Hi, I’m Jason, Marketing Director at BuyLow Warehouse. Recently, I had the chance to sit down with our CEO and founder, Matt Leavell, and what I heard felt like getting a front-row seat to one of the most authentic entrepreneurial stories I’ve ever come across.

In this article, I’m excited to share Matt’s journey in his own words, along with the real-life lessons, challenges, and honest insights that make his story so inspiring for anyone in the liquidation and reselling business.

Early Ventures and Lessons Learned

Matt began by telling me about his early college days. He originally planned to become an orthodontist, but something in him craved a different kind of adventure. He recalled traveling across the country for bass fishing tournaments and thinking, "I cannot be a dentist and be a bass fisherman, but I can be an entrepreneur and still fish." In a moment of youthful boldness, he even promised a mentor that he would take a year off fishing to build a business. Although he never returned to fishing, that promise sparked his lifelong entrepreneurial spirit.

Early on, Matt's ventures did not all lead to success, but every misstep was an expensive lesson that taught him what it takes to build a lasting business. After spending some time working in property management and real estate, where he led a team and managed acquisitions, Matt realized that the constant pressure of juggling tenants and property owners was wearing him down. He did not want to keep uprooting his family, so he started looking for a new opportunity.

That opportunity came when a friend in the liquidation space introduced him to the concept of bin stores. Back then, nobody really knew what a bin store was, and companies were trying to sell high-end items on eBay in a way that made little sense for products worth thousands of dollars. Then the idea emerged of selling small lots, boxes containing 15 to 20 items, each with a detailed manifest listing the retail value and UPC codes. Even though the markup was steep, around 25 to 28 percent, Matt saw a chance to get started without a lot of overhead.

The Bootstrapping Journey

He decided to give it a try. He bought a few boxes, listed the items on eBay, and was thrilled when they sold quickly. Soon, his side hustle began to take shape. He even recruited someone he trusted. A babysitter who was both smart and reliable to help with tasks like taking pictures and uploading item details. Before long, Matt found himself buying loads of merchandise, hand-selecting high-value items, and driving home with two pallets in his truck.

His operation grew so fast that his own kitchen became the lunchroom and his bathroom doubled as a makeshift photo studio, complete with a white cloth backdrop and daylight bulbs. Eventually, his wife insisted that they move out of the house, and they found a 15,000-square-foot warehouse to house their booming eBay operation.

Rapid Growth and Hard Lessons

Listening to Matt, I felt like I was right there with him through every twist and turn of his journey. He was candid about his mistakes, too. He admitted that he grew too fast, excited by the low-cost deals and assuming that success was guaranteed. When his sales soared to around 5 million dollars in trailing 12-month revenue on eBay, he made the critical error of thinking that posting more listings would automatically lead to success. Then came an offer for what he called "coffin box" loads, 10 truckloads costing roughly 400,000 dollars.

Despite securing a bank loan and moving forward, he soon discovered that his cash was tied up in slow-moving inventory. To clear the stock, he had to discount items, which in turn eroded his profit margins. At the same time, eBay introduced new service metrics that penalized his account for a higher return percentage, despite his record of excellent customer service. Sales dropped, and Matt was forced to make tough decisions, including terminating underperformers immediately, all in an effort to save the business from bankruptcy.

The key lesson Matt shared was simple: do not overextend yourself. He stressed the importance of growing slowly and respecting the natural pace of your business. Build your assets gradually, whether that means expanding your space, team, or financial reserves. Diversifying your supplier base, product types, sales channels, and customer profiles is also crucial. In his own words, he learned the hard way to always keep a financial cushion, a "fat little piggy bank" for emergencies, which ultimately kept BuyLow Warehouse afloat even in the toughest times.

Proud Milestones and Validation

When I asked about his proudest moment, Matt's eyes lit up as he recalled landing on the Inc. 5000 list. That moment was more than just a milestone; it was validation that all the hard work was paying off. He also told me about customers who reached out to say that BuyLow Warehouse had saved their businesses. One customer even mentioned that after attending the annual WHSL Market Conference, his business had quadrupled in just seven months. For Matt, these moments are a constant reminder of why he does what he does, and they drive his passion to stand up against scammers in the industry by educating and empowering resellers.

Before wrapping up our conversation, Matt offered some final advice. If you are just starting out, he urged you to start small and not to overextend yourself. In this fast-turning business, patience is key. Always keep a cash reserve for emergencies, and avoid committing to long leases or hiring too many people before your business model is solid and you have experienced the full cycle of ups and downs. His advice is straightforward: protect yourself so you can weather the inevitable storms that come with entrepreneurship.

I left our conversation feeling inspired and more informed about the true grit and determination required to succeed in this industry. For anyone serious about growing their resale business, BuyLow Warehouse is here to help with consistent inventory, expert support, and valuable industry insights. If you are looking to learn more, check out buylowwarehouse.com to see what is in stock, get connected with the team, or register for the WHSL Market Conference.

Matt's story is a testament to the power of perseverance, smart scaling, and always keeping your eyes on the long-term vision. It reminded me that every entrepreneur faces setbacks, but those setbacks can be transformed into stepping stones to success.