Stanford Graduate School of Business, MBA
Stanford University, AB
5 years
Tactical, dependable, considerate
Alex is an avid skier. He grew up in upstate New York, where he began skiing at the age of four, ultimately going on to compete in downhill races in the Adirondacks at the Empire State Games and in Trophy Series races early in high school. During his time at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, Alex capitalized on his proximity to Lake Tahoe, Colorado, and to Utah and skied more than 20 days each year, finding and building new communities within the MBA program of individuals who shared his passion for the mountains.
A Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB) MBA and former Goldman Sachs investment banker turned e-commerce start-up and VC afficionado, Alex blends empathy and professional acumen to help clients recognize and articulate their narratives. While at the GSB, Alex was selected for the highly competitive Arbuckle Leadership Fellows Program, a yearlong practicum focused on deepening coaching, facilitation, and mentorship competencies, which gave him a rare opportunity to cultivate a valuable coaching repertoire early on in his career.
Alex also holds a bachelor of arts in English literature from Stanford University. With two Stanford degrees, he is an expert on Stanford and the broader Silicon Valley ethos. He has built extensive experience at start-up companies in product management and go-to-market positions. These operating skills enabled him to invest with three different consumer-focused venture funds during his time at the GSB.
In the five years between his undergrad and graduate studies, Alex held progressively more significant leadership roles at Out for Undergrad Business, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting high-achieving LGBTQ+ students pursuing careers in finance and consulting by holding professional development and mentorship conferences each year.
Candidates targeting top-tier MBA programs usually have such a diverse range of achievements that distilling their experiences into a clear narrative and personal story can be difficult. Most often, these accomplishments are merely one piece of the puzzle that makes for a successful application. The admissions committees review thousands of essays each season in hopes of understanding each applicant more deeply—not just what they have done but also who they are, what they value, and where they want to go. There is an element of humanity that really needs to shine.
Alex was instrumental in helping me create a plan that allowed time for me to still find my voice which proved more difficult than expected. Through countless drafts, Alex was there with sound advice and probing questions that helped me really dig deep and write essays that fully encapsulated who I am and what motivated me. As somebody who had never considered applying to business school before this year, I found Alex’s help to be priceless when it came to understanding each step in the process. Obviously, the essay help was crucial, but there are so many other aspects to the process that I completely underestimated. With Alex’s help, I went through 7 drafts of my resume. His attention to detail helped me to maximize the use of space and adequately convey the impact that I have had in my career and activities. He also was incredibly helpful in thinking through who to ask and how to coordinate my letters of recommendation. After submitting my applications, Alex conducted multiple mock interviews with me that really honed my storytelling abilities. His focused feedback gave me the tools to standout in my interviews. And lastly, an often under-appreciated piece of the process is the emotional toll it can take. The arduous process can really wear you down, but Alex really encouraged me every step along the way and kept me motivated when I was tired. I am truly grateful for all the assistance that Alex provided and don’t know where I would be without him. I’d recommend him to anybody applying to business school.
Result: I applied to 4 full-time MBA programs in Round 3/4 (Stanford GSB, Wharton, Kellogg, Ross) and was accepted to all including full scholarships at Kellogg and Ross. I chose Stanford GSB
He is an extremely kind, creative, and humble individual who has a wealth of knowledge to share! I think one of Alex’s greatest contributions came in the form of application essays. When we first met, he did a great job of getting to know my background, goals, and values so that he could effectively advise me on my essay topics. After I provided my initial essay drafts, Alex provided insightful feedback on how to make them stronger in content and more creative in style. He did an incredible job at making constructive suggestions while keeping my voice and style in mind. Once I reached the interview stage, Alex provided helpful interview tips and topics of focus. We walked through questions that could potentially be asked and thought through how to best present my experience and goals. He was open in sharing his own interview and career experiences, which helped me understand what interviewers were looking for, as these key factors are not always what you expect
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