Elaheh Farahmarzi has been the general manager of Colonie Center for about eight months, but she spent four years before that in several roles.

“I say I can pretty much do anything except fix an HVAC here,” she said.

The best part of her job is that no two days are the same, she said.

“I could be walking the center talking to retailers about their sales and operations, or I could be meeting with my team, strategically planning to enhance the shopping experience,” she said.

Before her time at Colonie Center, Ella worked in retail for 15 years – everything from store manager to visual merchandising.

“I kind of took a break for a couple of years. I moved overseas, when I came back, a friend of mine had told me that there was a part-time local leasing coordinator position here, and I decided to apply,” she said.

That position made her realize her future would remain in retail.

“Like with every job, there’s days that are heavier than others, but it’s exciting. I get to be creative, and I get to problem solve, and I get to think ahead,” she said.

There are a lot of exciting changes ahead at Colonie Center, she told NewsChannel 13.

“Retail is ever changing. Like, we have to change. We have to evolve, and I’m really excited for the future of Colonie Center,” she said.

Ella’s been fortunate to have a lot of strong women as mentors, she said, and she tries to do the same.

“My advice would be to challenge yourself and push yourself and anything that makes you uncomfortable, go towards it,” she said.