Reza Breakstone, a 2024 graduate of the IE Brown Executive MBA program, took a winding path to his current professional pursuits, gaining valuable experience and skills along the way. He sensed there was more he wanted to achieve, even if the direction had not yet fully come into focus. That’s when he began exploring business school, ultimately choosing the IE Brown Executive MBA program, an experience that would reshape his career.
A non-linear path to purpose
Breakstone pursued political science at the University of Michigan and then took his expertise to Washington, D.C., where he worked as a legislative correspondent for a U.S. senator. From there, he became a litigator, a role that offered financial stability and honed his skills, but ultimately felt misaligned with his passions. Seeking creative expression, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting and screenwriting. That work fueled his passion, but it left him unfulfilled in other areas of his life. He then returned to law as a trial attorney until 2023, when he chose to explore a new direction for his career.
Breakstone had built skills and experience across many fields, but he still felt like something was missing. That’s when he had the idea — what if he made a career pivot and enrolled in an MBA program?
Finding alignment at IE and Brown
Breakstone enrolled in the IE Brown EMBA program at a moment that felt perfectly timed.
“Everything just clicked,” Breakstone said. “It was the first time I felt in the exact right place, at the exact right time, doing the exact right thing.”
He was drawn to the program’s international experiences in Madrid and South Africa, and the chance to study within a collaborative community. “I chose Brown because of the way the program blends global experiences with practical, real-world learning. It felt like the perfect environment to pivot my career and align my professional goals with my personal values.”
From the start, Breakstone approached the program with full energy. He organized cohort communications, engaged with classmates and immersed himself in every opportunity the curriculum offered.
“I started the program with 1,000% energy,” he said. “There was no part of me that was just going through the motions.”
Turning learning into impact
For Breakstone, the Executive MBA became a bridge between theory and practice, turning classroom lessons into real-world leadership skills. Working in close collaboration with a diverse cohort of professionals from different industries exposed him to new approaches to problem-solving and leadership. The international experiences added another layer of depth, reinforcing the importance of global strategy and adaptability in an interconnected economy.
Breakstone had built skills and experience across many fields, but he still felt like something was missing. That’s when he had the idea — what if he made a career pivot and enrolled in an MBA program?