Despite the turbulent economy, 27 women participating in the Make Mine a Million $ Business initiative grew their companies into million-dollar firms in 2008.

Make Mine a Million $ Business is a program of Count Me In for Women's Economic Independence and American Express OPEN. 

WomenEntrepreneur.com asked some of these women, "What was the major obstacle you had to overcome to reach the $1 million level, and how did you do it?" We begin this two-part series with responses from seven of these inspirational women:

Woman leader: Colleen Bonniol
Company name: MODE Studios Inc.
Based in: Seattle
Description: Specializes in the application of multimedia and lighting design

MODE Studios lives and thrives in the entertainment world. We direct, design and produce large-scale live events. The foremost obstacle I had in surpassing the $1 million mark was managing MODE's cash flow. Our cash flow looks like a radical waveform. Our growth over the past four years has been substantial. We needed a base to build from. Finding ways to even out and give MODE a foundation cash flow has been the key to our being able to sustain our growth.

With the help of Make Mine a Million and The Coach Connection, I was able to open up our services to include: corporate branding for existing clients, sales of specialty equipment and development of a full-package solution for concert design and DVD production. Prior to M3, all of the above services were just outside my idea of what MODE could do. With the help of my coach, I developed the ability to scale the organization, creativity and resources to accomplish more than I originally thought possible.

Currently, with the economy in the position it's in, we are continuing to find new resources to give MODE Studios the most stable cash flow possible. In the past few months we've engaged in the process to work with government contracts. We have joined WIPP, researched our SIC (Standard Industrial Classification) and NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) codes, applied for a CCR (Central Contractor Registration) number and completed the application for the WBNEC (Women Business Enterprise) certification. Our goal is to be producing content for government contracts in earnest by year's end.

Woman leader: Allison Evanow
Company name: Square One Organic Spirits LLC
Based in: Novato, Calif.
Description: Developer and marketer of organic spirits

Square One was a pioneer in the organic spirits segment and the first all-organic American spirits company to achieve nationwide presence. We had a small, built-in audience of organically minded customers whose needs were not being met with the offering of spirits at that time.

But to get to the $1 million level and beyond, our biggest hurdle was to create a larger movement: to establish a new category of spirits and a whole new way to approach cocktails. We achieved this by developing a repertoire of organic spirits beyond the basic organic vodka, focusing our marketing efforts on the promotion of "culinary cocktails" made with fresh, natural ingredients and by incorporating green practices into our overall business. The goal was to prove to our distributors and customers that organic spirits are not a trend or only for green consumers but represent a legitimate category of spirits.

We implemented a strong communications, special-events and direct-sales campaign from the start that secured some high-profile accounts. We sought out as much national press as possible to bring awareness and legitimacy to our brand, our philosophy and the people behind it.

Once we were able to expand our distribution across the U.S. and to sell to more than just organic-minded customers, we were in a position to scale our company and achieve the first $1 million. Getting the word out and securing early-adopter high-profile accounts got the momentum started, and sales execution brought it home.

Woman leader: Molly Fuller
Company name: Hands On Gourmet LLC 
Based in: San Francisco
Description: Cooking party company

The major obstacles I had to overcome were myself and giving up control to employees, while realizing that our operations procedures were not 100 percent developed.

It was really difficult for us to find the right people at first. We hired the first two full-time people in a time of desperation. I was working 12-hour days just to keep up and subsequently couldn't think clearly about anything other than getting the job done. One employee worked out really well; the other was a bad fit whom we hung onto for almost a year, which was a very costly mistake, literally and figuratively.

How did we do it? We found more locations to host events, hired more chefs (all of our chefs are hired on an as-needed basis) and delegated staffing to one of our employees, who put together a really great system and purchased software to help us organize our events.

From July 2006 to August 2006 our business doubled. It continued growing, though not by doubling each month, through 2008. Some months felt chaotic and wild; other months, things felt really organized and well put together.

What resulted from it? We have developed administrative and operations infrastructure. We have operating procedures for every task that needs to be done. We have job descriptions. We have a bookkeeper. We have an employee manual. We have an HR consultant.

Woman leader: Debra Johnson
Company name: Eco-Edge LLC
Based in: Chandler, Ariz.
Description: Helps diesel fleets and industrial operations function more efficiently and become more environmentally friendly.

Eco-Edge's model is based on building a higher level of trust with fleets and industrial operations than customers traditionally encounter when dealing with innovative technologies. Because skepticism is very high in this industry, building relationships and validating new technologies has made for very long sales cycles, sometimes years, especially with larger companies. Simultaneously building volume and relationships, especially in a down economy, has been our biggest challenge.

