Career Boosters: An MBA Podcast

Part-time MBA student Jason Kaban is doing what many assume is unsustainable. A demanding leadership role, family life, and an MBA layered on top. Instead of describing his life as overwhelming, he talks about it as intentional. Jason shares how shifting from “I have to” to “I choose to” reshaped how he spends his time, how he leads, and how he listens, even when the calendar stays full.

Kalie Van Ree (MBA ’16), Senior Manager at KPMG, joins us to talk about interviews from the hiring side of the table. We get into what strong candidates do early, the story mistakes that quietly hurt otherwise solid interviews, and why trying to “impress” is often the wrong strategy. And we even admit something students don’t always believe: interviewers get nervous too. Got an interview coming up? You’ll want to give this a listen.

A lot of MBA students are convinced they don’t have any good stories. Brooke Rose, part-time MBA student, sees it differently. Drawing from healthcare fundraising, improv, and stand-up, she talks about what happens when you stop trying to sound impressive and start paying attention to what’s actually happening in the room. The conversation touches on reading the audience, naming awkward moments, and why being human tends to land better than being polished. And hopefully by the end, you’ll realize that you truly do have better stories to tell than you think.

Jordan Mayers, full-time Fast-Track MBA Student, has a way of making networking feel less intimidating and more human. In this conversation, he shares how his mindset around networking shifted during the MBA, especially as a fast-track student with less time and more pressure to make connections count. He talks about curiosity, momentum, and why networking works best when you treat it like a muscle you build over time, not a one-off performance. It’s an honest look at how confidence grows through repetition, relationships, and showing up as yourself, even when it’s uncomfortable at first.

Most people have LinkedIn. Fewer people are intentional about how they’re showing up there. Our colleague James Kuang joins us for a thoughtful conversation about visibility, signals, and how small choices on LinkedIn quietly shape how others read you. We talk less about optimization and more about awareness: what gets noticed, what gets inferred, and how to use the platform in a way that feels aligned rather than performative.

MBA student Sydney Fournier brings a valuable perspective to this conversation. She reviews hundreds of resumes a day as part of her work in recruitment and sees firsthand what helps candidates move forward and what quietly gets them screened out. She shares what it’s like on the other side of the application process, how AI is shaping early decisions, and why clean, thoughtful resumes still matter more than flashy ones. And we consider if resumes are even going to be a thing in the not-to-distant-future…

Fast-track MBA student Phil Fung reflects on what happened when an unexpected career turn pushed him to rethink his story. Stepping into the MBA shifted how he sees himself, not as someone needing to justify a non-linear path, but as someone who actually belongs in the room. He talks candidly about confidence, comparison, and the quiet work of naming what you’re good at without downplaying it. The conversation looks ahead to the goals he’s setting for 2026 and how clarity around his personal brand is shaping what he’s working toward next.

This wrap-up episode pulls together the moments that changed us this year, inside the classroom and out. Tiffany shares how somatic work opened a new way of coaching, and Paul talks about the power that comes from actually knowing yourself, not just talking about it. We chat about the real stuff we all wrestle with: finding buffer when life gets loud, stretching without snapping, and learning to care less about imagined judgment while still showing up with intention. We also get into what’s shifting in careers, why AI literacy matters more than people think, and where we see students needing to grow next. If you like hearing people think out loud about work, growth, and being human, you’ll enjoy this one

Career educator and EMBA grad Michelle Height joins us to unpack what three decades in career development have taught her about helping business students land, and thrive in, roles that fit. She shares how her Executive MBA started as a “check the box” exercise but then ended up reshaping her confidence, skills, and path. The conversation zooms out to the bigger picture of branding, communication, and how AI and ATS tools are changing the first rung of the career ladder, while human skills and genuine connection still do the heavy lifting.

MBA student Deen Ajayi joins us for a conversation about emotional intelligence that goes way past empathy. Deen shares how his thinking of EQ has recently shifted as pays attention to things like self-expression, decision making, and how others read you. And he tells a story about his car being towed after a long day and responding in a way neither of us saw coming. It’s an honest, grounded look at regulation, presence, and the quiet impact those skills can have on how you study, lead, and move through the program.

MBA student and Registered Nurse Frans Hanna joins us as we shift from knowing your talents to using them together. In week two of Strengths, we explore how the four domains connect and how self-awareness becomes a team advantage. Frans shares what it’s like to land in the Influencing corner, how trust goes deeper than first impressions, and why honesty and transparency help teams do their best work. We also look at common tensions like speed versus deliberation and head versus heart, and how naming them early helps teams work smarter and with more care.

