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    Blog Posts by Secrets To Your Success

    • Secrets to Your Success: Choose a Career You Love

      Choosing a career is not just about bringing home enough money to pay the bills; it's about finding a job that will play to your strengths, and, most importantly, it's about finding a career that you love. So, whether you're searching for new opportunities or changing paths, how do you choose a satisfying career? Here are a few pointers on choosing a career you'll love from four successful women.

      More on Shine: 10 no-fail ways to wow your boss

      Find your passion. Retired Four-Star Army General Ann Dunwoody says some people are working in jobs they're not passionate about and feeling stuck. "We have to allow people, kids, adults to experiment, and test, and find something they really enjoy doing," she advises. "I believe you'll know it when you do it."

      Love what you do. Lisa Price, founder of Carol's Daughter, says success is being able to do what you love and doing what you need to get the job completed. "To be at work from 10 in the morning until 2 in the morning and not

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    • Secrets to Your Success: Mary Ellen O'Toole

      "Empathy is such a critical trait, even if you're sitting across the table and somebody has said to you, 'Yes, I've murdered 48 people,' and I've had that happen," explains Mary Ellen O'Toole, a psychologist and FBI profiler.

      More on Shine: Revenge videos by female artists: Good or bad for women?

      At a very young age, she wondered what people thought about when they murdered other people. Mary Ellen says, even though these thoughts scared her mom, she was fascinated with people who do violent things.

      Mary Ellen studied psychology in college and went on to get her PhD. She worked briefly as a therapist, but felt drawn to a career in law enforcement. She says it must have been in her genes to choose that path. Her father was an FBI agent, her mother worked for the FBI, and her brother was a San Francisco police officer.

      She began her law enforcement career with the San Francisco DA's office as a criminal investigator, and in 1981, Mary Ellen became an FBI agent assigned to

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    • Secrets to Your Success: Katrina Markoff

      Chef and Vosges Haut-Chocolat founder Katrina Markoff uses chocolate as a medium to tell stories. "For some reason, I went into my kitchen, and I made an Indian curry, coconut, milk chocolate truffle," she says. "And that was when the epiphany occurred."

      More on Shine: Flour power: a healthier take on chocolate cake

      Katrina grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana, near her grandparents. She says her grandmother was the one who taught her how to cook. Katrina studied chemistry and psychology at Vanderbilt University, but found herself struggling with choosing a career as graduation approached. Katrina moved to Paris to study cooking at the famed culinary school Le Cordon Bleu. She worked in top European restaurants, but took a leave of absence to embark on a round-the-world trip.

      She spent nine months traveling through Southeast Asia, discovering the close connection between people and food. When she returned to the United States, however, she realized she didn't want to be a chef.

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    • Secrets to Your Success: Siedah Garrett

      Growing up, singer, songwriter, and "Man In The Mirror" co-writer Siedah Garrett occasionally was a guest singer at churches, but it wasn't until she was in junior high school that she knew she had to be a singer. A guitarist at her school wanted to participate in a talent show, so he asked her to sing while he played. She says the next day she received rave reviews and praise for her performance.

      More on Shine: Debbie Gibson talks affordable fashion finds and living simply

      In her 20s Siedah worked as a backup singer for Sergio Mendes, but got her big break at an open audition for producer Quincy Jones. In a room full of producers and songwriters, she sang the demos from several songwriters. Siedah joined one of Quincy's bands as a singer and went on to become one of his songwriters.

      Tasked with finishing Michael Jackson's album, Quincy asked his songwriters to come up with new songs for Michael. Siedah says her songwriting partner Glen Ballard started playing a chord

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    • Secrets to Your Success: How to Make a Good Impression in a New Job

      Like the first day of school, the first few days of a new job can be absolutely nerve-racking. Among the butterflies of a new job, like what to wear or where to park, making a good impression probably tops the list of anxieties. Colleagues' opinions are often set early and can greatly impact your achievements at work. So, how can you set yourself up for success on day one? Here are four tips on how to make a good impression in a new job from four successful women.

      More on Shine: 4 work mistakes you don't realize you're making

      1. Be curious It's not enough to come early, stay late, dress nice, and act polite, says Kat Cole, Cinnabon president. "You don't stand out if you do that," she explains. "You do stand out if you're naturally curious, respectfully curious." She advises to ask questions and inquire why things are done a certain way.

