Many women today are not just climbing up the corporate ladder, they're designing and constructing the ladder itself. According to a recent story in Newsweek magazine, women-owned businesses today are growing at twice the rate of men's. The entrepreneurial spirit clearly has a feminine side.

A report conducted for the National Foundation for Women Business Owners and Dun & Bradstreet found that there are now 7.7 million women-owned businesses, employing 15.5 million people. The number of women-owned firms with 100 employees or more grew by 18.3 percent from 1991 to 1994. According to the U.S. Department of Education, 54 percent of all bachelors degrees were awarded to women in 1992-93, versus just 35 percent in 1959-60.

"In the '70s and '80s, women gained acceptance in the work force. Now, they're finding ways to take those skills and talents to create careers that better suit their financial and personal goals," said Robert Waltos, Director of Career Recruitment for Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance.

Women's reasons for striking out on their own are as diverse as their businesses. Some women find they're unable to break through the "glass ceiling" of the corporate world and see business ownership as a clear path to the top. Others cite lifestyle changes, increased financial gain and better job security as primary goals. Oftentimes, a combination of factors serves as the impetus behind a new business.

Attorney Jill Hall had grown disillusioned with the race for billable hours and other aspects of corporate life after eight years working for law firms. In opening a Great Harvest bread store in suburban Milwaukee five years ago, she and her husband, Rodd, wanted to eliminate many of the corporate trappings and better integrate their home and business lives.

"This life is truer to our values. We work face-to-face with our customers, and our children can be a part of our business. It's a very holistic lifestyle," she said.

For Martha Boyle, opening an all-in-one advertising, media buying and public relations agency provided a way to offer more complete marketing services to clients in northwest Iowa.

"Before I opened my own business, I worked for four years in sales for a radio station," she explained. "I could see that a radio ad wasn't always the answer for clients, but there weren't any 'full-service' agencies in this area to direct them."

In opening her own business, Boyle thought she could find a career that was more satisfying and stimulating than her radio sales job. Five years later, she agrees it's been all that ... and more. The flexibility has been a tremendous help as she juggles the demands of raising two small children, and when her husband was offered a better job in another town, she was able to take the business with her rather than go through a job search in a new locale.

For some women, a good idea can lead to great financial wealth. Discovery Toys, a company that grossed $93 million in 1994, was the brainchild of Lane Nemeth, a former day care director who wanted to provide parents with the right educational toys for their children. In 1963, Mary Kay Ash used her $5,000 savings to open a small storefront in Dallas. Today, she is chair emeritus of Mary Kay Cosmetics, a Fortune 500 company with $700 million in annual sales.

But not every business is built from the ground up, originating from a single idea. Franchises provide opportunities, and many women have successfully taken over family businesses with a list of established clients. Sales -- from real estate and insurance to personal care items and household products -- also can serve as the basis