I agree. I work at a place where we have many businesses compete for a cash prize of several thousand dollars. Many businesses go on to expand operations and thrive. Others burn through their prize money and fold within the year.

The successful businesses often provide simple, unsexy products like yogurt dip and tortillas. The owners are also very sales-oriented. They know that if they don’t sell, it won’t matter how attractive their website, business cards, and brochures are.

Many of the businesses that don’t make it often are composed of highly-skilled people who lack sales and leadership skills. They spend all day in their office waiting for the phone to ring. So, a person might have a great business idea and protect it with NDAs and noncompete clauses. However, if they are unable to execute on their sales goals, the business never gets anywhere.

So, it’s less a matter of a great business idea than it is a matter of execution and the team. Even simple products that “anybody can make” can sustain a profitable venture.