Aaron Pierce remembers the exact moment he decided to bet on himself. With graduation looming and no job lined up, the Sam M. Walton College of Business finance alum sat in his apartment near campus, typing "J.P. Morgan Dallas" into LinkedIn and messaging dozens of strangers. It wasn't how career services recommended finding a job, but the first-generation college student from Rockwall, Texas had always forged his own path. That persistence landed him at one of Wall Street's most prestigious firms and set him on a trajectory that would eventually lead to Perot Jain, where he now helps shape the future of Dallas's venture capital landscape alongside the son of one of America's most iconic entrepreneurs.
Growing up in Rockwall, Pierce initially considered private universities like Southern Methodist University and Texas Christian University, as well as Southeastern Conference schools like the University of Alabama and the University of Mississippi. His mother also suggested a visit to the University of Arkansas.
"I loved the campus, the sports, the vibe, and it was only five hours from home," Pierce recalls. Thanks to an New Arkansan Non-Resident Tuition Award Scholarship, the U of A offered the best return on investment for a young man navigating higher education without a family roadmap.
Pierce juggled multiple jobs throughout his college career. He worked as a resident assistant in the Northwest Quad and at the Career Development Center (now known as the Office of Career Connections), reviewing resumes, which was an experience that gave him early insights into professional presentation.
"Even as a sophomore, I was giving feedback to seniors on their resumes," he says. "It helped me sharpen my understanding of how to get interviews and present myself professionally."
His finance major was a practical choice: "I figured if I studied money, maybe one day I'd have some!" he jokes. But behind the humor lay determination born from growing up in a low-income household where entrepreneurial thinking wasn't just encouraged—it was necessary.
Pierce's entry into finance came through persistence, rather than connections. Despite interning with both the U.S. House of Representatives and Walmart's finance department during his undergraduate years, Pierce found himself in a pickle—graduation was quickly approaching with no job lined up. So, he took matters into his own hands.
"I searched 'J.P. Morgan Dallas' on LinkedIn and messaged a bunch of people asking if there were any opportunities," he explains. This proactive approach led to a full-day interview and an offer on his drive home—his first major career break.
At J.P. Morgan, he worked with family offices across the South, building relationships with successful entrepreneurs that would shape his future. By age 25, he worked alongside a wealthy family to launch their own investment firm focused on early-stage ventures and private equity deals.
Today, Pierce works with Ross Perot Jr. and Anurag Jain at Perot Jain, where he invests in early-stage ventures and assists in building companies from the ground up.
When asked about foundational business principles, Pierce doesn't hesitate to credit his Walton College education.
"I go back to what I learned at Walton [College], especially from studying Sam Walton's approach," he says. "I got to live that culture during my internship at Walmart, and now I see similar traits in Ross Perot Jr."
Pierce's personal "Mount Rushmore" would feature just two faces: Sam Walton and Ross Perot—entrepreneurs who exemplified "character, integrity, humility, grit, and resilience." These are the same qualities he looks for when evaluating founders and companies today.
Among his Walton College mentors, Associate Professor of Finance Dr. Craig Rennie, stands out. When Pierce didn't initially make the cut for Rennie's coveted portfolio management course, he scheduled a meeting to make his case.
"I told him I'd worked hard and wanted to contribute. He listened and told me, 'You're in,'" Pierce remembers. "That class was pivotal—not just because of what I learned, but because it gave me exposure to firms like Stephens, J.P.Morgan, and Goldman Sachs."
Beyond his day job, Pierce has become a community builder in Dallas's emerging venture capital ecosystem. In 2018, recognizing that Dallas was essentially a "venture desert," he co-founded Venture Dallas—a conference to spotlight the region's innovation scene.
"That first year, we had 200 people in a warehouse. Emmitt Smith and Bill Nye were our first headliners," he says with pride. The event has grown to feature speakers like Mark Cuban, Dirk Nowitzki, and Troy Aikman, becoming one of the most impactful VC events in the region outside of South by Southwest.
Though it's a volunteer effort that demands significant time, Pierce calls it "a labor of love" and one of his most meaningful contributions to the community.
Pierce offers three pieces of advice: know what you want, be methodical in your approach, and recognize that success is a numbers game.
"The sooner you can identify what excites and energizes you, the better," he advises. "Once you have a North Star, your energy starts aligning with it."
He encourages students to make lists of relevant firms—especially in Northwest Arkansas, where options include Plug and Play, NewRoad Capital, and Tyson Ventures—and to reach out persistently.
"I didn't land my J.P. Morgan job by messaging one person—I reached out to dozens," he shares. "Own your process, own your energy, and you can own your luck."
With this mindset, Pierce has transformed himself from a small-town student into an industry-respected venture capitalist helping shape the future of business in Texas and beyond—all while staying true to the values he strengthened at the Walton College. ¬