To reach the $1 million level, we focused on three strategic tactics: exceptional customer service, patience with large companies, and creativity in identifying and understanding the real obstacles to the adoption of innovative, eco-efficient technologies for the fleet industry. We looked to the high-tech industry as a model for our business, creating a unique but successful approach to dealing with a very conservative customer base.

With help from our advisors, we have built a brand that is recognizable and has a reputation for credibility and integrity. Investing heavily into developing high-profile customers early on has enabled us to leverage those successes into other accounts that become more accepting of our solutions without significant testing phases. High-profile customers also have helped get our name out quickly, leading to greater name recognition and brand identity.

Furthermore, by expanding our product line to other eco-efficient, best-in-class fleet solutions, we have been able to build and grow sales volume with existing relationships faster and more efficiently than by starting with new companies each time.

Woman leader: Tamara Mangum-Thomas
Company name: Sharpened Image Inc. 
Based in: Newark, N.J.
Description: Human resource management solutions provider designed to enhance workplace productivity

Small business ownership, an adventure that many embark upon but few actually succeed in (however success is defined), is fraught with many obstacles, such as lack of management/leadership skills and expertise, personnel management challenges, inconsistency in internal operations, the inability to quickly adapt to shifts in industry-related trends and access to capital.

The aforementioned structural, managerial, operational and financial challenges have all equally affected the way in which I do business and the rate at which I've grown. However, if I had to choose just one [major obstacle], I would say it was my inability to effectively communicate my vision(s) to the individuals responsible for making my business what it has become today.

After a hard and long reality check about what my vision means--not just to me but to the countless others responsible for ensuring organizational deliverables are carried out and met--I quickly realized that this lack of understanding was creating a dangerous organizational culture; one that produced poor performance, lowered morale, decreased motivation and--more important--began to affect how we serviced our customers.

After clarifying my vision and presenting my expectations aligned with our corporate vision, we now have a shared purpose. We collaborate instead of my dictating; I am working on being a leader rather than being a manager; and my team members feel a sense of ownership in something they've helped to create and sustain.

Women leaders: Kimberly Martinez and Lisa Harrington
Company name: Bonitas International LLC 
Based in: Englewood, Fla
Description: Manufacturer of beaded ID lanyards, retractable badge reel jewelry and eyeglass holders

(Answered by Kimberly Martinez): The chattering monkeys--those nagging little voices inside my head that told me I didn't know a thing about running my business, especially a million-dollar one--were the biggest obstacle I had to overcome on the path to our first $1 million in sales.

The truth is that in the absence of information, fear fills the void and the pathway to success is riddled with uncertainly. In fact, it can be a never-ending challenge to stay focused on where you are headed and ignore your internal naysayers, who will fill you up with as much self doubt as you can swallow.

For me, investing in a business coach was instrumental in helping me to learn to quit the negative self-talk and keep my energy focused on our goal. I interviewed several coaches before I found one who was the perfect fit. She was, and still is, a great cheerleader and motivator.

We reached the $1 million mark within three years.

Woman leader: Elizabeth Perelstein
Company name: School Choice International Inc.
Based in: Mamaroneck, N.Y.
Description: Global educational consulting firm working with families being relocated

I started School Choice International when my husband's job relocated my young family to the United Kingdom and I quickly had to find appropriate schools for my children. As an educator, I instinctively knew that finding schools was more complex than just asking a colleague or the Realtor. If my children had to move, then I wanted to ensure they would be enriched by the experience. School Choice International was conceived on my kitchen table when I developed a business plan to provide the services I learned about from trying to find appropriate schools for my own children. The company was very much my new baby.

In order to grow the company, I knew I had to relinquish control and start delegating. I hired an executive coach to help me feel comfortable in my new role as business leader instead of educational consultant. The first step was to develop business and organizational tools that enabled me to feel comfortable letting go of all control because I was able to see the organization on a higher level. He also helped me to redefine my own job responsibilities from consultant to company president.

As women we may have different communication styles then men, and sometimes our need for consensus and our need to nurture keep us from making the important business decisions. This process of delegating and redefining my role brought me to a level where I now define myself as a business leader and not just the mother of my company.

Woman leader: Kris Wittenberg
Company name: SayNoMore! Promotions 
Based in: Eagle, Colo.
Description: Promotional products agency

My answer is simple: lack of confidence. My biggest obstacle in reaching the $1 million level was that I didn't think I could do it. I thought it was too big for me. That seems like so long ago now that we've achieved it three years in a row.

The lesson I learned through the guidance of Nell Merlino and the Make Mine a Million $ Business program was that I could do a million dollars in revenue. I just had to believe in myself and take action to make it happen.

Tomorrow, seven more women describe how they overcame obstacles to reach and surpass the $1 million milestone with their businesses.

Michelle Thompson-Dolberry is director of advocacy marketing at American Express OPEN, founding sponsor of Make Mine a Million $ Business.