INTERN SPOTLIGHT

Gabriela Yurrita, a second year at Notre Dame – Mendoza, has spent her Summer working alongside EIR Drew Chiles, learning the ins-and-outs of ETA in preparation for an eventual search in Guatamala.

Gabriela Yurrita

University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business
MBA ’24

Can you describe your background and how it led to your pursuit of an internship at NGP?

My name is Gabriela Yurrita, I’m from Guatemala, and I am currently starting my second year of the two-year MBA program at the University of Notre Dame. Before starting my MBA, I mostly worked in the Saas industry in Latin America, first as a Marketing Manager, and then as a Project Manager. My long-term goal has always been owning and leading a company in Guatemala, and during my first year of the MBA I realized I wanted to accomplish that goal through ETA. When I learned about the internship at NGP, I realized that it would be an amazing learning experience that would help me understand the ETA process more thoroughly, and it really has been!

Can you tell us a bit about the work you’ve done so far, and any interesting learnings?

My journey with the NGP internship has been an amazing learning experience, offering me a firsthand understanding of the ETA process. I’ve engaged in a variety of tasks that have deepened my insights into this field, including building industry deep dives, putting together several lists of target companies with the necessary contact information, and helping draft outreach emails directed at business owners. Moreover, I’ve been able to analyze potential companies’ CIMs and financial reports, leveraging my ability to formulate questions and understand businesses. One of the highlights of this experience has also been the opportunity to participate in meetings with business owners and brokers alongside the NGP team.

What is your team dynamic like?

I have really enjoyed our team dynamic and learned a lot from my teammates. I was lucky to be in a team full of smart, hardworking, and great people! We all get weekly tasks that we must complete alone or with someone in the team, and then each Friday we meet to talk about how the week went, our highs and lows, and things we have learned. Something that I have really valued about these weekly meetings is that Drew, the EIR in charge of our team, always takes the time to share with us some piece of advice, tips, or anecdotes about things he has learned in his personal and professional life that could be helpful for us in the future. On top of that, he is always willing to answer our questions and to help us out in any way he can.

What you have you most enjoyed thus far?

Something that I have really enjoyed, other than the great team dynamic and learning about the ETA process in more detail, is learning about a new industry every week. I have mostly been doing opportunistic search, which means that I have been researching different industries that could fit the model, and making company lists in these industries. During the internship, I have been able to deep dive into the following industries: Machinery Maintenance & Heavy Equipment Repair, Pest Control Services, Background Check Services, Hospitality Management, Property Management for long-term and short-term rentals, Fleet Telematics, and Janitorial Services & Commercial Cleaning.

Any skills you’ve gained or unique takeaways? Pre-existing skills you’re building upon?

During the internship, I have gained analytical skills that have helped me become better at asking questions that will help me conclude if a business is worth it or not, and to spot red flags more efficiently in a target company.  I have also come to understand better the best way to portray myself when talking to business owners and how to approach business owners in the future when I am doing my search. Moreover, this internship has somehow helped me shake off and work on that impostor syndrome feeling, giving me a lot more confidence for when I start my self-funded search in the future.

What do you envision yourself doing in the future, and how is interning with NGP building upon that?

In the future, I envision myself running a successful business that I’ve acquired in Guatemala. The NGP internship has been the perfect learning experience for me to gain insights about the ETA process and to prepare myself for this journey!