James Meyer
Top Expert
Haas Admissions VP I Top Leland Coach x3 I Author and Expert Storyteller
California Innovation Fund
Successful clients at
38.9k
Expert mins
183
Followers
Available tomorrow
Starting at 8:00 PM UTC
I am actively taking new clients for Deferred, Part-Time, Executive MBA programs with deadlines in 2026 and for the 2026-2027 Full-Time cycle. If you are interested in a complimentary intro call, please include your academic background (school / GPA / test scores), resume or LinkedIn profile, and target programs in your request. Thanks and look forward to meeting you!
Questions?
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Work with James
Comprehensive MBA Application Package — Land Your Dream Program
Starting at
$8,000
MBA Waitlist Strategy
Starting at
$1,073.79
Craft Powerful MBA Essays
Starting at
$1,752.75
About
Customer favorite
In the top 10% of MBA experts on Leland
I'm a Princeton undergrad and Berkeley Haas MBA who is passionate about marketing, writing, and mentoring. I have long been involved with admissions, having served as a co-VP of admissions and new student orientation at Haas, a college admissions mentor for financially disadvantaged youth in San Francisco, and a long-time Princeton alumni interviewer. I discovered a talent and love for admissions consulting after graduating from Haas in 2015. My professional experience spans multiple industries and functions, which gives me a breadth of knowledge to draw on. I've spent the majority of my career in product marketing and product management roles at investment firms (BlackRock & Franklin Templeton), however I have also worked on a major political campaign, consulted to Silicon Valley tech startups, and worked in investor relations at a small-cap biotech company. As a pet project, I published an Amazon bestselling book in 2020. Unsurprisingly, I thrive on variety and enjoy working with applicants from numerous different backgrounds. I also happen to think that non-linear career paths are some of the most interesting, and I excel at helping non-traditional candidates connect the dots in their personal narratives. Above all, I absolutely love engaging with talented individuals and showing them how to present the best version of themselves to admissions committees through authentic and engaging storytelling. In my free time I enjoy hanging out with my husband (Columbia MBA) and two young kids and doing anything and everything outdoors, especially SKIING, cycling, hiking, and running. I currently live in Salt Lake City, though my heart will always be in Bozeman, MT where I grew up.
James’s MBA Qualifications
Coaches professionally
100+ MBA clients
Open to working with clients outside the U.S.
James has helped clients get into these schools:
MBA ADMISSIONS EXPERIENCE - Leland Top 10 MBA Coach 2025, Leland Top 50 Coach 2024 (all categories), and Leland Top 15 MBA Coach in 2021 - Began coaching professionally in 2017 with Stacy Blackman Consulting, where I was trained and mentored by former M7 AdCom members - Have coached 100+ clients who have been admitted to Wharton, Kellogg, Sloan, Columbia, Stanford, Haas, Ross, Tuck, Fuqua, Stern, LBS, Oxford, and many more; clients have received >$1M in scholarships - First-hand experience as the student VP of Admissions at Haas (2014-2015) and also served as VP of New Student Orientation (2013-2014) - Extensive experience helping clients with low GPAs, below median test scores, unemployment, etc. (and can personally empathize with some of these challenges) - Specialized knowledge of top part-time programs, including Haas, Booth, and Kellogg COACHING COMPETENCE - Decades of experience giving others feedback on their writing and speaking in corporate, editorial, and admissions coaching settings - Find personal fulfillment in mentoring: mentored financially disadvantaged youth in San Francisco on college applications and currently mentor small groups of college women in Utah on career development, higher education, and leadership - Brutally honest with my clients about their chances rather than saying "of course I can get you into XYZ school" (but will never discourage someone from applying to a reach program if I think there’s a chance!) - Known for collegial, astute, and supportive coaching style, as exemplified by one former client stating: “Emily is so much more than an MBA Admissions Consultant. She's a mentor, friend, and on many occasions...a therapist.” MARKETING & WRITING EXPERTISE - Held a variety of product marketing, product management, and investor relations roles over my 19 year corporate career, which honed my positioning and messaging skills (if I can make a boring old mutual fund compelling, think of what I can do for you!) - More creative writing pursuits include penning a #1 Amazon Bestselling book for first time moms in 2020 and serving as a sports writer for The Daily Princetonian in college
James can help with:
Application Strategy
Ding Analysis
Editing
Essays
Financial Aid & Scholarships
General Exploration
Interviews
Recommendations
Resume
School Selection
Secondary Review
Supplementary Materials
Waitlist Strategy
Why do I coach?
My grandfather was a German immigrant who only made it through the 6th grade before he had to drop out to help with the family farm. A mere two generations later, I have earned degrees from two of the top universities in the world and have a dynamic career, knowledge base, and personal network that would’ve been unfathomable to him. I believe that education continues to be the key to opportunity in our society, and the importance of gaining access to an environment where you can grow and thrive cannot be overstated. While I’d like to say I gained my extremely valuable acceptances all on my own, the truth is that a lot of the credit goes to my mother who immersed herself in the undergraduate admissions process (and MBA to a lesser extent) and coached me every along the way. I am forever grateful for her guidance, but realize that few applicants have this resource and/or want to collaborate so closely with a parent during the often stressful and emotional admissions process. I coach because I thrive on filling this crucial role in today’s increasingly competitive landscape. Marketing is my passion and I genuinely enjoy the challenge of working with clients to develop holistic and unique application strategies. I also geek out way too hard in helping to craft engaging and compelling essays (all with perfect grammar, naturally). And more than anything, I relish the experience of being a personal mentor, confidant, and cheerleader to some of the most interesting, inspiring, and passionate people out there. At the end of a client engagement I often feel like I gained just as much as the candidate, even though I am not the one soon to embark on the incredibly awesome experience that is business school. The relationships that I’ve built and the satisfaction of knowing that I played a small part in the success of many outstanding individuals make coaching one of the best jobs I have ever had.
Work Experience
Analyst
California Innovation Fund
2025 - Present
VC investing in UC Berkeley affiliated companies
Founder and Owner
Peak MBA Admissions
2025 - Present
Vice President of Marketing
Franklin Templeton
August 2022 - February 2025
Global Program Manager for Disruptive Technology (digital assets, fintech, digital wealth)
Consultant
Stacy Blackman Consulting
2017 - 2025
MBA admissions coaching
Product Manager
Franklin Templeton
June 2016 - August 2022
Subject matter expert for the Templeton Global Macro investment team
Product Marketing Manager Lead
BlackRock
August 2012 - June 2016
Product marketing and brand/advertising roles supporting iShares ETFs
Marketing Manager
Cerus
June 2011 - May 2012
Global marketing, communications, and investor relations at a small-cap biomedical company
Education
Haas School of Business (Berkeley)
MBA
2013 - 2015
Student Government: Co-VP of Admissions Committee (2014-2015), Co-VP of New Student Orientation (2013)
Princeton University
AB, Ecology & Evolutionary BIology
2002 - 2006
Alumni Interviewer: 2007 - Present Undergraduate Activities: Varsity Swim Team, Outdoor Action (Freshmen Trip Leader), The Daily Princetonian (Staff Writer - Sports), Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Undergraduate Committee (Co-Chair), Cap & Gown Club Study Abroad: Goethe Institute (Munich, Germany) and Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (Panama)
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Overall rating
James has helped clients get into these schools:
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