July 26, 2023

Every time I leave Toronto, even if it's just for a day or two to visit family outside of the city, I find myself staring out the window of the train, looking at all the industrial spaces along the train tracks. What kind of businesses are these? Who is running them? How did they get started?

I've assumed for so long that the most interesting business opportunities are in tech. But lately, I've been thinking more about all of the industries and businesses that are right in front of me.

For example, subscription car washes. My brother and sister-in-law are subscribed to a local car wash that gives them unlimited car washes every month. My dad recently signed up for the same thing but in a different city.

If a car wash charges $29.99 per month for unlimited car washes, they only need 1,000 subscribers to clear $30,000 per month in revenue. That doesn't include some of the other services a car wash might offer, like waxing, interior cleaning, etc.

There are tons of examples of businesses like these. Are they more fun than building a business in tech?