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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.
 

 

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.

Case by
PrepLounge
Inverto Case: FashionForward’s Sourcing Shake-up
FashionForward is a mid-sized, private-label fashion retailer headquartered in Europe with €600 million in annual revenue. Its product portfolio includes fast-fashion collections for men and women, sold in 220 stores across six countries, and online. The company currently sources approximately 85% of its total production volume from Bangladesh, heavily relying on just three key suppliers for over 70% of that volume. Their procurement strategy is highly cost-driven, and supplier relationships are transactional. FashionForward has now asked Inverto to develop a new sourcing strategy. Over the last 18 months, FashionForward has faced increasing procurement challenges: - A drop in demand for trend-sensitive fashion categories - Long lead times (up to 40 days), limiting reactivity to seasonal trends - Repeated shipping delays and FX volatility from Banglades - Overstocking in basics and stockouts of fashion-forward items - ESG non-compliance flagged in two factories during an audit - Growing pressure from the board to increase agility and reduce dependency on Bangladesh
4.4
11.1k times solved
Difficulty: Intermediate
Interviewer-led
Market analysis
Operations strategy
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
16.0k times solved
Difficulty: Intermediate
Interviewer-led
Market analysis
Market entry
Market sizing
Profitability analysis
Company case provided by Company case by
CTcon
CTcon Case: Das beste Eis der Stadt!
Deine Klientin ist die Besitzerin der Eisdiele TOTO in einer deutschen Großstadt. Das Geschäft läuft so gut, dass die Besitzerin eine weitere Filiale eröffnen will. Sie ist hellauf begeistert und möchte auf Nummer sichergehen. Sie fragt Dich daher: Ist das eine gute Idee?
4.6
16.8k times solved
Difficulty: Intermediate
Interviewer-led
Capacity change
Growth strategy
Market entry
New product
Profitability analysis
Expert case by
Emily
FastFood Chain Turnaround
Our client (FastFood Co) is a fast-food company that has > 20 restaurants in the city. Recently, the business has encountered significant challenges, with net profit drops to negative. The client wants us to help them turn around the business. How would you help them?
4.9
2.8k times solved
Difficulty: Beginner
Candidate-led
Profitability analysis
Case by
PrepLounge
McBurger
A large fast food chain has hired us to improve the company’s profitability by cutting costs. Before engaging in the initial brainstorming session about your client’s options with your team, you first want to collect your thoughts.
4.3
15.6k times solved
Difficulty: Beginner
Interviewer-led
Profitability analysis
Case by
PrepLounge
M&A & Synergies Interview Questions Set
This question set explores the essentials of Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) with a strong focus on synergies, valuation implications, and deal structuring. The progression starts with a general rationale for M&A, then moves into mechanics like accretion/dilution and synergy valuation, before covering more advanced areas such as goodwill, tax attributes, cross-border deals, and earn-outs. Working through this set should take around 30–35 minutes, making it well-suited for interviews in investment banking, private equity, and corporate finance.
5.0
200+ times solved
Difficulty: Intermediate
Interviewer-led
Mergers & Acquisition
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.
4.2
5.0k times solved
Difficulty: Intermediate
Interviewer-led
Market analysis
Expert case by
Bernard
MBB Case: COVID-19 Vaccine
The COVID-19 pandemic has killed millions of people worldwide and led to devastating economic impact. A vaccine is one of the biggest hopes for stopping the pandemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) is working with multiple stakeholders to ensure groups at higher risk of becoming infected and dying (e.g. elderly people and healthcare workers) receive a safe an effective COVID-19 vaccine in the next six months. The WHO’s Director-General asked your help to build a plan to achieve this goal. What should be included in this plan?
4.6
19.5k times solved
Difficulty: Advanced
Interviewer-led
Market analysis
Market sizing
Operations strategy
Organizational behavior
Public sector
Expert case by
Benjamin
McKinsey Unconventional Case: Inclusive Cafes
Your client is a leading retail coffee chain. They are present in several countries globally and are a popular brand in most of the markets that they operate in, with several thousands stores in operation. A key focus of the company currently is diversity & inclusion. In their biggest market which is the US, 1 in 4 people have some sort of disability. One realization the client has had is that their retail stores are not as inclusive to individuals with disabilities. McKinsey has been brought on to help them design more inclusive spaces in their retail stores.
4.5
2.1k times solved
Difficulty: Intermediate
Interviewer-led
Non-conventional
Case by
PrepLounge
Incos Pens
Incos is a global manufacturer of writing products with divisions in North America, Europe and South-East Asia. Their global sales are $60 m and their profits amounted to around $30 m. Their European division who manufactures and sells disposable pens is experiencing flattening sales and a decreasing profit. The client hired you to help him come up with suggestions to get profits back on track.
4.5
41.8k times solved
Difficulty: Advanced
