NATIONAL HERALD

Interview with Vibha Kagzi, Founder and CEO, ReachIvy - Premium Education and Careers Advisory

1. When did you move to India? Tell us about the inception of your venture

When I first considered applying from Bombay to go to a top school abroad for my undergraduate studies, I felt lost. I had always been a high achiever academically, and had consistently pursued a wide range of activities beyond the classroom. At this point, I was overwhelmed with a range of choices and a fundamental lack of access to expert guidance.

I did not have access to the granular advice an expert mentor provides to help me evaluate and understand all the options, find my fit and then navigate the intricate application process. Neither my parents nor my family members had studied abroad; we were all clueless on what steps to take. I knew this was a strong void in the market, especially for other exceptional students trying to find their paths. I used the internet as my primary means of research and somehow scrambled to get admitted to Carnegie Mellon University, without much context or understanding of my chosen path.

When it came time to apply for my MBA, I wanted to find a top ranked University where I found a cultural and intellectual fit. I wanted to make a thoroughly researched decision; I began my research 4 years before it was time for me to apply. I had built a strong network of friends who had graduated from top schools, who provided advice based on their personal experiences. I visited top colleges across the USA, Canada, Europe and Asia to truly understand how the colleges differed in their philosophies and teaching styles. I also got detailed inputs from friends, experts and professionals on writing the application process. They demystified a seemingly impossible process for me, making me realize that a little bit of expert guidance can take someone a long way. Leveraging all the expertise, I applied to and successfully got admitted at both Wharton and Harvard.

After I graduated with an MBA from Harvard Business School, I moved back to India to found ReachIvy, a premium education and careers advisory. My objective was to provide students with intensive guidance on study abroad and careers, from experts who have first-hand knowledge of what it means to earn a degree from a top school. I wanted to ensure that other high-caliber students could be channeled in the right direction and would not have to suffer through the anxiety and confusion I had been through.

Since its inception, ReachIvy helps students build the right profile, identify the appropriate program and crack the application process at top schools, plugging a significant gap in the professional study abroad mentorship in the market.

2.Can you cite the milestones of your entrepreneurial voyage?

Training on Wall Street (2003-2008): On graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree from Carnegie Mellon, I was eager to live the New York dream and pursue a career in the financial services. I started in the Portfolio Analytics group at BlackRock and later spent 3 years with a hedge fund, shuttling between San Francisco and New York with brief internships in Private Equity and Real Estate in the interim. These years were critical in building my analytical and risk-assessment skills. I learned from some of the sharpest minds in the finance world, met with Warren Buffet in Omaha and got a broad based exposure to the world of business and investments.

Skill building at Harvard (2008-2010): Equipped with core hard-skills, I was ready to enhance my managerial abilities. I went to Harvard with the intent of establishing a business at some point in the future. Therefore, I tailored my coursework to draw from operations, strategy, marketing and negotiation and communication. I wanted an all-rounded skill set that would later enable me to make critical business decisions.

Moving away from the financial services (2010):At Harvard I was once again confronted by the decision of working for leading investment banks and private equity firms in New York, London or Mumbai or paving my own path. This was a crucial decision with many pros and cons stacking up on either side. I chose passion and long-term satisfaction over short-term monetary satisfaction and took the leap from Boston to Bombay, bidding my final goodbye to Harvard and the financial services.

Building a premiumeducation advisory (2011 – Present): This is a very crowded space with some very well entrenched players who have been operating for many decades. Establishing a foothold in the space is very challenging initially since parents/students are looking for track record of success. Also, getting the word out and reaching your target audience is challenging since marketing activities are expensive and initially resources are very limited. Overtime, we grew by leveraging our personal and professional networks. Today, we have successful admits across high school, undergraduate, masters, MBA, PhD and executive education programs globally – from INSEAD, Cambridge and LSE, to Harvard, Columbia, and Stanford. We have had at least 1 admit at every top school globally. 99% of students that apply for our 5 school packages have been admitted to at least 1 top school. Our students, thus far, have received over $500,000 in scholarships.

Adding a Careers vertical (2013 – Present):To compliment our study abroad services we launched high impact career services for professionals in 2013. Since we counsel students as early as 4-5 years before they apply to universities, career guidance is a key focus area for us. We have guided highly placed professionals make difficult career decisions, helped job starters pick the right career path, supported job returnees by kick starting their careers again. Our career services include online career testing, counseling, resume and LinkedIn reviews among others.

