The future of the economy doesn’t necessarily revolve around the Fortune 500. It’s the Fortune 500,000 that deserves more attention. As I see it, there are a vast number of dynamic and emerging firms that are actively growing, hiring, and taking on the roles that are now getting outsourced by the aforementioned F500.

My neighbors across the street -– a husband and wife team –- moved to town a few years ago to take ownership of an AlphaGraphics franchise. From first-hand experience, I can tell you that they perform far faster, better and more passionately than the insourced, corporate printing and copy departments whose passing some now lament.

Not me. These driven, entrepreneurial and underappreciated firms and franchises are the beating heart of the next economy. Just imagine what will happen when they gain the ability to analyze their customers more deeply and invest their resources to greatest effect. That’s what we can expect as customer-focused, analytic technologies become more widely accessible and applicable – a trend duly noted in CIO Today. Fortune Magazine won’t give these folks the time of day. But this is where tomorrow’s fortunes may truly lie.