PHOENIX — Latina businesses are on fire. The number of businesses owned by Hispanic women grew by 39 percent nationwide, to an estimated 470,344, in the five-year period that ended in 2002. That compares with about 9 percent growth for other businesses, according to the Center for Women’s Business Research, which draws its estimates from U.S. Census data.

In Arizona, the number of Latina-owned companies grew by 58.3 percent during that same time, to 14,538. And they generated nearly $726.9 million in sales from 1997 to 2002, up 10.6 percent.

Business leaders in Arizona say more and more are breaking the $1 million mark.

Among the multimillion-dollar business successes in Arizona are Josie Ippolito of Phoenix-based La Canasta Mexican Food Products Inc., Rosa Cantor of Mesa-based Creative Human Resources Concepts, Carmen Bermudez of Tucson-based Mission Management & Trust Co., Elizabeth Gonzalez-Gann of Tucson-based JanCo Janitorial and Stella Echave Burke of Phoenix-based SchoolCraft.

"The non-Latinas are no smarter than Latina entrepreneurs. They’ve only been at it longer," said Loui Olivas, who researches Hispanic business trends at Arizona State University where he is assistant vice president for academic affairs.

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He points out Hispanic women have always been entrepreneurial, even as they traditionally managed the household. Many also would keep small businesses on the side.

But now access to capital is opening up and Hispanic women are increasingly pursuing degrees in business, he said. That’s giving them a greater chance at growing their companies.

"And the fact is that the Latino businesses and corporate leaders are more accepting today of them than ever before," Olivas said.

For Stella Echave Burke, a willingness to take a risk led her into business ownership. Burke, whose parents were both from Sonora, Mexico, spent 20 years doing nonprofit work. While serving on a board, she got to know the previous owner of SchoolCraft, a company that specializes in school library furnishings and lockers, and ended up becoming his general manager.

"I saw the company was in major trouble, but the product and client base was excellent," she said. "So I made a proposal, and six months later I owned the company."

She took the company from having debt in 1994 to sales of $4.5 million in 2002.

Last year, business slowed to $3 million.

"I was pretty fortunate. When I bought the company, the people working with the previous owner stayed. And they were instrumental to my success," she said.

Traditionally, one of the biggest obstacles for Latina entrepreneurs was family structure. Many women were raised with an emphasis on becoming wives and mothers.

"For years Latino families held back their daughters from getting an education. ... Parents had a hard time of letting go, and it crippled the development of Latinas in our community," said Robert Montemayor, author of "Right Before Our Eyes: Latinos Past, Present & Future."

Some of it was self-imposed, though, said Bermudez of Mission Management. "But white women have demonstrated that doesn’t have to be the way," she said.

Education has been key to Latina advancement.

"The more you know, the more you do," Montemayor said.

Latinas make up about 37 percent of Arizona’s Hispanic business owners. But their aggressive growth may soon lead to a 1-to-1 ratio with their male counterparts, he said.

Bermudez thinks playing sports is one way to develop Latinas as entrepreneurs.

"It teaches discipline, it teaches endurance, and it makes you a fighter," she said.

But success is dependent on making good choices, such as writing and following a business plan and hiring a team "that knows more than you do."

Mentors, said Annette Alvarez of Phoenix-based Alvarez Inc., offer support and build self-confidence. Trusting one’s instincts and a willingness to take risks also are important.

"The rest will flow naturally as you work through the challenges and the incredible opportunities," she said.