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Business Sense

Business sense refers to the ability to quickly grasp economic dynamics and make decisions that are both strategically and commercially sound. In consulting, it’s not enough to repeat theories from your business degree. What matters is a deep understanding of how companies operate, what drives markets, and what different stakeholders are aiming to achieve.

Consultants with strong business acumen can quickly adapt to new industries, understand client needs, and set priorities that make economic sense. They don’t just ask, “What is analytically correct?” – they also ask, “What truly benefits the company?” This mindset often makes the difference in a case interview.

Table of contents

Why Your Business Sense Matters in Consulting

How Business Sense Shows Up in Case Interviews

1. Define a clear objective.

2. Develop sound hypotheses.

3. Evaluate actions realistically.

4. Interpret numbers in the right context.

5. Make a well-founded recommendation.

How to Train Your Business Sense

Key Takeaways

Why Your Business Sense Matters in Consulting

As a consultant, you’re expected not only to analyze complex problems but also to think in a solution-oriented and entrepreneurial way. A strong business mindset helps you put analyses into context, assess actions realistically, and focus on generating maximum client value.

In day-to-day consulting, you're working under pressure, collaborating with decision-makers, and constantly weighing trade-offs. Those who think commercially and can strategically prioritize have a clear edge.

In a case interview, showing that you understand markets and business models is key – it sets you apart and proves your readiness for the job.

👉 In our Case Library, you can prepare effectively with curated practice cases and put your business sense to the test.

Company case provided by Company case by

E.ON Inhouse Consulting

E.ON Inhouse Consulting Case: E-Mobility

Climate change has become one of the biggest challenges in the 21st century, and with roughly 75% of all CO₂ emissions coming from energy, this sector plays a key role in the transition to a reduced carbon footprint. E.ON has taken up on the challenge to promote more sustainable and efficient energy solutions throughout its whole customer spectrum. Correspondingly, a shift towards more sustainable energy consumption is noticed across the globe with many cities having set themselves ambitious climate targets, among those are: - Copenhagen -100% CO₂ emissions by 2025 - Amsterdam -60% CO₂ emission by 2030 - New York -40% CO₂ emissions by 2030 With E.ON focusing entirely on the “new” energy world, we have become the partner of choice for solutions propelling the energy transitions. Mr. Jensen, the mayor of Essen has come to E.ON requesting our help to accelerate the transition for his city. Essen is a city with about 600,000 inhabitants and prides itself as a forward-thinking one with lots of ambitions to become green itself. The economy is well and with his freshly won election the mayor looks forward to put its promised big initiatives into real projects.

3.6

15.8k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Interviewer-led

Market analysis

Market entry

Market sizing

Profitability analysis

Open case

Company case provided by Company case by

Roland Berger

Roland Berger Case: Launch of a Mobile Neobroker

"FemVest" is a venture-backed fintech aiming to launch a mobile neobroker in Germany in 2026. The company believes that women are structurally underserved in the area of retail investing: women are less likely to hold a securities account, invest smaller amounts on average, and enter the market later than men. At the same time, the financial relevance of women is growing — driven by rising incomes, demographic shifts, and inheritances. FemVest has already secured regulatory approval as well as a custodian bank and execution partner. However, key strategic decisions remain open: the target segment has not been finalized, the product and service offering is not yet defined, the business model has not been established, and the go-to-market strategy has not yet been developed. The board is asking you, as a consultant, to analyze the market potential, develop an initial business case, and derive concrete strategic recommendations for market entry.

5.0

3.7k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Candidate-led

Market analysis

Market entry

New product

Open case

Company case provided by Company case by

Bain & Company

Bain Case: Old Winery

You have inherited the “Old Winery” from your grandfather, a winery that has been family-owned for five generations and can be dated back to the 16th century. Half of the eleven hectares are used to grow white grapes, the other half to grow red grapes. They are grown in a conventional way, i.e. they are not organically farmed and certified. The vine stocks are in a good condition regarding age and care. Overall, the only ¼ of the harvest is made into wine by the winery itself; the rest is sold. Your grandfather never wanted to change the image of the winery and left the managerial and administrative task to a young and energetic wine-maker. Due to the not so well-known brand, the demand for the “Old Winery” wine is currently rather low. You do not intent to run the winery operatively, given your limited knowledge of winemaking, but find the idea of owning a winery exciting.

