37+ Profitable Small Business Ideas In Kenya to make money
You should know the world’s population is on the rise, you should know trends come and go, you should know as new products and services enter the market, others are leaving, you should know as new businesses are born, some old ones are closing down, you should know as you are entering an industry others are planning in migrating to another, you should know your ideas will change as your resources change and as the attitude of your target market changes, you should know that in business you either make a profit or a loss.
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You must be asking, “What a strange way to begin an article on small business ideas in Kenya”. The truth is that most people love to be pessimistic whenever they think of starting a new business. Instead of recognizing opportunities that exist that have not yet been exploited, many people focus on the PROBLEMS they will encounter if they start a business.
The truth is, there is no business that is void of risk, and challenges must always exist. The difference between “you” and smart entrepreneurs is that while “you” keep complaining, smart entrepreneurs see opportunities in those challenges, and they capitalize on those opportunities to create successful businesses.
This post will begin with online businesses you can start today in Kenya, and then later, we will move to other small businesses you can start in Kenya. We love online businesses because when you take the time to build it the right way, you can earn globally and in foreign currencies.
Some of these businesses can help you to build a steady flow of passive income over time. These businesses attract clients from across the globe, which gives you an added advantage because their growth and survival do not depend typically on the Kenyan economy.
So if your economy happens to face any challenges at any given moment, your online business won’t be affected, and you can still keep making money online in Kenya.
Wait no more, let’s begin with profitable small business ideas in Kenya that you can pick from to start your entrepreneurial journey.
Best Online Business Ideas In Kenya
Best online business in Kenya #1 Become a Freelancer in Kenya
Freelancers are independent workers who make money on a per-job basis. They are self-employed, and they can offer their services to multiple clients for a price. Freelancing is a great business idea to start on the side.
If you decide to go this route, you should avoid quitting your daily 9 to 5 job at the beginning until you can build a solid network in the industry that can guarantee you start getting a steady flow of clients.
When Kenyan freelancers work with foreign clients, they get paid in foreign currencies, which may be higher in value than the Kenyan Shilling.
Some freelancing skills that are in demand include:- freelance journalists, software developers, web developers, freelance writers, online tutors, graphic designers, data scientists, copywriters, virtual assistants and lots more.
Almost every Information and Communication Technology skill you can think of is in high demand online. So, if you have one of these skills, now is the time to research how to get started. Becoming a freelancer in Kenya is a sure way to increase your earnings. Kenyans are currently doing it, so it is possible.
Best online business in Kenya #2 Start a Social Media Blog
Social media blogging is a profitable small business idea in Kenya to consider. It’s not only free to start but you can get started in just a couple of minutes.
You can start a profitable social media blogging business from home with just your smartphone. This business idea can be a great side hustle for Kenyans, especially when you are just getting started. With adequate knowledge, you can build a profitable social media business that can replace your 9 to 5 job.
Best online business in Kenya #3 Start a Blog in Kenya
Blogging is a great business idea you should consider adopting if you love creating content. People go to blogs for information or entertainment purposes. If you love writing, then a website blog is what you need. For those who love creating video content, Vlogging on YouTube or other Vlogging sites is the way to go.
Those in love with social media can start their blogs on sites like Facebook by creating a Page for their blog. Most bloggers use all the above options to reach more users and grow their online brand.
While all the above options are good, starting a website blog comes with many advantages, especially in the ways you can monetize your blog in the long run.
Get started today by choosing a shared hosting plan on Bluehost or HostGator. Their hosting plans come with a one-click install of WordPress. WordPress is a content management system that makes it easy for you to get started with your website blog in minutes.
Best online business in Kenya #4 Become an Affiliate Marketer in Kenya
Affiliate marketers promote the products of companies and brands for a commission. The good news about becoming an affiliate marketer is that, unlike a marketer who works for a specific business or brand, you do not work for anyone as you will be your boss.
Being an affiliate marketer allows you to represent different brands and their products, which you know would be valuable to your audience.
You can grow and scale your business as an affiliate marketer, and there is no barrier to the amount you can earn. The good thing is for almost every popular product you know, there exists an affiliate program for it that you can join and start promoting.
Most affiliate programs will require that you have an audience you can promote to before getting started. Do you want to build an affiliate marketing business which you can scale over time and earn passive income?
