From networking to knowledge at the MBA Women in Investing Conference

Growing up in a family furniture manufacturing business meant most of my early experience was spent deeply involved in the operations of a single industry. While that background shaped how I understood business, I was always drawn to numbers, analysis and finance.

I never had the chance to explore finance and investment research until I started my MBA. As I looked for opportunities to step into this field for the first time, the MBA Women in Investing (WIN) Conference immediately stood out. It’s a national MBA event built around a stock pitch competition, networking and conversations with investment professionals.

Preparing for the WIN Stock Pitch Competition

When I was selected to represent the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management in the stock pitch competition, it felt like the exact challenge I came to business school to take on. Everything about the process was completely new, but that only made me more excited to learn. I worked with two exceptional teammates: Aiswariya Suresh from engineering and analytics and Emma Xue from investment banking. Their different backgrounds shaped the way we approached the research and made it easy to adjust to the expectations of a formal pitch.

The conference rules allowed teams to pitch any publicly traded stock around an $8 billion market cap. After exploring several companies, our team selected AppFolio, a software platform modernizing the property-management space. We spent weeks digging into filings, earnings transcripts, customer economics, competitive dynamics and long-term industry trends. Since this was my first time working through analysis at this depth, every step felt like discovering something new.

A major part of our preparation was meeting with our mentor, Catherine Crain, partner and senior portfolio manager at Fayez Sarofim & Co. She offered early feedback on our valuation, challenged our assumptions and helped strengthen the direction of our thesis. Her insights grounded our thinking and made our argument more focused.

As the competition approached, the three of us practiced constantly. Even after finalizing our slides, we spent hours tightening transitions, clarifying phrasing and adjusting timing. The night before the pitch, we were still rehearsing until nearly 2 a.m., working to fit a complex story into an eight-minute limit without sacrificing clarity.

Pitch Day: What the judges taught me

On Friday morning, once we started speaking, everything finally clicked. Our pitch flowed the way we practiced, but the real learning came in the question-and-answer portion. The judges were senior investors with clear, disciplined ways of thinking, and their questions pushed us to explain our assumptions, defend our comparables and justify our long-term outlook. Even asking them to clarify a point showed me how investors break down risk, pressure-test an argument and decide what truly drives value.

Because we had divided our thesis sections ahead of time, each of us answered questions aligned with our part of the analysis, which helped us stay focused and composed. When the results were announced later that day, hearing that we placed as second runner-up was incredibly rewarding and a meaningful way to end my first pitch experience.

The WIN community and industry exposure

WIN is as much about people as it is about pitching. Across two sessions of round-robin networking, we met professionals representing a range of investment approaches and team cultures. These conversations were candid and practical, giving us insight into how analysts generate ideas, debate recommendations and build conviction over time.

The opening night keynote dinner featured Melissa Reilly, co-head of Fidelity’s equity division, whose reflections on building a resilient and long-term career in investing helped frame the rest of the event.

Friday’s panels — “How I Generate Investment Ideas” and “How To Interview Management” — offered a grounded look into the daily work of experienced investors. The conference ended with a Capital Group keynote luncheon, which emphasized judgment, curiosity and long-term thinking.

A conference built for growth

One of the most memorable parts of WIN was the community of students from 17 top MBA programs. Despite the competitive format, the environment was genuinely supportive. People shared advice, stories and encouragement freely, creating a sense of belonging that made the entire experience more meaningful.

None of this would have been possible without the dedication of the Cornell Johnson community. I am especially grateful to Lakshmi Bhojraj, founder of the Women in Investing conference. Her leadership and vision shaped WIN into a supportive environment. I am also thankful for Emily Ravet and Professor Scott Stewart, whose organization and guidance helped the event run seamlessly. I deeply appreciate the judges, mentors, alumni, volunteers and sponsor firms who invested their time and insight into creating such a valuable experience for students.

The lasting impact of WIN

As someone who never previously had the chance to explore finance, the WIN Conference became a defining moment. It confirmed my interest in investment research, strengthened the way I analyze and communicate ideas and introduced me to a community of women who broadened my understanding of what this career can look like.

WIN is far more than a pitch competition; it is an opportunity to grow, challenge yourself and step into a field that can feel intimidating from the outside. The pace, the expectations and the caliber of conversations elevate how you think about analysis, communication and long-term decision-making. It is the kind of experience that raises your standards and pushes you to operate at a higher level, both inside and outside the classroom.

About the author

Rebecca (Yiqing) Liu MBA ’27 is a first-year MBA student studying corporate finance. On campus, she is a member of the Corporate Leadership Club, the Family Business Club, the Venture Capital Club, and the Investment Management Club.