Small business owners would be the first to tell you that they don't have all the answers, but advisory boards can fill those knowledge gaps, according to a panel of speakers at America's Small Business Summit.

Linda Alvarado knows a thing or two about overcoming gender stereotypes. The president and CEO of Alvarado Construction Inc. in Denver, Colorado, rose to the top of a male-dominated industry despite her encounters with sexism and made history as the first Hispanic (male or female) owner or co-owner of a Major League Baseball franchise, the Colorado Rockies.

U.S. Chamber President and CEO Tom Donohue jumpstarted day two of America's Small Business Summit by urging attendees to "tell our leaders what small businesses want and need to grow, compete, and succeed."

The theme of this year's Summit is "Big Impact," and Donohue expanded on that theme: 

Most small businesses are ill prepared for a disaster, yet there are simple, inexpensive steps they can take to mitigate the damage, according to experts who spoke at America's Small Business in Washington, D.C., on April 29. 

Fifty-five excited small business owners gathered at a breakout session at America's Small Business Summit to learn more about competing for government and corporate contracts. The breakout session prepared the small business owners for the TuesdayB2B National Procurement Matchmaking event, which will include one-on-one sessions with the buying aggents from more than 20 agencies and corporations.

Ever wonder how the sharks on ABC-TV's hit reality series Shark Tank made it big? Two of them, Barbara Corcoran and Daymond John, shared their tips with entrepreneurs and small business owners at America's Small Business Summit on April 29. 

Free Enterprise Tour guides Nate Hindman and Joe Epstein, who will embark on their cross-country journey in June, posed a question to Steve Forbes about the state of the free market during America's Small Business Summit.

This is the final installment in a series profiling the seven regional finalists for the 2013 Dream Big Small Business of the Year Award.  Scroll down to read profiles of the other finalists. The winner will be announced on April 30 at America's Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C.

Midwest: Superior Service Center

This is the sixth part in a series profiling the seven regional finalists for the 2013 Dream Big Small Business of the Year Award. The winner will be announced on April 30 at America's Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C.

Northwest Regional Finalist: Rich Duncan Construction, Inc.

America’s 27 million small businesses represent 99% of U.S. employers and account for three-quarters of all new jobs created. The smallest of businesses stand to make the biggest impact on economic growth and job creation. 

This is the fifth part in a series profiling the seven regional finalists for 2013 Dream Big Small Business of the Year Award. The winner will be announced on April 30 at America's Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C.

Southeast Region: Rapoport’s Restaurant Group

This is the fourth in a series profiling the seven regional finalists for 2013 Dream Big Small Business of the Year Award. The winner will be announced on April 30 at America's Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C.

Western Regional Finalist: Praetorian Group

This is the third in a series profiling the seven regional finalists for 2013 Dream Big Small Business of the Year Award. The winner will be announced on April 30 at America's Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C.

Eastern Region: Pet$aver Healthy Pet Superstore

This is the second in a series profiling the seven regional finalists for 2013 Dream Big Small Business of the Year Award. The winner will be announced on April 30 at America's Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C.

Southwest & South Central: Larsen Dye Associates Architects 

This is the first in a series profiling the seven regional finalists for 2013 Dream Big Small Business of the Year Award. The winner will be announced on April 30 at America's Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C.

Great Lakes Region: Berks Fire Water Restorations, Inc.

The My Free Enterprise app—available for iPhone, iPad, and Android—is your home

Jim Koch may be the happiest entrepreneur in the United States. As co-founder and chairman of America’s largest craft brewery, his grinning face shines out over TV screens across the country.

In just two years, American Express’ Small Business Saturday has become big business. The movement to shop at small retailers the Saturday after Thanksgiving has quickly entered the cultural vernacular, with over 100 million shoppers coming out in 2011.

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. That’s why BBQ restaurant owner and caterer Tom Seaton of Johnson City, Tennessee, came to Washington, D.C.—to help put out some legislative and regulatory fires.

Because America’s Small Business Summit occurs during one of his busiest times of year, he has always passed up the opportunity to come. But this year Seaton says that he just had to attend.

Congratulations and thanks to #ASBS attendee Catherine Mangan (@catmangan) of Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp., a 175 year-old firm that provides credit building and credibility solutions for businesses. Catherine took the best photo at the 2012 Summit, according to group of judges from the U.S. Chamber. Thanks to everyone who submitted photos via Twitter during the event.

In honor of World Trade Week, the White House issued a Presidential Proclamation on Monday reaffirming the essential role exports play in creating jobs and growing our economy. Here at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, we like World Trade Week so much that we dedicate an entire month to it!