We recommend that you start with a blog where you can create engaging content around these products and promote the products to your audience. You can get started with your website blog for affiliate marketing today by going to Bluehost or Hostgator, choosing a shared hosting plan and benefiting from a low startup cost.
Best online business in Kenya #5 Start an E-commerce business in Kenya
Electronic commerce, also known as e-commerce, is the buying and selling of goods and services over the Internet. With more people constantly adopting digital in their daily lives, the buying of goods and services over the Internet is on the rise.
Selling your products may lead to higher returns. However, you can sell the products of other manufacturers for a profit. You should conduct your market research, and depending on the target audience you choose to serve, you can sell products with low demand and higher profits or products with higher demand and lower profits.
Both ways can lead to a successful business if you take the time to set up your e-commerce business the right way. You can also consider starting an e-commerce dropshipping store. With drop shipping, you are the middleman, and you do not need to own and manage a physical store or warehouse.
So, whenever a customer buys from your website, you forward the order details to the company, which then ships the products directly to your customer.
With drop shipping, you get the freedom to set your prices, so there are chances you could make abnormal profits from sales, and you only have to pay the company the actual amount of the product to have them deliver it to your customer.
Profitable Small Business Ideas In Kenya
Starting a small business in Kenya can be profitable, especially for those with the right entrepreneurial spirit. Some people are scared of getting started because when they look around, they find similar businesses and feel that the market is too competitive. What they forget to know is before they were born, the market was already competitive.
Do not let the word small business deceive you, as these businesses can grow and expand if you have the right vision. For any business opportunity you choose, you should know execution matters a lot, as it will differentiate your business from your competitors.
1. Start a Soap making business in Kenya
Starting a soap-making business is easy and requires a small startup capital. Soap is a consumer product demanded daily. You can either decide to produce solid or liquid soaps.
There are soaps for different types of uses, from medicated soaps for various skin conditions, moisturizing soaps, bleaching soaps, and washing soaps, among others.
While this market is competitive, and you will face competition from local and international brands, if you take out the time to carve out the specific market you intend to serve, analyze your competition, check for profitability, craft high-quality products and have a marketing strategy that appeals to your local market, you will be able to start penetrating the market.
In the beginning, growth may be slow, especially if you are starting small with a limited marketing budget, with a great product and consistent efforts in marketing, you will be able to build a profitable soap-making business.
2. Beauty Care Business Services
The beauty industry is booming because people want to look neat and beautiful. This industry consists of barbers, hair stylists, make-up artists, and more.
If you love this line of business, you should consider the area you want to specialize in. If you have a huge capital, you can decide to start up a full-fledged beauty parlour which will host several beauty care services.
Those with these skills who do not have the resources to set up their brick-and-mortar beauty shops can start offering their services as mobile beauty care experts. This can help you to raise some money on the side while building your client base. With the right skills or employees and a good business plan on how to execute this business, you will be able to start a profitable beauty care business in Kenya.
3. Start a video gaming parlour in Kenya
Gaming is a fun activity, especially among boys. It is not strange to have friends go out for a pass time in a gaming parlour. Even when they have these games at home, they love to visit gaming parlours to meet new people they can compete with.
Starting a video gaming parlour can be lucrative, especially if you find some good location(s) around the country where this business has not been well exploited.
The key is picking a good location and staying up to date with the latest games, especially when it comes to soccer games. Spicing it up with a few creative marketing tactics/ strategies is a sure way to attract and maintain customers.
4. Start a brick-making business in Kenya
Starting a brick-making business in Kenya can be profitable even in the long term. The constant increase in population implies a rise in the demand for housing facilities, and an increase in the demand for housing facilities will directly lead to an increase in the demand for bricks, which are needed to construct these houses. So if you are interested in starting a brick-making business in Kenya, locating close to areas where building construction is on the rise will be profitable.
5. Start a real estate business in Kenya
We all know land is limited in supply. This has made land become an asset that increases in value. Land is needed for various reasons, and with the growth in population size, the demand for land is on the rise.
If you have the capital to venture into real estate, you should determine the kind of customers you want to serve. Some real estate business owners buy houses and rent out or resell, others buy land and resell, some of them, buy land and develop before renting or reselling, and others do a mix of all of the above.
