Boring Businesses That Make Money, From Real Podcast Episodes

Laundromats, vending, cleaning, storage and more: ideas and real operators from startup podcasts, filterable, each citing its episode. CSV included.

By Startup Seeds Editorial Team · Updated · 173 rows from 5 podcasts

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What is included: Ideas and businesses whose name mentions an unglamorous, asset-light or trade-style category from our list of about fifty terms (laundromat, vending, cleaning, storage, lawn care, junk removal and so on). The match is on the title only.

All 173 rows

Showing 161 to 173.

  1. Real businessPhysical-Services

    Rolling Suds - A rapidly growing pressure washing franchise that aims to dominate the market with innovative support for its franchisees

    Founded by Aaron Harper, Rolling Suds is a pressure washing franchise that offers franchise opportunities to aspiring entrepreneurs. The company has quickly expanded to over 50 franchisees across 26 states, providing comprehensive support from marketing to operations to help franchisees succeed in the competitive home service industry.

    Stated in the episode summary (unverified): Since its launch, Rolling Suds has signed up 51 franchisees who have purchased 187 territories in just 15 months, generating over $10 million in revenue. The average gross revenue per truck is approximately $422,000 a...

    Source: Koerner Office, episode 20: Pressure washing profits: You'll never believe how much these guys make! Ep. #020

  2. Real businessPhysical-Services

    Roofing companies

    Businesses that provide roofing services, often subcontracting labor while managing customer relationships and project oversight.

    Source: My First Million, When everything works, you learn the wrong lessons

  3. Real businessPhysical-Services

    Sam's Fencing and Stock Tank Pools - A multi-faceted entrepreneurial journey that capitalizes on low-barrier businesses in the construction and wellness sectors

    Sam Uncurt, a founder from Fort Worth, Texas, transitioned from a corporate job to learn the construction trade, ultimately starting a fencing and outdoor structure business. He then expanded into stock tank pool installations, offering an affordable alternative to traditional in-ground pools for families and millennials.

    Stated in the episode summary (unverified): Sam's stock tank pool installation business brings in around $2,300 per installation, with an estimated cost of $1,200 per job. His sauna and cold plunge business is grossing over $10,000 a month and has around 130 re...

    Source: Koerner Office, episode 84: Three Business Deep Dives: Fencing, Stock Tank Pools, Saunas & Cold Plunges. Ep. #84

  4. Real businessPhysical-Services

    Self Storage Ventures by Baird Klein-Smith - A savvy entrepreneur who turned a $3 million windfall into a $21 million self-storage empire

    Baird Klein-Smith entered the self-storage market after gaining experience in tech and realizing the potential for appreciation in undervalued storage facilities. Over four years, he has invested $1.8 million of his own money into self-storage properties.

    Stated in the episode summary (unverified): Currently, Baird is generating $300,000 to $400,000 a year in cash flow after debt servicing, with significant room for growth as he optimizes his facilities.

    Source: Koerner Office, episode 56: How to Sell Products That Cost You Less Than $0. HoldCo Bros Are Back! Ep #056

  5. Real businessE-commerce

    Side Vending - A vending machine company diversifying into unique product offerings and leveraging social media for lead generation

    Founded by Chris and Nick, Side Vending started as a perfume vending machine business and has since expanded to include vibrant offerings like cotton candy and motorcycle helmet cleaning vending machines. The company targets venues such as amusement parks, events, and family-friendly attractions, where these unique vending options can thrive.

    Stated in the episode summary (unverified): Side Vending has generated nearly $200,000 in sales, with over 2,000 leads for their helmet cleaning machine alone. They're constantly evolving their product line to capture new opportunities.

    Source: Koerner Office, episode 86: How to Cash in from Other Companies’ Email Lists (HoldCo Bros) Ep. #86

  6. Real businessMarketplace

    Sierra Auto Fair - A unique marketplace that connects car sellers and buyers using underutilized parking lots

    Sierra Auto Fair is founded by an entrepreneur who leverages community college parking lots to host car fairs. Sellers pay a fee to reserve parking spots for their cars, while buyers can browse and test-drive vehicles, making it a convenient platform for high-intent transactions without traditional dealership hassles.

    Stated in the episode summary (unverified): Sellers pay about $149 to reserve a spot, and the fair attracts numerous potential buyers, creating a high-traffic environment for car sales.

    Source: Koerner Office, episode 62: 3 Innovative Ways to Monetize the Used Car Business. HoldCo Bros Are Back! Ep #062

  7. Real businessPhysical-Services

    Spoon of a Pressure Washing - An easy-to-start side hustle that can yield great profits with minimal investment

    Spoon of a Pressure Washing, founded by Scott Anderson, is a mobile pressure washing service that started with a low-cost investment and has grown through effective online marketing and local demand.

