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What is a good business to start?

7 perspectives · Updated · 3 min read

The founders here start with a problem they already understand.

Brian Halligan co-founded HubSpot after watching marketers struggle to reach people who were tuning them out. Martin Varsavsky started Fon because he refused to pay a €2,000 phone bill for WiFi in Paris. Mike Andes started mowing lawns at 11 because the barrier was low and the demand never went away.

Their answers cover where to look, how big to start, and what edge to bring.

The short answer

Start with a problem you already understand, ideally one you've had yourself. Most of these founders say your edge is what you already know: a customer base, a pain you've lived, or a market where incumbents have stopped improving. They differ on scale, from a lawn care business you can start with a truck to a tech company with a real moat.

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Who you should listen to

Seven founders, from the co-founder of HubSpot to the founder of a lawn care franchise with more than 200 locations. Josh Wolfe also answers as an investor at Lux Capital, which he co-founded. Listen for the kind of business closest to the one you'd start.

  • Brian Halligan · Co-founder and longtime CEO of HubSpot; now builds Sequoia's CEO practice

    Listen for: Picking a niche small enough to dominate and big enough to grow from.

  • Mike Andes · Founder of Augusta Lawn Care, Homeworks, and Mike Andes Media Group

    Listen for: Home service businesses you can start with a truck and some tools.

  • Cameron Herold · Founder of the COO Alliance and former COO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK?

    Listen for: Starting where you already have an unfair advantage.

  • Martin Varsavsky · Entrepreneur and founder of Gameto; part-time professor at Columbia Business School

    Listen for: Solving a problem you have yourself.

  • Anand Sanwal · Founder of CB Insights, now co-founder of Forge Prep, a 6th to 12th grade school

    Listen for: Markets where the incumbents have stopped innovating.

  • Josh Wolfe · Co-founder and managing partner of Lux Capital

    Listen for: Why he looks for a technological moat and only a few competitors.

  • Andrew Gazdecki · Founder and CEO of Acquire.com

    Listen for: Buying a small profitable business instead of starting from zero.

What business do founders say to start?

Brian Halligan

Brian Halligan

Co-founder and longtime CEO of HubSpot; now builds Sequoia's CEO practice

HubSpot co-founder

Why themKnows the move from startup founder to scale-up CEO first-hand.

Brian’s advice: Solve a real problem you understand, in a niche small enough to dominate and big enough to grow.

The best business to start is one solving a real problem you actually understand, in a niche small enough to dominate and big enough to grow from. HubSpot began because we watched marketers struggling to interrupt people who were already tuning out.

Answered by their Delphi on .
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Mike Andes

Mike Andes

Founder of Augusta Lawn Care, Homeworks, and Mike Andes Media Group

Started mowing lawns at 11

Why themPractical for service business owners trying to get past $1M.

Mike’s advice: A simple home service business: low barrier, steady demand, and you learn to sell first.

A simple home service business you can start with a truck and some tools: lawn care, cleaning, pressure washing, mobile detailing. I started mowing lawns at 11 because the barrier was low and the demand never went away. Pick one thing, price it right, and learn to sell it before you worry about scale.

Answered by their Delphi on .
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Cameron Herold

Cameron Herold

Founder of the COO Alliance and former COO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK?

Author of 6 bestselling books

Why themKnows how to build the second-in-command role and scale operations.

Cameron’s advice: The one where you already have an unfair advantage: customers, a pain you've lived, or a model to copy.

I don't think there's a universal good business. The best one is the one where you already have unfair advantages: a customer base, a pain you've lived, or a model you can copy. I built 1-800-GOT-JUNK? because I understood franchise operations and the founder had a clear gap I could fill.

Answered by their Delphi on .
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Martin Varsavsky

Martin Varsavsky

Entrepreneur and founder of Gameto; part-time professor at Columbia Business School

Founded 5 unicorns

Why themHas started companies across very different industries over 30 years.

Martin’s advice: Solve a problem you have yourself, the way Fon started with a phone bill in Paris.

The best business to start is one that solves a problem you actually have. I started Fon because I was roaming in Paris and refused to pay a €2,000 phone bill for WiFi. Right now the biggest openings are where AI collapses the cost of building: small teams automating hundreds of workflows, or making open-source models as easy to install as an app.

Answered by their Delphi on .
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Anand Sanwal

Anand Sanwal

Founder of CB Insights, now co-founder of Forge Prep, a 6th to 12th grade school

Founded CB Insights

Why themLeft a data company to rethink school and can explain why.

Anand’s advice: Look for markets where incumbents have stopped innovating and build the hungrier version.

