Pat Pfister

Chad Wade

Owner, C&J Cigars
Radcliff, Ky.

Chad Wade wants to create a few jobs—but first he needs a loan. Wade, sole proprietor of C&J Cigars in Radcliff, Ky., builds and installs humidors for local retailers to store and sell his cigars. Wade has been in business since 2002 and has been profitable since 2006, ringing up $350,000 in sales last year. By adding a delivery van and an employee or two, "I could possibly double what I'm doing right now," Wade says.

Wade is looking for $150,000 to $200,000. But the eight banks he's pitched, including JPMorgan Chase[JPM] and Wells Fargo [WFC], have all said no. They cite everything from lack of collateral to concerns about growth. Wade is now talking to a small local bank and is optimistic. But if they pass, he'll keep hunting. "I don't take ‘no' well," he says. "I'm pretty tenacious."

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