Establishing our online vertical (2016 – Present): At ReachIvy, in addition to a range of Study Abroad and Career Compass services, we have built a powerhouse of Free Online Resources. Our expert counselors collated our experiences and created an extensive content library by assimilating our learnings over 5 years in the form of guides, manuals and videos. Students can now register for free on our platform to access top quality content, curated by in-house experts. This allows students who do not have the means to pay for personalized services to access sample essays, resume templates, process guides, practice questions etc. at no cost! We are experiencing excellent traction and have been doubling our website visitors and tripling registrations on a monthly basis since inception.

Establishing platinum partnerships(2016 – Present): We have also curated a set of exclusive platinum partners based on their alignment in brand, philosophy and offerings. These partners have been on-boarded as knowledge partners who share their expertise with students via digital resources they have curated, allowing students to tap into a wealth of additional resources for free.

3. How has the business model evolved over the years? Do you see the digital revolution impacting your business?

In the formative years of the business, we started as an entirely face-to-face counseling service offering in-person interaction between students and counselors. We were positioned as a premium advisory based in South Mumbai, servicing clients mainly across Mumbai and the occasional student who flew to Mumbai to meet our counselors in person.

Over time we realized that companies are leveraging technology to reach out to a wider audience. We then decided to disrupt the traditional counseling space and move to an entirely virtual business model. Overnight, we were able to connect with students globally. Students in tier 2 and tier 3 cities in India also began approaching us, since they were not privy to such high quality services locally. We had to invest significantly in boosting our technology and stream lining our processes to ensure the transition was successful. In hindsight, it was the smartest decision we made in our entrepreneurial journey.

A relatively recent trend we notice is the advent of content-based platforms where students can access free resources and then pay only for specific personalized services. In essence, we see massive digitization and democratization of content.

Capitalizing on this trend, in addition to a range of Study Abroad and Career Compass services, we have built a powerhouse of Free Online Resources. In spite of a plethora of content available online, there is still a significant gap in the quality and organization of online content. We have curated over 1000 video tutorials, guides and articles on the platform, which users can download for free. We are also constantly adding more tools, thus expanding our content library and allowing more students to access our knowledge bank. This pull-driven marketing strategy brings students who want to consume high quality content to our website eventually converting some of them as paid clients for the personalized services.

4. What is unique about ReachIvy? What is your key differentiator compared to competitors?

One-Stop Shop: Through its core advisory services and multitude of digital resources (video and written content), ReachIvy, provides a one-stop-shop for students looking to study abroad, and comprehensive guidance for professionals evaluating their careers. Students can register for free on our platform to access top quality content, curated by in-house experts. This allows students who do not have the means to pay for personalized services to access sample essays, resume templates, process guides, practice questions etc. at no cost!

Global Team of Experts: Our international team of counselors graduated from top global institutes and have a wealth of professional experience that spans industries as diverse as Financial Services, Consulting, Nonprofits, Media, Creative Writing and other fields. Members of our team hold degrees from Carnegie Mellon, Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, and Cornell, giving them a holistic, global perspective on education and careers.

100% virtual: At, ReachIvy we work on a 100% virtual service model. We are able to offer our services to students and professionals across India and the globe. We have assisted students from over 30 countries over the past 5 years and continue to get inquiries from disparate parts of the world. Given the virtual model, we are not confined geographically when it comes to hiring top talent. Our highly-qualified team of counselors are based globally, and still maintain high-trust, high-touch relationships with our client base while working entirely online. We work around the clock for our students, across multiple time zones providing an array of scheduling options for students globally. There are no associated travel costs with our service since students can work with us from the comforts of their offices/homes making the virutal model a win-win situation for all involved.

Non-commission model: The education advisory market is filled with agencies that work on commission structures with universities, however ReachIvy has a non-commission and non-referral fee model. We provide students with pure, unbiased advice based on their specific strengths, potential and strategic fit.

Rigorous and Methodical Service Provision: With regard to our counseling services, we help students with the end-to-end application process. We start working with students as early as 4 years before their application deadlines building up their profiles in a systematic manner. The earlier students come to us, the better we are able to help them define their academic, extracurricular and professional benchmarks. Once they have achieved these milestones and built their profiles, we help them strategize their college selection process. Subsequently, we help them articulate their narratives, through a wide range of application-oriented services such as essay brainstorming and editing, interview prep, resume and LinkedIn reviews. After the applications have been submitted, we help students with waitlist and financial aid letters, as well as a ding analysis. In essence, we are able to assist students at various stages of their application process depending on when they start working with us.