No matter your category, if you make the necessary investments to learn this business, you will be able to know if the asset you are buying has the probability to increase in value and if the demand is on the rise. This way, you can be sure to have a good return on your investment.
6. Start a real estate agent business in Kenya
If you love the real estate business but maybe you lack the capital to venture into it, then you can still earn money from this sector by being a real estate agent. As the demand for real estate rises, real estate agents come into play to connect buyers to sellers or tenants to landlords for a commission. So if you are connected or if you are good at marketing, you can contact these sellers of properties or landlords to get the approval to act as their agent by bringing them potential customers for a commission whenever you succeed in closing a sales or leasing deal.
7. Start a welding business in Kenya
With the rise in the demand for housing facilities nationwide, starting a welding business can be highly profitable. Most housing projects need doors and window protectors, some even need gates and other metal decorations and these are mostly manufactured by welders. Starting a welding business is not for everyone. This business requires you to have years of technical know-how before you can get started. Those with a larger budget can put up a technical team of qualified welders who will be in charge of the ironworks and designs.
8. Start a bakery business in Kenya
Starting a bakery business can be lucrative if you have some magic baking recipes you would love to share with the local population in your area. If you love baking bread, cakes and other snacks that your relatives and friends love, maybe it is time to commercialize your baking skills.
If you want to launch a bakery business and quickly capture a significant market share, launch it with uniquely baked mouth-watery products that are so tempting to pass by without having a bite. Having an understanding of your target market is also vital.
9. Offer cooking and baking lessons
Do you know there are many people out there who can’t cook or bake? Even for those who can cook or bake, there are still many recipes they would love to learn. If you are passionate about cooking and you have some magic recipes you would love to teach others, then you can consider offering cooking lessons for a fee.
Depending on how you wish to set up, you may consider offering these lessons both online and on-premises. This can be a great side hustle that can earn you lots of money if you set it up correctly and market your services.
10. Become a home chef in Kenya
As many people are busy with their jobs, the demand for home chefs is rising. If you love cooking, you can offer these services to different houses in your neighbourhood. You may be able to land one big hire with good pay, or you may consider offering your services to several homes on different days of the week.
You can further put yourself in a position where you get contacted by those in your neighbourhood when they need you to cook, fry or bake certain kinds of snacks for their occasions or partner with catering businesses as a freelance cook.
All you need is to adopt the right strategies to start spreading the word, and before you know it, you will be the go-to chef in your neighbourhood for most events.
11. Deliver food to homes and offices in Kenya
You can start a food delivery business from home by cooking, packaging and supplying food to homes and offices in your area. Most people don’t love to cook or maybe they are too busy or may want to try a new delicacy.
Others are hungry during lunch breaks at work, and if they have a person who can deliver delicious food to them, they will gladly pay for it. Having a quality menu, to share with your target customers is vital.
You may even cook and package small takeaways to share with your target customers. If they love it you may start getting a few calls to get started.
12. Start a cooking blog online in Kenya
Starting a cooking blog is another way to monetize your cooking skills. With a cooking blog, you share articles and videos on several recipes.
Starting a website blog, in combination with a YouTube channel, is a great way to set up for success. Your audience will visit your cooking blog to learn new recipes and cooking techniques.
As you grow your cooking blog, you can go further to monetize it through selling advertisement spaces on your site, affiliate marketing, offering one-on-one cooking coaching, selling your products and lots more.
13. Start a catering business in Kenya
Catering businesses cater for events by offering their services to individuals and businesses. It is a unique food business idea you can explore. Many occasions are organized daily, from political events, corporate events, birthday ceremonies, weddings, funerals, baby showers, graduation parties, church events and lots more. Starting a catering business to serve this audience is a sure way to monetize your cooking skills.
14. Open a restaurant business in Kenya
Starting a restaurant business is one of the best food business ideas in Kenya. Your geographical area, population size, capital, and the category of people you intend to serve will determine the kind of restaurant to set up.
To be successful in this business, you need to have a great passion for cooking, especially when you are just getting started with limited workers since you will need to spend lots of hours daily cooking and serving a variety of local or continental dishes.
