Top 7 New Business Ideas For Kenya - You should not miss

 

Top 7 Small Business Investment Opportunities in Kenya

1. Laundry services

This business thrives well in any economy – recession or not. There’s a large market to cater to, as many Kenyans are busy with their day jobs and have little or no time for laundry. To start a laundry business, all you need are a washing machine, pressing irons, and a few other items. So, it’s very easy to start, but very lucrative.

2. Open an Entertainment center

There are a lot of expatriates in Kenya, especially in Nairobi; and these expats (Kenyans included) definitely need a place to wind down in the evenings and on weekends. You can cater to these needs by setting up an entertainment hotspot such as a hotel, bar, restaurant, cinema, casino, fast food joint, night club, etc. In fact, the list is endless. Just choose a entertainment business you are passionate about and give it a go.

3. Setup a security guard company

After the 21st September 2014 deadly terrorist attack on Westgate Shopping mall in Nairobi, there has been an increased security awareness throughout Kenya. Unfortunately, the police and military cannot do it alone; thus creating an opportunity for smart entrepreneurs to make profit while providing an essential service.

You can setup your own security guard company, train able-bodied men and women, deploy them to companies that need to protect sensitive infrastructure and make your money. It is as easy as ABC but you must bear in mind that your business needs to be license with the assigned regulatory authority.

Now if setting up a security guard company is too capital and management intensive for you, you can still profit from the increasing security consciousness of Kenyans by starting any of the businesses listed below:

·         Import and retail security products such as CCTV, security cameras, metal detectors, etc.

·         Import and retail self defense products such as pepper sprays, mace, batons, etc.

·         Start a seminar brokerage company and organize workshops on security and safety.

·         If you have been in the police or military, you can start an executive protection agency and provide escort services to important personalities and high profile individuals.

·         You can also setup a vehicle tracking company, if you have the capital, technical know-how and manpower.

4. Daycare center

One thing about businesses in Africa is that there fundamentals are the same. When it comes to raising children alongside earning a living, there is really a big global problem especially for mothers. In Kenya, just like there worldwide counterpart; mothers are too busy and don’t have enough time for their babies.

Now there is an option of getting a house help or maid but with increasing number of reported cases of house helps maltreating, abusing, or even selling babies left in their custody (child trafficking is a big time illegal trade); mothers are left with no other choice than to take their kids to childcare centers.

If you think you are up to the challenge, then you can take a leap into this business and reap tremendous reward. However, it is important that “caring for children” should be your passion and don’t forget to hire seasoned nannies and babysitters.

5. Education

Just as in other African countries, there is a growing need for quality education in Kenya. Ghana has taken the lead in West Africa and now has some of the best universities in the continent. You can start by opening a primary or secondary school. Your school does not have to be gigantic in size, you just need to have a high quality standard and you will break even.

6. Traveling salon

As people live longer, there's an increasing need for senior services of all sorts. And not all are related to health care. One such service, a mobile salon that travels to customers' residences to do their hair or nails, has nothing but growth potential.

7. Smartphone repair

Smartphones have become indispensable for both business and personal use. But have you ever tried to get one fixed? It can cost as much to as it does to buy one. Smartphone-repair services are starting to crop up around the country, but for now, this market is wide open.

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Do It Yourself - How To Dye Your Sneakers

Introduction

Canvas sneakers are comfy and cool, but you may not find them in colors you want. Put a spring in your step by setting the shade yourself. With fabric dye, its a cinch to match them to your wardrobe or your mood.

Materials

 

• Large basin or bucket
• Liquid fabric dye
• Salt (if needed; check dye directions)
• White canvas sneakers, laces removed 
• Vaseline jelly

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Instructions

1. Start by preparing your sneakers, removing any laces and removable inserts. To protect the rubber sole from discolouring, coat the sides with a thin layer of Vaseline or petroleum jelly. You don't need too much, just enough to create a barrier between the dye and the rubber.

2. Fill basin with hot water. Add dye, and salt if specified, to water, following manufacturer's instructions for sink or bucket dyeing.