4.3

151.0k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Candidate-led

Growth strategy

Market analysis

Market sizing

Mergers & Acquisition

Open case

Expert case by

Hagen

Grocery Wholesaler

GroceryWholesaleCo is a leading international grocery wholesaler that sells, markets, and distributes food products, equipment, and supplies to restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging establishments, and other customers who prepare meals away from home. Historically, the client was able to ensure sustainable growth; however, profits have plummeted over the last three years. As a result, GroceryWholesaleCo wants to discover the reasons for this decline in profitability and identify strategies to turn the situation around.

4.7

14.1k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Candidate-led

Growth strategy

Market analysis

Profitability analysis

Open case

Case by

PrepLounge

The Madhouse Animation Crisis

Your client is Madhouse Studios, one of the largest anime producers in Japan. The anime-industry is flourishing. Originally revenue was generated mainly in Japan but the trend is that revenues outside of Japan are growing at a steady rate of 15% a year as more and more non-Japanese people enjoy anime. Despite this rapidly growing new segment, Madhouse lost $6m in profits at the end of 2017 even though profits were growing steadily the years before. Madhouse has given you the objective to find the root cause of the loss in profitability and to advise them on how to proceed from here.

4.2

6.9k times solved

Difficulty: Advanced

Candidate-led

Competitive response

New product

Profitability analysis

Open case

Case by

PrepLounge

Spirits distribution

Our client, Ooze, is one of the market leaders in the US spirits market (strong alcohol products). They are thinking of restructuring their distribution strategy and want to know whether they should invest in 1 or 5 distribution centers. What would you recommend?

4.4

21.6k times solved

Difficulty: Beginner

Candidate-led

Operations strategy

Profitability analysis

Open case

Case by

PrepLounge

Airline Economics

We are an airline major operating out of India. We want to increase the number of passengers on all our flights. Could you please calculate the financial return of adding one more passenger per flight?

4.3

18.4k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Candidate-led

Market sizing

Profitability analysis

Open case

Company case provided by Company case by

Simon-Kucher

Simon-Kucher Case: GST Cruise Company

Cruise company German Sea Tours (GST) is a successful operator of international cruises. GST currently offers several cruise trips, lasting between 5 and 24 days. Additional services can be booked on board (e.g. excursions at each destination, onboard leisure activities). Customers tend to book their tickets several months in advance. GST has had a long history of revenue growth, but in the past five years, it showed lower growth rates. Board members are not sure whether the market, in general, saw lower growth or whether the problem is specific to GST. GST recognizes that winning new customers and stimulating existing customers to book their vacations with GST is crucial for future growth and therefore has always focused on keeping a close relationship with its (potential) cruise-trip bookers. GST’s chief commercial officer (CCO) Ms. Brown has hired Simon-Kucher & Partners to assess the market environment and competitive positioning for cruise ships and to conduct a subsequent evaluation of potential growth options.

4.5

75.8k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Candidate-led

Growth strategy

Pricing

Open case

Expert case by

Moritz

Zero Carbon Mine (McKinsey)

CLIENT OBJECTIVE Our client, Global Mining Corp (GMC), wants to know whether it should pursue producing and selling "green copper" from its Chilean and Australian mines over the coming decade. BACKGROUND INFORMATION Green copper is the same product as conventional copper, but certified as produced with net-zero carbon emissions at the mine. GMC operates open-pit copper mines, mostly in remote areas of Chile and Australia. The ore is blasted with explosives, pushed into piles by bulldozers and loaded by power shovels onto haul trucks, which carry it some distance to the processing site. This mobile equipment runs on diesel and includes some of the heaviest vehicles in the world. At the processing site, the rock is crushed further and then leached with acid, and the copper is recovered as cathodes using large amounts of electricity. The cathodes travel by truck and rail to the nearest port and are shipped to customers around the world. The CEO has asked McKinsey to assess the prospects of reaching net zero at the mines and whether green copper is worth pursuing.

