15 Best Businesses You Can Start in Kenya With Only KSh 10K

So you’ve got KSh 10,000 and you’re looking at it wondering if you can actually start something real. Not a side hustle that dies in two weeks.

Here’s the truth: most people lose their 10K in the first month because they pick the wrong business or quit too early. But some people turn that same 10K into 50K, then 100K, then a full business that pays bills.

What’s the difference? They picked businesses with fast turnover, high margins, and local demand. They didn’t chase trends. They solved real problems for real people with real money.

This guide shows you 15 businesses you can start with KSh 10,000 or less. I’m not here to hype you up. I’m here to show you what actually works in Kenya right now, in 2026, with specific numbers and zero BS.

TL;DR: Businesses you can start with 10k

Can you really start a business with KSh 10,000? Yes, but only if you pick right.

Best options for fast returns: Mitumba (100-300% markup), chapati/mandazi selling (30-50% daily margins), phone accessories (60-100% margins), boiled eggs and smokies (40-60% profit).

Best for low risk: Freelancing (zero capital if you have skills), M-Pesa agent (if you can get float), brokering (zero capital, pure commission).

Timeline to profit: Food businesses can make money day one. Resale businesses break even in 2-4 weeks. Service businesses take 1-3 months to build clients.

Common mistakes that kill 10K businesses: Picking slow-moving inventory, bad location, mixing business money with personal cash, quitting before 90 days, no marketing.

What you need besides 10K: Consistency for at least 90 days, a specific location or customer base, basic business discipline (tracking money), willingness to start small and ugly.

Now let’s break down each business.

1. Mitumba Business (Secondhand Clothes)

• Startup Cost: KSh 5,000 to 10,000
• Profit Margin: 100-300%
• Break-even Time: 2-4 weeks

This is the most tested biashara ndogo ndogo Kenya has. Why? Because it works.

How It Works: Buy selected mitumba pieces from Gikomba Market (Nairobi), Toi Market, or Muthurwa early morning (5-7 AM when prices are lowest). A shirt that costs you KSh 50 sells for KSh 150-300. Jeans bought at KSh 100 sell for KSh 300-500.

What Your 10K Gets You:

• 50-80 selected pieces (don’t buy bales blindly at first)
• Transport to and from the market
• Simple display materials (hangers, rope, tarp)

Where to Sell: Bus stops, college gates, residential estates, weekend markets, or online via Instagram and Facebook Marketplace.

You’ll spend your first week figuring out what sells in your area. Expect to make KSh 1,500-3,000 profit per week initially. As you learn what moves fast, profits climb to KSh 4,000-8,000 weekly.

The Jua Kali sector in Kenya has proven this business model for decades. It’s not glamorous, but it’s profitable.

Pro Tip: Specialize. Don’t sell everything. Pick baby clothes, men’s jeans, or ladies’ dresses. Customers trust specialists more than general vendors.

2. Chapati and Mandazi Selling

• Startup Cost: KSh 3,500 to 7,000
• Profit Margin: 30-50% daily
• Break-even Time: Immediate (profit from day one)

Food vending is one of the fastest ways to turn 10K into daily cash. Kenyans eat every day.

Location and consistency win.

Startup Breakdown:

• Flour (2kg): KSh 300
• Cooking oil: KSh 500
• Jiko or portable burner: KSh 2,000-3,000
• Pan, knife, bowl: KSh 1,000
• Packaging materials: KSh 500
• First week ingredients: KSh 1,500

How It Works: Make 50 chapatis in the morning. Cost per chapati: KSh 15-20. Sell at KSh 30-40. That’s KSh 500-1,000 profit per batch if you sell out.

Mandazis cost even less. One mandazi costs KSh 3-5 to make, sells for KSh 10.

Best Locations: Construction sites (workers need breakfast), bus stops during morning rush, outside offices at lunch, near schools.

First week you’ll struggle with timing and portions. By week two, you’ll know exactly how much to make. Selling out is better than leftovers.

This is agriculture small scale at its simplest, using locally sourced ingredients and feeding daily demand.

Warning: Food businesses require cleanliness. One customer getting sick kills your reputation forever.

