Home > Success Story > From Operations to Opportunity: Harinder’s MBA Journey
Harinder
Final Admit
Schulich School of Business
From Operations to Opportunity: Harinder’s MBA Journey
Final Admit
Schulich School of Business
GMAT FE : 635
Background: Textile Engineering → Operations at Trident
Target Schools: Schulich School of Business
About Harinder
Harinder’s story is one of grit, transformation, and belief. Starting with a background in textile engineering, he began his career in manufacturing operations at Trident—optimizing workflows, solving production challenges, and understanding the intricacies of large-scale production. Over time, however, he felt a growing urge to pivot toward more strategic, business-focused roles in consulting and analytics.
The journey to an MBA wasn’t straightforward. With limited prior business exposure and a GMAT Focus Edition score of 635, Harinder often wondered if he could break into the competitive B-school landscape. But with focused mentorship, clear goal-setting, and unshakeable perseverance, he redefined the trajectory of his career—proving that where you begin does not limit where you can go.
Why LilacBuds? The Need for Strategic Mentorship
Feeling overwhelmed by the competitive application landscape and unsure how to bridge the gap between his background and MBA ambitions, Harinder turned to LilacBuds for expert support. What stood out to him was the consultancy’s holistic approach—not just limited to essays or college lists, but offering end-to-end guidance on every phase of the journey: GMAT strategy, storytelling, interview prep, and post-admit logistics.
Working with consultant and the GMAT prep team, Harinder gradually began to see the potential in his own story.
The Winning Strategy
LilacBuds helped Harinder reposition his profile—from operations-heavy to leadership-ready. Together, they:
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Revamped His Narrative:
Harinder's time at Trident was reframed to spotlight his problem-solving mindset, process innovation, and people leadership. -
Strategized GMAT Improvement:
With targeted coaching, question filtering, and time management hacks, Harinder improved his GMAT score from 505 to 635, a huge leap that changed his candidacy profile entirely. -
Built Authentic Essays:
Rather than generic themes, Harinder’s essays were infused with stories of resilience, on-ground leadership, and his ambition to create value through analytics and business insights. -
Prepared for Interviews:
Multiple mock sessions helped Harinder transform from a nervous speaker to a confident storyteller. He learned how to bring clarity and structure to his answers—vital during virtual interviews. -
Navigated Rejections with Resilience:
Though some early applications didn’t yield admits, Harinder stayed committed and recalibrated his strategy, knowing that the right school would recognize his drive.
The Result:
Harinder was admitted to the prestigious Schulich School of Business (York University) with a merit-based scholarship—a moment of validation that his hard work and faith in the process had paid off.
Even post-admit, LilacBuds supported him with:
- Visa preparation
- Accommodation research
- Guidance on next steps in relocation and B-school readiness
Harinder's Feedback on LilacBuds' MBA Consulting
Before working with LilacBuds, I felt like an outsider to the MBA world. But they helped me see the leadership within my story, supported me during every setback, and turned my doubt into belief. From GMAT prep to interviews to visa—this was full-circle support. I wouldn’t have reached here without them.