Globetrotting Entrepreneurs

Freeman's recent excursions include short trips to Vermont and Florida, and extended vacations to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, the Bahamas and Aruba. In addition, she's traveled on behalf of her Web site to both Chicago and Miami.

Globetrotters Garry Jensen, 46, and Elena Bertinetto-Jensen, 41, also found a way to combine a love for travel with the flexibility of owning their business. Their Web site, Deeply Madly Living.com, and their showroom are based on the treasures they discover while scouring the globe.

Deeply Madly Living.com, which launched in October 2007, features unique and edgy home and décor pieces. Though the Jensens won't release sales figures, they say their sales are on a steady growth path, especially since a recent mention on the trends e-newsletter Daily Candy.

It all started when Garry, a Danish-born former international investment banker, and Elena, an Italian interior decorator and artist, couldn't find the right accent pieces to furnish their New York City loft. So, they decided to fill the niche by scouting international locales to make the latest design innovations available online.

The couple travels regularly to Italy, France, London and Germany. In between, the Jensens make time for indulgent trips to the Caribbean and any historical towns where Elena can observe unique architecture.

"We have to travel for this business," Garry says. "But we love going to different places and exploring."

For Freeman and the Jensens, the opportunity to travel the world before retiring has become a reality thanks to their entrepreneurial ventures. But the under-50 crowd isn't the only group living out the best of both worlds. Baby boomers are also discovering ways to continue working and seeing the world -- on their own terms.

When Travel Leads to Business

After retiring in 1999, exploration was the only thing on the minds of Carol and Phil White. Already avid travelers, Carol, 60, and Phil, 66, decided to leave behind their children, grandchildren, and Wilsonville, Ore. home in 2000 to travel the U.S. via RV for one year.

But what started as a personal mission quickly turned the Whites into accidental entrepreneurs. Along the way, the Whites met people who were intrigued with their story and eager to find out how they too could follow their road trip dreams.

When the Whites returned home, they realized the potential for a business encouraging others to explore just as they had, so the couple formed a publishing company, Retirement Lifestyles Inc., launched a Web site and published a book called Live Your Road Trip Dream -- Travel for a year for the cost of staying home.