3. Phone Accessories Vending

• Startup Cost: KSh 8,000 to 10,000
• Profit Margin: 60-100%
• Break-even Time: 6-8 weeks

High margins, no spoilage, growing demand. Perfect for hustles that need small capital.

What to Stock:

• Phone cases (buy at KSh 50, sell at KSh 150-250)
• Screen protectors (buy at KSh 30, sell at KSh 100-150)
• Earphones (buy at KSh 80, sell at KSh 200-300)
• Charging cables (buy at KSh 50, sell at KSh 150-200)

Where to Buy Stock: Luthuli Avenue or River Road in Nairobi (wholesale electronics markets).

Where to Sell: Matatu stages, town centers, college campuses, roadsides with foot traffic.

Expect to make KSh 1,500-3,000 daily once you find your spot. First month is learning which items move in your location.

This is a staple in cheap businesses in Kenya because the turnover is fast and everybody needs these items.

Pro Tip: Specialize in one phone brand (Samsung, Infinix, Tecno). Customers trust you more when you’re “the Samsung guy” rather than selling everything.

4. Boiled Eggs and Smokies

• Startup Cost: KSh 5,000 to 8,000
• Profit Margin: 40-60%
• Break-even Time: 1-2 weeks

Simple. Profitable. Proven. This is how many Kenyan SMEs started.

Startup Breakdown:

• Trolley or table: KSh 3,000-4,000
• Jiko and charcoal: KSh 1,500
• Pots and serving utensils: KSh 800
• First stock (3 trays of eggs, 2 packets smokies): KSh 1,500

How It Works: Buy eggs at KSh 12-15 each, boil and sell at KSh 20-25. Buy smokies at KSh 20, sell at KSh 30-40. The margins compound when you add kachumbari (costs KSh 50 to make, serves 20 customers).

Best Spots: Bus stops, outside bars in the evening, near construction sites, town centers during lunch hours.

You’ll make KSh 500-1,500 daily depending on location and traffic. Weekends are slower. Weekdays near offices print money.

Warning: Start early (6:30 AM) and stay consistent. Customers need to know you’re there every day.

5. Freelance Writing/Content Creation

• Startup Cost: KSh 0 to 2,000 (data bundles only)
• Profit Margin: 100% (pure service, no product cost)
• Break-even Time: 1-3 months

If you can write decent English, this is the best online business Kenya has for low capital businesses in Kenya.

What You Need:

• Smartphone or laptop
• Internet connection
• Basic writing skills
• Account on Upwork, Fiverr, or Freelancer

How to Start: Create a profile on freelance platforms. Start with low rates (KSh 50-100 per 100 words) to build reviews. After 10-20 jobs, raise your rates to KSh 200-400 per 100 words.

Month one: You’ll apply to 50 jobs, get maybe 2-5. Earn KSh 3,000-8,000.
Month three: You’ll have repeat clients. Earn KSh 15,000-30,000.
Month six: If you’re good, KSh 40,000-80,000 monthly is realistic.

This isn’t fast money. It’s building skills that pay forever.

Pro Tip: Specialize in one niche (health articles, tech reviews, business content). Generic writers starve. Specialists eat.

6. Fruit Salad and Juice Vending

• Startup Cost: KSh 6,000 to 10,000
• Profit Margin: 50-70%
• Break-even Time: 2-3 weeks

Healthy eating is growing in Kenya, especially near offices and colleges. Profitable small businesses Kenya needs more of.

Startup Breakdown:

• Chopping board, knives, containers: KSh 2,000
• Cooler box: KSh 2,500
• First fruit stock (pineapples, watermelon, mangoes): KSh 3,000
• Packaging (cups, lids): KSh 1,000

How It Works: Buy fruits wholesale early morning from Wakulima Market. One pineapple costs KSh 80, makes 4-5 servings that sell at KSh 50 each. One watermelon costs KSh 150, makes 8-10 servings at KSh 50 each.

Where to Sell: Office buildings during lunch, gyms, colleges, near matatu stages in the afternoon.

You’ll make KSh 1,000-2,500 daily if your spot has traffic. Weekends are slower unless you’re near recreational areas.

Critical: Cleanliness is everything. Use gloves, clean water, sealed containers. One dirty batch ends your business.

