Money Matters

Should you start a boring business?

Get the lowdown on boring businesses and whether you should consider running one if you want to start your own business.

1 May, 202611 min read Share

Despite the name, starting a “boring” business can often be a smart and low-risk way to build consistent income. While lacking glamour, these businesses offer benefits that are arguably far more valuable: low startup costs, steady demand, and weak competition.

While everyone else chases the next big thing, a boring business could well be your new “exciting” and quietly build you a very lucrative income stream. 

More interested in profits than popularity? You’re in the right place. 

Here’s what we cover in this article: 

What is a boring business?

A “boring” business is one that provides essential, everyday products or services that people consistently need, such as cleaning, plumbing, waste collection, or pest control. 

There’s no universal definition of a “boring business”, but the term is generally used to describe businesses that prioritise reliability and steady demand over innovation or hype. 

Antoinette Daniel, founder and CEO of Just Helpers, an ethical cleaning business based in London, offers a similar perspective: 

“When we term businesses ‘boring’, we’re talking about businesses doing things that have to be done to maintain the wheels of society,” she says. 

So, while we use the term “boring”, “essential” is often more accurate. These businesses play a critical role in the everyday functioning of communities, from refuse collection to commercial cleaning and pest control.

What makes a boring business a good opportunity?

Boring businesses are good opportunities because they combine steady demand, simple operations, and relatively low competition, making them more predictable and resilient than trend-driven ventures. 

Boring businesses vary in what they offer, but they tend to share a few key features that make them strong, reliable opportunities: 

• Recession-resistant demand: people continue to need these services even during economic downturns, which makes revenue more stable compared to trend-driven businesses. 

• Weak or outdated competition: many operate with slow, outdated processes, creating an opportunity to stand out quickly by introducing modern tools, better systems, and improved customer experience.  

• Simple, proven business models: these businesses rely on straightforward principles: deliver a necessary service, add value, and get paid. There’s little complexity or guesswork involved.  

• Low need for constant innovation: while innovation can improve efficiency and margins, these businesses don’t depend on it to survive—demand already exists. 

These traits make boring businesses less volatile and easier to manage than many modern startups. For entrepreneurs focused on stability and long-term income, this can be a significant advantage. 

Why are boring businesses gaining popularity?

Boring businesses are gaining popularity because they offer a more predictable and resilient path to income, particularly during periods of economic uncertainty or market saturation. 

Several long-term factors are driving this shift: 

• Greater focus on stability over hype: many aspiring business owners are prioritising reliable income and lower risk, rather than chasing fast growth in crowded or volatile markets.  

• Growing awareness of overlooked opportunities: essential service businesses have always existed, but more people are recognising their potential for steady cash flow and long-term profitability.  

• Low barriers to improvement: many of these industries still rely on outdated systems, making it easier for new entrants to compete by introducing better processes, technology, and customer experience.  

• Saturation in trend-driven industries: many high-growth, “exciting” sectors have become increasingly crowded, making it harder for new entrants to stand out or gain traction without significant investment. 

These changes in how people approach business are shifting attention away from high-risk, high-visibility ventures towards businesses that prioritise consistency, resilience, and long-term returns. 

What types of boring businesses are there?

Boring businesses typically fall into essential service categories that people rely on regularly, such as cleaning, maintenance, repairs, and simple asset-based services. 

Here are some common examples of different business types and how they compare: 

Business type	Typical startup cost	Demand level	Scalability
Cleaning services	Low-medium	High (recurring)	High
Landscaping	Medium	High (but seasonal)	Medium-high
Vending machines	Medium-high	Medium	High
Plumbing	Medium (training required)	High	High
Window cleaning	Low	High (recurring)	Medium

While the range is broad, most opportunities sit within a few well-established areas: 

• Residential and commercial cleaning services: a long-standing, reliable option, cleaning services are relatively low-cost to start, are easy to scale, and benefit from repeat business across both households and businesses.  

• Landscaping and lawn care services: like cleaning, landscaping is a tried-and-tested model with consistent demand. It offers recurring work and can serve both residential and commercial clients.  

• Cash-based or asset-based services: this includes vending machines, ATMs, car washes, and launderettes. These businesses generate income from physical assets and can provide relatively passive repeat revenue once established.  

• Plumbing and maintenance services: skilled trades like plumbing offer strong earning potential, particularly through emergency call-outs and ongoing maintenance work for homes and businesses.  

• Window cleaning services: a simple but dependable business, window cleaning benefits from repeat customers and low overheads, with modern equipment expanding how the service can be delivered. 

While these businesses vary in complexity and startup costs, they all share one core advantage: consistent demand for essential services people need done regularly, whether they think about them or not. 

How do you decide what type of boring business to start?

The best business to start is one that matches your budget, fits your level of interest, and has clear, consistent demand in the market. 

Here are five key factors to consider when choosing the right business to start:

Passion and interest

You don’t need to be deeply passionate about your business, but you do need a genuine level of interest. Running any business comes with challenges, and a baseline of engagement will help you stay motivated over time. 

If you find the work tolerable or even mildly interesting, you’re far more likely to stick with it and improve it.

Budget and startup costs

Different businesses come with very different financial requirements. Some, like residential cleaning, can be started with minimal up-front investment, while others, such as vending machines or equipment-heavy services, require more capital. 

Understanding your budget early helps you narrow your options and avoid overextending yourself. 

Market demand

The most successful boring businesses solve problems people consistently have. Before committing, research your target market and assess whether customers genuinely need your product or service. 

If demand is steady and repeatable, you’re likely on solid ground.

