1. Be Self-Motivated.
If Catacosinos and Thompson had never taken a chance and called the Connecticut School of Broadcasting (CSB), they might not be where they are today. After hearing ads on the radio, they each decided to take a chance and call. The school isn't going to come to you. Take initiative to get where you want to go; even if it might mean a career switch. "So what if I call and they say no? I have to try," Catacosinos remembers thinking to herself.

2. Be Flexible.
If you're open to learning new things and meeting new people, you can go anywhere. Catacosinos had a very limited knowledge of technology before she got to CSB. However, once she began learning, she was able to get into it. "It was hard and I was discouraged at first," she recalls. "I didn't think I could learn it." But after sticking with it, she was able to get the hang of things.

3. Practice Makes Perfect.
"Stay with it and practice it," says Thompson. Whether it be singing, dancing, or playing a sport, practice is what provides the key to mastering any technique. This goes for the skills you will use at your job. "I would take every chance and sit there until I learned," says Catacosinos. Keeping at the task at hand and really working hard to hone your skills on what you're studying will give any student the chance to succeed.

4. Come Into Your Own.
Part of their job as broadcasters, is talking with lots of people and strangers each day. Thompson knew she was a bit on the quiet and shy side. "I used to get real nervous," she says. "Halfway through [the program], I realized that I had signed up for school and this was my shot." In this respect, Thompson took advantage of that fact and looked to learn as much as she possibly could. Now, she doesn't get as scared and has really been able to overcome her fears.

5. Don't Dwell on the Past.
Thompson says the best advice she ever received was what her director and several teachers have told her. "Don't worry about what you did or didn't do in the past," she says. "If you really want to do it, just go for it." To ever think that you are too old or don't have the proper skills, is selling yourself short. Just because you may not have majored in broadcasting in college, doesn't mean you can't go to school and learn about it now. Both Catacosinos and Thompson made a career switch. Catacosinos majored in psychology in college, has her master's in education, and has had careers in retail and schooling children. Meanwhile, Thompson has a degree in hospitality management. After graduation and some experience as a chef, it was clear that she was meant for something else. They didn't panic or stay in a dead-end career; they did something about it.

6. Keep Your Options Open.
Thompson, the chef-turned-broadcaster, thought she'd do work relating to food. "The last thing I thought I'd be doing was sports radio," she says. However, after receiving the award at graduation for sports radio, it's something she decided to try her hand at. The two hard-working broadcasters use Catacosinos' passion for sports and Thompson's passion for cooking to host their own weekly radio show called, "The Cook and the Cat." They discuss sports while also throwing in some quirky recipes, such as the "Tiki Barber-cue." And they really love what they do.

7. Anybody Can Do It.
"It's the old adage: if you have a dream, follow it," says Catacosinos. "I don't care who you are. Anybody should go for it." With advice like that, you're bound to succeed. "Just give it a try," says Thompson. You'll never know unless you make an effort. Don't be caught down the road, wondering "What if?"

The Moral of the Story
If Catacosinos and Thompson had sat idly while their lives passed them by, they wouldn't have made the career switch and found the career of their dreams. Always interested in broadcasting from an early age, they were finally able to make their dreams become realities. Earning a degree has turned their passions into their path to successful careers.

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