Long term, Brianna Hoelting aspires to be in the C-suite and eventually start her own business or nonprofit, and knew she needed a broader toolkit that included management, communication, and organizational strategy. In this installment of Real Humans: Alumni, she shares how the MBA program at Yale School of Management (SOM) was the right investment to accelerate her career and provide the perspective and confidence to lead in new settings, including in her current role at PepsiCo.
Brianna Hoelting, Yale SOM MBA ’25, Finance Associate Manager at PepsiCo
Age: 29
Hometown: Dallas, TX/Chicago, IL
Undergraduate Institution and Major: University of Notre Dame, Computer Engineering
Graduate Business School, Graduation Year and Concentration: Yale School of Management, 2025 – Science Business concentration
Pre-MBA Work Experience: Consultant and Senior Consultant at Protiviti, 4 years, Custom Software Development Consulting
Post-MBA Work Experience: Finance Assoc. Manager, PepsiCo, 8 months, Consumer Packaged Goods
Why did you choose to attend business school?
I chose to attend business school because I wanted to broaden my career beyond the world of daily coding and move into roles that required strategic thinking, leadership, and a deeper understanding of how organizations operate. Long term, I aspire to be in the C-suite and eventually start my own business or nonprofit, so I knew I needed a broader toolkit, one that included management, communication, and organizational strategy. An MBA felt like the right investment to not only accelerate my career, but also give me the perspective and confidence to lead in a variety of settings.
Why Yale SOM? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
Yale SOM stood out because its mission genuinely resonated with my values and background. Every current student and alumnus that I spoke with embodied the school’s focus on purposeful and principled leadership, which reinforced that it was the right environment for me. I was also excited about the opportunity to live in a new region and immerse myself in a community with incredibly diverse professional experiences. That diversity meant that my network would expand in meaningful ways, not just in industry, but in thought, perspective, and global understanding.
What about your MBA experience prepared you for your current career?
My MBA gave me the ability to learn quickly and adapt to new challenges, skills that are essential in a fast-moving corporate environment. I gained a strong understanding of how incentives, motivations, and organizational dynamics drive behavior, which helps me influence change and move work forward effectively. Coming from a non-finance background, the program also provided a solid financial foundation, allowing me to contribute immediately in a role that relies heavily on analytical thinking and business acumen.
What was your internship during business school? How did that inform your post-MBA career choice?
I interned in Finance at PepsiCo, and the experience played a major role in shaping my post‑MBA path. I found the CPG industry dynamic and exciting, and I loved seeing how financial decisions directly influenced brands that millions of people interact with every day. The internship convinced me that finance offered a perfect blend of analytical rigor and strategic impact, and it made it clear that continuing at PepsiCo full-time would allow me to build on the skills I developed in business school in a very practical, meaningful way.
Why did you choose your current company? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to work?
I chose PepsiCo because the company has a strong culture of developing its people and giving them exposure to all parts of the business. It’s a place where talented, driven colleagues push you to grow while still offering a supportive environment. I also wanted to work somewhere where the output of my work would be tangible and impactful, and PepsiCo’s portfolio of iconic brands gives me the chance to contribute to products that shape culture and everyday life. That combination of growth, challenge, and meaningful impact made it the right place for me.
Advice to current MBA students:
–One thing you would absolutely do again as part of the job search?
One thing I would absolutely do again in the job search is keep an open mind and avoid pigeonholing myself into a single industry or job type. I entered business school convinced I wanted to work in tech, but by exploring a wide range of opportunities, I discovered a path I ended up loving even more. Staying curious and broad in my search ultimately led me to a career that aligns better with my strengths and interests
–One thing you would change or do differently as part of the job search?
One thing I would do differently in the job search is stop comparing myself to everyone around me. In business school, it’s easy to look at classmates getting interviews or offers and assume you’re behind, even when you’re on your own unique path. I spent unnecessary energy worrying about what others were doing instead of focusing on what actually aligned with my strengths and interests.
–Were there any surprises regarding your current employer’s recruiting process?
One surprise about my current employer’s recruiting process was how active they are at pre‑MBA diversity and leadership conferences. It’s something I didn’t fully appreciate before business school, but those conferences can be a great way to get early exposure, interviews, and even offers. I’d definitely recommend looking into which companies attend the conferences you’re eligible for, you might find your top-choice employers there much earlier than expected.
–What piece of advice do you wish you had been given during your MBA?
One piece of advice I wish I had been given during my MBA is to choose classes based on what truly interests and excites you, rather than what you think you “should” be taking. Looking back, the classes where I followed my curiosity taught me the most, introduced me to new ways of thinking, and ended up being far more impactful than the ones I selected just because they felt practical or expected.
