Being different is what competitive strategy is all about. And that's true for cities as well as businesses. One thing that differentiates one city from another is its mix of independent entrepreneurs. Our guests this week have special insight into business start-ups and business ownership.

Dr. Heike Mayer is a professor and researcher at Virginia Tech whose work focuses on entrepreneurs, particularly women and high tech. David Weinstein runs the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center where he helps new businesses find financing and connect to customers.

We'll talk about how local businesses get started and grow and how they change cities on the next Smart City.