Boring is the New Black:

During my time as a “searcher,” I’ve realized that finding the right business is a bit like dating. You’ve got the hypebeasts: trendy, flashy, promising the world but often leaving you broke, exhausted, and full of regrets. Then there are the boring ones—the "dad bod" businesses, the sensible types who get ignored in their younger years, only to end up running the world while everyone else is stuck playing catch-up.

Codie Sanchez preaches about the allure of boring businesses, and she’s not wrong. I mean, let’s face it, there’s something deliciously secure about steady cash flow. @yourrichbff shared this clip Freddie Powell from Love Is Blind UK, showing how girls react when they hear he’s a funeral director. “Calm down, I’m not going to embalm ya.” Meanwhile, Freddie’s sitting on a goldmine. Because what’s more certain than death and taxes? As long as people are dying (and sorry to say, the AI revolution isn't fixing that), funeral directors are going to be fine.

And it's true. When we talk about AI eating jobs and spitting out automation, the trades, the gritty, hands-on industries—funeral directors, plumbers, HVAC repair—are still where it’s at. A machine might calculate the perfect sales pitch, but it’s not digging the grave just yet. These sectors are literally recession-proof.

But here’s where I hit a snag: Can Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) really only work for boring businesses? What if you’re like me and the idea of running, say, a paper shredding business for the next 10 years makes you want to curl up into a ball and listen to Adele? Don’t get me wrong, steady and boring makes sense—until you realize you might go nuts in the process.

Currently, I’m evaluating three very different companies. One is a women’s tops brand, 45 years old, with diverse distribution and killer margins. Sure, it’s niche, but it has legs. Then there’s a suitcase brand—flatlined but reliable, with B2B customers that swear by the quality. Last but not least, a swimwear company with real growth potential and a brand moat as wide as the Pacific Ocean.

Here’s the internal dialogue that keeps playing in my head: do I go with what excites me or what stabilizes me? The reality is, I’m not built for boredom. A funeral business, HVAC service, or owning a bunch of laundromats make tons of sense, but I know myself well enough to know I’m not the right person to run those things. And I dont want to farm it out, I actually love my work and want to be involved and add value.

That’s where I think ETA needs to be reconsidered. Can you make a killing with boring businesses? Absolutely. Can you thrive if you’re a person who craves a little more flair, creativity, or adventure? That’s the real question. Boring might make you rich, but if it bores you to the point where you can’t stand the sight of your P&L sheet, is it worth it?Because at the end of the day, ETA’s about finding what works for you. It’s about balancing the boring with the bold, knowing that while steady revenue is crucial, so is your sanity. After all, the graveyards aren’t going anywhere—I'll leave them to Freddie.

For the rest of us, maybe there’s something in finding the middle ground: businesses that keep the lights on and give you a reason to get out of bed in the morning.