3. Wet sneakers with hot water, and place in dye bath

4. Stir for amount of time stated on dye bottle. Rinse as directed.      

5. Air-dry shoes, or place in dryer.

6. Clean basin immediately to avoid staining.

7. Once your shoes have dried, you can remove the Vaseline from the soles. Take a few teaspoons of baking powder and pour onto the Vaseline. Allow to sit for a couple of minutes and then, using an old dry toothbrush or bristled brush, scrub away at the baking powder. It should start to clump and come away in balls. Continue around the shoe until you have removed all the Vaseline and wipe over with a paper towel. Repeat if necessary until the soles are no longer tacky to touch. (Any residual Vaseline will wear away over time.)

 

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CHECK OUT TOP OFFICIALS UNDER EACC PROBE !!

Cabinet Secretaries
Michael Kamau
Davies Chirchir
Charity Ngilu
Kazungu Kambi
Felix Koskei
Principal Secretaries
Nduva Muli
Mutea Iringo
Francis Kimemia
Governors
Evans Kidero
Alfred Mutua
Hassan Ali Joho
Peter Munya
Isaac Ruto
Cyprian Awiti
Godana Doyo
Ukur Yattani
Nadhif Jama
MPs
PAC members
Agricultural committee members
John Serut
Richard Onyonka
Alfred Keter
Sujiv Birdi
Senators
Johnson Muthama
James Orengo

Civil Servants/Parastatal chiefs
Dr Silas Simiyu
Teko Lopoyetum
Patrick Omutia
Marianne Kittany
Esther Koimett
Charles Tonui
Lucy Mbugua
Patrick Langat

Others to follow

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Hey!!! its business

Once upon a time in a village, a man appeared and announced to the villagers that he would ... buy
monkeys for 1000 bob. The villagers started catching the monkeys. The man bought thousands of monkeys
at 100 and as supply started to diminish, the villagers stopped their effort. He further announced that he
would now buy at 2000. This renewed the efforts of the villagers and they started catching monkeys
again. Soon the supply diminished even further and people started going back to their farms. The offer
rate increased to 2500 and the supply of monkeys became so little that it was an effort to even see a
monkey, let alone catch it! The man now announced that he would buy monkeys at 5000! However, since he had to go to the city on some business, his assistant would now buy on behalf of him. In the absence of the man, the assistant told the villagers "Look at all these monkeys in the big cage that the man has collected. I will sell
them to you at 3500 and when the man returns from the city, you can sell it to him for 5000." The villagers squeezed up with all their savings and bought all the monkeys. Then they never saw the man nor his assistant, only monkeys everywhere!!!

Moral of the Story - Welcome to the "Stock" Market !!!!

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Interesting facts about kenya

A few random observations and interpretations based on my recent visit to this exotic equatorial country.

1) Even though the Kenyans are predominantly meat eaters, they have some very tasty vegetarian dishes like githeri (maize+potatoes+beans), irio (mashed potatoes with greens), ugali (steamed maize cake) with greens, mukimbo (pigeon peas in Swahili coastal style) and others.

2) There is no middle class in Kenya. Either people are really poor or really rich.

3) The Kenyans of Indian-origin form the richest group of people in this East African country. They own everything from shopping malls, hotels, key industries and shops to prime real estate.

4) Ki-Swahili, the national language of Kenya has a lot of words from Hindi and Urdu in their dictionary owing to deep Indian influence in their culture and their history with the kingdom of Arabia especially on their eastern coast. For e.g., chai (tea in hindi), chapati (Indian whole wheat bread in Hindi), kachumbari (mixed vegetables or Kachumbar in Hindi), safiri salama (have a safe journey  or safar salaam ho in Urdu)

5) Kenya is a very expensive country even though the people here are very poor. Cabbage, bought from a farm is 100 Kenyan Shillings (roughly 66 Indian rupees) and the daily newspaper costs 50 Kenyan Shillings (roughly 33 Indian rupees). There are a lot other such instances.

6) In spite of being an equatorial country, Kenya has pretty cold winters in most of its provinces. Some places see multiple seasons in a single day (cold mornings, warm afternoons and evening showers).