15. Start a fast food business in Kenya
A fast food business can be a great small business idea to explore. Most average-income earners love to patronize fast-food joints. Though there exist some big players in this industry like Mr Biggs, starting a profitable fast food business in Kenya is still very possible, and their presence should not scare you from getting started. You can be successful if you offer unique packages and serve a specific target of customers.
16. Sell Foodstuffs in Kenya
Selling food items can be lucrative, especially as the demand for food is always on the rise. You can choose to become a wholesaler or retailer of food items. This industry is broad, so if you lack the capital to stock a variety of food items, you can niche down and focus on a specific set of food items.
For example, you can set up a brick-and-mortar store exclusively for cereals and whole grains, a bakers store to cater for the needs of bakers, a cold store to serve fresh fish, beef and other dairy products, vegetables and fruit stores and lots more.
17. start a cleaning business in Kenya
Becoming a cleaner can be a great business idea to consider, especially as it requires very little capital to get started. You can market your cleaning services to residential and commercial businesses that need to keep their environment clean.
You can also work with real estate agents to connect you with new clients who have rented a house or business premises and need the services of cleaners.
18. Start a laundry business in Kenya
It is easy to start a laundry business as it does not require much capital. You can start a laundry business from home, or you can open a laundry shop.
You may wash these clothes manually, or you may need to buy a machine. You may even offer your services to homes and let them know you can come to their premises to do their laundry for a fee. Some people may pay you to perform these services in their homes once or twice weekly.
19. Start a photography business in Kenya
Professional photography will always have its place. Yes, we have smartphones to capture our moments, but the services of a professional photographer are still needed for a variety of events.
A professional photo shoot, is still needed by individuals and businesses, so if you are a skilled photographer, you should consider monetizing this skill by serving your target customers with professional photography services.
20. Start a gym business in Kenya
Most Kenyans are aware of the importance of exercising and keeping fit. People want to keep fit and stay healthy, so starting a gym business in Kenya can be profitable.
In starting a gym, your choice of location will determine if your gym business will be successful. Consider starting a gym in areas of middle to high-income earners who are busy people who need these gym services to keep fit and can also afford to pay for these services. If you intend to start a gym where the income of households is low, having an average gym with fewer sporting machines for a start is a decision you should consider.
21. Start a car wash business in Kenya
Starting a car wash in Kenya can be lucrative, especially in areas where more people own cars. As the population of Kenya is on the rise and with many people learning how to drive daily, the demand for vehicles has increased. Investing in a car wash can enable you to serve the needs of local car owners who need their cars to look clean.
A good location is key. When starting a car wash business, you do not want to locate your car wash in rural areas with fewer cars unless you have identified an untapped need in the area that needs to be served. It is good to locate in a secure environment and enable your car wash to be secured. This can help to build trust and attract new customers.
22. Start a Rental business in Kenya
Rental businesses are very profitable, especially when you are renting items or properties that have a low maintenance cost. If you can rent your assets and recover your initial capital while whatever you are renting is still in good shape, you can enjoy from making normal to abnormal profits in the long run. There are several things you can consider renting, like tents and chairs, cars, houses and event centres, hotels and a variety of equipment and gadgets.
23. Open a Baby daycare centre in Kenya
Starting a baby daycare centre can be a lucrative business, especially for women. If you love taking care of kids and have the available time, you should consider starting a daycare centre.
With the rise in the working class population with many families trying to increase their household income, there exists a great challenge, especially in families with little kids, as they find it difficult to work when their kids are still too young.
A daycare centre comes to help such busy parents who can entrust their little angels in your keeping while trusting you to take good care of them.
You can begin this business from home, or you can rent a commercial building to get started. You should know your choice of location matters, and your environment should be safe and friendly for the kids.
24. Start import business in Kenya
Being an importer in Kenya can be beneficial because if you look around the market, you can find products not produced in Kenya. These products are available thanks to the role played by importers.
Some of the products imported include automobiles and accessories, computers and accessories, electronics and accessories, clothes and shoes and lots more.
The Kenyan population imports goods mostly from countries like China, India, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia. You should learn more about this business before getting started. Knowledge of how imports are taxed is also vital.
25. Start a bookshop in Kenya
With the increase in population, government and private schools and with more people stressing the importance of education, the demand for educational materials like exercise books, textbooks, novels, workbooks and other educational materials is on the rise.