In this solo episode, host Paul Taylor sits down with MBA student Hajira Malik to explore how understanding your natural talents can transform your career trajectory. Hajira shares her unique journey from government work to nursing to pursuing her MBA, driven by a desire for new challenges and growth. Through the lens of the Gallup CliftonStrengths assessment, they dive deep into Hajira's top five talents—empathy, positivity, connectedness, futuristic, and harmony—and how these strengths show up in her daily MBA experience. The conversation reveals the power of leaning into what you're naturally good at rather than trying to be well-rounded, explores how positivity helps Hajira navigate the pressures of grades and deadlines, and discusses the importance of building genuine relationships in business school. With candid insights about the "groan moments" when strengths can work against us and practical advice for leveraging talents in group projects, this episode offers valuable lessons for anyone looking to maximize their impact by understanding and embracing their unique strengths.

MD/MBA student Muhammad Israr-Ul-Haq joins us to explore what happens when you slow down and define what truly matters. Through a class exercise that helped him narrow in on a few core values, he shares the unexpected mix of clarity and discomfort that comes with naming them—and how that awareness is shaping how he studies, leads, and prepares for the next stage of his medical journey. It’s a grounded, thoughtful conversation about self-knowledge, purpose, and the power of aligning what you do with what you believe.

Fast-track MBA student Jasmeen Dhah joins us to unpack an exercise where classmates reflect your brand while you stay silent. No justifying, no explaining, just listening. Jasmeen shares the nerves of going in, the surprise of how much peers could pick up from simple images, and the possible tensions it revealed between her career ambitions and her need for quiet space. She also reflects on feedback as a gift, learning to stretch into extroverted moments without abandoning her introverted strengths, and how those insights shape the way she thinks about her future

First-year MBA student Joshua Eszczuk joins us to unpack what it actually looks like to manage energy instead of time. He points out it’s not about how many hours you spend, but the quality of energy you bring. From recognizing his current “half tank” energy level, to noticing what “sharpens or dulls his shovel”, Josh shares how small shifts in awareness change the way you work, rest, and say no. Along the way, he reflects on why nobody really has their ducks in a row, how discomfort fuels growth, and why managing your own capacity might be the most important MBA lesson of all

We’re joined by MBA Alumni Suraj Wadhwani (‘25) to break down what case competitions really are and why they matter for more than just aspiring consultants. Picture a Shark Tank-style challenge with tight timelines, new teammates, and a real business problem to solve. Suraj shares how competing sharpened his problem-solving, teamwork, and storytelling skills, why clarity beats complexity every time, and how leaning into discomfort can be the biggest growth driver. If you’ve ever wondered whether case comps are worth it, this episode makes the case for saying yes.

We’re joined by returning guest Priyanka Singh, now a second-year International MBA student, to talk about BUS 501: a foundational course that, if approached with openness, can shift the entire MBA experience. From uncovering core values and strengths to exploring unspoken brand, empathy, and energy management, Priyanka shares how self-awareness has shaped her journey. She reflects on taking initiative in projects, leaning into improv, and why understanding yourself is the foundation for growth.

Meet first-year MBA student Majid Nikouee (PhD, Educational Psychology) as he walks us through orientation week: what surprised him, what settled the nerves, and what actually helps on day one. We talk about reviewing materials without overdoing it, owning your unique story, asking for help early, and finding small recharge habits that kept him steady. Majid explains why the personal branding session and the negotiation exercise stood out, and how staying curious with your cohort makes the week manageable. Great info and advice for anyone approaching a multi-day learning experience like orientation.

We’re kicking off Season 3 with two international 2nd year MBA students, Fabliha Mahmood and Arthur Benitez, who share what it was really like to land in Canada, face the nerves of orientation, and start building a brand-new life. From getting lost on the way to campus to assembling furniture and finding their people, they talk candidly about what helped, what they wish they’d done differently, and how new students can ease into the whirlwind. If you’re about to start your MBA (or any big new chapter), you’ll see yourself in their stories.

In our season finale, we sit down with Ange McCabe, CEO of Intuity Performance, certified coach, and fellow “recovering HR professional”—to explore what it really means to lead with your whole self. Ange shares why leadership transformation is often quieter than we expect, how coaching can bridge the gap between technical skill and human connection, and why we can't separate who we are at work from who we are everywhere else. A grounded take on leadership, coaching, and why the small shifts often matter most.