7. M-Pesa Agent Business

• Startup Cost: KSh 10,000 to 30,000 (float capital)
• Profit Margin: Transaction fees and commissions
• Break-even Time: 2-4 weeks

Kenya runs on M-Pesa. Being an agent is being the bank for your neighborhood.

How to Start:

1. Register with Safaricom at any dealer outlet
2. Get business permit (some counties allow you to start and formalize later)
3. Stock float (minimum KSh 10,000 to start, more is better)
4. Set up a visible kiosk or shop

Reality Check: With KSh 10,000 float, you’ll make KSh 1,500-4,000 weekly in commission. The real money is when you build up to KSh 50,000-100,000 float.

Warning: You need a secure location and good relationships with customers. Cash business means security matters.

This is a cornerstone of businesses to start with little money because M-Pesa penetration in Kenya is over 90%.

8. Brokering (Zero Capital Business)

• Startup Cost: KSh 0
• Profit Margin: 5-10% commission per deal
• Break-even Time: Immediate when you close first deal

You don’t sell products. You connect buyers to sellers and take commission. Pure hustle, zero inventory.

How It Works:

• Find shops selling laptops, phones, furniture, or electronics
• Negotiate: “I’ll market your products. When I bring a buyer, I add my commission on top”
• If shop sells laptop at KSh 25,000, you pitch it at KSh 27,000
• You pocket KSh 2,000 without owning the laptop

Best Categories: Electronics, furniture, real estate (connecting house hunters to landlords), cars, construction materials.

First month: You’ll make KSh 5,000-15,000 from 3-5 deals.
Month three: As your network grows, KSh 20,000-40,000 monthly is realistic.

Pro Tip: Build trust. Never misrepresent products. Your reputation is your only capital.

9. Soap Making

• Startup Cost: KSh 5,000 to 10,000
• Profit Margin: 100-200%
• Break-even Time: 3-4 weeks

Soap sells to households, salons, restaurants, and schools. It’s a startup idea Kenya’s Jua Kali sector has perfected.

Startup Breakdown:

• Raw ingredients (caustic soda, oils, fragrance): KSh 4,000
• Molds and mixing tools: KSh 2,000
• Packaging: KSh 1,500
• Branding/labels: KSh 500

How It Works: Make liquid soap in 5L or 10L containers. Cost to make 10L: KSh 300-400. Sell at KSh 800-1,200. Or make bar soap. Cost per bar: KSh 15-20. Sell at KSh 50-80.

Where to Sell: Door-to-door in estates, to salons and barbershops, restaurants, schools, online via social media marketing.

Reality Check: First batch you’ll learn the chemistry and make mistakes. By batch three, you’ll have consistent quality. Expect KSh 3,000-8,000 profit per week once you have repeat customers.

10. Car Wash Services

• Startup Cost: KSh 8,000 to 10,000
• Profit Margin: 40-60%
• Break-even Time: 4-6 weeks

Every day, car owners need their vehicles cleaned. Be there when they do.

Startup Breakdown:

• Pressure pump (manual or electric): KSh 4,000-6,000
• Buckets, sponges, towels: KSh 1,500
• Detergent and cleaning chemicals: KSh 1,000
• Water tank or water source access: KSh 500

How It Works: Charge KSh 200-400 per car wash. Cost per wash (water, soap, labor): KSh 80-120. Wash 10-15 cars daily for KSh 1,500-3,000 profit.

Best Locations: Near apartments with limited parking, gas stations (partner with them), roadside near estates, office parking lots.

Reality Check: First month you’re building a client base. Offer the first wash at a discount to get repeat customers. Consistency is everything.

This ties into the boda boda industry as many riders need regular washes too.

11. Eggs Reselling

• Startup Cost: KSh 5,000 to 8,000
• Profit Margin: 20-30% per tray
• Break-even Time: 1-2 weeks

Simple. Fast-moving. No complicated skills needed.

How It Works: Buy eggs from farmers or wholesale markets at KSh 350-380 per tray (30 eggs). Sell in estates, to restaurants, or retail at KSh 15 per egg (KSh 450 per tray). That’s KSh 70-100 profit per tray.

Scaling: With KSh 8,000, buy 20 trays. Sell in 3-4 days. Profit: KSh 1,600-2,000. Reinvest. Repeat.

Best Markets: Residential estates (door-to-door), small restaurants, kiosks that don’t stock eggs, online orders via WhatsApp status.

Warning: Transport carefully. Broken eggs kill your profit. Use crates or padded carriers.

12. Social Media Management

• Startup Cost: KSh 1,000 to 3,000 (data and portfolio setup)
• Profit Margin: 100% (pure service)
• Break-even Time: 1-3 months

Kenyan businesses need online presence but don’t know how. You do it for them.

What You Do:

• Create and schedule posts for businesses
• Respond to customer messages
• Run basic Facebook/Instagram ads
• Build engagement

How to Start: Offer to manage social media for 2-3 small businesses for free for one month. Document results (followers gained, engagement, sales leads). Use those results to pitch paid clients at KSh 5,000-15,000 per month per client.

Reality Check: Month one: Free clients, building portfolio.
Month three: 3-5 paying clients, KSh 20,000-50,000 monthly.
Month six: 8-10 clients if you’re good, KSh 60,000-120,000 monthly.

Pro Tip: Learn one platform really well before spreading out. Master Instagram for beauty salons, or Facebook for hardware shops.

13. Vegetable Hawking

• Startup Cost: KSh 3,000 to 6,000
• Profit Margin: 30-50%
• Break-even Time: Immediate

Fresh vegetables sell every single day. Location and freshness win.

Startup Breakdown:

• First vegetable stock: KSh 3,000 (sukuma, tomatoes, onions, potatoes)
• Weighing scale: KSh 1,500
• Display crates/table: KSh 1,000

How It Works: Buy from Wakulima Market at 5 AM when prices are lowest. Sukuma bunch costs KSh 20, sells at KSh 30-40. Tomatoes cost KSh 80/kg, sell at KSh 120-140/kg.

Best Spots: Residential estates in the evening when people are coming from work, roadside near matatu stops, door-to-door delivery.

Reality Check: You’ll make KSh 500-1,500 daily. The key is going every day. Customers need to know you’re reliable.

Warning: Vegetables spoil fast. Buy only what you can sell in 1-2 days.

14. Manicure and Pedicure Services

• Startup Cost: KSh 6,000 to 10,000
• Profit Margin: 60-80%
• Break-even Time: 2-4 weeks

Home-based beauty services are exploding in Kenya. Women pay for convenience.

Startup Breakdown:

• Basic nail kit (files, clippers, polish): KSh 3,000
• Nail polish set (10 colors): KSh 2,500
• Sterilization equipment: KSh 1,500
• Marketing (printed cards, WhatsApp status): KSh 500

How It Works: Charge KSh 500-800 for basic manicure, KSh 800-1,200 for pedicure. Cost of materials per client: KSh 100-150. Do 5-8 clients per week for KSh 2,500-6,000 profit weekly.

Where to Find Clients: WhatsApp status, Instagram, Facebook groups for women in your area, referrals from your first clients.

Reality Check: First month you’re building reputation. Offer discounts to the first 10 clients in exchange for reviews and referrals.

Pro Tip: Be mobile. Go to clients’ homes. They’ll pay more for convenience.

15. Airtime and Token Reselling

• Startup Cost: KSh 5,000 to 10,000
• Profit Margin: 3-5% commission
• Break-even Time: 1-2 weeks

Everyone needs airtime and electricity tokens. Be the person they buy from.

How It Works: Partner with platforms like JamboPay or M-Pesa business. Buy airtime in bulk at 2-3% discount. Sell at retail price. On KSh 10,000 sales, you make KSh 200-300 profit.

Same with electricity tokens. Buy at slight discount, resell at face value.

Best Strategy: Combine this with another business. If you’re selling vegetables, also sell airtime. If you run a small kiosk, add token services.

Volume business. You need to sell KSh 30,000-50,000 in airtime monthly to make meaningful profit (KSh 1,000-2,000).

Pro Tip: Build a WhatsApp group of regular customers. Send them reminders when bundles are expiring.

What Actually Makes These Businesses Work

Let me be clear about something. The business idea matters, but it’s only 20% of success. The other 80% is execution.

