Blog Posts by Secrets To Your Success

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

"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

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

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

"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

Danielle Sheypuk, a psychologist, can rock a pair of Louboutins, regardless of her wheelchair, and is fighting the stereotypes and stigmas surrounding people with disabilities. As Ms. Wheelchair New York 2012, she says her mission can be summed up in one phrase: "I want to make dating someone in a wheelchair cool and sexy."

More on Shine: What special-needs parents want your kids to know

Danielle grew up in Scranton, Pennsylvania, a small town with a country setting. She was born with spinal muscular atrophy and got her first wheelchair in kindergarten. She says she never felt different and still doesn't. Her wheelchair never got in the way of making friends and having a social life.

In college, Danielle majored in psychology and went on to get her PhD. Today, she is a practicing therapist, specializing in assisting disabled people with relationships. Through Skype, she is able to help those who may have a difficult time getting to a traditional doctor's office. She says

Are you feeling like you're not getting anywhere in your career? Are you really living up to your full potential? Climbing the rungs of the career ladder can be difficult. Follow the advice on getting noticed and getting ahead from these four successful women.

More on Shine: How to get into management

Get feedback and know your audience. Kat Cole, president of Cinnabon, says you should know yourself, your audience, and your environment. "Get feedback on how you present yourself physically, how you come across verbally, how you influence people, and how you make others feel," she says.

Get an internship. "It really helps if you meet somebody whose actually doing what you want to do," says talk show host Wendy Williams. She advises to get an internship and absorb everything around you.

More on Yahoo!: 4 ways to figure out your future

Build relationships. Tig Notaro, a comedian, says in addition to being good at what you do, people also need to get to know you personally. "When

Fashion designer and Shabby Apple founder Athelia Woolley took a risk, even though her parents discouraged her. They told her she would never own a business, but in 2006, she started Shabby Apple in her parents' home. A year later, Athelia's mom gave her an iron pig with wings for her birthday. "She said, 'Well, I figured when pigs fly you would own a business,'" laughs Athelia.

More on Shine: Singer-designers: The best of the best

She grew up dancing in Salt Lake City, Utah, and after college, Athelia moved to London to study dance at a conservatory, in hopes of being in a contemporary dance company. Unfortunately, health problems quickly got in the way.

Athelia began feeling exhausted, and on her way to school one day, she couldn't get up the stairs to the subway. She says she knew then that something was seriously wrong. Athelia was diagnosed with Addison's disease, a disorder in which the body's adrenal glands fail. It was made worse by intense exercise, and sadly,