David C Barnett Small Business and Deal Making M&A SMB Should You Buy a Business Because You're Bored?
Mar 4, 2026
They dissect three distinct kinds of career boredom and when business ownership actually helps. They warn how buying a company can swap boredom for stress and list red flags that signal impulse purchases. They walk through a temperament check, an energy-risk-life fit framework, and lower-risk alternatives to using acquisitions as a boredom cure.
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Buy Only If You Can Bear Owner Responsibility
- If your boredom is autonomy-based, buying a business can solve it but only if you can tolerate owner responsibility.
- Barnett estimates around half of his buyers seek ownership to remove corporate shackles and achieve more.
Businesses Are Machines Not Adventures
- Successful businesses prioritize repeatability and systems over constant excitement.
- Barnett describes most businesses as machines that perfect the same process week after week rather than adventures.
Temperament Check Before You Buy
- Use the temperament check: ask if you crave novelty weekly or enjoy routine you create, fixing processes, and accountability for outcomes.
- If you crave weekly novelty, Barnett warns ownership can be a trap; relish for systems indicates fit.
