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# Ep. 14 - The Thrills and Spills of Small Business Ownership
- URL: https://www.bigtalkaboutsmallbusiness.com/the-thrills-and-spills-of-small-business-ownership/
- Published: 2023-10-11T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-02-28T00:35:56.000Z
- Description: Justin Macedo shares how he bought Uncle Sams Outfitters and built a successful outdoor and military surplus store. Discover small business finance tips, vendor negotiations, open book management, and the realities of young entrepreneurship.
- Author: Mark C. Zweig
- Tags: Mindset & Entrepreneurial Realities, #episodes

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Ever dreamt of owning a business? Our guest, Justin Macedo, turned that dream into a reality when he bought Uncle Sam's Outfitters, an outdoor and military surplus store. Justin's journey from a high school graduate to a successful entrepreneur is filled with fascinating insights, from leveraging his history to secure favorable terms from vendors to the challenges he faced obtaining a business license as a teenager.  
  
The world of entrepreneurship is filled with highs and lows and requires keen financial acuity. In this regard, Justin's story is a captivating narrative about living on what he was making, the importance of tracking purchases and sales, and the need for creating a financial safety net. Joined by Johnny Smith, a PhD student in Entrepreneurship strategy, we unpack these realities and explore how Justin managed to weave through the labyrinth of small business finances.  
  
But running a business isn't just about number crunching. In our chat, we touch on the human side of entrepreneurship - the impact of open-book management on employee morale, the gratification of building genuine customer relationships, and the real-life implications of business bureaucracy.