Our online platform: www.reachIvy.com is an SEO-optimized online platform that provides high-quality content related to study abroad and careers. We are a ‘go-to’ website for free study abroad and career compass resources, in addition to our core services. Our website provides relevant, rich, detailed content for students and professionals in the form of articles, guides, videos, masterclasses, sample essays and resumes, and career profiles. The website caters to a wide range of students, parents, and professionals.

Established presence in the market: Over the last 5 years, we have established a strong presence in this space. In addition to our clients, we have also built a deep network of parents, professors, alumni and professionals globally. The reputation that we have built is that we have highly qualified, seasoned counselors, and that our approach is professional, methodical and rigorous. We have direct interactions with Admission Officers from top global schools (see our exclusive Know Your Top College Series). We have built and currently maintain relationships with schools and colleges in India and across the globe, so the team can keep abreast of evolutions in their programs, statistics, financial aid, and all relevant information and updates.

5. What are the different services offered under the ReachIvy umbrella and what’s the revenue mix?

ReachIvy is a premium education and careers advisory. We offer our expertise across -Study Abroad, Career Compass and Free Resources. Our study abroad consultants and career guidance coaches help aspiring students get accepted into Ivy League and other top ranked schools globally, and reach their career aspirations through personal mentoring, online services and a wealth of knowledge accumulated over years of experience. Services include:

Study Abroad: Counseling, college selection, essays and applications, interview preparation, test preparation, resume review, waitlist letter, financial aid letter, and ding analysis.
Career Compass: Career counseling, career test, career library, LinkedIn review, resume review, and career interviews.
Online resources: Relevant, rich video and written content in the form of masterclasses, video tutorials, blogs, guides, manuals and templates, online live events and information on financing your education

We generate our core revenue through the premium advisory services we provide students and professionals. We also generate incremental revenue from our platinum partners solely for our online vertical. They leverage our online platform to create visibility and brand recall among our base of high-caliber students and professionals, while providing them with relevant, timely and high-quality content.

6. Comment on your distribution network and expansion plans?

In addition to reaching students through our website and strategically partnering with complementary businesses to provide a holistic online experience, we use the following media to conduct outreach among our students and professionals:

Digital Marketing and SEO: We leverage social media extensively using digital platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Emails + Google PPC Campaigns to reach out to students.

Presence at Festivals/Fairs: We have been the Knowledge Partners at IIT Bombay’s entrepreneurship conference for the past 3 years. We have also been associated with festivals at HR College, Jai Hind, St. Xavierscollege and other premium institutes. Additionally, we participate in several education and career fairs internationally and domestically.

Essentially, since we operate a virtual business our distribution network is primarily digital.

Our expansion will be entirely online; we do not intend to grow in the traditional brick and mortar model. We intend to become India’s primary platform for premium education and career related advice and content and build a ‘student-centric’ business. Towards this effort, we will continue to design, develop and structure relevant information for students by tapping into global experts on a variety of subjects. Additionally, we will build strategic partnerships with leading global educational institutions and ancillary businesses to bring their services to our students and share their knowledge resources on our portal. We will also continue to develop a slew of online resources and tools for students to benefit from.

7. Anything else you would like include?

As a person, I am extremely passionate about education and believe it is the ultimate social equalizer. Because of the global exposure I gained through my education, I am unafraid to traverse as many different paths, and accept as many different ideas as possible. I am a certified open water diver, have traveled to over 60 countries across 6 continents, am fluent in French, and have completed a certified yoga instructor-training course. I am a firm believer in community-engagement and continually endeavor to support my peers. Towards this effort, I am the Co-President of the Harvard Club of Mumbai and on the Carnegie Mellon Admissions Council.

I want my passion to live carpe diem, every diem, to be contagious. This is at the heart of ReachIvy - helping people find and realize their best paths and seize every moment.

ABOUT THE COMPANY

ReachIvy is a premium education and career advisory that helps aspiring students get accepted into top tier educational institutions globally. We have successful admits at MIT, Columbia, Harvard, University of Pennsylvania, London School of Economics, University of Michigan, Oxford, University of Chicago amongst others.

Vibha Kagzi, Founder and CEO, ReachIvy, holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, and a Bachelor of Science from Carnegie Mellon University. She has also pursued courses at the University of California, Berkeley, the London School of Economics and the Indian School of Business.

Our global team of counsellors have also acquired their degrees from premier institutes and are passionate about sharing their experiences with students worldwide.