The best business to start is one solving a problem you can already see clearly, preferably in a market where incumbents have stopped innovating. I look for old SaaS products bought by PE firms that won't invest in tech; that's where a modern, hungrier version wins.

Answered by their Delphi on .
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Josh Wolfe

Josh Wolfe

Co-founder and managing partner of Lux Capital

Co-founded Lux Capital

Why themA contrarian view on deep tech and what makes founders stand out.

Josh’s advice: Fix something that sucks, with a real technological moat and only a few competitors.

A good business to start is one that fixes something that sucks and has a real technological moat, not another me-too SaaS play. I look for founders who see an edge others dismiss, where there are two or three competitors, not fifty.

Answered by their Delphi on .
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Andrew Gazdecki

Andrew Gazdecki

Founder and CEO of Acquire.com

Helped 2,000+ founders sell

Why themClear on when and how to sell a startup.

Andrew’s advice: Pick something you want to learn inside and out, or buy a small profitable business.

The best business to start is one you'd actually want to learn inside and out, because you're going to eat, sleep, and breathe it for years. I picked B2B SaaS because I love selling to founders and operators, but I've also seen people crush it buying a tiny profitable business instead of starting from zero.

Answered by their Delphi on .
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Everyone’s advice at a glance

How 7 people answer: What is a good business to start?
WhoTheir advice
Brian HalliganCo-founder and longtime CEO of HubSpot; now builds Sequoia's CEO practiceSolve a real problem you understand, in a niche small enough to dominate and big enough to grow.
Mike AndesFounder of Augusta Lawn Care, Homeworks, and Mike Andes Media GroupA simple home service business: low barrier, steady demand, and you learn to sell first.
Cameron HeroldFounder of the COO Alliance and former COO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK?The one where you already have an unfair advantage: customers, a pain you've lived, or a model to copy.
Martin VarsavskyEntrepreneur and founder of Gameto; part-time professor at Columbia Business SchoolSolve a problem you have yourself, the way Fon started with a phone bill in Paris.
Anand SanwalFounder of CB Insights, now co-founder of Forge Prep, a 6th to 12th grade schoolLook for markets where incumbents have stopped innovating and build the hungrier version.
Josh WolfeCo-founder and managing partner of Lux CapitalFix something that sucks, with a real technological moat and only a few competitors.
Andrew GazdeckiFounder and CEO of Acquire.comPick something you want to learn inside and out, or buy a small profitable business.

How to choose a business to start, step by step

  1. Start with a problem you know. Brian Halligan, Martin Varsavsky, and Anand Sanwal all start with a problem they can see clearly or have had themselves. Martin started Fon to avoid a €2,000 phone bill.

  2. Use the advantage you already have. Cameron Herold looks for a customer base, a pain you've lived, or a model you can copy. He helped build 1-800-GOT-JUNK? because he understood franchise operations.

  3. Pick a niche you can win. Brian Halligan wants a niche small enough to dominate and big enough to grow from. Josh Wolfe looks for markets with two or three competitors.

  4. Look where incumbents have stopped improving. Anand Sanwal looks for old software products bought by private equity firms that won't invest in the technology.

  5. Choose something you'll want to learn for years. Andrew Gazdecki says you'll eat, sleep, and breathe it for years, so pick something you want to learn inside and out.

  6. Learn to sell before you scale. Mike Andes says to pick one thing, price it right, and learn to sell it before you worry about scale.

Where they disagree

They split on how ambitious to be. Mike Andes recommends a simple home service business like lawn care, cleaning, or pressure washing. Josh Wolfe wants a real technological moat and steers away from me-too software companies. Andrew Gazdecki adds a third route: buying a small business that already makes money.

Frequently asked questions

What is the easiest business to start?

Mike Andes points to home services like lawn care, cleaning, pressure washing, and mobile detailing, which you can start with a truck and some tools. He started mowing lawns at 11.

Should I start a business or buy one?

Andrew Gazdecki, who founded Acquire.com, says he has seen people do very well buying a tiny profitable business instead of starting from zero.

How do I find a business idea?

Start with a problem you have or understand. Martin Varsavsky started Fon over a €2,000 phone bill for WiFi, and Brian Halligan started HubSpot after watching marketers struggle.

The bottom line

Start with a problem you already understand and a market small enough to win. Then ask the founder whose business looks most like yours what they'd do next.

How this page was made

We asked this question to founders on Delphi. Each quote is that person's Delphi answering in their own words, built from their own writing, talks, and interviews, and shown as given. Delphi wrote the introduction, the summary, and the steps from their answers. Last checked .

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