Pivoting to Investor Relations / MBA internships

I’m currently working in financial communications and exploring a pivot into investor relations. I’ve been learning more about how IR teams bridge the gap between a company’s financial story and the investment community, and the mix of communications and finance really appeals to me. I recently spoke with the head of IR at a public company who recommended I look into sell-side or equity research roles, since many companies hire analysts into IR later. For anyone working in or around IR, what paths or internships helped you break in, and what skills were most useful early on?