This one’s for anyone who’s ever mistaken SaaS metrics for gospel. I sit down (ok, dine out) with two CFOs—one from a dating app, the other from an HVAC parts company—and come away questioning the whole tech-is-king narrative.

Turns out, the guy replacing dirty rugs in Georgia public schools pulled in $22 million last year. And no, he doesn’t have a Substack.

In this episode:

* A billion-dollar business that makes… bolts

* SaaS dreams vs. rug-cleaning realities

* The myth of “build it once, sell it forever”

* Why R&D is just COGS in a costume

* A gentle roast of hustle culture and spreadsheet empires

This is a reminder that while tech has its perks, the world is full of quiet, profitable businesses that don’t require churn curves or pitch decks. Sometimes, the best margins come with dirt under the fingernails.

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Saying the quiet part out loud

Run the Numbers