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Consumer and retail consulting used to be one market. Now it's 4.
Each lane pulls a different lever – growth, margin, or talent. Firms that used to compete on "we do consumer and retail" are getting picked apart by specialists who can prove which lever they actually move.
In this episode of The Briefing, Japheth sits down with Namaan to break down the 4 lanes reshaping a $70B market, why AI stopped being enough on its own, and why private equity's longer hold periods are turning growth and profitability into the same conversation.
If you're a firm leader trying to protect market position, win the talent war, or defend margin, this one's for you.
Resources:
Go deeper on the data:
Want to see which firms are already winning in each lane? Check out our 2026 Consumer & Retail ranking
Want to hear it straight from firms already competing in these lanes? Watch our Consumer & Retail panel
Go act on it:
If your firm doesn't have a 10-second answer to "what do we solve better than anyone else," grab time with Namaan – MC works with firms to shape how that answer gets told to candidates and PE sponsors
If you're a candidate trying to figure out which lane to network into, Black Belt helps you match your profile and story to the right one, and you can see who's actually hiring on our job board
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Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
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Building business judgment is learnable – most candidates just go about it the wrong way.
Tauseef Charanya spent 10 years at BCG, conducted over 300 case interviews, and coached hundreds of candidates through the process. 
In this episode, he explains what business acumen actually looks like in a case interview, why work experience alone doesn't build it, and the 4 layers you need to hit to get an offer.
Resources:
If you're ready to work on your business acumen with an MBB coach, Black Belt is the program built to get you there
Not sure where you stand? Book a free 15-minute call with Katie and she'll help you figure out the right next step
If you're earlier in your prep, Case Foundations is a free starting point for case prep
Connect With Management Consulted
Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube
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Join an upcoming live event – case interviews demos, expert panels, and more

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Using AI for case prep? For most candidates, it's costing them the offer.
McKinsey and Bain are already grading how you use AI in interviews this cycle.
Most candidates ask AI for answers, skip the hypothesis, and accept whatever it hands back. That skips the exact skill firms are testing: how you think through a problem, not just the answer you get to.
In this episode, Namaan breaks down the 3 AI case prep mistakes, and the right way to use it like a directed junior analyst instead.
Resources:
If you want an MBB coach checking your process, not just your answers, Black Belt pairs you with one
Want the foundational skills before you loop AI in? Grab free access to Case Foundations and build the process AI should be pressure-testing, not replacing
Connect With Management Consulted
Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube
Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok
Join an upcoming live event – case interviews demos, expert panels, and more

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This episode is presented by Bates White, one of the world's top economic consulting firms. If you're an undergraduate rising junior (Class of 2028), Bates White internship applications open in August. Learn more.
Consulting firms are moving towards non-traditional cases. They want to see if you can think, not just if you've memorized a framework. 
This one is a BCG-style case built around two universities launching a joint degree from zero. 
Ex-BCG coach Yusuf Shaikh runs candidate Wasif through it live – the structure, the math behind a 240-student enrollment target, and the real-time correction when the numbers had no framework behind them.
Wasif had the right answer and still lost the case on structure. Yusuf explains why – and what to do differently.
Coaching:
Black Belt is how you get a dedicated coach, a personalized prep plan, and coaching from experts like Yusuf who know what MBB is looking for
Book a free 15-minute call with Katie to discuss your options
Resources:
Create a free account and get access to our Case Foundations course, market research, and job board – no credit card required
Connect With Management Consulted
Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube
Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok
Join an upcoming live event – case interviews demos, expert panels, and more

Send us Fan Mail
Everyone assumes AI is eating consulting alive – demand shrinking, firms pulling back. That's the narrative. 
The data from our July Consulting Market Outlook says something else entirely.
In this episode of The Briefing, Japheth sits down with Namaan to unpack what's actually happening in the market right now. 
Demand is up. The bottleneck isn't leads or RFPs – it's delivery. And that changes who's winning in the second half of 2026, for firms and for candidates.
We cover:
Why the firms stuck in the middle are getting squeezed out
The 3 things on the podium now that AI is just the entry fee
What candidates should be asking firms that most aren't
Resources:
Download the July Consulting Market Outlook Report free – the data behind everything Namaan breaks down in this episode
If you represent a consulting firm and want your perspective shaping future MC research, rankings, or thought leadership, get on Namaan's calendar
If your profile still reads generalist in a market that's paying for sector depth, Black Belt helps you fix that before it costs you the offer
Connect With Management Consulted
Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube
Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok
Join an upcoming live event – case interviews demos, expert panels, and more