Amari Duncan

“When you’re applying to schools the biggest question is always, What do I ultimately want to do?, which feels impossible to answer when you’re a teenager,” said Amari Duncan.

A favorite high school teacher — a Russell Sage College alumna — inspired Amari to choose Sage, and instinct led her to a Business Administration major. 

“I’m a natural people person and found myself in retail jobs that cultivated my love for relationship building and management,” she said. 

She felt like a Business major would help her develop these strengths, even if she didn’t know what field she ultimately wanted to work in. 

Amari initially put her Sage degree to work in professional sports, first with the Albany Empire arena football team and then with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders minor league baseball team. 

She recently accepted a position in fundraising and events at the United Way of the Greater Capital Region, and she’s also a proud business owner. 

She and a business partner are opening Building 248, an event space in Albany. 

Owning a business was not part of Amari’s original career plan.

“As a business student you are hyper aware of all the pros and cons,” she said. 

But her Sage education  — particularly, supportive professors and her experience on the women’s basketball team —.helped her grow in her career and her confidence. 

“Being a student-athlete at Sage was so important,” she said. “The trust and teamwork that you have to have is very similar to running a business. Everyone has their role and you have to trust that they will do what’s necessary to win as a team.”

“My advice for aspiring entrepreneurs would be to find purpose in what you’re doing,” she said.

For Amari, that purpose is related to her desire to promote her hometown, and her love of bringing people together. 

“Take the time to find what you find meaningful, how it will help others and then execute. Anything is possible!”