From your first case to interview day
Every step of the training loop, from the diagnostic to the skill you finally master.
A training system, not a case library
Most prep tools give you generic drills and a library of cases. That’s not nearly enough. We take a different approach, inspired by how elite performers train: diagnose weaknesses, master concepts, practice with purpose, perform under pressure, and repeat until you’re ready.
01 · Diagnose
Know exactly where you stand
Start with a mock interview. When you say the margin fell to 4% and the case says 2%, the interviewer asks you to walk through your math, the way a real one would, and your report rates each of the 8 skills. Then a 15-minute diagnostic of short questions finds where each skill starts and builds your plan.
Lorenzo’s story · Day 1· 25 days to his interview
Lorenzo’s first mock interview. He says the margin fell to 4%. It fell to 2%.
A sample student.
Day 1 · 25 days to his interview · Sample student
Lorenzo’s first mock interview. He says the margin fell to 4%. It fell to 2%.
Live· Fresh Basket
Call time 09:07
Interviewer · On the line
Interviewer
Our client, Fresh Basket, is a regional grocery chain. Profit has fallen sharply over two years, even though sales are flat. They want to know why, and what to do about it.
You
Before I structure this, is the decline across all stores, or concentrated in a few?
Interviewer
It’s across all 40 stores.
Note: Real answers, straight from the case.
You
Then I’d split profit into revenue and costs. Since sales are flat, I’d start with costs: product costs, labor, and overhead.
Interviewer
Good. Here’s the cost breakdown.
You
So the margin went from 6% to 4%.
Interviewer
Walk me through how you got 4%.
Note: Math slip caught: it’s 2%. His report will quote this line.
You
Sorry: 100 minus 74, 15, and 9 is 2%. So the margin fell from 6% to 2%.
Interviewer
Our CFO thinks this is a labor problem. Do you agree?
Note: Pushback, just like a real interviewer.
You
No. Labor held at 15% of sales. The 4-point rise in product costs explains the entire drop.
Note: Defended with evidence.
Exhibit 1 · Costs as a share of salesProduct costs 70% → 74%
From his report
- Problem structuringStrong
- Quantitative rigorMath setup: margin was 2%, not 4%Needs work
- Exhibit interpretationStrong
Lorenzo · Day 1
Math setup · Focus areaLive· Fresh Basket
Call time 09:07
From his report
- Problem structuringStrong
- Quantitative rigorMath setup: margin was 2%, not 4%Needs work
- Exhibit interpretationStrong
- Interviewer: Our client, Fresh Basket, is a regional grocery chain. Profit has fallen sharply over two years, even though sales are flat. They want to know why, and what to do about it.
- You: Before I structure this, is the decline across all stores, or concentrated in a few?
- Interviewer: It’s across all 40 stores. Note: Real answers, straight from the case.
- You: Then I’d split profit into revenue and costs. Since sales are flat, I’d start with costs: product costs, labor, and overhead.
- Interviewer: Good. Here’s the cost breakdown.
- You: So the margin went from 6% to 4%.
- Interviewer: Walk me through how you got 4%. Note: Math slip caught: it’s 2%. His report will quote this line.
- You: Sorry: 100 minus 74, 15, and 9 is 2%. So the margin fell from 6% to 2%.
- Interviewer: Our CFO thinks this is a labor problem. Do you agree? Note: Pushback, just like a real interviewer.
- You: No. Labor held at 15% of sales. The 4-point rise in product costs explains the entire drop. Note: Defended with evidence.
02 · Your plan
Never guess what to practice next
Choose a 6-week plan, or a 7-day Sprint when your interview is close. Each day brings one workout of 20 to 30 minutes: drills on your weakest skill, a quick review of something you’ve already learned, and one thing you haven’t seen yet.
Lorenzo’s story · Day 1· 25 days to go
His diagnostic finds the same slip, so math setup leads today’s workout.
A sample student.
Day 1 · 25 days to go · Sample student
His diagnostic finds the same slip, so math setup leads today’s workout.
From his report
- Problem structuringStrong
- Quantitative rigorMath setup: margin was 2%, not 4%Needs work
- Exhibit interpretationStrong
Lorenzo’s plan · Standard · 6 weeks · Sample
Interview: Nov 21 · 25 days
Week 1
Today
Structure and math
Week 2
Hypotheses and exhibits
Week 3
Judgment and synthesis
Week 4
Integration
Week 5
Interview performance
Week 6
Readiness
Today’s workout
About 20 min · 3 setsWeak spot · Consulting math8 min
From your diagnostic: math setup.
Review · Spot the gap5 min
Structure: keep it sharp.
Something new · Chart read7 min
Exhibits are next week’s focus.
Lorenzo · Day 1
Math setup · Focus areaLorenzo’s plan · Standard · 6 weeks · Sample
Interview: Nov 21 · 25 days
Week 1 of 6Structure and math
Today’s workout
About 20 min · 3 setsWeak spot · Consulting math8 min
From your diagnostic: math setup.
Review · Spot the gap5 min
Structure: keep it sharp.
Something new · Chart read7 min
Exhibits are next week’s focus.
03 · Learn
Learn what a strong answer sounds like
Each lesson covers one skill in about three minutes. You see a weak answer and a strong answer to the same question, with the difference marked: the weak framework could fit any company, while the strong one is built around this client’s decision. No business background needed.
