Most Fascinating Entrepreneurs

Inc. magazine goes behind the scenes with 26 entrepreneurs - one for each year of Inc. - who best exemplify the extraordinary drive, creativity, and passion of American business.

The list spans the gamut of the entrepreneurial world, from well-known names like Richard Branson - because he is game for anything, Michael Dell - for being brilliantly straightforward, to Tony Lee, a former janitor who bought out his steel manufacturing employer - for saving 16 jobs, including his own; to Craig Newmark, who has been almost the antithesis of a dot-commer with his no-frills Craigslist site - for putting the free in free markets.

No matter what the accomplishment, each entrepreneur profiled here offers a fascinating case study in what it takes to thrive in today's economy. What amazed me most was that the list was headed by Martha Stewart - because she took one for the team.