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.