      2. Eye contact, a smile, and a good handshake "Brave" producer Katherine Sarafian explains that it seems so simple, but not enough people do

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    • Secrets to Your Success: Ann Dunwoody

      In January, the Pentagon lifted a ban on women in combat. Coach, leader, and four-star U.S. Army General Ann Dunwoody says this policy change is a recognition of women's roles on the battlefield today. "When I look back at how far we've come, it's really amazing," says Ann. "I'm very proud of that."

      More on Shine: Father-daughter soldiers return home safely from Afghanistan

      With her father in the military, Ann grew up in a military-centered family. As a tomboy, Ann participated in as many sports as she could, like gymnastics, tennis, and cheerleading. She went to college hoping to become a physical education teacher, but while in school, she applied for an Army program that offered scholarships in exchange for two years of service. She thought of it as a small detour on her path to becoming a coach and teacher.

      Ann was sent to the airborne school. "All I wanted to do was jump out of airplanes," she says. It came as a surprise to Ann when she decided to stay in the Army

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    • Secrets to Your Success: Jennifer Hale

      "I can be anything in voice over. I can be five, or I can be 85. I can be an elephant, or I can be a human," says Jennifer Hale, a singer, actress, and voice-over queen. "Some of my characters can be all about seduction," she explains, "and others, it's about a five year old going, 'I want that!'" Originally moving to Los Angeles to pursue acting, Jennifer quickly found voice acting work on cartoons and video games. She says she's now appeared in over 130 games.

      More on Shine: 7 reasons why your kids should play video games

      As a child, Jennifer says she loved books, animals, and singing. A self-proclaimed "dork," she began singing and performing in clubs in the 10th grade while a student at a performing arts school in Alabama. She says singing is what she really loved, but Jennifer got a job at a video production house next to an audio studio where they would ask her to come do voice overs. "I was just blown away that they'd pay me $30 to go talk," says Jennifer.

      After

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    • Secrets to Your Success: Katherine Sarafian

      Filmmaker and producer of "Brave" Katherine Sarafian says the best piece of advice she ever got was from Pixar founder Steve Jobs. "He said, 'You never regret the things you do, only the things you don't do,'" explains Katherine, "and that was pretty important for me, even in the very beginning of 'Brave,' when I wasn't sure whether to take the job." Katherine took the job, and it turns out that was pretty great advice. "Brave" recently won a Golden Globe and is nominated for an Oscar.

      More on Shine: Oscar nominated costume designer Jacqueline Durran on creating character wardrobes

      Katherine, the middle child in her family, says she was always an artistic and creative child, begging for attention. She went to UCLA and struggled to decide on a career. Seeking advice, a career counselor suggested pursuing film, and in 1994 Katherine began working at Pixar on "Toy Story" as a production scheduling coordinator. She has since worked on some of Pixar's biggest hits, including "A

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    • Secrets to Your Success: "What I Wish I Knew Before I Became a Boss"

      Getting the respect of your coworkers, leading your team, and meeting the demands of your company are all part of being the boss, but it's not always so easy. These four successful women share what they wish they knew before they became bosses.

      More on Shine: 8 essential tips for getting ahead in your first job

      It's OK to get a little bossy Shabby Apple founder Athelia Wooley says she naturally had never been a bossy person and never wanted to be in charge. Although she found leading people difficult, Athelia says it's necessary. "It's really not fair to your employees or to the company to not do that. People need instruction, and it's OK to give it," she explains.

      Value your employees Kristen Trattner, Nickel Diner co-owner, assumed everyone had the same work ethic, but soon realized that in a small business just one employee can make a difference in the operations. "If the dishwasher doesn't show up, who's the dishwasher?" she says. Kristen says she treats her employees

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    • Secrets to Your Success: Sally Hershberger


      "I don't feel like I've arrived yet, and maybe that's why I'm driven," says celebrity
      hair stylist and salon owner Sally Hershberger. She says she grew up knowing how to break rules, and "no" was never a word in her vocabulary.

      More on Shine: 10 celebrity secrets for younger-looking hair

      Sally grew up in Kansas where her dad made millions in the oil industry. When her parents divorced, they moved to Beverly Hills. Sally says she grew up very fast in Hollywood, and she never thought about work until her mom told her she couldn't just "hang out."

      Obsessed with her own hair, Sally got a job at Armando's, a trendy Los Angeles hair salon. She got her break when she went on tour with Olivia Newton John and met photographer Herb Ritts. Before she knew it, she was styling a number of movie stars.

      At age 23, Sally was now a go-to stylist on photo shoots and movie sets, building up a steady celebrity clientele. She's best known for cutting actress Meg Ryan's hair into its

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