The mother-daughter relationship can be a tug of war – particularly during the teen years, when everything from homework to eye shadow becomes a battleground. As daughters mature and mothers mellow, a select few emerge not only as friends, but as kindred spirits who work together to forge synergistic connections and sometimes even entrepreneurial businesses.

A single mother from the time her daughter Lisa was two, Lee Dennis was a successful Realtor but needed additional income for her daughter’s college tuition. "All I could do was bake cookies," she said. At 3 a.m. one morning she started baking. The Gulf War had just begun and Lee named her fledgling company Cookies From Home. The orders came pouring in. "Following the war, we got large orders from Nike and Footlocker and the business took off," said Lee, who has since renamed her company Enchanted Cookies. When Lisa graduated from college, she joined her mother’s business. Lee still bakes all the cookies – from her new freestanding facility – while Lisa handles the advertising and Web site, makes corporate calls and keeps the checkbook. The Sandy Springs business boasts a client list including Buckhead Brokers, Holiday Inn and Neiman Marcus. "Even though there were times when I would have gladly traded her for a dirty pair of socks, we’ve always been very close," Lee said. "The business is an extension of that relationship."

Lee (right) and daughter, Lisa (left) have fun in the kitchen.