    Stated in the episode summary (unverified): Scott reported making $3,000 to $4,000 a month, starting with an initial investment of only $300 for equipment.

    Source: The Side Hustle Show, episode 572: 572: 15 Sizzlin’ Summer Side Hustles

  8. Real businessPhysical-Services

    Suck My Gutters

    A gutter cleaning service that focuses on providing efficient and reliable cleaning services.

    Stated in the episode summary (unverified): They perform about 6,000 jobs a year, with an average job costing around $250 to $300, potentially resulting in annual revenues between $1.5 million to $2 million.

    Source: My First Million, episode 3: 3 Simple Businesses That Make Millions

  9. Real businessPhysical-Services

    Sunshine Exteriors - A high school student crushing it with a window cleaning and home services business!

    Sunshine Exteriors, founded by Lincoln Snyder, is a home service business based in Denton, Texas. It offers window cleaning, gutter cleaning, power washing, fence staining, and holiday lighting services to homeowners, helping them maintain and protect their investments.

    Stated in the episode summary (unverified): Last year, Lincoln's business generated $60,000 in revenue with over 50% profit margins. This year, he aims to grow that revenue by 150% to $150,000.

    Source: My First Million, He launched a sweaty startup in high school. Now he'll be a millionaire by 18

  10. Real businessPhysical-Services

    The Pink Plumber

    A plumbing company that was rebranded with a philanthropic angle after the owner's wife survived cancer, dedicating a portion of profits to charity.

    Stated in the episode summary (unverified): The owner effectively used a memorable jingle in advertising, which helped dominate search results for relevant keywords.

    Source: Koerner Office, episode 328: The Most Overlooked AI Side Hustle Of 2026 - Ep. #328

  11. Real businessAgency

    Think Maids by Chris Schwab - A cleaning agency that allows the founder to operate with minimal daily involvement while generating significant revenue

    Think Maids, founded by Chris Schwab, is a cleaning agency that outsources the labor to contractors, allowing him to focus on marketing and management rather than cleaning. This model targets homeowners and businesses seeking reliable cleaning services while providing Schwab the flexibility to work remotely.

    Stated in the episode summary (unverified): Chris's business has reached an impressive $60,000 a month in revenue without him ever doing any cleaning himself. He now spends only about 5-10 minutes a day on operations.

    Source: The Side Hustle Show, Side Hustle Showdown: Freelance vs. Agency (Greatest Hits)

  12. Real businessMedia

    Want More Billboards - A unique side hustle that leverages billboard advertising for passive income

    Want More Billboards, founded by Chris Brown, is a business that involves purchasing and leasing billboards to advertisers. The business model capitalizes on the demand for advertising space along high-traffic routes, allowing Chris to generate a substantial income with minimal ongoing management.

    Stated in the episode summary (unverified): Chris owns approximately 30 billboards and claims to generate around $30,000 a month from this side hustle, achieving a break-even point on his investments in about three years.

    Source: The Side Hustle Show, episode 608: 608: How to Start a Billboard Business: $30k a Month Part-Time

  13. Real businessE-commerce

    Zinn Vending Machines

    A vending machine business that specializes in selling Zinn products, particularly in college and fraternity settings.

    Stated in the episode summary (unverified): The founder reported making around $3,000 a month from vending machines placed in strategic locations.

    Source: Koerner Office, episode 149: AI Agents and Deep Research Hacks. The Latest Updates⏐Holdco Bros. Ep. #149

By podcast

What counts as boring

"Boring" is a vibe, so we made it a rule you can inspect. A row qualifies when its title names one of roughly fifty plain, unfashionable business types: laundromats, vending machines, cleaning, storage, lawn care, junk removal, pressure washing, equipment rental, bookkeeping and similar. The full rule is printed above the list. If your favourite boring business is missing, it is because no episode we have processed named it.

Ideas and real operators in one place

The list mixes two kinds of row, and you can filter between them.

  • Ideas are concepts a host or guest described.
  • Real businesses are companies or operators a guest talked about, with the episode attached. Where the episode summary states a revenue or profit figure, we show it as stated and label it. If the summary says nothing, we show nothing.

We do not estimate, round up or fill in numbers. A figure here is what the extracted episode summary says, which can differ from the guest's exact words, so check the episode before you rely on it.

Why this is a list worth checking

Each row here points to a specific conversation. Listen to hear how the operator got customers, what the work involves and what went wrong.

The CSV contains the same rows as the table, with the show, episode, kind of row and page URL for each, so you can build your own shortlist.

FAQ

Are the revenue figures verified?

No. They come from episode summaries of what a guest said, and the label says so. Treat them as leads to check in the episode.

Why are some businesses shown without a revenue figure?

Because the episode did not state one, or our extraction did not capture it. We leave it blank instead of guessing.

Can I use the data?

Yes. Download the CSV and please link back to this page if you publish anything from it.

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