Home > ISB Courses Consultant > From Fashion to ISB: Srihitha’s Success Story
Srihitha
ISB
Background: Demand Planner (Retail & E-commerce) at Landmark Group ~3 years
GMAT: 695
Target Schools: ISB (Indian School of Business)
From Fashion to ISB: Srihitha’s Success Story
About Srihitha
Coming from a non-traditional fashion background, Srihitha’s journey was anything but typical. Despite her creative roots, she successfully pivoted into an analytical role in retail and e-commerce, discovering a strong aptitude for numbers and business strategy.
With aspirations to create a larger business impact and transition into broader strategic roles, she decided to pursue an MBA from top global schools. However, not seeing similar profiles in top US MBA programs made her question her competitiveness.
Why LilacBuds? The Need for Professional MBA Consulting
Srihitha faced a major challenge:
- No clear benchmarks for her background in top MBA programs
- Uncertainty about how her creative + analytical profile would be evaluated
- Fear of either aiming too high or underselling herself
What stood out about LilacBuds was:
- Deep focus on transferable skills over conventional profiles
- Strong goal clarity discussions
- Fast turnaround and highly personalized mentorship
This helped her realize that her unique background was actually a strength, not a limitation.
The Winning Strategy
Positioning a Unique Profile
- Transformed her “unconventional” background into a differentiation advantage.
- Highlighted her pivot from fashion to analytics.
- Focused on transferable skills like problem-solving, data-driven decision making, and business impact.
Deep Goal Clarity
- Clearly defined her post-MBA career path.
- Connected past experiences with future aspirations.
- Built a cohesive and believable career narrative.
Tailored School Applications
- Customized each application based on school-specific values.
- Avoided generic essays - each story was deeply introspective and unique.
Intensive Essay Development
- Multiple iterations to refine: Story depth, Clarity of impact and Alignment with MBA goals.
Fast & Structured Execution (R2 Deadline)
- Managed tight timelines with: Quick feedback loops, Structured workflow and Efficient application planning.
The Result
Srihitha applied to:
- Kellogg
- Darden
- Yale
- Emory
- Tepper
- Ross
- ISB
Final Outcomes:
- Admit: Darden School of Business
- Admit: ISB (Indian School of Business)
- Interview Calls: Multiple top US schools
Despite being from a non-traditional background, she successfully broke into top MBA programs.
Srihitha's feedbacks on LilacBuds’ MBA Consultation
"Coming from a completely unconventional background, I wasn’t sure where I stood. LilacBuds helped me realize my strengths, refine my story, and build clarity in my goals. The process was deeply introspective, and every essay truly reflected my journey. The personalized guidance and quick feedback made all the difference."
Key Learnings for MBA Aspirants
- Your background doesn’t have to be conventional — it has to be well-positioned
- Transferable skills matter more than labels
- Don’t undersell yourself - aim higher than you think
- Strong goal clarity + storytelling = winning application
