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.”

Look inside many Latina entrepreneurs’ contact lists and you’re likely to discover the name of their best-kept secret to success: Nancy Marmolejo. As the founder of Viva Visibility and author of 21 Online Visibility Tips Every Entrepreneur Must Know, Nancy helps business owners across the country raise their online (and offline) visibility level. Then they can market themselves as recognized, credible experts in their fields.

With an online business, there’s a level of freedom that traditional employment doesn’t offer. “You can work from home, set your own schedule, be there for your kids,” she says, and “eliminate the stress of everything a job and a commute bring into the picture.” There’s an added benefit for Latinas: the ability to reach prospective customers all over the globe. Here’s how:

1. Integrated marketing is key. Online marketing must be backed up by offline methods. That might mean picking up the phone, going to live events or using traditional print marketing. “I’m also very excited about mobile marketing, which is a hot emerging area,” says Marmolejo.

2. State your services clearly. “Craft your website so it answers questions and gives people information, and doesn’t just stand there like a brochure,” says Marmolejo. You’ll develop a loyal following if you’re a source of solutions.

3. Build your database. “Many opportunities are lost when businesses don’t capture email addresses on their websites,” says Marmolejo. “Offer your Web visitors free tips or a special downloadable gift in exchange for their email. Then you can follow up and build strong, lasting relationships with your clients.”

Although Christina Cruz, 29, only started boxing eight years ago, she’s already a five-time Golden Gloves boxing champion and a London 2012 Olympic Games Team Trials participant.

Tall, slim and bred in New York City, this flyweight uses her fancy footwork and speed to strike fear in her opponents -- a strategy she achieved through endless hours of drills inside and outside the ring. Here, Cruz shares her fitness strategy that we can all knock ourselves out to.

Build Strength
“Having solid arms and abs is important because they’re places where you get punched,” says Cruz. She runs 3 miles in the morning. Afternoon workouts vary between strength training (light weights on arms, calisthenics, and plyometrics) or boxing training (jump rope to warm up, punching bag combinations, and sparring).

Iron Legs
Cruz’s strict routine of squats and lunges means no fat on her so-called “chicken legs.” “Having strong legs is very important when you’re fighting,” she says. “It’s your base. But as you grow tired, standing on them can feel like the longest minutes of your life in the ring.”

Don’t Overdo It
“I do about 200 situps a day toward the end of the workout. I work out five days a week and take the weekends off to rest my body, which is important.”

Boxers struggle to put on or take off pounds to fit competition weight guidelines. “You don’t have to only eat lettuce,” insists Cruz. “I eat three meals a day and have a small snack every two hours. Only when I’m not training will I touch junk food.” Her favorite? New York City pizza, of course.

Photo: Getty Images

Giselle Achecar, the founder of Eco-Rico, a green lifestyle website, has a funny way of making the most mundane activities -- like recycling and sipping wine -- seem fun.

The high-energy guru of eco-living advocates for La Madre Tierra with the flair of a television animadora. But Achecar doesn’t just offer fun tips to greenify our lives. She also developed “Marrying Your Passion With Your Purpose,” a program that draws a clear path to self-discovery and fulfillment. Achecar shares how we too can manifest our eco-destines.

Clean House
“Rid yourself of toxic relationships and situations that prevent you from feeling good about yourself,” says the fiery Puertoriqueña. Bad dynamics and unhealthy people are all-consuming distractions that not only erode your self-esteem, but also clog your ability to figure out who you are and what you want.

A Daily Ritual of Gratitude
You’ve got to be grateful for where you are today in order to get where you want to be tomorrow. “Wake up every morning and say ‘Gracias.’” Stay positiva by giving thanks in advance for the good you will receive. “Gratitude equals abundance,” says Achecar. And when we’re feeling abundant, helping others and caring for el planeta comes naturally.

Self-contemplation
Ask questions about yourself, including who you are and what you want. “What lights your fire and keeps you focused? What are your hobbies? Think back to those moments when you lost yourself in doing something,” she says. The answers to these questions will lead you to your passion, your purpose, and the life you always wanted to live.

JoAnna Garcia Swisher’s star is rising. Landing the top role in an upcoming comedy pilot, the actress will lead a primetime show once again.

The Florida-born Latina got her first big break in high school when she was cast on Nickelodeon’s “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” Ever since then, she has starred in hit shows, such as “Reba,” “Privileged” and “Gossip Girl.” But it was playing Mia Putney, the lead in the hit comedy “Better With You,” that secured her place as a young comedic actress to watch.

If the 32-year-old’s work accomplishments impress, then her off-camera efforts inspire. Last June, Garcia Swisher teamed up with Merck to launch the Let’s Go There campaign, an initiative to encourage women to talk to their doctors about birth control options. “As the daughter of an OB/GYN, I learned from an early age the importance of educating myself to better understand my health options,” said Garcia Swisher last summer.

To top it off, last Thanksgiving, Garcia Swisher and her husband -- New York Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher -- finally took their overdue honeymoon (they married in December 2010) to Afghanistan. But this wasn’t just an adventurous trip to a rugged country. They were there to cheer on the troops. “I think we had about eight different Thanksgiving meals,” said Garcia Swisher afterward. “We’ve made friends for a lifetime.”

Photo:  Getty Images