for Extreme Affordability
Washington University in St. Louis
Bachelor of Arts, Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology; Economics
2012 - 2016
• Latin honors w/ thesis in philosophy-neuroscience psychology • Honors graduate with distinction in economics (omicron delta epsilon)
Ben was also personally admitted to
Chicago Booth
London Business School
INSEAD
Harvard Business School
92 Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
Knowledge
5.0
Value
4.9
Responsiveness
5.0
Supportiveness
5.0
Ben has helped clients get into these schools:
Ben has helped clients get into these companies: