15 Easy Best Business To Start With 10k In Kenya [2024]

“A big business starts small,” according to British Business Magnate Sir Richard Branson. That got me thinking of what business to start with 10k in Kenya, and I will share my findings. 

With a 10k capital, you can start a blogging, freelance, Dropshipping, YouTube, home salon, nail parlor, ice cream, barbershop, home cleaning, Mitumba, street food, fruit vending, vegetable farming, poultry farming, or agriculture consultancy business. 

I’ve grouped these business ideas into four groups: online business, services business, retail business, and agribusiness. That means there’s something for everyone online and offline to pursue with an investment of Ksh 10,000 or even less. 

I’ll discuss the above opportunities, which I think are very lucrative, and share tips for developing a low-capital business idea. 

Let’s dive in!

In a hurry? Below is a summary of the best business ideas to start with 10k and the potential earnings. 

15 Best Business Ideas to Start with 10k in Kenya

–	Business Idea	Potential Earning (Ksh)
1.	Blogging Business	Up to Ksh 150,000 a month
2.	Freelance Business	Up to Ksh 5,000 per day
3.	Dropshipping Business	Up to Ksh 100,000 per month
4.	YouTube Channel	Up to Ksh 200,000 per month
5.	Home Salon	Up to Ksh 4,000 per day
6.	Local Barbershop	Up to Ksh 2,000 per day
7.	Nail Parlor	Up to Ksh 5,000 per day
8.	Ice Cream Vending	Up to Ksh 1,000 per day
9.	Home Cleaning Business	Up to Ksh 3,000 per house
10.	Mitumba Business	Up to Ksh 3,000 profit per bale
11.	Street Food Vending	Up to Ksh 2,000 per day
12.	Fruit Vending	Up to Ksh 2,000 per day
13.	Vegetable Farming	Up to Ksh 50,000 per harvest
14	Poultry Farming	Ksh 10,000 – Ksh 25,000 a month
15.	Agriculture Consultancy	Up to Ksh 2,000 per client

How to Come Up with the Best Idea for a Business to Start with 10K in Kenya

 “Opportunities don’t happen. You create them.” advises author Chris Grosser.

If you wish to run a prosperous business, you must create your opportunity, and it takes these ideas to get started. 

a) Evaluate Your Skills 

What are your skills? They could be your entry into the entrepreneurial world.

It could be inborn or perhaps something acquired through training. Whatever it is, find ways to monetize it after investing your small capital. 

For example, if you are a skilled hairdresser, it makes sense to start a hairdressing business. On the other hand, if you are an experienced farmer, then farming makes more sense.

And if you are a writer like me, you can look for writing gigs or start a blog. 

b) Consider Your Interests 

“You can never achieve real success unless you like what you’re doing,” according to American writer Dale Carnegie. If you ever want to take giant strides in business, you must enjoy what you do. 

So, what are your interests? If it’s cooking, then consider pursuing something in the culinary world. And if it’s fitness, tutoring, or comedy, do the same. 

c) Solve a Problem (Invent A Solution) 

According to the late Televangelist Myles Monroe, “Every problem is a business.” Don’t look at it as an obstacle to progress but as an opportunity to develop a solution that earns your money. 

“Your value in life is determined by problems you solve,” advised Dr. Monroe.

Just look at people like Bill Gates, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Steve Jobs, and Benjamin Franklin. They are among the greatest inventors ever (and the richest) because they solved a problem. 

d) Improve What Exists 

Though innovating makes more sense, it’s not cast in stone. You can still create a successful business by adding value to what’s already there. 

For example, it could be that what’s there is slightly low quality or too expensive. It could also be that it doesn’t solve some issues consumers expect it to crack. If so, see ways you can make it better. 

e) Observe Consumer Trends 

You can develop a fantastic low-capital business idea by observing customer behavior. What do customers want? What are they complaining about? And what do they prefer to have?

You can identify an opportunity to start and build a successful business by answering such questions. It’s also good to keep up to date with the latest business news to keep track of the trends. 

What Business Can One Start with 10k in Kenya?