Despite the rise in the demand for electronic books, traditional books still have their place and their demand is still very high. Starting a bookshop is still relevant and you should consider investing in this sector. You may decide to invest in specific categories like the sales of exercise books or you may decide to set up a complete bookshop.
Also, you may decide to invest in this business in specific periods of the year. You can set up and operate a mobile bookshop, especially at the start of every new school year when the demand for books is high.
26. Open a photocopy and typesetting service in Kenya
We all need to photocopy our documents for different purposes. Starting a photocopy and typesetting business, especially in commercial areas or near offices or campuses can be profitable. You may limit your services to just photocopying of documents but if you have the space you should provide a computer and a printer to enable customers to be able to type and print their documents. You can further introduce services like plastification of documents and lots more.
27. Start an event organization/management business in Kenya
With the increase in socialization among individuals, businesses and organizations, there has been a rise in different kinds of events in Kenya from weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, entertainment and fashion events, and cooperate events among others.
For such events to be successful, there is always the need for an event planner. You can start an event planning business in Kenya and it can be quite profitable especially as you start working on events and strive hard to deliver nothing but the best. It is only a matter of time before the word spreads around the country. You should put in great efforts in marketing your business and landing your first jobs to start building your portfolio.
28. Offer tutoring services in Kenya
Can you list some subjects or crafts you are good at? If yes then you should consider teaching others what you know and get paid in the process. From kids to adults, it is always easy when we have someone who can guide us in our learning adventures.
Starting an in-home tutorial service or a tutorial centre is a small business idea in Kenya you should consider. If you are starting alone without any employees, consider choosing a target market you can efficiently serve alone and that would be profitable. If you love to be seen as an expert then you should focus on tutoring one or a maximum of two related subjects.
Say you are teaching children how to learn how to read English, you may also decide to teach them other aspects of the English language. Set your standards and pricing and if you are good at what you do, word of mouth will quickly spread and you will attract the right kind of clients.
29. Start a kids park in Kenya
Kids love fun, they love to play, and that is what makes them kids. When they play they are happy and every parent loves to put a smile on the faces of their children. Creating a leisure park for kids can enable your business to create these beautiful memories and it can be quite profitable, especially during weekends, holidays and festive periods. Some people run this business seasonally while for others, it is a business that meets the needs of their clients daily.
30. Start a tailoring business in Kenya
Tailors make or alter garments like jackets, suits, gowns and other forms of dresses to suit the needs of their customers. They also offer professional advice to customers on style trends that may look good on them. Starting a tailoring business can be lucrative in Kenya as many individuals are always in need of tailors to make or alter their dresses.
If you are a skilled tailor, then there is no doubt people will always need your services. You can further extend your tailoring business by offering sewing lessons to those interested in learning the trade. You can also sew simple designs and put them up for sale. Just be creative.
31. Start a fashion designing business in Kenya
Fashion designers create original clothing like dresses, pants, suits, handbags, shoes, jewellery, caps and lots more. They sketch designs, select unique materials for these designs and either bring them to life or give instructions to their team on how to bring their designs to life.
If you have what it takes to become a fashion designer in Kenya, you should consider this business opportunity. It is up to you to decide on the category of design you want to focus on.
32. Become a tours and travel guide in Kenya
Kenya is blessed with lots of tourist attractions. If you know touristic areas around the country, then you can get started as a tours and travel guide. Your job would be to accompany groups of visitors to tourist attractions, entertain them while they tour these locations and ensure their safety.
If you start getting a steady flow of clients, you can partner with resorts, other tour companies and tourist attraction parks, around the country. You may be able to form better-working business relationships and even receive additional commissions based on the number of customers you bring to their businesses.
33. Start Livestock Farming in Kenya
According to Wikipedia, livestock is the domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to provide labour and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. Investing in livestock like cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, horses etc can be a great way to increase your income. You may decide to grow varieties of livestock on your farm depending on the farm size and other available resources, or you may focus on a single category and grow it into a profitable business.
34. Start a poultry Farm in Kenya
Poultry farming involves the raising of domestic birds like chickens, ducks, turkeys, guinea fowls, and pigeons, for food and non-food products for home consumption or commercial purposes. These animals are raised for meat or eggs, with chickens being the most common bird raised by the majority of poultry farmers.
