Farzaneh Akbarpour

I attribute my success to resilience, determination, hard work, and believing in myself even when the path has been challenging. Moving to the United States as a new bride meant that I had to rebuild my professional life and establish my own career and resume in a new country and culture. My husband was an important mentor and source of support throughout that journey, and I am grateful for the opportunities and encouragement that helped me move forward.

I have learned to embrace challenges rather than be afraid of them. Every difficult experience has taught me something and helped me grow. I believe that when you continue moving forward, remain open to learning, and trust your own abilities, you can accomplish things you once thought were impossible.

I have not identified one specific piece of professional advice or one individual mentor as the defining source of my career success. Instead, I have been fortunate to receive meaningful support and encouragement from my husband, my family, my colleagues, and the leaders I have worked with throughout my journey.

My husband, in particular, played an important role during the early years after I immigrated to the United States. His support and guidance helped me navigate the challenges of establishing a new life, adapting to a different environment, and rebuilding my professional path.

Throughout my career, the encouragement I have received from colleagues and company leadership has also strengthened my belief in my own abilities and potential. Their support has encouraged me to keep learning, take on new challenges, and continue growing within retail management.

My advice to young women entering retail is to believe in yourself and do not be afraid of the challenges that come with the journey. Retail is a broad industry, and the skills you develop through customer service, teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, and fast-paced decision-making can open doors to many different career paths.

Every day in retail can be different, and there is always something new to learn. Your path may not always be smooth, and there will be difficult days and unexpected challenges, but those experiences can make you stronger and more capable. Do not let other people's doubts become your own. Look at yourself and say, "You can do it." Believe in your abilities, keep learning, and continue moving forward.

I also encourage women to recognize the strength they already possess. As women, we are capable of handling tremendous responsibilities and overcoming difficult circumstances. The challenges I have experienced throughout my own journey have helped me grow, and I hope other women will see their challenges as opportunities to become stronger rather than reasons to give up.

Retail is a fast-paced environment where every day brings new situations, responsibilities, and opportunities to learn. One of the biggest challenges is balancing the demands of professional leadership with responsibilities outside of work. Managing a store, supporting a team, serving customers, and handling day-to-day operational demands requires flexibility, energy, and strong time management.

At the same time, retail provides significant opportunities for professional growth. The industry allows people to develop transferable skills in leadership, customer service, communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and operations. My own experience has shown me that the skills learned in retail can create opportunities well beyond the retail environment.

The values that are most important to me are resilience, gratitude, family, determination, and perseverance. My family has been an important source of strength throughout my life, particularly my husband, who has supported and mentored me throughout my professional journey, and my parents, whom I deeply appreciate for everything they have done for me.

I also value hard work, personal growth, and making the most of opportunities. I am grateful for the opportunity to build a life and career in the United States, and I try to approach challenges with a positive and determined mindset. I believe that difficult experiences can help us grow, become wiser, and appreciate how far we have come.