The Case for Boring Businesses

Laura here. Our (American-influenced) business culture glorifies high-risk, high-reward businesses. Unicorn startups—companies valued at $1B+—like Uber, Airbnb, and WeWork dominate headlines, even when they aren’t profitable (which most of them aren’t). Hollywood dramatizes the dysfunction and toxicity behind these companies (The Social Network for Facebook, WeCrashed for WeWork), yet somehow, they remain the gold standard for what it means to “really be” an entrepreneur.

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The venture capital (VC) world is even more exclusive than it looks. Funding is overwhelmingly given to white men. In 2023, women-founded startups accounted for less than 2% of VC funding across the U.S., Europe, and Africa. In 2023, Black founders received less than 1% of VC funding. I know I’m preaching to the choir here when I say these numbers are embarrassing and abysmal.

(I won’t even get into my outrage at how Adam Neumann—after WeWork’s implosion—raised another $350+ million for his next venture.)

For some people, the high-risk, high-reward, 70 to 100-hour workweek culture is worth it. Some thrive on it. And some of the technologies born from this system—like Duolingo for language learning, mRNA vaccine development, and AI—have made real contributions to society.

But here’s the problem: These businesses have become the measuring stick for success in entrepreneurship. They set unrealistic expectations for what it means to be a founder. In reality, economies and societies don’t function on unicorns alone. We need a mix—and boring businesses are the ones that hold everything together.

Boring Businesses Keep the World Running

Boring businesses prioritize profitability over rapid scaling. If you need to pay your bills and want to own your company outright, profitability matters. These everyday businesses—often recession-resistant—offer financial stability, work-life balance, and long-term security. They are quietly profitable, generational wealth building and, yes, they require just as much skill, dedication, and tenacity as any high-growth startup.

And they’re everywhere, I'll just highlight a few:

• Niche Subscription Boxes – Recurring revenue with predictable cash flow.
• SEO & Website Maintenance Services – Businesses need ongoing SEO and site updates.
• Secondhand & Consignment Shops and Sites – Used goods (clothing, furniture, electronics) are often recession-proof, as people look for budget-friendly alternatives.
• Property Management Companies – Landlords don’t want to deal with maintenance, rent collection, and tenant issues—so they pay someone else to do it.
• Freelance Writing, Editing, or Graphic Design – Steady client work with flexible hours.
• B2B Services – HR, product management, operations consulting, IT support—recurring contracts, steady clients, and no need for venture funding.

These businesses may not make headlines, but they generate steady income, provide stability, and build long-term wealth for their owners.

I'll write more about this soon, but one of the biggest myths about boring businesses is that they lack purpose—that you can only make an impact if you build the next tech unicorn. But the reality is, boring businesses have the flexibility to be more purpose-driven because they aren’t shackled to investor expectations and aggressive scaling goals.

Purpose doesn’t have to mean venture capital, TED Talks, or hyper-growth. It can mean showing up for your community, running an ethical business, and creating long-term stability—for yourself and others.

It’s Time to Reset the Measuring Stick

For women considering leaving their jobs to start a business, the dominant narrative around entrepreneurship can feel limiting. The pressure to “go big or go home” discourages people from building businesses that actually support financial independence and personal freedom.

But what if we changed the definition of success?

What if instead of measuring success by how fast a business scales, we measured it by:
🚀 How much ownership and control you retain over your work.
🚀 How financially sustainable your business is.
🚀 How well it aligns with your life goals and values.
🚀 How it supports your family, your community, and your long-term security.

The truth is, you don’t need to build a unicorn to build a great business.

Why not build something profitable, sustainable, and 100% yours? What do you think?