4.0

5.1k times solved

Difficulty: Advanced

Interviewer-led

Operations strategy

Open case

Case by

PrepLounge

Disguise distribution

Your client is a German manufacturer of disguises for events and parties called KostümCo. They segment their products in two lines: round-the-year and seasonal products. Round-the-year products serve customers that celebrate birthdays and common parties during the whole year. Seasonal products aim at special occasions like the carnival or the beer festival in Munich and are only sold for some time before these events. KostümCo makes the design, manufacturing and resells the disguises to retailers in 5 different German cities. Recently, though, the largest retail customer complained that KostümCo’s prices are too high. After some internal analyses, the client found this to be due mainly to distribution costs. You have been asked to figure out how we can reduce distribution costs.

4.4

38.5k times solved

Difficulty: Beginner

Candidate-led

Market analysis

Operations strategy

Profitability analysis

Open case

Company case provided by Company case by

Forvis Mazars

Forvis Mazars Case: Prüfung der Carvermietungen GmbH

Sie sind Abschlussprüfer der CarVermietungen GmbH, einem deutschen Unternehmen, das geleaste Fahrzeuge europaweit an Privat- und Geschäftskunden weitervermietet. Im Rahmen der Prüfung führen Sie Interviews mit dem Management des Unternehmens durch. Dabei wecken insbesondere die langfristigen ökologischen und digitalen Herausforderungen der Firma Ihr Interesse. Sie erfahren unter anderem, dass die Hauptunterschiede zum üblichen Geschäft in einem Transformationsplan liegen und lassen sich vom CFO den Plan vorstellen. Die Finanzdirektorin teilt Ihnen stolz mit, dass die CarVermietungen GmbH in die Elektrifizierung der Fahrzeugflotte investiert. Die Anzahl der Elektroautos wird im Lagebericht veröffentlicht. Die CarVermietungen GmbH bietet ihren Kunden seit dem vierten Quartal eine Erweiterung zum bestehenden Bonusprogramm an. Die Kunden können ihre gesammelten Bonuspunkte am Jahresende auf ein Umweltprogramm übertragen, das vorwiegend in den Anbau von Bäumen und Wasseralgen investiert, um die klimafreundliche CO2-Bindung zu fördern. In diesem Zusammenhang hat das Unternehmen auch eine weitere Zielgruppe definiert und eine entsprechende Kundenliste erstellt. Darüber hinaus wurden im laufenden Geschäftsjahr durch den Zukauf von Daten über ein soziales Netzwerk zusätzlich neue Kunden hinzugewonnen. Die CarVermietungen GmbH hat im letzten Quartal außerdem in P2P-Carsharing investiert, da sich dieses neue Geschäftsmodell im Ausland bereits als vielversprechend erwiesen hat. Private Autobesitzer haben die Möglichkeit, ihr Fahrzeug über die Carsharing-Plattform anzubieten und die Vermietung gänzlich über eine App abzuwickeln. Die Mietwagengebühren betragen ein Drittel des Mietwertes und die CarVermietungen GmbH zahlt eine Versicherung, die jeden Kunden abdeckt. Die Versicherungsprämien für das Folgejahr wurden bereits ausgezahlt.

4.0

9.1k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Interviewer-led

Audit

Valuation

Open case

Case by

PrepLounge

Perpetual motion

After a congress about general science in which you took part out of personal interest, a renowned scientist comes to talk to you. He swears he invented the world’s first perpetual motion apparatus. It requires no energy source and keeps running forever. It can even turn a small fan with its motion. The scientist asks you in which markets he can monetize the invention and how much money he could make in Europe in the first year.

