10 Best Business To Start With 5k In Kenya (2024)

There are different things you can do with 5K in Kenya. For some wealthy folks, that’s enough for a dinner for two or a night out with friends…

But for someone who has had it rough, the 5K could be the stepping stone to kick-starting your entrepreneurial journey, and I will share with you ideas for a business to start with 5k in Kenya.

With 5K, you can start a creative craft, water distribution, weight measurement, perfume, mobile nail technician, grocery store, clown entertainer, Mitumba trading, street vending, or liquid soap-making business.

So, there are at least ten inspirational small business ideas to consider. Their simplicity makes them unique, and the demand already exists in the country. They are proof that you can start a business with little capital.

Before I walk you through the above business ideas, I’ll discuss the elements of a good business idea, even with 5K.

Let’s dive in!

In a hurry? Below is a summary of the ten business ideas and their average earnings.

10 Most Profitable Business to Start with 5k in Kenya – A Summary

	Small Business Idea	Potential Earning
1.	Creative Craft Business	Ksh 500 – Ksh 2,000 per day
2.	Bottled Water Distribution	Ksh 500 – Ksh 1,000 per day
3.	Weight Measurement	Ksh 300 – Ksh 500 per day
4.	Perfume Selling	Ksh 1,000 – Ksh 2,000 per day
5.	Mobile Nail Technician	Ksh 500 – Ksh 2,000 per day
6.	Local Grocery Store	Ksh 300 – Ksh 1,000 per day
7.	Clown Entertainer	Ksh 5,000 – Ksh 10,000 per event
8.	Mitumba Trading	Ksh 500 – Ksh 1,000 per day
9.	Street Food Vending	Ksh 500 – Ksh 1,000 per day
10.	Liquid Soap Making	Ksh 2500 profit

Elements of A Good Small Business to Start with 5k in Kenya

Every small business idea is unique in its way. However, three elements unify every potentially successful business, and they are as follows:

1. Clear Demand for the Product or Service

It’s vital that you start a business that you already identified a market for. There should be a clear demand for whatever you are trying to sell if you don’t want to be disappointed.

Here are some tips that can help you with that:

• Solve a problem – Identify a problem around you and let your business be its solution. For example, if people can’t find cheap food nearby, setting up a stall and selling a few fast foods or doing lunch deliveries makes sense.
• Ask around – It doesn’t hurt to ask what people want. Try your friends and families, as they are more likely to tell you as it is. Ask them what may work in your area or the problems that most consumers face.
• Try what’s trendy – Is there a particular product or style that people are really into? That might be the inspiration you need to start a business.

2. Sense of Motivation

You should be self-driven to start a business. Find something you enjoy doing. It could be a skill you have or a hobby you can monetize.

Whatever it is, let the business have a sense of motivation. You wouldn’t want to start a business with your heart fixed on something else.

The more you love what you do, the more fulfilled you become and the likelier it is to scale (as I explain next) and become a master of your craft.

3. Scalability

Though you can only start small, the end goal should be growing the business as much as possible. For that reason, you should look at a business you can scale. It should have room for growth.

Just ask around; most people with successful hotels probably started with a small eatery or perhaps selling food on the streets. Others with huge stores probably started with small stalls, and they grew.

You have to start somewhere but ensure that whatever it is, there is room for growth.

What Business Can I Start with 5k in Kenya?

Now that you know what elements to focus on when looking to start a business with 5K, here are ten ideas to inspire you:

1. Start a Creative Craft Business

(Potential Earning: Ksh 500 – Ksh 2,000 Per Day)

Can you make beadwork jewelry, mats, rugs, home décor, or any other craft? If so, then 5k will be enough to get this business started.

You can source your supplies locally from places like Kariokor and Gikomba, and in case you lack the skill, there are so many videos on YouTube that you can use as a guide.

Overall, you can promote your creative crafts on social media or sell on the streets and get to make Ksh 500 – Ksh 2,000 per day.

2. Distribute Bottled Drinking Water

(Potential Earning: Ksh 500 – Ksh 1,000 Per Day)

The bottled water economy is growing fast, especially in the event planning sector. All you have to do is talk to event organizers and convince them that you can supply them with bottled drinking water from trusted water companies.

You then need to get the water from those companies, supply it to your clients, and make some profit. It’s that simple! And you can make Ksh 500 – Ksh 1,000 per day.

3. ‘Pima Weight’ Business

(Potential Earning: Ksh 300 – Ksh 500 Per Day)

You must have seen the ‘Pima Weight’ guys on the streets. The truth is that Kenyans are conscious of their weight, and they want to keep an eye on it every time.

Given that it takes Ksh 10 to weigh on the streets, most people will do it, enabling you to make Ksh 300 – Ksh 500 per day on a busy street.

