We've observed, however, that women who choose to work in a man's world are building larger and stronger companies. Why? In my opinion it all goes back to the big truth. The most important factor in your success is who you hang around with. Men are more interested than most women in numbers and growth. The women running businesses in a man's world rise to the occasion. They compete and they succeed at the heavy lifting.

VICKY CARLSON: Actually I do feel a little bit like I'm a woman in a man's world, because I am.

PAMELA RODGERS: I was going against the grain at that time. I was a woman, I was a minority.

CHERYL WOMACK: The whole reason I started a business was to be in control of my destiny.

HATTIE: (Voiceover) All of these women have something in common. Ella Williams of Aegir Systems. Cheryl Womack of the Independent Trucker's Association. Linda Opici of the Opici Wine Group. Ruth Ellen Miller of NoUVIR who builds fiberoptic lighting for museums. Darlene Jetter of Jet-A-Way. Nicole Miller, one of the few women at the top of a fashion house. Nancy Goshow of Goshow Architects. Pamela Rodgers of Rodgers Chevrolet, and Vicky Carlson of Office Pavilion.