The Mommy Market A look at inspiring Mompreneurs and their homegrown businesses.

Moms start businesses for a variety of reasons. Some want the flexibility of spending more time with their kids. Others uncover a need -- often inspired by motherhood -- that no one else is filling. Whatever the incentive, the growth of women-owned businesses has soared in recent years. In fact, women entrepreneurs are expected to create up to 5.5 million new jobs nationwide by 2018, according to the Guardian Life Small Business Research Institute. Here, a look at nine successful mompreneurs and their homegrown inspirations.

Joan Lunden