All around you are opportunities for you to turn your skills, talents, experiences and education into extra income. With careful planning and implementation, this extra income can become a successful business. Below are 60 easy to start businesses that you can get into with KShs. 5,000/- or less.
The main idea here is to look for options that do not require going back to school or investing money in a franchise or other physical startup costs.
Main Easy to Start Businesses
Personal Services
(Also known as concierge or personal assistant. This includes anything you do that you can hire yourself out to do for other people)
- Personal shopper
- Laundry
- Cooking
- Household cleaning and maintenance
- House sitting
- Errands, including paying bills
- Shopping
- Car detailing
- Coordinate home or car repairs
- Researching, hiring and supervising vendors
- Transport for children
- Elderly care or helping people who have just been released from hospital e.g. companionship, transport, shopping, chores, home case management
- Childcare Pets: care, grooming, sitting, exercising – you have to love animals
(Tip: Pets and elderly care are premium services in upmarket areas)
Packaging Information for Sale
- Writing and selling books & eBooks
- Article writing
- Ghostwriting
- Copywriting
- Creating proposals for funding
- Creating business plans
Seasonal Businesses
- Selling umbrellas and rain coats during the rainy season
- Valentines
- Christmas
- School holiday events for children
(Tip: hawkers have got this one cornered…observe what they sell each season for ideas…)
Professional Services
- Consulting
- Coaching
- Counselling
- Motivational speaking
- Facilitating workshops
- Teaching of all kinds (physical and online)
- Tutoring children
- Professional organizer
- Sports
- Home repair and improvement
- Interior and exterior décor
- Any type of consulting
Product Sales
- Network marketing
- Affiliate marketing e.g. Amazon.com
- Online selling e.g. eBay
- Selling your own eBooks and e-courses
Crafts
- Knitwear, clothes, shoes
- Baking special cakes
- Any design work
- Exclusive furniture, furnishings and decorations
Entertainment and Events
- DJ or MC
- Theme parties
- Singing
- Playing instruments
- Magic shows
- After school & holiday events
- Fun kid and adult classes (e.g. dance)
- Weddings
- Birthday parties
- Bachelor parties and bridal showers
- Pre-wedding parties and wedding fundraisers
- Baby showers
- Holiday catering
Specialized Websites
(Depends highly on your interests, hobbies and skills)
- Any hobby or interest that can be turned into an online business
- Online shopping sites
- Focused on specific niches e.g. children, pregnancy and childbirth, making/saving money, relationships, coaches, sales people/marketers
- Teaching people how to master a skill you’re good at e.g. blogging, photography, cooking, etc
If you cannot find an idea that appeals to you in this list, come up with one by asking yourself, “What are some business ideas I can implement today at a starting cost of not more than 5,000/- (preferably 0/-)?”
Do you have any ideas that I’ve missed out? Share them with us in the Comments section below.
Image credit: Stuart Miles (www.freedigitalphotos.net)
