Finding a business idea that suits you is the first step to becoming a successful entrepreneur. This article will go over 11 small business ideas that can make you up to 500,000 shillings in a month.
How to Make 500k in a Month in Kenya: 11 Small Business Ideas
1. Start a food truck business
Ever dreamed of owning a restaurant, but aren’t quite ready to make the leap? You can test your ideas with a food truck. Although buying a food truck can be very expensive, you can lease one out and then only operate it on special events such as concerts and food festivals. A food truck business can easily earn you upwards of Ksh.500,000 in a month in Kenya.
2. Start a clothing boutique business
This is a great business for people who are into fashion. You don’t even need to have a physical shop, you can sell through social media or on your Shopify store.
You have several options when starting out. If you have previous experience in fashion design, or are able to sew, knit and curate colors and patterns, then you could make the clothes yourself.
You can also design specific aspects of the clothing, such as a logo, then send it to be printed at a local printer on demand when you receive orders.
The third option would be to dropship items from a warehouse that you have partnered with, or from sites like AliExpress. This is less reliable as there’s less quality control for each item. It doesn’t matter what method you use, opening a clothing boutique can be done without breaking bank.
3. Videography
This can be a rather expensive business to start, but that’s what makes it so valuable. Video production equipment doesn’t come cheap.
If you’re great at recording and editing videos then this might be your perfect business idea. You can share a reel of your work or make a website that has several examples of your work for potential clients. There are many courses available online for people looking to get into this line of work.
4. Photography
A lot of us have inadvertently become good at taking photos thanks to social media. You can start building your photography portfolio by taking free photos of your friends and family and then publishing them on your website and social media pages.
Photography businesses are often built by word of mouth. Create a Facebook and Instagram page and tag all the people whose photos you upload. The photos you tag will appear in their newsfeeds and even more people will get to see your work. You can also ask them to leave reviews for your Facebook business page.
Although there are no licensing or educational requirements to start a small business in photography, we do recommend taking a few courses. You can look for courses that will help you develop skills in your chosen field, whether that’s wedding photography or product portraits.
5. Personal training
A lot of people are looking to get in shape but don’t know where to begin. If you’re into fitness then this might be the perfect business for you.
You can start building your brand by posting workout videos on your social media pages as well as on YouTube. If you’d like to take it to the next level you can also get a professional website where people can easily book appointments with you.
6. Graphic designing
This is a great business that allows you to set your own hours and choose the projects you want to work on. Many companies look for experienced graphic designers to help with a wide range of projects, including website, blog, and social media graphics.
The good news is that you don’t need any special education to become a freelance graphic designer. However, we recommend obtaining a credential such as SAIC’s graphic design certificate or RISD’s graphics design certificate so that you can present your portfolio and start your first projects. Check out our article on how to find graphic design clients online.
7. Web development
Quality web design is highly in demand. A freelance developer, unlike some of the other business ideas on this list, will need to be trained in order to start a business and take on projects. But if you are a beginner, don’t worry.
You can find many boot camps that will get you up-to-speed in both front-end and full-stack web development. The bootcamps come in a variety of prices so make sure you do your research to find the right one for you.
And if you want to take the easier route, you can become a WordPress website designer. WordPress is a Content Management System that powers more than a third of all the websites on the internet. It is so easy to use you don’t even need to have any coding knowledge. You can find countless tutorials on YouTube on how to built a WordPress website.
8. Become an online dating consultant
Dating consultants help people create successful online dating profiles and find potential matches. They offer a level of personalization that is not possible on sites like Tinder.
Online dating consultants must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills as well as empathy. There are no license or special education requirements.
The only thing you’ll need to get started is a website that contains all of your information. You can also offer free resources that may be useful for your customers. Once they download the resource, you then can invite them to a consultation.
9. Life/ Career Coach
Many people are seeking guidance in their careers, and it can be difficult to find someone who is willing to mentor them.
Although they usually don’t cost a lot, life/career coaches can offer the specialized and practical advice and training that clients need to make big changes in their professional and personal lives. Everyone needs some encouragement from time to time.
You can start your career/life coaching business confidently by completing a certification program, then you can apply your skills to new clients.
10. Freelance writer
If you are a writer, someone is willing to pay you. As a freelance writer, you can write blog posts, articles for magazines, website copy, or even entire books as a ghostwriter. Just make sure that you have enough work to show potential clients. Even if you only have a few samples to show your work, it will help attract new clients and showcase your talent.
It is a great idea to focus your services on a specific niche. For instance, you might decide to write exclusively for magazines in the healthcare sector (perhaps because you were a former healthcare worker), or you might focus on lifestyle publications. Whatever your situation, specializing will enable you to find your niche market as a freelance writer and increase your confidence significantly.
11. Start a landscaping business
A landscaping business is a profitable venture if you have the necessary skills and equipment. If you enjoy working in your own yard, then it might be the perfect venture for you. As your business grows, you can hire more workers and then just focus on marketing and administration.
The great thing about a landscaping business is that your clients are likely to stick with you for a long time. It’s not just a one-time service, they’ll need you to take care of their gardens on a weekly or monthly basis. Such businesses are fantastic for creating recurring income.
