We're hearing a lot about the economy lately. In fact, just this week, Alan Greenspan actually said "the r word" by announcing that the United States is in a recession. Our last recession, from 2001-2003, was due to the collapse of the dot-com bubble, the September 11th attacks, and accounting scandals such as Enron. There were also recessions in the early 1990s and early 1980s.

Have you ever watched the Indy 500? Billed as the "greatest spectacle in racing," it is one of the most famous motor-sport events in the world. The beginning is always dramatic. The audience cheers when it hears, "Gentlemen . . . start your engines!" These four words announce the start of something big.

According to the Center for Women's Business Research, "There are 10.4 million women running successful businesses in the U.S. Of those 10.4 million, 85% of them are running businesses out of their home."