1. Network to earn more

"Women often work so hard, they don't get out and meet people," says Wendy Maitland, 42, who earns $1.5 million a year at her New York City real estate firm. Make connections; you could find someone to partner with, or hear about a better job.

2. Choose a field that pays

"I entered a field with no salary cap," says Dany Garcia, 39, who started off earning $18,000 a year as an assistant at Merrill Lynch and now runs a wealth-management firm. Sales jobs that pay commissions also have unlimited earning potential.

3. Spend less than you make

Jill DiLosa, 31, took public transportation and shopped at discount stores while she amassed her fortune as a hedge fund analyst. "Even if you earn $1 million a year, you'll be worth zero if you spend it all," says DiLosa, who retired a millionaire at age 27.

4. Put in time--lots of time

As a fax sales rep, Sara Blakely, 37, cut the feet off her pantyhose and came up with Spanx, which grossed $250 million last year. "For two years I kept my day job but dedicated every free minute to growing my business," she says. "I'd take orders in the bath!"

5. Leap, but look first

At 32, Charlotte Moss worked in marketing and had a thing for interior design. "I took my bonus, went to London, filled a container with antiques and opened a hit store in New York City," she says. Got a great idea? Plan it out at womanowned.com.