Devotees of Ganesha often use word Ganapati to represent Brahman (God) and Maha Ganapati to symbolise Para Brahmin (Supreme God). Ancient sages conceived Lord Ganesha with an elephant head in human body. His elephant head signifies learning, intelligence, wisdom and intellect incomparable to all other deities. Since Lord Ganesha is accepted as the God of learning and wisdom he was also given the task of writing Mahabharata by Ved Vyasa.
He has two wife's, Riddhi (success) and Siddhi (prosperity), hence one who pleases Lord Ganesha is blessed by success and prosperity. Before the start of any ceremony and ritual worship prayers are offered to Ganesha. Irrespective of the sect the devotees belong to, Ganesha is the first deity to be invoked by all devotees. This is the reason you hear Pandits or priests chanting Ganesha mantra before the start of any auspicious task or ritual ceremony.
Ganesha is known as Ganapati. Ganapati is formed by two words, Gana + Pati. Gana means eight vasus ( directions) and Pati means lord or master. Therefore Ganapati means lord of eight directions. But some scriptures acknowledges him the lord of ten directions including upward and downward direction also. Actual meaning of Gana is spiritual particles spread across eight directions.
Lord Ganapati is destroyer of all negative frequencies. You invoke your deity by chanting mantras that propagate in all directions but since all directions are under the control of Ganesha your prayer would not reach directly to your deity without his explicit permission , hence any auspicious task or ritual worship is commenced with the prayer of Ganapati. Mantras chanted to Ganesha clear all the directions so that either your prayer reaches the deity or deity himself manifests at your ceremonial place. This process is called Maha Ganapati Pujan! 
Om Shri Ganeshaya Namah!
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