Ep 17. John Koelliker - Leland CEO and Co-Founder: Launching a Business at Stanford GSB

2025-05-12

Today's guest is John Koelliker, CEO and Co-Founder of Leland—the go-to platform for the B-school community. In this conversation, John shares the story behind founding Leland, and how it wasn’t just a business idea—it was a lightning bolt, a “I HAVE to do this” moment. He also opens up about the most powerful lessons from his time at Stanford GSB, and why the MBA journey should be about more than just getting in. We dive into:🔹 The origin story of Leland and the mission behind it

Today's guest is John Koelliker, CEO and Co-Founder of Leland—the go-to platform for the B-school community.

In this conversation, John shares the story behind founding Leland, and how it wasn’t just a business idea—it was a lightning bolt, a “I HAVE to do this” moment. He also opens up about the most powerful lessons from his time at Stanford GSB, and why the MBA journey should be about more than just getting in.

We dive into:
🔹 The origin story of Leland and the mission behind it
🔹 What John took away from his own B-school experience
🔹 How to broaden your scope and think bigger than just B-school

If you’re in the middle of applications, weighing your options, or just feeling stuck in the “what’s next” phase, this one’s full of perspective, purpose, and inspiration.

Let’s get into it! 🚀

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