7) A very high percentage of the Kenyans speak good English.

8) Even though the Kenyans drive on the left side of the road (right hand drive), they have a US like driving system with a wait, yield and go policy.

9) Kenyan drivers are very patient. Even when stuck in morning and evening traffic in Nairobi.

10) The roads of Kenya are pretty much noiseless. People honk only when someone commits a mistake while driving. A true relief for the ears for a lot of us.

11) Marabou storks (a scavenger bird) nests on top of trees in huge numbers right in the busy part of Nairobi.

12) A lot of Kenyans are unhappy with their government.

13) There are a lot of places in Kenya, which the local himself avoids owing to safety reasons.

14) Nakuru is the theft capital of Kenya. All it requires is a momentary lapse for you to lose your belongings including your car.

15) Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda have a open roads policy. This means that vehicles of these 3 countries are allowed to drive on roads of all these countries provided they have the right passenger papers.

16) The ‘Lunatic Line’, the railway line from Tanzania and Kenya to Uganda, which took a lot of lives is hardly used these days. In fact, I hear that they use it only for irregular trips between Nairobi and Mombasa. And since they are very expensive, the locals give it a miss.

17) Kenya has hardly any road-based public transport system. This holds good for both inter and intra city transport. Matatu (a van that seats 13 people) is what is used by the people for mass transit. These are run by private players.

18) Kenya is highly corrupt. One can easily get out of an offence by paying a bribe.

19) The Chinese are building most of Kenya’s roads.

20) Maasai Mara tourism, single-handedly accounts for a huge chunk of Kenya’s GDP, but in spite of this benevolence, the government doesn’t want to lay a road to Masai Mara from Narok (roughly a 2 and a half hour  bone-rattling ride).

21) Kenya has the world’s largest tropical lake in Lake Victoria, which it shares with Uganda and Tanzania.

22) Kenya has Africa’s second highest peak in Mount Kenya after Mount Kilimanjaro.

23) It is in Kenya’s Rift valley that mankind originated.

24) Tea is grown on a high plateau in Kenya unlike most of the other tea growing areas in the world where it is grown on slopes.

25) A Giraffe can be regularly seen grazing near the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at Nairobi.

26) Toyota has more or less a monopoly in Kenya. Nissan comes a very far second.

27) Indian car brands – Maruti, Tata and Mahindra and Mahindra are considered pathetic automobile brands by the Kenyan locals and are frowned upon. 

28) In spite of Kenya being a democratic country, its citizens face the government with awe and believe that something bad will happen to them if they complain about the government.

29) The Maasai tribals believe that the Maasai Mara is their home land and birth right. They do not like any other tribe entering their space and take key positions. A lot such inter-tribe animosity can be seen regularly.

30) Race bias is very prevalent in Kenya. A person’s surname can be easily mapped to their tribe. Hence, a lot of students today want to register only their first names in school and colleges.

31) On reaching the age of 18, a male belonging to the Masai tribe has to undergo circumcision. If he sheds a single tear, cries or shouts during this event, he is banished forever from the community.

32) A Masai boy has to kill a lion to become a man.

33) Polygamy is pretty much the norm in all of Kenya’s tribes. A chief of the tribe is known to have a huge harem.

34) The Kenyan law supports its women in all domestic matters! There are no questions asked. If a man is hit by wife and he complains, he is thrown into prison.

35) Most of the Kenyans are scared to break the law because of the extremely shoddy treatment meted out in its prison.

36) The Kikuyu tribe has the prettiest women in Kenya.

37) During the annual wildlife migration, the entire masai mara landscape looks like it is crawling with ants. That is how many animals that are dotting the horizon. In fact, few people will ever see more animals (wild or domestic) in one spot.

38) Kenyans love bargaining. Most of their bargains are done in good jest.

39) Some places in Kenya have unbelievably straight roads/highways.

40) Kenyan tribal women are more hard-working than the men, much like their lionesses.

41) A lot of Kenya’s athletes train in the high altitude zone of the central highlands. They can be regularly seen running and cycling on the highways here.

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