4.1

11.1k times solved

Difficulty: Advanced

Candidate-led

Market entry

Market sizing

New product

Open case

Company case provided by Company case by

OC&C

CleanWave – When the Suds Settle

CleanWave is a leading branded manufacturer of dishwashing products in Germany, primarily selling dishwashing tabs and liquids. During the Covid period (2020–2021), the company experienced unusually strong growth in revenues and profits. Since 2022, however, CleanWave’s revenues and profitability have declined significantly. Management believes this is mainly driven by weaker consumer demand and increased price pressure. You are asked to: - Estimate the size of the German dishwashing market - Analyse the drivers of CleanWave’s declining revenues and profits - Understand the impact of Covid and post-Covid market dynamics - Develop strategic recommendations for CleanWave going forward

4.6

1.3k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Interviewer-led

Growth strategy

Market analysis

Market sizing

New product

Open case

Company case provided by Company case by

E.ON Inhouse Consulting

E.ON Inhouse Consulting Case: Heating Systems

The European Union pursues the target of lowering the CO₂ emissions of their residents. Therefore, the EU introduced a CO₂ tax to create incentives for consumers to switch to more climate friendly alternatives and stabilize carbon dioxide emissions. Accordingly, and as E.ON’s strategy focuses on creating a better tomorrow for its customers, E.ON is investing significantly to grow its ‘Customer solutions’ area with climate-friendly solutions, including its heating solutions business. You have recently joined E.ON Inhouse Consulting and E.ON’s Head of Heating Solutions has hired you to conduct an analysis concerning the European CO₂ tax. Specifically, you are asked to assess whether the EU uses the right tool to steer consumers towards more climate-friendly heating systems.

4.4

4.9k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Interviewer-led

Market analysis

Open case

Case by

PrepLounge

RWE Consulting Case: Floating Wind in Japan

RWE is an international renewables company with a proud heritage of more than 125 years in the energy business. Recently, during the Capital Markets Day in 2023, RWE’s CEO renewed the company’s 2030 vision of being a global leader in green energy. To achieve this, additional substantial investments in clean technologies are planned, allowing for a total capacity of more than 30 GW to be added until then. Against this background,RWE is constantly scanning for attractive investment opportunities in core and new markets with a focus on renewable energy sources like offshore or onshore wind as well as photovoltaics. After winning an offshore wind project on the Japanese West Coast, let us assume, for the context of this case study, that RWE is now actively exploring additional opportunities in Japan. The RWE Consulting team was asked to evaluate the attractiveness of the Japanese market and find suitable additional investment opportunities with special interest in the new technology of floating offshore wind. Specifically, your job as a consultant is to provide a “Go or No-Go” recommendation on whether to invest in floating wind in Japan.

4.6

34.1k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Interviewer-led

Market analysis

Market entry

Market sizing

Profitability analysis

Open case

Case by

PrepLounge

Inverto Case: VacuLuxe Innovations' Supply Chain Makeover

The client, VacuLuxe Innovations, is a manufacturer for vacuum pumps, e.g. rotary vane pumps, cryogenic pumps located in Germany. The company has grown from a start-up to a major corporation over the last 50 years. However, after benchmarking the economics of their business, the client discovered that their direct spend (i.e., COGS supplier spend) represented a higher percentage of their revenue than their closest competitors. The client's top management has engaged the SCM and procurement specialized consultancy Inverto to advise the company in this critical situation. An initial meeting with the CPO of VacuLuxe Innovations will be conducted tomorrow. VacuLuxe Innovations aims to discuss optimization potentials in the current collaboration with suppliers as well as levers to improve the supply chain resilience & carbon footprint. Unfortunately, VacuLuxe Innovations has only submitted the following high level data for their direct spend yet.

4.1

19.1k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Candidate-led

Operations strategy

Organizational behavior

Profitability analysis

Open case

Company case provided by Company case by

Oliver Wyman

Oliver Wyman Case: On the Right Track

TrainCo is a manufacturer of rolling stock, or trains, with production sites in three European countries. The company has seen declining profitability over the past years; however, they are currently in a very good position to bid for and win a big contract for regional trains for a Swiss national rail company. They have asked you advise to them on whether they should place a bid for the contract.

4.4

93.8k times solved

Difficulty: Beginner

Candidate-led

Operations strategy

Profitability analysis

Open case

Expert case by

Ian

BCG + Bain - Vets2U - Healthcare Based Case WITH VIDEO SOLUTION

Our client, Vets2U, a well-established organization that runs ten Mobile Veterinary Clinics (MVC) in the US, has witnessed a concerning trend of stagnant revenues of $100M over the past few years. In light of this issue, the CEO of Vets2U has brought us in with the goal of increasing revenues by 25%.

