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Matt Victoriano served two tours of duty as a Marine sniper team leader in Iraq.

Since he came home in 2004, he has battled post-traumatic stress disorder.

He has also struggled to find meaningful work.

We met Victoriano a year ago, when we were covering the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte.

He told us about his business plan to open a microbrewery. This brewery would also serve as an incubator for fellow veterans, to help them open their own businesses.

Today, Victoriano is getting ready to open a combination coffee shop-bar in Durham, North Carolina, called .

Although the microbrewery idea did not pan out for Victoriano, he did not let that deter him from becoming an entrepreneur.

鈥淧art of my training as a Marine was to improvise, adapt and overcome, so I have been able to take the biggest part of my business plan 鈥� the social aspect 鈥� and carry that over to a new business plan that actually is about to start, hopefully,鈥� Victoriano said.

Victoriano says getting a loan was the hardest part of getting his business off the ground, and part of the reason he was unable to pursue the microbrewery.

Victoriano thought that a loan from the Small Business Administration would be streamlined and easier for veterans, through the Patriot Express Loan.

鈥淚t鈥檚 extremely, extremely difficult to get financing,鈥� Victoriano said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know how many times people have asked, 鈥榃hy don鈥檛 you use the V.A.鈥檚 small business loan?鈥� And I鈥檓 like, 鈥楾hey don鈥檛 have one.鈥欌��

When the micro-brewery fell through, Victoriano adapted.

鈥淲hen I realized I wouldn鈥檛 be able to get the necessary funding, I looked at all my financial options,鈥� Victoriano said. 鈥淚t was a combination of having credit card access, having my wife鈥檚 parents give me a good portion of their retirement鈥�and then the City of Durham actually had a competitive business grant, and fortunately, I won it.鈥�

Guest

• , Marine veteran and owner of .

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