Interviewer-led
Market entry
Market sizing
Profitability analysis
Company case provided by Company case by
BCG Platinion
BCG Platinion Case: ERP strategy & S/4HANA migration for “DekoKonzept”
Our client is the company “DekoKonzept”, which primarily sells home accessories and small furniture. DekoKonzept generates approximately €700M in revenue and operates mainly in Germany, with some presence in other European countries. The company is particularly represented through physical stores in major German cities and downtown areas but is also expanding its online shop significantly. A variety of outdated and often self-developed IT systems are currently used for core processes such as procurement, warehousing, and point-of-sale operations. DekoKonzept is also facing the challenge that its ERP system (SAP ECC 6.0) will soon no longer be officially supported by SAP. Therefore, they aim to migrate to the successor system SAP S/4HANA as soon as possible. This migration presents an opportunity to review, standardize, and harmonize many of the existing processes and systems. The next step is to further assess and evaluate the impact on costs, budget, and scope. Note: This case is interviewer-led. The cases in our interviews are more candidate-led. In this case, you take the lead and manage the entire case from start to finish. So be prepared for this when you apply to us.
4.2
11.4k times solved
Difficulty: Intermediate
Interviewer-led
Operations strategy
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
Company case provided by Company case by
FTI-Andersch AG
FTI-Andersch AG Case: Turnaround – Global Plastics AG
Sie wurden vom Vorstand der Global Plastics AG beauftragt, die wirtschaftliche Performance der Unternehmens-Gruppe im Rahmen eines Independent Business Review (IBR) zu analysieren und das Management zu beraten. Das Unternehmen ist seit dem 1. Januar 2019 durch eine Kontokorrentlinie i.H.v. € 150,0 Mio. finanziert. Darüber hinaus gibt es keine weiteren Verbindlichkeiten gegenüber Kreditinstituten. Das finanzierende Bankenkonsortium hat aufgrund schlechter Quartalszahlen und einer angespannten Marktlage eine Validierung der Mittelfristplanung angefordert. Die Global Plastics AG produziert weltweit in 5 Werken Kunststoffbauteile für Fahrzeuginnenräume in den Anwendungsbereichen PKW (PT-Segment), LKW (CT-Segment) sowie Land- (AG-Segment) und Baumaschinen (CON-Segment). Global Plastics beliefert primär deutsche Premium-OEMs und gilt als Qualitätsführer im Interior-Markt. Das Unternehmen nutzt dabei patentierte Technologien in den Bereichen Spritzguss, Kunststoffgalvanik sowie Heißprägung. Der Interior-Markt ist zunehmend von einem Preisdruck durch asiatische Wettbewerber geprägt, die den Qualitätsansprüchen europäischer Kunden immer besser entsprechen. Die Global Plastics AG hat Ihnen zur Analyse ihre GuV und Bilanz zur Verfügung gestellt. Dort sind die Ergebnisse der Geschäftsjahre 2019 bis 2021 sowie der Forecast des Geschäftsjahres 2022 enthalten. Bitte lösen Sie die unten aufgeführten Aufgaben.
4.6
4.0k times solved
Difficulty: Beginner
Candidate-led
Restructuring
Company case provided by Company case by
Mercedes-Benz Management Consulting
MBMC Case: AMG | Turning the most affluent prospects into loyal clients
Mercedes‑AMG stands for uncompromising performance, engineering excellence, and emotional driving experiences. Yet recently, AMG’s top management has become concerned that while the product itself continues to exceed customer expectations, the moment of purchase no longer does. The trigger for this case was a concrete incident: a highly affluent customer configured an AMG top‑end vehicle in detail, was technically convinced, but ultimately decided against the purchase, stating: “It’s a fantastic car – but it didn’t feel special.” For the CEO of Mercedes‑AMG, this statement raises a critical question. In the luxury and performance segment, emotional differentiation at the point of decision is as important as horsepower or technology. Against this backdrop, AMG is exploring new ways to elevate the buying experience for its most valuable customers. One idea under discussion is the introduction of AMG Individualization Hubs – exclusive physical spaces where customers would finalize their vehicle together with AMG experts in a highly personalized and immersive setting. The management now asks you and your Consulting Team to assess this idea holistically: How can AMG strengthen emotional differentiation during the purchase decision, and do Individualization Hubs represent a strategically sound and economically viable solution? The objective is to develop a clear recommendation that balances brand impact, customer experience, and profitability.
4.9
17.5k times solved
Difficulty: Intermediate
Interviewer-led
Growth strategy
New product
Profitability analysis
Company case provided by Company case by
BCG Platinion
BCG Platinion Case: Digital transformation of an entire corporation
The CIO of a major insurance company needs your support to renew the company's IT landscape as a starting point for their digital transformation. The IT landscape of the client is highly fragmented and integrated. Most IT applications are "legacy" monolithic custom developments (running on Mainframe) and are hosted on-premise. There are issues with stability and scalability of applications plus IT costs are ever increasing "Time-to-market" to release new functionalities is too high, due to constraints of current architecture. You are asked to quickly assess the status quo, identify main areas of intervention and measures to address the pain points and renew the IT landscape. Note: This case is interviewer-led. The cases in our interviews are more candidate-led. In this case, you take the lead and manage the entire case from start to finish. So be prepared for this when you apply to us.
