Strategy Simplified
Management Consulted
Strategy Simplified is here to demystify the consulting industry and help you land your dream job in management consulting. Hosted by the expert team at Management Consulted - the world's largest resource for consulting news and interview prep - each episode covers topics related to the consulting world, from interview preparation and case study techniques to networking strategies and industry trends. Whether you're just starting your career or looking to make a transition, Strategy Simplified is the go-to resource for anyone looking to break into the consulting industry. With actionable advice, insider tips, and real-life success stories, this podcast is the ultimate guide to simplifying your career strategy and landing your dream consulting job.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Sep 2, 2026 • 46min
S24E16: AI Took the Grunt Work – Consultants Are Getting Promoted Faster
Paul Edwards, global private equity practice lead at Grant Thornton Stax, has guided more than 1,000 deals. He explores how AI is reshaping private equity diligence, accelerating consultant careers, and elevating judgment, communication, and pattern recognition. They also discuss mentorship, curiosity, hybrid expertise, and private equity’s expansion into the lower middle market.
Sep 1, 2026 • 41min
S24E15: McKinsey's Cases Are Interviewer-Led – Most Candidates Practice the Wrong Way
Mark DiGiorgio, a former McKinsey analyst and recruiting advisor, reveals why standard case prep can mislead McKinsey candidates. He explores interviewer-led cases, the equal weight of PEI and case performance, deep follow-up questions, building a 15 to 20 story bank, and a focused three-week preparation plan.
Aug 28, 2026 • 12min
S24E14: Why McKinsey Asks up to 25 Follow-Up Questions in the PEI
A deep dive into why McKinsey probes stories with many follow-up questions. A clear breakdown of the four traits they score: connection, drive, leadership, and growth. Practical guidance on building resilient, repeatable stories and the follow-up angles that expose scripts. Tips on timed delivery, out-loud practice, and pressure-testing stories with real interviewers.
Aug 26, 2026 • 23min
S24E13: The AI Hire Every Consulting Firm Is Struggling to Find
A briefing on why firms cannot find the “unicorn” hire who is both technical and business-savvy. A four-part test for distinguishing true AI transformation from mere deployment. Why pilots stall before production and how governance, data readiness, and execution change outcomes. Strategies firms use to build the scarce skill: hiring, upskilling, and acquisitions.
Aug 24, 2026 • 7min
S24E12: A McKinsey Coach's Playbook for Winning Case Competitions
A former McKinsey coach reveals the day-one move that separates winners: lock a hypothesis before the data. They break down the four judge-ready skills judges seek and why scope beats breadth. Practical tips cover structured workplans, hypothesis-driven analysis, focused questioning, and presentation tricks to keep teams from boiling the ocean.
Aug 21, 2026 • 1h
S24E11: Inside Private Equity Consulting: AI Bets, Harder Exits, and Real Diligence
Dave Clement, Partner at Simon-Kucher, pricing and commercial-excellence expert. Sean McDevitt, Partner at Arthur D. Little, tech and infrastructure diligence specialist. Carl Evander, Partner at OC&C, PE strategy and value-creation leader. They discuss how operational value creation drives exits, AI and data-center bets, real diligence that writes the exit memo early, and where pricing still unlocks EBITDA.
Aug 19, 2026 • 44min
S24E10: The Toothbrush Test: Why Most Case Frameworks Fail at MBB
Abby Chen, former Bain consultant and Harvard MBA who led campus recruiting and coaches case prep, explains the toothbrush test for framework specificity. She breaks down three common framework mistakes and a four-step process to build focused, hypothesis-led frameworks. Abby also walks through M&A and pharma product-launch framework examples and gives practical live-practice advice.
Aug 14, 2026 • 59min
S24E9: Inside a Bates White Economic Consulting Case Interview
Julian Pritcher, a Bates White recruiter who explains the firm and its hiring process, and Annie Olecki, a senior antitrust consultant who runs case interviews and quantitative litigation work. They walk through a live economic consulting case about alleged battery price fixing. Short, fast rounds test instinct to revise damages as new cost and demand evidence emerges. They also cover tools, interview rounds, and internship culture.
Aug 12, 2026 • 23min
S24E8: Private Equity Consulting Firms Have a Sameness Problem
Namaan Benamon, a private equity consulting practice leader and researcher, shares findings from Management Consulted’s 2026 PE ranking. He describes why many firms blur together, how that costs deals, and what standout firms did differently. He discusses saying no to the wrong work, growth as the key value lever, and where true moats like proprietary data and governance really matter.
Aug 11, 2026 • 34min
S24E7: MBA Case Prep in 2–4 Weeks: An Ex-Bain Interviewer's Plan
Mitali Jalan, former Bain interviewer and LBS MBA who prepped for interviews in under four weeks. She explains why more cases alone fail, outlines a four-step fast prep sequence, and pinpoints the blind spots peer practice misses. Expect practical tips on compressing timelines, must-do drills, and when to seek expert feedback.
