Top 15 Women in Business 2009

Meet the 15 "Glass-Breakers," women who, when they made it to the C-suite, left the door wide open for other women to follow – and who continue to reach back to help promising female superstars. To tell these decidedly personal tales of women empowering women, we looked beyond their stellar résumés and individual achievements and asked 15 other women – each remarkable in her own right – to tell us straight from the heart how they were helped by our "Glass-Breakers." The result is a single emotional portrait in 15 brushstrokes of a uniquely feminine altruism as beautiful as it is inspiring.

Hold or Fold

One of the hardest things an entrepreneur will ever do is bail out of a hurting business that she's put her dollars and heart into. Economic downturns can be great times to rethink your business, says Raman Chadha, executive director of the Coleman Entrepreneurship Center at DePaul University. So do you stay or do you go? PINK finds out.

Unreal Estate

When it comes to investing in real estate, is the sky falling or is it time to buy? Over the long haul, both single-family homes and diversified real estate funds have performed on par with stocks and bonds – and residential prices may now be at rock bottom. So for women with money to invest, is it time to buy property? Find out.

A Green Commute

Could telecommuting make the world greener and save companies money? Sixty percent of employees wish that they could telecommute at least part of the time. Telecommuting saved U.S. companies an average of $695,752 last year, according to CompTIA, a technology industry association. PINK uncovers the pros and the cons of this growing trend.

Mother's Day Goodies

Make the special woman (or women) in your life feel truly appreciated with one of the featured items in PINK's Mother's Day Gift Guide. From a floral pen bouquet starting at $7.95 to a heart-shaped photo necklace at $72, there's something for every budget and every taste.

The Art of Negotiation

Bargaining for better rates on everything from personal services to business expenses could be the lemonade that comes from this sour economy. Experts say that in times like these, when everyone feels the pain of slowing growth, companies are more interested in keeping their existing customers than finding new ones, so they'll be more willing to listen. Here's how to effectively convince creditors to give you a break.