3.9
27.7k times solved
Difficulty: Advanced
Interviewer-led
Digital transformation
Market analysis
Operations strategy
Expert case by
Cristian
GlobalAccess Health – Funding the Next Million Diagnoses
GlobalAccess Health (GAH) is a UK-based international non-profit focused on tuberculosis (TB) and other infectious diseases. It develops and distributes low-cost diagnostic tests to public clinics, NGOs, and private laboratories in low- and middle-income countries. Historically, GAH has been funded almost entirely by large foundations and bilateral donors. Donors now want GAH to become more financially sustainable and have set a target that, within 5 years, at least 60% of GAH’s annual operating budget should be covered by earned income (fees from tests and related services). GAH’s annual operating budget covers staff, training, logistics, and overheads and is USD 25 million, independent of volume within the ranges discussed in this case. Assume that manufacturing and shipping costs for the tests themselves are covered by a separate restricted grant for the next 5 years; GAH has recently introduced modest prices for some partners, but earned income currently covers only about 40% of annual operating costs. Leadership is considering moving to a much more aggressive, tiered pricing and growth strategy, but is concerned about potentially undermining its mission to reach the poorest and most vulnerable populations. GAH has hired your consulting team to advise whether and how it should pursue this more aggressive earned-income strategy while remaining true to its mission.
4.5
1.9k times solved
Difficulty: Beginner
Interviewer-led
Competitive response
Growth strategy
Health care
Market analysis
Market sizing
Non-conventional
Operations strategy
Pricing
Profitability analysis
Public sector
Restructuring
Company case provided by Company case by
OC&C
OC&C Strategy Consultants Case: Expansion einer Schmuck Agentur in China
Unser Kunde, Schmuck Agentur, ist ein führender europäischer Fachhändler für Accessoires und Schmuck. Der Kunde ist derzeit nur in Europa aktiv und vertreibt sowohl Premium- und Luxusprodukte, meist von europäischen Marken, als auch "Mid-Market" Produkte, die eher der hauseigenen Marke angehören. Der Großteil des Vertriebs geschieht über das eigene stationäre Geschäft in Europa. Schmuck Agentur möchte expandieren, und zieht hierfür den chinesischen Markt in Betracht. Aus diesem Grund wirst Du gebeten zunächst Bewertungskriterien für einen möglichen Markteintritt zu erarbeiten. Im Anschluss wirst Du Informationen erhalten, die Dir erlauben einige Faktoren zu bewerten. Abschließend sollst Du eine Empfehlung aussprechen, ob der Kunde das stationäre Geschäft nach China expandieren sollte.
4.7
22.3k times solved
Difficulty: Intermediate
Candidate-led
Market analysis
Market entry
Profitability analysis
Case by
PrepLounge
Chip equity
Our client is an electronics holding called Chip’n’Chip. They want to invest in a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) manufacturer called OnBoard, and asked you whether it’s going to be a good investment. How would you help them?
4.5
38.2k times solved
Difficulty: Advanced
Candidate-led
Mergers & Acquisition
Company case provided by Company case by
Deloitte
Deloitte Case: Footloose
Duraflex is a German footwear company with annual men’s footwear sales of approximately €1 b. They have always relied on the boot market for the majority of their volume. In this market they compete with three other major competitors. In the fall of 2019, Badger – one of Duraflex’s competitiors – launched a new line of aggressively priced work boots. The strong success of this line has caused Duraflex’s management to re-evaluate their position in work boots. With limited additional resources, the management must now decide if they should focus their efforts on competing with Badger in the work boot sector, or allocate their resources on further strengthening their position with casual boots. The management team approached you and asked for your advice. In order to advise them on their future work boot strategy please prepare first some insights regarding market size and competitive landscape.
4.4
103.8k times solved
Difficulty: Intermediate
Candidate-led
Competitive response
Market analysis
Case by
PrepLounge
Liquid Energy
Liquid Energy, an Oil & Gas company, is evaluating the purchase of one of three oil fields in Latin America. After purchasing the rights to extract oil from one of these fields, Liquid Energy will outsource the drilling activity. You have been brought in to identify the best investment for Liquid Energy. How would you evaluate the three oil fields, and which oil field should Liquid Energy purchase?
4.0
10.4k times solved
Difficulty: Intermediate
Interviewer-led
Growth strategy
Market analysis
Profitability analysis

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.

👉 Use our Meeting Board to find peers and practice together.

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Find more meeting invitations on our meeting board and post your own suggestion.

👉  Want to take it a step further? Connect with our experienced coaches.

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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.
To the article
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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