Starting and running a business is fraught with challenges and risks, yet some 25 million Americans rise up to meet these hurdles every year, according to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor. Why do they do it? The answers run the gamut from enticing opportunity at one end of the spectrum, to stark necessity at the other. In a recent survey, the two most common motivations cited were, "ready to be my own boss" and "wanted to pursue my passion." But no matter what their individual reasons for taking the plunge, business owners all share one important characteristic: they are difference makers. 

Being a difference maker is inherent in the very nature of what you do as a business owner. Some entrepreneurs see an unmet need in the marketplace and decide to fill it. Some look at existing products or services and imagine ways to provide them better, faster, cheaper--or all three! But, all business owners believe that what they are doing, or plan to do, is going to make a difference in people's lives, including their own. They are driven to continuously improve themselves and the world around them in new and different ways.

At Lenovo, we share that mindset because, like you, we believe that different leads to better. We are dedicated to providing the technology, services, and support you need on your journey to make a difference, and this eBook is a part of that effort.

Every business is unique in some ways, but all have certain needs in common. If you're going to start and run a business, you need the right financing, the right people, and the right technology. The chapters that follow cover each of these topics through the lens of how they can help your business be the difference maker you want it to be--now and in the future.