Strong academics are still the baseline. They’re not the only thing that matters—but they are often the first thing someone sees. Your GPA can determine whether a recruiter reads the rest of your resume. It can influence who gets invited to interview, who gets selected for scholarships, and who lands the early leadership roles. So let's talk about how to get them right.

When I started working with my executive coach, I expected the focus to be on strategy—how to lead, how to grow, how to prioritize. And sure, we touched on those things. But again and again, we kept returning to one core area: Mindset.

Because underneath every opportunity or challenge—whether you’re leading a team or trying to land your first internship—mindset is the filter that shapes how you show up.

Why don’t future executives—the high-potential students, interns, or new hires of today—have a coach while they’re still figuring out who they are and how to lead themselves? Because the truth is, those early years matter just as much as anything that comes later.

On paper, I looked like someone who had it all figured out as I was starting college. But inside, I felt like I was entering a world that had been spinning without me. Then, the same thing happened when I launched my career as a consultant at McKinsey & Company.

Now, several years later, I coach high-performing college students and early-career professionals who already have the talent to succeed—but who want someone to help them get there faster and with more intention. And I do it through a simple framework that I call MAP IT which stands for Mindset, Academics, People, Involvement, and Target.