WASHINGTON, D.C. --  Oliver Olele, president of Deston Integrated Services Limited, recently attended the 2011 America’s Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C.

Sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the conference’s theme was “Small Business: Putting America Back to Work.” The three-day conference focused on the power of small businesses in the American marketplace.

Olele attended seminars on key strategies for accessing contracts with the federal government, understanding new U.S. federal regulations impacting businesses, and resources for reaching new international markets. “Every seminar I attended was beneficial,” Olele said.

Major networking events featuring some of America’s corporate thought leaders such as former HP president Carly Fiorina, and Chris Gardner of the investment firm Gardner Rich and the movie “The Pursuit of Happyness,” allowed Olele to network with more than 600 small business owners in a variety of fields from across the country.

“I had the chance to promote my company to a host of small business owners like myself that I would not have met without attending this program,” Olele said.

The summit also gave Olele an opportunity to meet executives from major corporations such as Sam’s Club, FedEx, Facebook and Travelers.

The highlight of the summit, Olele said, was a trip to Capitol Hill, the seat of U.S. government, for a rally to increase political support for small businesses. Olele and other small business owners visited members of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. “It was an incredible experience,” said Olele.