The absolute number one best business to start

Full service car wash.

You see, you probably thought I’d wimp out and not really name one. I mean come on, how can you pick just one business that’s the best for everyone. Isn’t it conventional wisdom that we all have unique personalities & gifts & styles?

But I’ve decided. There is just no question at all in my mind. You want to start a business but you’re not sure what kind of business to start? It’s a full service car wash.

Now you’re mind is whirring & you’re wondering …”Well, ok, that’s interesting – and unexpected. Um … wow. Ok … uh … all right …” And instead of asking the expected question of “Why a full service car wash?” you go with, “Why NOT a self service car wash?”

Good question. Let me ask you a question in response. What is the number one challenge that is unique to home based business owners? I say ‘unique’ because the number one issue for all businesses, large & small, is profit. You know, revenue over expense. Bringing in more money than you send out. Listen to this past week’s StartupNation Radio show to hear Jeff Sloan talk about this with terrific insight in response to a caller asking about how to maximize profits in her business.

(sidebar: if you’re not listening to StartupNation Radio, you really really should. It’s easier than ever – you can simply click on a ‘Listen Now’ button on the specific radio page on the website to hear it immediately over your computer speakers, or you can subscribe to the podcast like I do & then listen later on your iPod while you’re doing the dishes. Every single show is chock full of detailed information on starting & growing your business. We get emails every day from people who tell us that they’ve been inspired by the Sloan brothers and are starting their own businesses. You simply just gotta check it out.)

The answer to my question is: isolation. And I know from whence I speak. I owned my recruiting business for 19 years and the last 15 of those years I worked from a home office. I would go out to Boston Market to eat lunch just because I needed face-to-face interaction. But that didn’t do the trick. We are relationship oriented and when you tack on the isolation of working alone to all the other challenges of running a small business, it can be overwhelming.

So the best business to start will have a small team of people that you can personally select & individually get to know and care for. You’ll take great pride in the fact that your business is helping to support their children’s education and braces and a new baseball glove for their birthday. You’ll want to hear about the dance competition of the 6 year old daughter of your office manager. You’ll mentor the 17 year old who spends the summer working at your business part time while deciding what to do with the rest of their life.

No, it’s definitely not a self service car wash.

There is more to talk about regarding this selection of the best business to start, but I’m gonna let you all finish the argument. It’s like in debate class in school. With the premise of: “A full service car wash is the best business to start”, you fill in all the reasons that I’ve left out.

You don’t agree with me? Of course you don’t! How many people are gonna say that a full service car wash is the best business to start? That’s not the point.

The point is, that whatever you decide is the best business to start, is the best business to start. Am I contradicting myself? Well, what do you think – am I?