LearnVest founder Alexa von Tobel says financial planning should be accessible to everyone. "Financial planning shouldn't be a luxury," she says. "Every single person in the country should be able to have access to trusted financial advice." And she won't stop her mission until LearnVest is helping millions of people.

More on Shine: A financial expert solves couples' biggest money problems

Growing up in Florida, Alexa tagged along with her two older brothers, playing touch football and other outdoor games. She says that taught her to be able to get along with different groups of people. Alexa attended Harvard, studying psychology. During her senior year at Harvard, she came up with the idea for LearnVest, developing the business plan while working as a trader at Morgan Stanley. Alexa left her Wall Street career behind to attend Harvard Business School in 2008.

"I won a business plan competition of sorts," says Alexa, "and I had a few professors say, 'You know what? This is a really big

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Hold the phone: You nabbed a job interview, but instead of meeting in person, you've been asked to chat up your potential employer via phone. These days, more hiring managers are vetting job candidates by phone prior to arranging IRL meetings. Since handling a phone interview requires a specific skill set, we got Paul Bailo, author of The Essential Phone Interview Handbook, to talk essential phone interview tips.

By Molly Triffin

1. Turn on the Radio
In a phone interview, your voice will make your big first impression, so get a head start on prepping your pipes a week pre-interview by tuning into talk radio. Whether it's Cosmo on Sirius XM, NPR, or the Red Sox game, notice the words and tone the hosts use to create a mental picture for listeners.

2. Dress the Part
Even though you're probably doing the interview in your living room, ditch the rumpled Ramones tee shirt and messy hair and dress as though you were meeting the manager in person. Bailo's research found that people's voices change

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It's Thursday morning, you're in the elevator, and the CEO skates between closing doors to join you for a 30-floor ride.

You consider commenting on the unseasonably balmy weather, but inquire about her watch instead. You then exchange a series of jokes and, in perfect unison, toss your heads back in laughter. At the 25th floor, she insists that you join her in the company lounge for a bite to eat-she'd like to get to know you better. You take style points from Sandberg and lean in. Instant promotion.

Real life: Silence. You exit the elevator with pit stains and wonder if she heard you swallow that burp. Sound familiar? You're in good company-being trapped in a confined space with upper management is sure to send anyone into a tailspin. But, with some simple tactics on hand, you can navigate a terrifying situation with grace. Try on these life vests to avoid drowning like a conversation klutz.

The Trader Joe

Casual and approachable, Trader Joe's employees are known for their infectious pos...Read More »

Christy Turlington Burns, model and founder of Every Mother Counts, says, "You don't have to be a mother to care about mothers. We've all come into the world the same way." Christy believes every woman should have the chance to survive childbirth.

More on Shine: 10 ways to pamper mom

Growing up, Christy and her older sister rode horses every day after school. At the end of their lesson one day, a photographer approached Christy's mom and asked if she had thought about having her daughters model. Christy began modeling for Vogue when she was 16, which she says quickly took her from a department store ad to the fashion world.

Over the years, Christy appeared on the cover of every major fashion magazine and in ads for Calvin Klein and Maybelline. Not knowing how long she would model, Christy says she took advantage of the job. "I sort of fell into this career as a model," she explains, "and I felt like it's going to allow me to do other things."

Christy began to use her fame to advocate f

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