Top 10 Businesses For 1997 Thinking of starting a new business this year? If so, don't miss our review of the hottest small businesses to start in 1997!

Over the last 12 months, we've charted remarkable growthin 10 booming industries that are yielding some of thefastest-growing small businesses. To illustrate this growth,we've compiled staggering statistics and interviewedenthusiastic entrepreneurs in all 10 fields to show you just howhot they really are. So dive in, read up and get started!

Exporting

So far, the '90s have been the decade for exporting.Exports of goods and services have been responsible for more than40 percent of U.S. economic growth in the past five years,according to Nancy Larson of the Small BusinessAdministration's Office of International Trade.