4.7

3.7k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Candidate-led

Growth strategy

Health care

Market entry

New product

Profitability analysis

Open case

Expert case by

Hagen

Sandwich Bags

ConsumerPackagingCo is a small, US-based consumer products packaging company that develops, produces, and sells plastic bags for storing sandwiches. The client currently owns one production line. Since demand for their plastic bags exceeds production capacity, ConsumerPackagingCo wants to determine how they can best utilize their current production capacity to maximize profits, and whether investing in a second production line would be economically viable.

4.6

11.3k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Interviewer-led

Capacity change

Market analysis

New product

Pricing

Profitability analysis

Open case

Expert case by

Hagen

Baby Formula

BabyformulaCo is a leading producer of baby formula with a 30% market share in the US that is looking for ways to increase their market share without significantly lowering profitability. Recently, a Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) for low-income women and their children was introduced, which provides vouchers to purchase baby formula. The client is interested in bidding for the tender contracts but needs help in determining the appropriate bidding price.

4.3

20.5k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Candidate-led

Competitive response

Growth strategy

Pricing

Profitability analysis

Open case

How Business Sense Shows Up in Case Interviews

Your business sense won’t be tested directly – but it shows up in your thinking, your assumptions, and your recommendations. Here are five moments when it really counts:

5 tips on how to show business sense in case interviews

1. Define a clear objective.

Clarify what the company wants to achieve in the case. Is it short-term profit, long-term growth, or a stronger market position? A well-defined goal aligns your analysis and recommendations – and shows you understand the business context.

2. Develop sound hypotheses.

Top candidates derive economically plausible hypotheses. If revenue is dropping, explore potential causes like demand, pricing, or competitive pressure.

3. Evaluate actions realistically.

Go beyond theory. Consider real-world feasibility, conflicting objectives, and strategic risks. Instead of simply saying “raise prices,” consider price elasticity, customer segments, and likely competitor reactions.

4. Interpret numbers in the right context.

Numbers only make sense when interpreted correctly. High margins might signal a premium position – or upcoming competitive threats. Business sense means understanding what the numbers imply in context.

5. Make a well-founded recommendation.

Your final recommendation should be logical and economically viable. Acknowledge risks or gaps, and show that your solution could succeed in the real world.

How to Train Your Business Sense

Business sense isn’t innate – it’s a skill you can develop. The key is to build a solid understanding of economic principles and learn how real-world decisions are made.

Start by regularly reading business news. Outlets like New York Times, the Wall Street Journal or the Financial Times will help you get a feel for markets, business models, and strategic thinking. Go beyond the facts – try to understand the economic rationale behind each story.

When practicing case interviews, stay sharp and reflective. Ask yourself: Is my reasoning not only logical but also economically sound?

Mock interviews with peers are especially helpful. You’ll improve your communication skills and receive valuable feedback.

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Also, think like an entrepreneur in daily life. Observe companies, analyze new strategies, and reflect on what drives success or failure. The more often you go through this process, the sharper your business intuition becomes – and that’s what sets you apart in interviews.

Key Takeaways

Business sense is one of the most important success factors in both consulting and case interviews. It reflects your ability to quickly recognize economic patterns, form sound assumptions, and make realistic, client-oriented decisions. In interviews, what sets top candidates apart isn’t memorized theory but the ability to see the bigger picture: understanding what really matters to a business, prioritizing strategically, and proposing solutions that are both practical and value-driven.

To demonstrate your business sense, it’s crucial to clearly define the objective of the case, develop plausible hypotheses, assess potential actions not only analytically but also from a business standpoint, and interpret numbers within the correct context. Your final recommendation should be not just logical, but economically viable and well thought through.

The good news is that business sense can be learned. By regularly reading business news, reflecting on strategic decisions, working through case interviews critically, and actively seeking feedback, you’ll build a strong foundation in economic thinking. Over time, this mindset will not only boost your interview performance but also set you up for long-term success in consulting.