Starting a poultry farm in Kenya can be profitable if you have adequate knowledge of how to take care of these birds. You should consider starting an average farm of about 1000 birds and above to make money from poultry farming. The smaller your farm, the smaller the profits you should expect to make.
35. Start a Car Hire/ Taxi business in Kenya
Starting a taxi business in Kenya can offer great returns if you carefully manage your taxi and always keep it in good shape. Many people in town love hiring taxis, and even those who own cars at times prefer to hire taxis to work, parties or other events, so this business is going to stay profitable for a long time.
36. Start a Consumer Electronics and accessories Business in Kenya
There exists a high demand for consumer electronics in Kenya from mobile phones, televisions, computers, printers, telecommunication devices and lots more.
This lucrative small business idea can be set up in the form of a brick-and-mortar store, and you can further set up an e-commerce shop online where customers can easily find and order these products.
37. Start a fabric business in Kenya
The buying and selling of fabrics is a lucrative business in Kenya. Tailors and fashion designers often buy these fabrics and transform them into dresses and other fashion wear. We all wear dresses, so investing in a fabrics business can be profitable. In this business, if you operate on a large scale, knowing where to buy different types of materials at wholesale rates can be beneficial. Most fabric business owners in Kenya buy from countries like Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and from other foreign countries.
Some other small business ideas to start in Kenya
Firewood Delivery Business, Home massage services, mechanic business, garage business, Agribusiness, selling second-hand clothes, Start a consultancy business, an appliance repair business, a massage business, start a water supply business, start a fish farming business, start a dairy farming business, start a fruits/vegetable farming business, Bee farming, use your car as a billboard.
Wrapping Things Up
In Kenya, the business possibilities are vast, each depending on your demographics, experience, budget, and more. However, there’s a category of businesses not bound by location – online ventures.
The key to success in any of these businesses lies beyond a singular passion for a specific industry. It’s about the fervour for entrepreneurship itself. Successful entrepreneurs leverage this passion to adapt, diversify, and solve challenges across various industries, driven by a burning desire for entrepreneurship.
So, whatever business you choose to embark upon today, let that entrepreneurial spirit be your guiding light. It’s the resilience to face challenges that define a thriving business.
Remember, the listed businesses are just a glimpse into the diverse opportunities available in Kenya. If any idea strikes a chord, dive deeper with further research; luck might just favour your journey. Here’s to your success in all your business pursuits. Best of luck in your endeavours!
FAQ
1. Which small business is most profitable in Kenya?
You can start a transport business, open a restaurant, start a furniture business, start a blog, start a daycare business and lots more.
2. How much do you need to start a small business in Kenya?
Small businesses come in different shapes and sizes depending on the business in question and what you consider to be starting small. We advise you to conduct adequate business research in any business you are interested in, and you should have a good business plan to guide you. That being said, with Ksh 10,000 you can get started with most small businesses in Kenya.
3. What is the fastest-growing business in Kenya?
Digital businesses like blogging, affiliate marketing, freelancing, e-commerce and many work-from-home businesses are steadily becoming popular in Kenya.
4. What business is Kenya famous for?
Kenya is home to many agricultural businesses that operate on both small and large scale, as the country is blessed with fertile soils and arable lands. Also, the tourism, energy, manufacturing, mining and financial sectors are booming.
5. Can a foreigner start a business in Kenya?
Yes, a foreigner can start a business in Kenya as Kenya is a friendly ground for foreign investors.
6. What is the cheapest most profitable business to start in Kenya?
You may consider selling second-hand clothes in Kenya, start a blogging business in Kenya, consider work-from-home businesses you can start online in Kenya like freelancing, blogging, affiliate marketing and also consider selling your services locally to those who need it.
7. What are some home-based business ideas in Kenya?
Starting a business from home in Kenya can be profitable. You should consider starting businesses related to the digital sector like freelancing, blogging, affiliate marketing, and e-commerce as they offer a flexible way for you to be able to work from home. You can also become a home chef, you can start a tailoring business from home, a laundry business and lots more.
Keep Walking Beyond Limits
To your Business and Entrepreneurial success,
– Clevis AKA THE BUSINESS BIRD