Lorenzo’s story · Day 2· 24 days to go
Between math reps, a 3-minute lesson on case-specific structure.
A sample student.
Day 2 · 24 days to go · Sample student
Between math reps, a 3-minute lesson on case-specific structure.
Lesson · 3 min · Case-specific structure
A structure built for this case
A regional gym chain is deciding whether to launch an at-home fitness subscription.
Weak answer
Profit
- Revenue · price × volume
- Costs · fixed + variable
Could fit any company.
Strong answer
- 1Will current members pay for at-home workouts?
- 2Who already sells at-home fitness, and at what price?
- 3Can the chain film and stream classes well?
- 4Does subscription revenue cover production and platform costs?
Built around this client’s decision.
Lorenzo · Day 2
Math setup · LearningLesson · 3 min · Case-specific structure
A structure built for this case
A regional gym chain is deciding whether to launch an at-home fitness subscription.
Weak answer
Profit
- Revenue · price × volume
- Costs · fixed + variable
Could fit any company.
Strong answer
- 1Will current members pay for at-home workouts?
- 2Who already sells at-home fitness, and at what price?
- 3Can the chain film and stream classes well?
- 4Does subscription revenue cover production and platform costs?
Built around this client’s decision.
04 · Drill
Fix one mistake at a time
Drills are short, timed, and focused on a single skill. Calculate a percent change from the wrong base, and the feedback names that exact mistake and shows the right method before your next question. On harder sets, a follow-up makes you defend your answer, such as which part of your framework you’d investigate first, and why.
Lorenzo’s story · Day 5· 21 days to go
Math reps: a wrong base is the same kind of setup slip.
A sample student.
Day 5 · 21 days to go · Sample student
Math reps: a wrong base is the same kind of setup slip.
Consulting math · Item 2 of 5
Time left 0:22Profit fell from $3M to $1M. By what percent did it fall?
Framework builder · Follow-up
Which part of your framework would you investigate first, and why?
Your reply · up to 40 words
Lorenzo · Day 5
Math setup · PracticedConsulting math · Item 2 of 5
Time left 0:22Profit fell from $3M to $1M. By what percent did it fall?
Framework builder · Follow-up
Which part of your framework would you investigate first, and why?
Your reply · up to 40 words
05 · Mock interview
Prove it in a full case
The interviewer shares data only when you ask for the right thing, pushes back when your logic is thin, and checks your math as you go, by voice or by text. Afterward, each of the 8 skills gets a rating, and every comment quotes the moment in your interview it refers to.
Lorenzo’s story · Day 12· 14 days to go
A new case. He sets up the margin first and gets it right.
A sample student.
Day 12 · 14 days to go · Sample student
A new case. He sets up the margin first and gets it right.
Sample interview
24:38
That’s a strong place to stop. Let’s look at your feedback.
Feedback report
Harbor Coffee · Day 12 · 24 min
8The 8 skills in every report
- Problem structuringStrong
- Quantitative rigorStrong
- Exhibit interpretationStrong
- Business judgmentAdequate
- CreativityAdequate
- SynthesisAdequate
- CommunicationAdequate
- Composure under pushbackStrong
“Costs are 92% of sales, so the margin is 100 minus 92: 8%.”
Strength · Quantitative rigor
Set up the margin before calculating. Right the first time.
Lorenzo · Day 12
Math setup · Right in a new caseFeedback report
Harbor Coffee · Day 12
8The 8 skills in every report
- Problem structuring: Strong
- Quantitative rigor: Strong
- Exhibit interpretation: Strong
- Business judgment: Adequate
- Creativity: Adequate
- Synthesis: Adequate
- Communication: Adequate
- Composure under pushback: Strong
“Costs are 92% of sales, so the margin is 100 minus 92: 8%.”
Strength · Quantitative rigor
Set up the margin before calculating. Right the first time.
06 · Plan updates
Your next workout comes from your last mistake
Mix up percentages and percentage points in a drill set, and that leads your next workout. A skill moves from learning to practiced once you pass it consistently, and to mastered only after you pass it again days later, on a problem from an industry you haven’t just practiced. Your interview report names what to work on too; the plan doesn’t read it yet, so pick that drill yourself.
Lorenzo’s story · Day 12· 14 days to go
Math setup reaches Mastered in his drills. His report names the next weak spot.
A sample student.
Day 12 · 14 days to go · Sample student
Math setup reaches Mastered in his drills. His report names the next weak spot.
Back to Your plan: the next weak spot starts the loop again
From his Day 12 feedback report
Work on · Percentages vs. percentage points
Said the margin “fell 3%”. It fell 3 points, from 11% to 8%.
Today’s workout
About 20 min · 3 setsWeak spot · Mental math8 min
From your drills: percent vs. percentage points.
Review · Consulting math5 min
Math setup: mastered. Kept sharp.
Something new · Initial hypothesis7 min
Hypotheses are this week’s focus.
Skill map
- Math setupMastered
- MECE structureMastered
- Chart takeawayPracticed
- Case-specific structurePracticed
- Complete recommendationPracticed
- PercentagesLearning
Lorenzo · Day 12
Math setup · MasteredSkill map
Learning · Practiced · Mastered
- Math setupMastered
- MECE structureMastered
- Chart takeawayPracticed
- Case-specific structurePracticed
- Complete recommendationPracticed
- PercentagesLearning
Back to Your plan: next up, Percentages
Find out where you stand. It’s free.
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