Hispanic businesswomen are making inroads in south Florida, according to the latest figures from the Center for Women's Business Research (2004).

More than 70% of small and medium-sized Hispanicowned firms are based in south Florida.

› 553,618 - Hispanic women-owned businesses, a 64% increase from 1997. Hispanic women-owned businesses are growing at twice the rate of those owned by Hispanic men.

› 32,000 - Number of workers employed by Hispanic women business owners.

› $44.4 billion - Sales generated by Hispanic women business owners.