Now that you at least know how to develop a low-investment idea in Kenya, let me inspire you with a few business ideas. I’ll break down the business ideas into these four categories: 

• Online business ideas 
• Service business ideas 
• Retail business ideas 
• Agribusiness ideas 

Let’s dive in! 

Online Business Ideas to Start with 10k in Kenya 

The advantage of working online is that you can work from anywhere without worrying about paying for extra rental space. Here are the business ideas to consider with 10k capital. 

1. Blogging Business (Potential Earning: Up to Ksh 150,000 Per Month)

If you are a passionate writer who wants to pursue a career and make a living doing what you love, I’ll advise you to try blogging. 

My passion for writing moved me to create this blog (Cent Warrior) to share essential insights like today’s topic and this personal financial plan guide for those looking to get out of debt and attain financial freedom.

But other than that, blogging pays the bill. You can make up to Ksh 150,000 monthly blogging depending on traffic and monetization techniques.

Note that you wouldn’t make that much right away in blogging. Building authority with your blog takes time, and you need that to command heavy traffic, which translates to earnings.

2. Freelance Business (Potential Earning: Up to Ksh 5,000 Per Day)

Do you have script writing, proofreading, transcription, web design, programming, graphic design, copywriting, or article writing skills? Those are grounds to start a freelance business on Upwork or any other platform. 

With 10k, you can get a second-half laptop for about Ksh 8k and use the rest for internet bundles and stationery.

Depending on your proficiency, you can make up to Ksh 5,000 a day if the average earning per hour is Ksh 1,000 and you commit 5 hours daily. 

3. Dropshipping Business  (Potential Earning: Up to Ksh 100,000 Per Month)

Imagine having to promote and sell products online without physically holding the inventory! That’s the opportunity Dropshipping offers you.

All you’ve to do is talk to a supplier and be the marketing middleman between them and the customer. You’ll market the product online (on your website or social media), wait to receive customer orders, and then relay them to the supplier for the fulfillment, as you keep the profit.

With Ksh 10k, you’ve enough to get started. 

4.  YouTube Channel (Potential Earning: Up to Ksh 200,000 A Month)

Are you a creative content creator who would love to share some of your cooking tips, DIY guides, or anything else? YouTube allows you to do just that and earn from views.

Though the signup is free, the Ksh 10,000 may help you get a decent secondhand camera if you don’t have one or upgrade your phone. Even better, you can make up to $2K (over Ksh 200,000) monthly on YouTube if you’ve viral content.

Service Business to Start with 10k Kenya

If you have a skill and would want to offer a paid service, consider these ideas:

5. Home Salon (Potential Earning: Up to Ksh 4,000 a Day)

If you are a skilled hairdresser but can’t raise enough capital to rent a room and buy high-end equipment, consider starting from where you are. 

You can either go to people’s homes or ask them to come to yours, and you can increase your inventory as you get more clients. 

6. Local Barbershop (Potential Earning: Up to Ksh 2,000 Per Day)

Perhaps you are good at cutting people’s hair. If so, you don’t need much money to set up a barbershop. While an executive Barbershop is one of the few businesses to start with Ksh 500K or more to set up, Ksh 10K will do for a local Kinyozi.  

With it, you can get a decent hair chipper, a secondhand barber chair, and essential barber supplies. You can then reinvest the earnings to grow your barbershop business. Overall, you can make up to Ksh 2,000 on a decent day, charging Ksh 50 – Ksh 100 per head.

7. Nail Parlor (Potential Earning: Up to Ksh 5,000 Per Day)

Nowadays, artificial nails are a new trend among women in Kenya. They all want to look good, which has seen nail salons or parlors emerge. 

Start a nail parlor in your neighborhood if you are good with doing manicures, painting nails, or adding stickers (artificial nails). The 10k will be enough for renting a small stall and getting a few supplies, and you can make up to Ksh 5K a day. 

8. Ice Cream Vendor (Potential Earning: Up to Ksh 1,000 Per Day)

Kenyans, especially kids, like ice cream. So, perhaps this is something to pursue. You can learn it on YouTube if you don’t have the skill. 

