Smashing ceilings: Five famous women and how they got to the top

The well known women at wowOwow.com are stopping by WalletPop on a frequent basis to answer your spending and personal finance questions.

This week we asked them: In getting ahead in your career, what – if any – biases have you encountered? Did you confront them?

Marlo Thomas: Actresses don't suffer the same kind of bias problems as actress-hyphenates do. I was an actress-producer in my '20s and I encountered a lot of men who didn't want to deal with me or wanted to bed me, but seldom wanted to listen to me. I had to be very focused or I would be undermined in some way. It took a few years but word got out that I meant business so I was able to conduct my business. That ... and good ratings made them listen.