Let's Move On With the Next Articles:

Presentation and Communication

Consulting Skills & Preparation

The majority and the most obvious part of preparation is, of course, the substantive preparation for your case interview. However, you also need to present what you have learned in a way that gives your interviewer an impression of your personality and character. This means that you must appear confidentand communicate clearly and precisely. The best preparation is useless if you come across as closed-off and insecure. As a consultant, you must always appear trustworthy and confident when interacting with clients to be taken seriously and to enable you and your team to work in a solution-oriented manner. This is already tested in the case interview – albeit indirectly ;)

To the article

General Knowledge

Consulting Skills & Preparation

In case interviews, having solid general knowledge can make a big difference, especially in market sizing questions. Knowing basic facts about regions, population sizes, and economic indicators helps you build stronger arguments. It’s not just about the analysis itself but also about showing interviewers that you understand global trends and can quickly process key information — an important skill in consulting. In a case interview, quick and accurate estimates are essential. For example, if you're asked to evaluate the potential market for a product in a specific country, having solid data — like the population size — is crucial. Without this information, it can be challenging to make a meaningful calculation. In addition to national market data, it's important to know about key global markets. Being familiar with major economic regions like the U.S., China, and the EU is valuable because large consulting firms such as McKinsey and BCG operate extensively in these areas. A solid understanding of these regions shows that you can think about global factors and helps you stand out from other candidates. What Your Knowledge of Population, Economy & Geography Says About You Having strong general knowledge in specific areas not only shows that you are well-prepared, but also that you can quickly understand economic relationships—a crucial skill in consulting. When you have information like population sizes or a country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at your fingertips, you can quickly verify assumptions and make informed decisions, which is exactly what case interviews expect. Additionally, your knowledge of these topics demonstrates a genuine interest in world affairs and your ability to recognize and understand global trends. This insight is vital for evaluating how political, economic, and social changes affect businesses. It also highlights your capability to absorb and use complex data effectively. Population Country/Region Population (approx.) Worldwide 8.05 billion China 1.426 billion India 1.419 billion Europe (EU states) 450 million USA 335 million Indonesia 277 million Brazil 203 million Russia 143 million Japan 124 million Germany 83 million UK 68 million GDP Forecast in USD for 2024 Country/Region GDP 2024 (approx. in trillions USD) Worldwide 105 trillion USD USA 25 trillion USD China 18 trillion USD Japan 4.3 trillion USD Germany 4.5 trillion USD France 3.0 trillion USD UK 3.1 trillion USD India 3.9 trillion USD Italy 2.2 trillion USD Brazil 2.1 trillion USD Canada 2.2 trillion USD Key Data to Know for Your Case Interview In case interviews, making quick and accurate estimates is key. A good grasp of units, along with basic fraction and percentage calculations, is essential for working efficiently. Additionally, being comfortable with time units is important for making rough estimates and calculations. The table of larger and smaller time units below provides a handy overview of commonly needed values. These fundamental skills help you tackle tasks confidently and quickly. Overview of Time Conversions: Days, Weeks and Hours Larger Units Smaller Units Days/Year 365 days (In leap years: 366 days) Days/3 Years 1,095 days Days/4 Years 1,461 days (including 1 leap year) Weeks/Year 52 weeks Hours/Week 168 hours Seconds/Hour 3,600 seconds Conversion of Fractions to Percentages and Decimal Values Fraction Percentage Decimal 1/5 20% 0.20 1/6 16.67% 0.1667 1/7 14.29% 0.1429 1/8 12.5% 0.125 1/9 11.11% 0.1111 1/10 10% 0.10 1/11 9.09% 0.0909 1/12 8.33% 0.0833 1/13 7.69% 0.0769 1/14 7.14% 0.0714 1/15 6.67% 0.0667 1/16 6.25% 0.0625 1/17 5.88% 0.0588 1/18 5.56% 0.0556 1/19 5.26% 0.0526 1/20 5% 0.05 Remember, it’s not enough to just memorize these numbers—you also need to be able to calculate with them effectively! Use our Mental Math Tool to specifically train your math skills and prepare for your next interview.

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Preparation Plan

Consulting Skills & Preparation

Preparing for a case interview can feel overwhelming, but having a structured plan will help you stay focused and make steady progress. A well-organized approach ensures you build a strong foundation, practice effectively, and refine your skills before the big day. In this guide, we will walk you through the key components of an effective practice plan, including self-study, peer practice, and working with a coach. Let’s go!

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