America's favorite businesses

Matthew Michel started his catering company, Rolling in Dough Pizza, about five years ago.

He caters out of his truck and receives about 95% of his business from referrals. "We offer a high-quality product and we're not gouging people with outrageous prices," Michel said.

Biggest business challenge: "Getting funding," Michel said. "In the beginning, I couldn't go to a bank because I had no credit to speak of," In fact, his first $150,000 came from his great-grandfather.

Best advice: "Offer the highest-quality product from the start. The first thing they'll see is what they'll remember," Michel said.

What he plans to do with the grant money: Open a small retail location with his own kitchen. He'll do a lot of prep work out of the new kitchen, but will continue catering out of his truck.