Carol I. Sanchez: Helping Latinas in Business

Carol Sanchez, a married mother of three, has built an outstanding professional reputation. She’s held high-level positions at corporations like Staples, served on former Governor Mitt Romney’s Council on Diversity, and won numerous awards along the way, such as the YWCA of Boston’s Academy of Women Achievers Award in 2011. One of her most important career moves, however, came in 2004 when Carol co-founded Sanchez & Santiago LLC, a thriving CPA firm located in Boston and Marlborough, Mass. Among her many tasks? Helping other Latinas grow their businesses. Here, she shares three habits that lead to prosperity.

The daily planner: “I always have a working plan in my professional and personal life,” says Sanchez. Without a map to guide you toward your goals, you’ll wander about aimlessly. But that doesn’t mean the lines on your map can’t change: “In college, I was an international business major but switched to accounting because I got 4.0’s in the courses. I knew I’d have plenty of job options.”

Interview your boss: “If he or she doesn’t inspire you, then you could waste years not progressing and spending time finding another job,” says Sanchez. “It’s critical that you like your boss, and they’ve got to like you. Employers that really want you are going to help you because they’re committed to your success.”

The social networker: “I go to events, meet people and stay in touch. If someone that I met at an event calls me, I take the time to call back. Our business was up and running very quickly because of our expansive network.”