Charles Rodriguez
Top Expert
Stanford GSB & HBS Specialist | 300+ M7 Admits | Top Coach | Essay Expert
McKinsey & Company
Successful clients at
185.1k
Expert mins
1.8k
Followers
Available Monday
Starting at 3:30 PM UTC
If you're looking for comprehensive MBA application help, for deferred or R1 2026, I have 1-2 spots remaining, so the earlier you reach out the better! When you reach out, let me know where you're applying (or an initial list), the round you're applying, and why you're looking for coaching. I've helped 300+ individuals earn admission into M7 programs, specializing in GSB and HBS. I've also helped individuals earn admission to every top-25 MBA program. Drop me a line to get started.
Questions?
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Work with Charles
About
Customer favorite
In the top 10% of MBA experts on Leland
• Stanford GSB Alum, Class of 2021 -- see relevant background & experience below: • Coaching | Advised 250+ admits into Stanford GSB, HBS, Wharton, Kellogg, MIT Sloan, INSEAD, Haas, and more (see ~100 Leland reviews), while teaching multiple courses through Leland • What I'm Doing Now | Based in NYC, building a publication 'Staying Human', working on a stealth, marketplace startup, coaching and playing chess profssionally, and advising a slate of Seed to Series C startups through Elevate LLC • 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 • 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 >750 individuals on essay writing and resume professionalization for top consulting firms, MBA programs, execs, and the broader job market • Interview Training | I was interview-trained with McKinsey, helping me give high-quality mock interviews for MBBs and any MBA program; I've also held 10+ events through Leland on interview prep for McKinsey's PEI and GSB's interview process in particular
Charles also coaches for Build with AI, Management Consulting, Master’s Programs, Chess & Board Games, Coach Development, and AI Productivity & Tooling. View all.
Charles’s MBA Qualifications
Coaches professionally
250+ MBA clients
Open to working with clients outside the U.S.
Charles has helped clients get into these schools:
MBA COACHING, WRITING EXPERTISE & CAREER • Stanford GSB Alum, Class of 2021 -- see relevant experience sets below: • Coaching | Advised 300+ admits into Stanford GSB, HBS, Wharton, Kellogg, MIT Sloan, INSEAD, Haas, and more (see ~100 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, 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, building a publication 'Staying Human', working on a stealth, marketplace startup, playing chess profssionally, and advising while a slate of Seed to Series C startups through Elevate LLC • 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
Charles can help with:
Application Strategy
Cover Letters
Ding Analysis
Editing
Essays
Financial Aid & Scholarships
General Exploration
Interviews
Networking Strategy
Recommendations
Resume
School Selection
Secondary Review
Supplementary Materials
Testing & Assessments
Waitlist Strategy
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 - December 2024
Hiring Manager
• 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
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
Startup Advisor
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)
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
Interviewer
• 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
Interviewer
• 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
Charles 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's Inaugural Justice Team; Investor @ GSB '21 Fund • Design for Extreme Affordability; Opioid Crisis Response Fund • Stanford Venture Capital Club; Social Innovation Club; GSB Aerospace Club
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) • Eliot Society Alumni Donor
Charles was also personally admitted to
Chicago Booth
London Business School
INSEAD
Harvard Business School
5.0 average review
159 reviews
Overall rating
Charles has helped clients get into these schools:
Charles also coaches for Build with AI, Management Consulting, Career Coaching, Master’s Programs, Chess & Board Games, Coach Development, and AI Productivity & Tooling. View all.
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