Many Kenyans think you need hundreds of thousands to start a serious business. That is not true. With 50K or less, you can start a simple, well-planned business that feeds you for years.
The secret is not the amount of money. The secret is planning, discipline and choosing a business that fits your area.
This guide shares practical business ideas that an ordinary Kenyan can start in any county with about 50K or less. Most of them work even better in rural areas and small towns where rent and expenses are low.
Before you start any of them, remember:
✔️ Treat 50K like 500K
✔️ Do not lend start-up capital to friends or family
✔️ Avoid using business money for personal needs
✔️ Record every shilling that comes in and goes out
If you cannot manage 50K, you will struggle even with 200K.
1. Duka or Small Retail Shop
A small shop that sells daily household items is one of the most stable businesses in Kenya. People always need sugar, bread, maize flour, milk, soap and tissue.
With about 40K–50K you can:
✔️ Pay deposit and first month’s rent in a small centre or estate
✔️ Put simple shelves
✔️ Stock basic items with long shelf-life
This business works especially well in rural trading centres and estates that are far from supermarkets. If you live in town but come from a rural area, you can open a shop back home where rent is cheaper and customers are loyal.
Key tips:
📌 Start with essentials only
📌 Avoid selling on credit
📌 Keep simple records of sales and stock
2. Small Beauty Shop for Women
Women and girls always want to look good, and beauty products never lack market. A small beauty shop selling lotions, perfumes, make-up, hair products and earrings can do very well in estates and markets.
With around 50K you can:
✔️ Get shelves and simple branding
✔️ Stock fast-moving products like lotions, hair food, nail polish, lip gloss and body sprays
✔️ Position your shop near salons or busy estates
You can also sell to salonists in your area. Use WhatsApp and Facebook to post your products and attract more customers.
3. Women’s Salon
If you know how to braid or style hair, a women’s salon is a powerful idea. You can start with one chair, one mirror, a hair dryer and basic tools.
What you can offer:
✔️ Braiding and retouching
✔️ Hair washing and treatment
✔️ Weave and wig installation
✔️ Kids’ hairstyles
The salon can be opened in a small town, rural trading centre or estate. Many successful salons started in very small rooms. Cleanliness, good customer service and neat work matter more than expensive décor.
4. Kinyozi (Barbershop)
A simple barbershop serving men and boys does not require a lot of capital or space. One shaving machine, a mirror, a chair and a few products like aftershave and spirit are enough to begin.
This business is good near:
✔️ Estates
✔️ Market centres
✔️ Schools or hostels
If you keep the place clean and offer friendly service, men will become loyal and come every week or two. You can add extra income through beard grooming and selling small products like combs or hair food.
5. Electronics and Phone Accessories Shop
Almost everyone owns a phone. Accessories like chargers, earphones, USB cables, bulbs and extension cables move quickly.
With about 50K you can:
✔️ Rent a small stall
✔️ Buy a glass display
✔️ Stock fast-moving accessories
✔️ Add a few small electronics such as bulbs, torches and cables
Place the shop near cyber cafés, MPESA shops, stages or markets. Use WhatsApp Status to show new arrivals and promotions.
6. Phone Repair Shop
If you or someone you know can repair phones, this is a high-profit business. Screens break, batteries die and charging systems fail every single day.
Your 50K can cover:
✔️ Basic tool kit and soldering iron
✔️ Common replacement parts
✔️ Simple table, chair and branding
✔️ One month’s rent
Even if you are not a technician, you can hire or partner with one and focus on running the shop. Honest repairs and fast turnaround create strong trust and repeat business.
7. Cyber Service Centre
You do not need many computers to start. A medium cyber service centre can operate with just one laptop and one printer.
Services you can offer:
✔️ Printing, scanning and photocopying (if you add a copier later)
✔️ eCitizen services
✔️ KRA, HELB, NSSF and NHIF assistance
✔️ CV typing and job applications
✔️ School applications and forms filling
This kind of business does well near government offices, schools, markets and estates. Many Kenyans still need help with online systems.
8. Cereals and Grains Shop
A grains shop selling rice, beans, maize, ndengu, lentils and flour is a strong business because food never goes out of demand.
With about 50K you can:
✔️ Get shelves, containers and a weighing scale
✔️ Buy initial stock of popular cereals
✔️ Rent a small room in a market or estate
Grains have a long shelf-life if stored well. Keep the shop clean and dry, and always be honest with weights and quality.
9. Mitumba Clothes Business
Mitumba is flexible. You can:
✔️ Open a bale
✔️ Sell camera pieces (first-selection clothes)
✔️ Mix one bale with camera pieces in a small shop
You can specialise in:
- Ladies’ clothes
- Children’s wear
- Jeans and jackets
- Office wear
Mitumba works in every county because clothes are a basic need. Clean display, fair prices and friendly service bring quick results. Use WhatsApp and Facebook to post your best pieces.
10. Fast-Moving Food Business
Rapid-turnover foods like chapati, mandazi, maandazi, samosas, smokies, chips and boiled eggs can bring daily cash.
You can start:
✔️ A small kibanda near a stage or market
✔️ A home-based operation selling to offices, schools or boda riders
✔️ A simple set-up with a jiko, sufurias and table
Food business needs strict cleanliness and discipline. Start with one or two items, make them very well, and grow from there.
11. Mobile Street Food Vending
If you cannot afford rent yet, you can start as a mobile vendor selling:
- Boiled eggs
- Smokies and sausages
- Roasted maize
- Roasted groundnuts
- Packed snacks or fruits
Move where people are: stages, markets, outside bars (where allowed) or evening estates. This is a good way to test the market before you open a permanent kibanda.
12. MPESA and Small Financial Booth
In busy centres, an MPESA line plus a small float can earn good commission every month. You can combine MPESA with:
- Selling airtime
- Phone accessories
- Simple stationery
- Bill payment services
Choose a location with high traffic and low competition. Security is very important here.
Key Things to Avoid if You Want These Businesses to Succeed
⚠️ Do not lend out your start-up capital
⚠️ Do not mix business money and personal money
⚠️ Do not rush to rent in very expensive buildings
⚠️ Do not start without basic research
⚠️ Do not copy a business simply because someone else is doing it
💡 Start small, learn your customers, then grow slowly and steadily.
Money Discipline: The Real Secret
Whichever business you choose:
✔️ Record every coin that comes in and goes out
✔️ Separate business and personal accounts
✔️ Restock before stock is finished
✔️ Reinvest profits instead of increasing your lifestyle too early
Good discipline on 50K today opens the door to managing 200K or 500K in future.
Start Smart with Luvisia Digital
Luvisia Digital exists to help Kenyans plan and start simple, profitable businesses with realistic budgets.
We will continue posting detailed, free business guides for:
- Duka
- Beauty shop
- Salons
- Electronics
- Phone repair
- Cereals
- Mitumba
- Food vending
- And more
For a personalised business plan tailored to your area and the business you want:
Cost: KSh 1,000
Visit: www.luvisiadigital.com and place your request.
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