This profile is part of the Wellth 30, a curated recognition of the leaders building enduring brands, communities, and culture.
Codie Sanchez, Founder, Contrarian Thinking
Codie Sanchez built a business around a market most business media barely bothered to count.
Her annual State of Main Street report tracks small-business ownership and acquisition across the United States, layering data from sources including the SBA and Census with information from her own network.
The reason for the report is straightforward: venture capital has spent decades creating an elaborate measurement system for startups, while the businesses that employ people, generate cash and change hands every day often exist as anecdotes.
Sanchez is interested in those businesses because they’re unglamorous: laundromats, car washes, vending routes and service companies.
The media business is much bigger. Her newsletter reaches more than a million readers, and thousands of people have gone through her programs.
The thesis underneath it all is contrarian by design: you don't necessarily have to start the next big company to build wealth. You can buy the one already working.
