That’s how my first call with Rishabh from GyanOne began  just two weeks before my Wharton MBA interview. I still remember blurting out my biggest fear: “IIT grad, nine years of analytics, operations, and strategy… but isn’t that too typical? Just another Indian engineer lost in the crowd?”

On paper, I knew my profile looked strong. IIT degree. Almost a decade across e-commerce, media, and startups. A GMAT score of 760. But I also knew the brutal truth: business schools like Wharton don’t just admit résumés, rather they admit stories. And mine felt unfinished, perhaps even ordinary.

The Making of a Professional and the Doubts That Came With It

My journey had been anything but linear. In e-commerce, I designed last-mile delivery strategies at scale, shaving costs and hours from systems that millions relied on. At a leading media house, I drove data-led transformation projects, introducing new ways to think about audience insights and ad revenues. And at a high-growth services startup, I was entrusted with leading operations- a crash course in firefighting, scaling, and leadership, all at once.

But the startup also gave me my biggest professional heartbreak. When a funding crunch hit, I had an idea: reposition our premium services and raise prices. The data backed it and the market was ready. Yet, I hesitated. I didn’t push hard enough. The company folded. And I was left with a tough lesson that bold ideas don’t survive without bold champions. Logic is never enough; courage is what carries the day.

That lesson stayed with me.

Rising Again: The Pandemic Story

In my next role, when the pandemic threatened ad revenues, I knew hesitation was no longer an option. I proposed a sales analytics tool to revive revenue. Leadership was skeptical. “Too complex, too late,” they said. But this time, I pushed. I rallied support, built the tool, and proved its value. The product not only worked, it became central to the company’s recovery strategy.

Still, I felt something missing. Solving problems was satisfying, but I wanted to do more than react. I wanted to set direction, not just execute it. That’s when the MBA dream crystallized. Wharton, with its emphasis on leadership, innovation, and global impact, became the goal.

The Roadblock: My Own Fears

But self-doubt hit harder than I expected. Yes, I had a 760 GMAT. Yes, I had rich experiences. But I couldn’t shake the voice that whispered: “You’re just another Indian male engineer with a good score.”

When I looked at Wharton’s application, my doubts multiplied. The team-based discussion and the behavioral interview. The need to show both individuality and collaboration in the same breath. I knew I needed help. That’s when I turned to GyanOne.

From Skepticism to Strategy

My first conversationwith Rishabh wasn’t about essays or frameworks. It was about me. About digging beneath the bullet points on my résumé and uncovering the themes that made me unique. Together, we mapped my journey- not just the wins, but the stumbles, the lessons, and the resilience.

The GyanOne team didn’t sugarcoat anything. They pushed me to move beyond “what I did” into “why it mattered” and “who I became.” We worked line by line, turning responsibilities into impact, and failures into leadership moments.

When it came to the Wharton interview, GyanOne’s role was pivotal. The team connected me with successful past applicants who had faced the same gauntlet. We practiced the fast-paced team-based discussion until it felt natural. We refined my behavioral answers until they carried not just competence, but conviction. More than anything, they gave me the confidence to walk into that room knowing that my story was mine- distinct, compelling, and real.

The Breakthrough- Wharton MBA Class of 2023

When the admit arrived, it felt surreal. From the fear of being “too typical” to the joy of joining Wharton’s MBA Class of 2023, the journey was transformational. Today, at Wharton, I’m exploring product management and strategy, charting a path to build and lead tech products that don’t just scale, but truly matter.