Nick Hubers ‘The Sweaty Startup’ Makes the Case for Getting Rich by Doing ‘Boring’ Work

As economic uncertainty and widespread layoffs rattle the job market, entrepreneur and investor Nick Huber offers an unconventional roadmap for building wealth — one that doesnt involve flashy tech startups or world-changing innovations.

In his forthcoming book, “The Sweaty Startup: How to Get Rich Doing Boring Things” (Harper Business, April 29), Huber lays out a pragmatic path to success rooted in low-risk, often-overlooked service businesses.

Huber, who gained traction online with his “Sweaty Startup” philosophy, argues that the surest path to financial freedom isnt launching the next Uber or inventing new technologies. Instead, he says, its about doing essential but unglamorous work extremely well.

“The most common path to wealth through entrepreneurship is actually by chasing a small, boring opportunity,” Huber says. “Most of the wealthy people in your town who are eating at nice restaurants and have memberships at fancy country clubs didnt disrupt industries or raise venture capital. They started small, boring businesses…. What do they all have in common? None of them had a new idea.”

He speaks from experience. As a college junior at Cornell University, Huber co-founded a moving and storage business that would ultimately lead him into self-storage real estate. Now in his mid-30s, he co-owns Bolt Storage, a private equity real estate firm that manages 68 self-storage facilities across 11 states — totaling 1.9 million square feet and a market value of $150 million.

In “The Sweaty Startup,” Huber encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to ditch the idea of needing a “big idea” and instead focus on realistic, achievable ventures. The book outlines how to identify promising opportunities, build necessary skills, hire the right people, and develop a winning mindset.

He also emphasizes quality of life alongside financial growth. The goal, he says, isnt just business success but a well-lived life — built on steady income, flexibility, and financial independence.

Known for his candid approach and emphasis on actionable advice, Hubers work is especially timely for readers navigating a job market in flux. Rather than chasing unicorns, “The Sweaty Startup” suggests it might be smarter to clean gutters, manage properties, or repair HVAC systems — provided you do it better than the competition.