From Farming to Finance: Enrique Piñon (MBA’26) on Transitioning Careers and Building Community
As a child, Enrique Piñon (MBA’26) envisioned himself building a career in agriculture. He grew up in Santa Maria, California, where his parents emigrated from Mexico to work on farms, picking broccoli and strawberries. Those early experiences shaped Piñon’s path, leading him to study agribusiness at California State University, Chico and Texas A&M University, with dreams of becoming a farmer himself.
However, Piñon’s journey took an unexpected turn when he secured an internship at a small agribank where he discovered a new passion: finance. This sparked a career shift to investment banking, where he gained valuable experience at small to mid-sized firms before moving to JPMorgan with stints in New York, San Francisco, and, most recently, Hong Kong. After his experience abroad, Piñon realized it was time to take the next step in his career and he applied to the Full-time MBA program at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business.
“I was looking to refine my technical, public speaking, and leadership skills,” he said. “I felt an MBA would help build my confidence, and I was also looking into learning about and exploring new roles.”
One of the key factors that drew Piñon to Georgetown McDonough was the Hoya community. “I had met people who went to Georgetown and everyone was so down-to-earth and friendly, not competitive at all,” he recalls. “In some other MBA programs, the dynamic is highly competitive, where everyone is trying to outdo each other. But at Georgetown, I didn’t get that feeling.”
Making a Career Pivot
When Piñon started in the MBA program, he was focused on advancing his career in banking. As he was recruiting for roles in the field and taking courses to deepen his expertise, his perspective started to evolve.
“I really enjoyed investment banking because it gave me a great foundation in finance and execution,” Piñon said. “But I was looking for opportunities to do more strategic problem-solving and tackle big, complex challenges. I realized consulting lets me work across different industries and help solve some of the toughest problems businesses face.”
Piñon decided to dive headfirst into consulting. He began selecting elective courses that would provide a solid foundation in this new career path, all while applying for positions in the field. Piñon’s efforts paid off when he was offered an internship at the Boston Consulting Group, where he will start working this summer.
“I’m excited to intern this summer, learn more, and develop skills to make an impact,” said Piñon. “In this field, you work on teams with people who are career-driven and incredibly smart, and I love that. It’s such an exciting industry, and I hope to build a long-term career in consulting.”
Building a Community
When reflecting on his MBA journey and the decision to transition careers, Piñon emphasized the importance of building a community and fostering relationships throughout the program.
“It’s a time to discover yourself,” he said. “You’ll find where you fit best by speaking to current students and learning about the environment. We’re all facing similar challenges, whether it’s discovering a new career path or strengthening the one we already have. We help each other – someone might have expertise in a certain area or an experience they can share to guide and support another.”
Through this mindset, Piñon has actively immersed himself in the community. He’s a recipient of a full-tuition fellowship with the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, where he mentors and recruits prospective students. Additionally, Piñon is involved with the Finance Club, where he shares his background in investment banking, and Georgetown Consulting Club, where he continues to explore his new passion for consulting. Most importantly, he’s committed to Out@MSB, where he serves as co-president of the LGBTQIA+ student organization.
In his role with Out@MSB, Piñon plans events and helps prepare for the annual ROMBA Conference, organized by Reaching Out MBA. The conference, which includes a major career fair, offers students the opportunity to connect with prominent recruiters. In 2024, while representing Georgetown, Piñon won first place in the ROMBA Mergers and Acquisition Case Competition, a moment he considers the most rewarding of his MBA journey so far.
Group projects also have been a valuable part of Piñon’s development, helping him strengthen his delegation skills. In the fast-paced world of investment banking, he often took on tasks himself to ensure quality, but he said this limited his ability to focus on strategy and mentorship. Taking leadership courses and being part of these clubs has allowed Piñon to empower others and trust his team — qualities he believes are essential to being an effective leader.
“It’s worth it,” Piñon said, reflecting on his experience in the MBA program, the community he has built, and offering advice to anyone considering taking the same path. “It’s an incredible time to meet accomplished people from all different industries and parts of the world. These people are going to be business leaders and succeed in all areas of their lives. This is a network you’ll have forever. There’s so much value in being exposed to corporations that are looking to hire MBA students. You essentially have a front-row seat to introduce and position yourself for prominent roles.”
Looking ahead, Piñon is eager to continue strengthening bonds with his MBA peers, and he hopes to create an annual tradition where they all come together after their time on the Hilltop.