Recruiting Stories: A Successful Brew

My journey to Tepper is what MBAs call, “atypical”. After graduating from the University of Maryland with an Engineering degree, and working 2 years in project management I left the corporate world to found Diamondback Brewing Company in Baltimore, MD. During that time I got the opportunity to lead a team of 15 individuals and handle a wide breadth of responsibilities. After establishing the business with sustained growth, profitability and a dedicated staff I decided that it was time to transition to my next opportunity. However, not knowing what that opportunity was, like so many others who pursue this path, I decided to get an MBA.

During the first year of your MBA, career centers will guide you to narrow in on your interests quickly and focus your recruiting efforts. With the support of my MCC counselor, I disregarded this and took the opportunity to explore the many options out there. With a passion for energy, I focused my career activities around this sector, but I also embraced entrepreneurial networking opportunities, dabbled in consulting, dove into corporate finance with a focus on Corporate Development roles, and even had a December realization that Investment Banking may be for me; it wasn’t.

Through all of this, I learned about industries and reflected on the type of work I enjoy which ultimately led me to my summer internship. I saw that I am fascinated by the high-level industry analysis of M&A; but that non-stop detail oriented spreadsheet & powerpoint work would slowly kill me inside. I looked back to my brewery days and realized I enjoyed leading and working with passionate team mates; I put high emphasis on finding opportunities that allowed for this environment. In addition, I enjoyed operations, the ability to touch many roles and have no two days be the same. With this in mind, I narrowed in on Emerson and networked heavily with the multiple Tepper alumni. During these conversations, I got some boiler plate recruiting information but a few stood out with their candid view of the company and the alumni’s sincere interests to provide the best opportunity for me. The company’s industrial exposure, M&A growth focus, and Leadership Program which provides a transition from internal strategic roles to operational focused roles as a “General Manager” piqued my interests, and the exposure to the energy sector solidified my interests.

At Emerson, I’ve been lucky to have energy related summer projects that allow me to dive deeper into cleantech than I ever expected. I’ve been able to see that podcasts and GTM only touch the surface, and there are many details I won’t grasp in just a summer internship. I’ve gotten to research industries with a lens for market opportunities; and a consideration for whether they’d make for good investments within an organizational structure. And I’ve gotten to get a taste of corporate life, seeing the good (the resources and teamwork that come in a strong organization) and the bad (the inefficiencies and need for network knowledge of the organization). Overall, I’ve greatly enjoyed this new experience and have put myself in a position to continue learning and exploring my interests. I look forward to the opportunities ahead of me as I transition into my next career.