Nondescript: It's What Inside that Counts

I often take different routes on my 26-mile one-way work commute. Many times I find myself wondering what the companies do that occupy the “nondescript” buildings along the way. Being in one of those “nondescript” buildings myself, I can tell you: we work!

Mark Inboden

Nondescript as an adjective is defined as "lacking distinctive or interesting features or characteristics." Some of the synonyms are undistinguished, unremarkable, unexceptional, featureless, characterless, faceless, unmemorable, lackluster. As a business owner, I can tell you that there is no adjective that is farther from the truth.

When I look at these nondescript buildings, I know that there are passionate hard-working owners and employees doing unbelievably interesting jobs. They do not occupy the fancy buildings with the fancy signs, but collectively, they blow the socks off the Fortune 500 companies. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), small businesses represent 99.7 percent of all employer firms. Each of the buildings have a story to tell about their particular niche, founders, employees, and the products or services that set them apart.   

Next time you enter or pass by a business park, pay a bit more attention to those nondescript buildings. They are much more important to our well-being than most people know.

Mark is President and CEO of UCEC. 

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