Breaking Into Finance

In this conversation, Craig interviews Jessica Holton about her journey from investment banking at Morgan Staley and private equity at Carlyle to eventually attending Stanford GSB for her MBA and pivoted to serial entrepreneurship. Jessica founded two businesses (BLAZE Skincare and Ours) and is also of Access Distributed, a nonprofit organization that helps students from underrepresented backgrounds break into finance.

Jessica shares the challenges faced by fellows and provides advice on networking and building relationships in the finance world. They also discuss the importance of in-person internships and how to make the most of remote work. Jessica offers frameworks for choosing the right path in banking and shares her experience transitioning to entrepreneurship. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the role of business school in personal growth and development.

Takeaways

• Access Distributed is a nonprofit organization that helps students from underrepresented backgrounds break into finance.
• Networking and building relationships are crucial for success in the finance world.
• In-person internships provide valuable opportunities for learning and building connections.
• When choosing a path in banking, consider the people you will be working with, the types of deals you will be involved in, and your interest in the industry.
• Business school can provide a supportive environment for exploring entrepreneurship and personal growth.