I think it implies a shady business that is only around for a short time. This phrase isn't used so much anymore, but I was wondering what it was all about.
A business run out of the basement (boiler room)...kind of shady. Often involves calling thousands of people on the phone and selling something fishy, like stock in a company, where the company isn't real or isn't successful.
Look up the phrase pump and dump. Or watch the movie Boiler Room
