Robert Pullés MBA’25 Puts Smiles on People’s Faces
His journey to Babson College began on horseback. Growing up in Miami, Robert Pullés MBA’25 rode Paso Fino horses with twins Matthew and Michael Vega-Sanz. The brothers later attended Babson and founded several successful ventures.
Their startups inspired Pullés, a first-generation Cuban American whose parents displayed a strong work ethic.
“The immigrant mentality was instilled in me at a very young age: I saw kids accomplish big things, going to schools like Babson, and I realized very quickly that I was capable of the same thing,” he says.
COMMENCEMENT 2025: Learn more about Babson’s Commencement ceremonies May 17.
With his mentality and work ethic, Pullés proved he was capable of not only attending Babson but also thriving on campus while making the most of his time, throwing himself into every opportunity and creating new ones to bring others together.
Now, he will cap his Babson experience by delivering the student address to his classmates at the graduate Commencement ceremony May 17.
Making Connections and Building Bridges
At the beginning of his journey, Pullés wasn’t sure about his career path. A love of Free Willy inspired a flirtation with marine biology as a child, and he toyed with becoming a neurosurgeon but feared that an ADHD diagnosis would hold him back.
Through it all, he relished working with people and became intrigued by business, surrounded by Miami’s booming real estate market. He interned at a real estate private equity fund, small enough to observe and become intrigued by behind-the-scenes dealings.
“I was riding shotgun in the managing partner’s car, seeing him put together deals, identifying a vacant piece of land, and within a couple weeks and a couple phone calls, having the resources to not only buy it but rezone and develop it through a contact in the city,” he recalls. “I wasn’t sure if it was going to be real estate, but I knew that was what I wanted to do.”
After obtaining an undergraduate degree at Florida State University, he worked four years in Miami and later took a chance and applied to Babson, inspired by the entrepreneurial ethos and his childhood friends.
“And then I wasn’t only admitted but was awarded the Presidential Scholarship,” he says. “I called my dad and said, ‘I have something to tell you. Let’s have lunch.’ When I told him about the scholarship, he smiled and said: ‘I think we both know where you’re going next. You’re moving to Boston, son.’ It was such a great feeling. I moved to Boston two months later to attend Babson and never looked back.”
“One of my biggest impacts was attending events and interacting with as many people as possible, bringing the energy, saying hi to everyone, every single time.”
Robert Pullés MBA’25
It wasn’t an easy road. His contacts were in Miami, New York, and elsewhere throughout the country. Ever the connector, he threw himself into campus life.
“I knew that the best way to make the most out of school was to get as involved as possible from day one,” he recalls. “At Babson, I believe one of my biggest impacts was attending events and interacting with as many people as possible, bringing the energy, saying hi to everyone, every single time. You don’t walk into a room without saying hi to everyone. You don’t leave without saying bye to everyone.”
He founded the Babson Graduate Private Equity & Venture Capital Club, forming bonds across campus and beyond, while also recruiting guest speakers and networking with industry professionals. Here, he connected with Patrick Vernon, director of venture initiatives at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who runs the Venture Capital Investment Competition. Pullés went on to lead a Babson team, winning third place in the New England region.
He also joined the Babson Graduate Latin American Club, making lifelong friends far from home. In his final year, he served as the club’s vice president of finance.
Appreciating What Truly Matters
Pullés’s Commencement speech will capture the sense of possibility and risk that are the hallmarks of a Babson MBA experience.
“I think you could drop a Babson student out of a helicopter in just about any situation, and with our thought and action mentality—that ability to quickly adapt, be resourceful, and be comfortable with being uncomfortable—and we’re going to figure it out,” he says, conveying part of the message in his speech.
“We’re all trying to get somewhere and have a destination in mind: in my case, business ownership and private equity. In between, so many things happen; when they do, we have to be prepared to adjust, adapt, and more than anything, enjoy the ride,” he says. “Because, when you do get where you want to be, you’re going to look back and realize that the process is what you fell in love with all along: the long nights, the countless video calls and awkward silences, the group chats, the conversations you had and the people you met along the way. If we don’t enjoy these moments, what’s it all worth?”
Pullés may not have his next chapter fully mapped out yet, but he’s certain of one thing: His vivacious personality will leave an enduring impact.
His grandfather and grandmother passed away during his time earning his MBA, offering a poignant lesson.
“At my grandfather’s eulogy, I mentioned how fortunate I felt to have seen him put an empowering smile on so many people’s faces by being a gentleman,” he says. “We all want to be successful. We want to build businesses that impact and change people’s lives. But we’re all here for a limited amount of time, and it ends the same way for all of us. If I can look back and have people say, ‘Man, that guy made me feel empowered,’ that’s the impact I want to have: putting an uplifting smile on people’s faces while emboldening them to chase their very best.”
At his Commencement speech—and beyond—he plans to do just that.
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