How is your approach different from other consulting firms?

Three things set us apart, and none of them are “our consultants went to fancy schools.”

First, we don’t pre-qualify clients. A lot of firms quietly cherry-pick applicants who are near-locks, then claim sky-high success rates. We take on candidates who need real strategic work — lower stats, unconventional backgrounds, complicated narratives — because we believe that’s where great consulting actually matters. It’s riskier for our numbers, but it’s more honest and more interesting.

Second, we run a team-based model. Every client works with a lead consultant on strategy and a dedicated essay specialist on writing. Most firms give you one person doing both, which means they’re either great at strategy and mediocre at line-editing, or vice versa. We split it intentionally so you get depth on both sides without anyone burning out by application number six.

Third, our hiring process is brutal. About 5-6% of applicants make it through. We don’t hire based on alma mater or former admissions committee experience — we hire based on demonstrated ability to diagnose and coach. We test that blind, with no résumé attached, because a credential can be seductive and we’d rather trust the work.