Strategy Simplified

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A private equity firm bought a paint company. Turned out their sales reps were handing out 50% discounts to any contractor who asked nicely.

That's the kind of blind spot 3 PE leaders talk through in this episode – what actually happens once a private equity deal gets underway.

Carl Evander (OC&C), Sean McDevitt (Arthur D. Little), and Dave Clement (Simon-Kucher) break down how a deal actually gets picked, checked out, and sold for a profit.

You'll learn:
Why the numbers on older deals are forcing PE firms to sell now, ready or not
What "real diligence" looks like once you've actually bought the company
The 1 skill partners say will matter more than AI in 3 years
Full speaker bios and firm profiles here.

Resources:
See this year's Top Private Equity Consulting Firms ranking
If breaking into a PE-focused practice is the target, Black Belt pairs you with an advisor who's coached candidates into firms like OC&C and Simon-Kucher
Explore top firms hiring in Private Equity Consulting on the Management Consulted Job Board
Case Competition World Cup – Fall 2026
Applications are open. Free for all students. Apply by Sept. 13.
APPLY HERE
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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If your case framework doesn't pass the toothbrush test, it's too generic for McKinsey, Bain, and BCG.
Ex-Bain coach Abi Chen walks through the toothbrush test, the 3 mistakes that cost most candidates their offer, and the 4-step process to build strong frameworks.
Finally, she walks through two full framework examples – an M&A case and a pharma product launch.
Resources:
If your frameworks keep failing the toothbrush test, Black Belt is how you fix the process
Want to build a framework like this on a real client problem? Apply for the Case Competition World Cup
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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Bates White let us inside a real economic consulting case interview.
Annie Olecki, a senior consultant in Bates White's antitrust practice, ran a live case interview with a volunteer from the MC community. And economic consulting cases don't look like the strategy cases at McKinsey or Bain.
The case: a phone manufacturer suing its battery suppliers for price-fixing. The candidate has to size the damages, then revise the number - twice - as new evidence shifts the picture.
That's the instinct Bates White is testing for. Annie wanted to see if the candidate would revise the estimate once new information proved it wrong.
After the case wraps, Annie and Bates White recruiter Julian Pritcher take audience questions - interview rounds, what stands out in a resume, and R vs. Python.
Join Bates White:
Bates White's summer consultant program is open for applications. If you're an undergrad rising junior graduating Dec. 2027 through spring 2028, apply here
Not that class year? Bates White keeps a running list of openings. Submit your resume and cover letter and the firm will reach out if a role fits
Go deeper on Bates White – our full firm profile
Resources:
Join the Black Belt program to build killer case instincts like Kunal
Case Competition World Cup – Fall 2026
Applications are open. Free for all students. Apply by Sept. 13.
APPLY HERE
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
Namaan talked to dozens of PE practice leaders for our 2026 ranking. Almost every one said the same three things: 1) Cross-practice integration. 2) Strategy through execution. 3) Deep sector expertise. 
Strip the logo off 7 of 10 firms and you can't tell them apart. That's the sameness problem.
And it's expensive. Sponsors stop evaluating and default to relationships, brand, and price instead.
On this episode of The Briefing, Namaan breaks down what the standout firms did differently.
Resources:
Management Consulted's full research is in the 2026 Top Private Equity Consulting Firms ranking – see which 10 practices stood out and why
Want your firm's perspective in our next ranking, panel, or research piece? Tell our research team
Targeting PE consulting? Work with a Black Belt coach
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
Most 2nd-year MBA candidates have 2 to 4 weeks to get case interview-ready this cycle, not the usual 6 to 8.
More cases won't close that gap for McKinsey, Bain, and BCG.
Former Bain interviewer and LBS MBA Mitali Jalan compressed her prep into under 4 weeks and landed her offer. This session is her plan for doing it on a short runway.
The fix isn't more volume. It's knowing what to drill, and when. Listen for:
Mitali's 4-step sequence for compressing 6 to 8 weeks of prep into 2 to 4
Why 30 cases with a partner can still hide the mistake that costs an offer
Business acumen: the one skill interviewers spot instantly, and most candidates never build
Resources:
Black Belt pairs you with a coach who catches what a case partner can't – 80% land at least one offer
Case Competition World Cup – Fall 2026
Applications are open. Free for all students. Apply by Sept. 13.
APPLY HERE
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