The richest people in the U.S. aren’t building tech startups.
They’re buying car washes and laundromats using SBA loans.
Here are 11 boring businesses with the lowest failure rates in 2025:
1) Laundromats
~95% survive 5 years.
Consistent demand, coin-operated, minimal staff.
Profit margins: 30-35% thanks to self-service & upfront payment.
2) Self-Storage Facilities
~92% success after 5 years.
Low overhead, minimal staffing, highly scalable.
Average cash flow: $100/month per unit, fills gap with remote management.
3) Commercial Cleaning Services
Failure rate far below industries like restaurants.
Profit margins 10-15%, or $120k annually once scale hits.
Sell recurring contracts, upsell add-ons like post-renovation or deep clean.
4) Pressure Washing
Widely underserved & expanding tight margins.
Clients pay $300-$600 per job (a team can generate $100k+/year).
Seasonal but ideal for bundling with cleaning portfolios.
5) Pool Cleaning & Maintenance
Steady demand, subscription-like monthly clients.
Profit margins: 20-30%.
Recurring weekly visits = Steady cash flow
6) Gutter & Chimney Cleaning
Upsell staple services with high margins.
Owner-run → $40K+/year per specialist and scalable via teams.
Low startup cost, limited competition.
7) Senior Care Housing (Non-medical)
High success rate, government-backed stability, essential demographic growth.
Cash flow locked in via leases or rent.
8) Pet Services (Grooming/Boarding)
Essential service for pet owners and recession-resilient.
Profit margins: 20–25%, highly repeatable bookings.
Premium clients value trust over price.
9) Accounting / Bookkeeping Firms
Recurring revenue, high client retention.
EBITDA-based acquisition multiples = Arbitrage potential.
Low failure rate, strong cash-on-cash ROI via consolidation.
10) HVAC & Plumbing Services
Rented equipment needed year-round.
Margins: 15–25%, recurring contracts with maintenance packages.
Boomer owners retiring = Acquisition opportunities.
11) Car Washes (Automated)
Recurring usage, minimal staff, high ticket upsells.
Cash flow covers debt and funds lifestyle, scale via additional locations.
The best part?
You can buy one that’s already profitable (without having millions in the bank).
My partners and I acquired an accounting firm for $1,400,000 with $0 personal investment:
• SBA loan: $1,000,000
• Seller financing: $200,000
• Investor down payment: $200,000
I’m not even a CPA.
My partner runs operations while I receive distributions for minimal oversight.
The plan?
Acquire 15-20 more firms, integrate them, exit for $100M+
While others chase unicorn startups…
Smart money buys essential services.
These businesses solve permanent problems that won’t disappear during recessions.
That’s why I love this game.
If you want to learn more about how you can buy a boring business as an additional income stream…
📲 DM me “Biz” and I'll show you how
🤝 Follow me → @benkellyone for more
Thanks for being here!
Video Credits:
- step
- jordanbrowninvesting
- grasaaway
- mr_powerwash
- thepoolguyml
- mekainason
- joshuadent_
- ThacNguyen
If you want to learn exactly how you can purchase your first small business with little to no money down...
DM me "SMB"
I'll take you through my step-by-step strategy to help you acquire a lucrative business.
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.