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The Touch MBA Admissions PodcastAuthor: Darren C. Joe
Get an inside look at how top business schools assess MBA applicants. Interviews with MBA Admissions Directors and students from the world's top-ranked MBA programs. Discover what makes each business school unique. Strategies and tips on how to craft winning MBA applications. Straight talk on how to get accepted to MBA programs like Harvard, Insead, LBS, NUS and many, many more. Language: en Genres: Business, Careers, Education Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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#238 Feel Ordinary? Try "The J.D. Vance" Positioning Strategy
Episode 238
Tuesday, 30 June, 2026
"So I didn't write this book because I've accomplished something extraordinary. I wrote this book because I've achieved something quite ordinary, which doesn't happen to most kids who grow up like me." - J.D. Vance, Hillbilly ElegyJ.D. Vance's memoir - Hillbilly Elegy, written when he was 31 years old - launched him into the national spotlight and eventually the Vice Presidency of the United States.But in the book's first paragraph, Vance writes "... I'll be the first to admit that I've accomplished nothing great in my life, certainly nothing that would justify a complete stranger paying money to read about it."Yet Vance's memoir became a cultural touchstone to help understand why "hillbillies, rednecks and white trash" voted for Donald Trump in 2016, and later got made into a Netflix movie. His story launched him into national politics. Do you feel like your profile is ordinary for business school? Why not try the "J.D. Vance?" Instead of hunting for bigger achievements, why not share the distance you traveled to get where you are? Why not offer admissions readers more context in which to evaluate your performance?Listen on as Darren breaks down this counterintuitive positioning strategy for your MBA applications.TopicsWhy "Getting to Ordinary" Might Be Your Best Story (0:00)Reading the First Paragraphs of Hillbilly Elegy (2:55)What Obstacles Have You Overcome? (8:55)Uncovering Your Best Obstacle Stories (10:45)Show NotesHillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. VanceHidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things by Adam GrantResources for MBA ApplicantsGet free school selection help at Touch MBAGet pre-assessed by top international MBA programsJoin our Admissions Edge Course & CommunityOur favorite MBA application tools (after advising 4,000 applicants)