As for the 5K capital, that’s enough to get a decent mid-priced weighing scale and have some money left for the city council.

4. Sell Perfumes

(Potential Earning: Ksh 1,000 – Ksh 2,000 Per Day)

Another trending business is the perfume business, which has been so for as long as I can remember. You can buy packed perfumes and sell them at a profit or engage in the refill business.

If I were you, I’ll combine both and get to make Ksh 1,000 – Ksh 2,000 per day.

5. Become a Mobile Nail Technician

(Potential Earning: Ksh 500 – Ksh 2,000 Per Day)

Women are really into their nails, like they are really into their hair. The two are almost inseparable.

While you may need more money to establish a nail salon, 5K is enough to run a mobile option. All you have to do is go to where the clients are and do their nails.

As a start, you may make Ksh 500 – Ksh 2,000 per day, depending on how big your mobile pedicure/manicure business is.

6. Open a Local Grocery Store

(Potential Earning: Ksh 300 – Ksh 1,000 Per Day)

There can never be too many ‘Mama Mbogas.’ No matter how many they are in the neighborhood, they’ll make sales as people have to eat.

So, how about you start a grocery store locally and invest your 5K? Depending on location, you can make Ksh 300 – Ksh 1,000 a day selling fresh fruits, vegetables, and other grocery supplies.

7. Become a Clown Entertainer

(Potential Earning: Ksh 5,000 – Ksh 10,000 Per Event)

We all need a dose of laughter, especially at events with kids, and that’s where clowns are in demand.

Can you pull up stunts in costume and crack people’s ribs, especially kids? If yes, use the Ksh 5,000 to buy or rent some costumes and start working as an entertainer clown on the weekends.

You can make Ksh 5,000 – Ksh 10,000 per event on a good day.

8. Sell Mitumba

(Potential Earning: Ksh 500 – Ksh 1,000 Per Day)

When discussing small investment businesses with lucrative prospects, it’s hard to overlook the second-hand clothes and shoes business (famously Mitumba). With Ksh 5,000, you can get a bale in Gikomba and start selling single pieces, making you Ksh 500 – Ksh 1,000 per day.

9. Sell Street Food

(Potential Earning: Ksh 500 – Ksh 1,000 Per Day)

People must eat, and if you ask proud Kenyans, nothing tastes better than street food. We are talking about Chapati, Mandazi, Samosa, Chips, Smokies, Roast Maize, Githeri, and Roast Sweet Potato, to name a few.

If you can do this, consider selling food on the streets, and you can average Ksh 500 – Ksh 1,000 daily in return. 

10. Make and Sell Liquid Soap

(Potential Earning: Ksh 2500 Profit)

Lastly, consider making liquid soap and selling it. This is one of those businesses you can start with 1K or less as the supplies are cheap. On average, you can spend at most Ksh 1,000 on supplies enough to make 30L of liquid soap.

If you sell to local shops at Ksh 50 per liter, you’ll make Ksh 500 profit per Ksh 1000 investment or more. So, that gives you at least Ksh 2,500 if you invest the whole 5K. Overall, you can get the ingredients from any shop dealing with soap products.

People Also Ask

1. What Business Can I Start with 5k in Nairobi?

Nairobi is a vibrant city with high traffic and lots of busy people. Some businesses that can do well on the streets of Nairobi with a 5k budget include Mitumba selling, street food, hawking, fresh fruit, weight measurement, and ice cream vending business.

But still, you can pursue others outside the streets and probably from home, such as Dropshipping, daycare services, blogging, and handyperson services, to name a few.

2. What Business Can I Start with 3k in Kenya?

There are so many businesses to start with 3K. For example, you can begin a painting, home salon, mobile nail technician, ice cream vending, local grocery, or Mitumba business. You can also try daycare services, home tutoring, weight measurement, and clown entertainment.

3. What Can I Invest with 5K in Kenya?

You don’t need a lot to start investing in Kenya. With 5K, you can take up any of these little-money investment opportunities in the country:

• REITs (real estate investment trusts)
• Money market funds
• Treasury bonds
• Equity funds
• Stocks
• Blogging business (launch a blog)
• Start a side hustle

Concluding Thought On Business to Start with 5k in Kenya:

Above are the smartest ways to invest your hard-earned 5K and start calling yourself a business owner.

Yes, the returns may be small at the beginning, which is expected, and sometimes you may even fail to make any, but once you are committed and give it your all, you will surely succeed.

We at Cent Warrior are here to provide you with curated information, and our goal is to inspire you to pursue your entrepreneurial dream and eventually become financially fit. We hope this piece will set you up for this fantastic course!

Also Read:

• How You Can Make 5K Fast