Competition

Low or outdated competition can make it much easier to enter a market and grow quickly. Take the time to evaluate existing businesses in your area, including how they operate, where they fall short, and where you could differentiate. 

Even in competitive markets, there’s often room to stand out by improving service, speed, or reliability. 

Scalability and long-term goals

Not every business needs to scale, but it should align with your ambitions. Some people are happy running a small, steady operation, while others want to grow a larger company with systems and staff. 

Think about where you want the business to take you, and choose a model that supports that direction.

How much money can you make with a boring business?

Earnings from a boring business can range from a few thousand pounds to well more than £100,000 per year, depending on the type of business, your pricing, and how well you scale it. 

Here’s an idea of how much money you can make with some common types of businesses: 

Business type	Typical earnings	Startup costs	Key feature
Cleaning services	£30k–£100k revenue	Variable	Scalable with repeat clients
Landscaping	~£51k–£58k income	Medium	Strong profits after costs
Vending machines	~£3.6k per unit	£1.2k–£3k	Scales with volume
Plumbing	~£65k–£73k income	Medium (training)	High earning potential
Window cleaning	~£36k–£44k income	Low	Consistent, repeat work

 Residential and commercial cleaning services 

According to Franchise UK, a cleaning business can fetch annual revenues of between £30,000 and £100,000. 

The costs of a cleaning business range from virtually nil for residential cleaning (assuming you borrow the customer’s cleaning equipment and use their cleaning products) to more than £50,000 for commercial cleaning.

Landscaping and lawn care services

Tradespeople website Checkatrade has found the average annual income of a self-employed landscaper to be at £51,626, while a seasoned landscaping business owner can earn £58,264 or more. 

The maintenance costs of a self-employed landscaper are approximately £6,453, and for a limited company owner, they’re around £10,196. 

So as a self-employed landscaper, you can expect profits around £45,173, and as a landscape business owner, this figure increases to £48,068. 

Cash-only services

 Using a vending machine business as an example, after you’ve bought the equipment, you can potentially make roughly £3,600 in profit per year, according to business finance website Swoop. 

While this may not sound like a king’s ransom, if you’re in a financial position to buy, say, 10 vending machines, you could see annual profits of £36,000. 

In terms of startup costs, a vending machine can typically set you back anywhere from £1,200 to £3,000 (excluding inventory). 

Plumbing services

To maximise your earning potential, offering plumbing services can be an attractive option, particularly if you’re open to undergoing training recognised by the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering. 

Checkatrade says the average salary of a plumber working as a sole trader is £64,902, with approximate take-home pay of £46,244. 

For a plumbing business owner, the salary and take-home figures increase to £73,014 and £48,509 respectively.

Window cleaning services

As a self-employed window cleaner, you can earn an average salary of £36,880, with approximate take-home pay of £22,530. 

But if you own a limited company, you can expect an average salary of £44,370, with approximate take-home pay of £29,910, according to Checkatrade. 

What are the pros and cons of starting a boring business?

Starting a boring business can be a smart, low-risk way to generate steady income, but it comes with trade-offs, particularly as you scale. 

To bring this to life, we’ve enlisted insights from Antoinette Daniel, founder of Just Helpers, who built her cleaning business from £10 into a £1m operation within eight years. 

From her perspective, here are some of the key advantages and challenges to consider:

Pros

Boring businesses offer several practical advantages, particularly for those prioritising stability, low costs, and consistent demand.

Minimal startup and running costs

According to Daniel, starting and running a residential cleaning business doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. 

“I had £10 in my back pocket, which enabled me to put petrol in my car, drive to the customer’s house, clean it, collect the cash, and leave,” she says. 

“But bigger commercial clients require equipment, staff uniforms, and so on.” 

Flexible work schedule

Flexibility is at the core of a cleaning business, which you can design to fit around your lifestyle. 

“Particularly if you’re a parent, cleaning enables you to work while your children are at nursery or school,” says Daniel. 

Other advantages include being able to start a cleaning business without any professional training or qualifications and being able to effectively market the business primarily by word of mouth. 

Steady demand for human cleaners

Daniel says the robot revolution won’t be taking over the cleaning industry any time soon. 

“An automated carpet cleaner can perform self-programmed vacuuming, which is great, but it can’t move furniture or discern a child’s hair clip from a piece of rubbish,” she says. “It just sucks it all up.” 

Cons

Boring businesses also come with challenges, especially as the business grows and becomes more complex to manage.

Increasing costs and liabilities

“Ensure that your insurance is robust,” Daniel says. 

“As a sole trader, my insurance was around £80 a year. Now, as a company with about 40 cleaning operatives, our insurance is closer to £5,500 a year.”Increasing staffing needs 

Daniel remarks that as you scale your cleaning business, recruitment becomes a “big machine. 

“You need to grow your back office support staff to underpin all the communications around your business”, she says. 

Lack of innovative technology

According to Daniel, there’s a lack of innovative tech in the cleaning industry. 

“We needed an intuitive, automated system that could help us schedule, deploy, and manage our team in the field and communicate with clients effectively”, she says. 

Frustrated by the absence of a meaningful tech solution, the Just Helpers team created their own. 

Their Justly software is a customisable business system, which handles everything from onboarding to scheduling and can connect with your accounting software, all without a spreadsheet in sight. 

Why boring businesses might be the smartest move you’re not considering

It’s easy to get drawn into high-profile startups that dominate headlines and social media, but some of the most reliable opportunities are often the ones that receive the least attention. 

With low startup costs, steady demand, and relatively weak competition, boring businesses offer a practical path for you to start building consistent, long-term income.

For those more interested in results than recognition, they’re well worth considering as your next business venture.

Frequently asked questions about starting and running a boring business