Each year, the America’s Small Business Summit ends with what’s known as the Rally on the Hill. This is an opportunity for the hundreds of attendees to meet with their members of Congress and staff and educate them on the issues that really matter to small business.

Seven regional finalists are competing to be named the 2012 DREAM BIG Small Business of the Year Award, sponsored by Sam's Club®. The winner, to be announced on May 22 during America’s Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C., will receive a $10,000 cash prize, courtesy of the Chamber.

The legislative theme heading into the November election is congressional inaction, according to U.S. Chamber experts in transportation, education, and labor and immigration policies told attendees of America’s Small Business Summit 2012.

Marketer and entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk told participants at the U.S. Chamber's America's Small Business Summit that we're seeing a "culture shift" in media.

When it comes to funding your business, it’s all about relationships, according to the diverse panel that made up the access to capital breakout session at America’s Small Business Summit 2012.

American small business men and women have a lot of balls in the air. For most, every day is a juggling act of balancing the books, keeping track of inventory, managing staff and payroll, handling their own IT challenges, and more. These multitasking, enterprising individuals are driving our recovery and creating good jobs for U.S. workers.

Entrepreneur and creator of the Chicken McNugget Ed Rensi is worried.

The former McDonald’s CEO says small businesses and entrepreneurs are being strangled by layers and layers of local, state and federal regulations.

“We’re allowing the root system to rot,” Rensi told the approximately 800 attendees at the opening of America’s Small Business Summit 2012. “We’re denying opportunity to so many people. We need to be scared, people.”

By Matt Millen, Vice President, Small and Medium Business Sales, T-Mobile USA

At one point or another, every major U.S. company was a small business.

Today, the U.S. has more than 27.5 million small businesses, some hoping to become the next Microsoft, Apple, Google, Krispy Kreme, Starbucks, and McDonald’s.

Many high school students have a hard time find use for what they learn in the classroom.  But junior Ryan Schnaufer took what he learned in his AP computer science class and turned it into a business. While studying for a test, Ryan looked for an iPad app to help him study.  But every app he could find had only pre-made flash cards in single formats.

While in 6^th grade Rebecca Zerbo of Boca Raton, Florida had an experience that is all too common in this country – she was bullied.  To make herself feel better, Rebecca started to write herself positive notes to keep in her pocket to remind her how special she really was and with that her company, Positive Pocket was born. 

I started Red Rabbit (a New York City-based healthy school meal provider in the N.Y. metro area) in 2005 with a vision and a passion—that good nutrition is essential to a child’s academic growth, physical health, and behavior. What I didn’t know was how to make a business out of a passion.

For entrepreneurs who want not only to grow their businesses organically, but also strategically, I offer a few nuggets of advice.

Seven regional finalists are competing to be named the 2012 DREAM BIG Small Business of the Year Award, sponsored by Sam's Club®. The winner, to be announced on May 22 during America’s Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C., will receive a $10,000 cash prize, courtesy of the Chamber.

Seven regional finalists are competing to be named the 2012 DREAM BIG Small Business of the Year Award, sponsored by Sam's Club®. The winner, to be announced on May 22 during America’s Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C., will receive a $10,000 cash prize, courtesy of the Chamber.

Seven regional finalists are competing to be named the 2012 DREAM BIG Small Business of the Year Award, sponsored by Sam's Club®. The winner, to be announced on May 22 during America’s Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C., will receive a $10,000 cash prize, courtesy of the Chamber.

Seven regional finalists are competing to be named the 2012 DREAM BIG Small Business of the Year Award, sponsored by Sam's Club®. The winner, to be announced on May 22 during America’s Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C., will receive a $10,000 cash prize, courtesy of the Chamber.

Seven regional finalists are competing to be named the 2012 DREAM BIG Small Business of the Year Award, sponsored by Sam's Club®. The winner, to be announced on May 22 during America’s Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C., will receive a $10,000 cash prize, courtesy of the Chamber.

Seven regional finalists are competing to be named the 2012 DREAM BIG Small Business of the Year Award, sponsored by Sam's Club®. The winner, to be announced on May 22 during America’s Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C., will receive a $10,000 cash prize, courtesy of the Chamber.

Seven regional finalists are competing to be named the 2012 DREAM BIG Small Business of the Year Award, sponsored by Sam's Club®. The winner, to be announced on May 22 during America’s Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C., will receive a $10,000 cash prize, courtesy of the Chamber.