You’ll probably need a freezer (or cooler), an ice maker, and ice-making ingredients, which you can get with 10k. You can make up to Ksh 1k daily as an ice cream vendor. 

9. Home Cleaning Business (Potential Earning: Up to Ksh 3,000 Per Day)

Not everyone has the time to clean their houses, especially in urban areas. Some would instead hire someone to do it, and that’s where you come in with your home cleaning business. 

With 10k, you can get a decent vacuum cleaner for about 8k and use the rest for the brooms, gloves, mob, and other supplies. In terms of charges, you can charge up to Ksh 3,000 per house. 

Retail Business to Start with 10k in Kenya 

Now, if you are passionate about the retail sector and you only have Ksh 10,000, consider these business ideas: 

10. Mitumba Business (Potential Earning: Up to Ksh 3,000 Per Bale)

Kenya is a Mitumba (secondhand wear) society. So many people wear Mitumba clothes, especially the popular camera grade.

With about Ksh 8k, you can get a decent bale of camera Mitumba which can make you up to Ksh 3,000 if you sell directly to consumers. 

The secret to growing this business is reinvesting the profit quickly and picking suitable locations to sell the clothes. Alternatively, you can sell the clothes and offer pieces to other vendors. 

11. Street Food Vendor (Potential Earning: Up to Ksh 2,000 Per Day)

Other than Mitumba clothes, you’ll likely notice street food on the streets of Nairobi and other towns. From samosas and boiled eggs to meat delicacies and fries, there’s a lot you can prepare and sell on the streets.

You’ll need a county government permit to pursue this business, but 10k should be enough to get you started, and you can make up to Ksh 2k per day. 

12. Fruit Vending (Potential Earning: Up to Ksh 2,000 Per Day)

Fruit vending is another popular business on the streets of Kenya. We turn to these vendors when we want something refreshing on a hot afternoon or cheap but healthy. 

If you get good fruits, you can set everything up with a 10k budget and earn up to Ksh 2,000 on a good day. 

Agribusiness Ideas to Start with 10k in Kenya

And lastly, consider these business ideas if you are passionate about agriculture and only have Ksh 10,000:

13. Vegetable Farming (Potential Earning: Up to Ksh 50,000 Per Harvest)

Though often forgotten, vegetable farming is one of the most lucrative low-capital business ideas. With Ksh 10k, you can lease a piece of land for a year, get seedlings and fertilizers and set up your vegetable farm. 

Some of the most in-demand vegetables are kale (Sukuma Wiki), spinach, lettuce, cabbage, cucumbers, carrots, and cilantro (Dania). If successful, you could make up to Ksh 50,000 per harvest. 

14. Poultry Farming (Potential Earning: Ksh 10,000 – Ksh 25,000 Per Month)

Poultry farming doesn’t have to be expensive. You can start something small with Ksh 10k and make Ksh 10,000 – Ksh 25,000 monthly. 

Of course, this business will need space, making it unfavorable for city dwellers. You can keep a few chickens for eggs or meat. It’s essential, however, to do proper research before pursuing this business venture. 

15. Agriculture Consultancy (potential earning: Up to Ksh 2,000 Per Client) 

Are you an agronomist, soil scientist, crop pathologist, GMO specialist, feed production, animal or plant breeding expert, or any other agriculture professional? If yes, then you should try offering agriculture consultancy services. 

The Ksh 10k is enough to rent an office somewhere outside town and get a business permit and a few basic supplies. You can then market your business and wait for your first client.

If you are good at what you do, this can earn you up to Ksh 2k per client in consultancy. 

Ready to Start Your First Business with 10k in Kenya?

Now you know what business to start with 10k in Kenya. The opportunities are there for the taking, and I’ve even shared tips on how to come up with one. 

If you think you are ready, pursue the idea, and if you need an expert opinion about a particular business, we’ll be glad to help. Talk to us on social media today, and we’ll happily inspire you to start creating your business empire, which we believe you can. 

Also Read:

• Best Business Ideas for Rural Kenya