Here’s what separates people who grow their 10K from people who lose it:

Location Matters More Than You Think

A chapati business outside an office building makes KSh 2,000 daily. The same business in a random residential area makes KSh 400. Scout your location for a week before committing money.

Consistency Beats Perfection

Show up every day at the same time. Customers need to know you’re there. Missing even one day breaks trust in small businesses.

Track Every Shilling

Write down every purchase and every sale. Most businesses fail because owners don’t know if they’re making or losing money. Use a simple notebook. Check it daily.

Marketing is Free But You Have to Do It

WhatsApp status, telling neighbors, asking customers for referrals, posting on community Facebook groups. Do this daily. Not once a week. Daily.

Separate Business Money From Personal Money

The KSh 500 you “borrow” from business for personal use is the KSh 500 that could have bought tomorrow’s stock. Keep it separate.

Give It 90 Days Minimum

Most people quit after 3-4 weeks. That’s exactly when things start clicking. Month one is learning. Month two is adjusting. Month three is when profit becomes consistent.

Common Mistakes That Kill 10K Businesses

I’ve watched hundreds of people lose their capital. Here are the patterns:

Picking Something They Don’t Understand

Don’t start a soap business if you’ve never made soap. Don’t do M-Pesa agency if you don’t understand float management. Pick something simple first.

Wrong Location Without Testing

Spending KSh 8,000 on stock then realizing nobody walks past your spot. Test your location for 2-3 days with minimal stock first.

Buying Too Much Inventory Too Fast

Start small. Learn what sells. Then scale. Buying 10 trays of eggs sounds smart until 3 trays go bad because you couldn’t move them fast enough.

Ignoring Cleanliness in Food Business

One dirty setup, one customer gets sick, and you’re done. Your reputation is everything in small businesses.

Mixing Business With Personal Expenses

This is the number one killer. You make KSh 1,000 profit but spend KSh 1,500 on personal stuff. Now you’re moving backward.

No Marketing

You can’t just set up and wait for customers. Tell people. Every single day. Use every free channel available.

Quitting Too Early

Week three is hard. Week four is harder. Week five is when the first repeat customers start coming. Most people quit at week three.

How to Pick The Right Business For You

Don’t just pick randomly. Use this framework:

Question 1: What’s within 500 meters of where you live or work?
If there’s a college, phone accessories or food works. If it’s residential estates, vegetables or eggs work. If it’s an office area, chapati or juice works.

Question 2: What skills do you already have?
Can you write? Do freelancing. Good with people? Brokering or M-Pesa agency. Good cook? Food vending.

Question 3: What time do you have available?
Full-time unemployed? Food business or mitumba where you’re there all day. Evening side hustle? Freelancing or social media management.

Question 4: How fast do you need money back?
Need profit this week? Food vending or eggs. Can wait 4-6 weeks? Phone accessories or service businesses.

Question 5: How much risk can you handle?
Can’t lose the 10K? Freelancing or brokering (zero capital). Can afford to lose it and learn? Product businesses.

Realistic Timeline: What to Expect

Stop expecting to be rich in 30 days. Here’s what actually happens:

Week 1-2: Figuring Things Out
You’re learning. You’ll make mistakes. You’ll buy wrong stock or pick a bad spot. That’s normal. Small profits or even small losses. Don’t panic.

Week 3-4: Finding Your Rhythm
You know what sells. You know your customers’ patterns. Profit is still small but consistent. Maybe KSh 500-1,500 per week.

Month 2: Building Momentum
Repeat customers start appearing. Word spreads. You’re making KSh 2,000-4,000 per week. You start seeing how this could actually work.

Month 3: Decision Point
This is where most people quit. Don’t. This is when consistency pays off. You should be making KSh 4,000-8,000 per week now if you’ve been showing up daily.

Month 4-6: Scaling or Pivoting
Either your business is working and you reinvest to grow, or you learned what doesn’t work and you pivot to something else with the knowledge you gained.

The people making KSh 50,000-100,000 monthly from these businesses? They all went through this timeline. They just didn’t quit.

Final Thoughts

KSh 10,000 isn’t a lot of money. But it’s enough if you’re strategic.

You’re not starting a business to get rich next month. You’re starting to learn how money moves, how customers think, how to solve problems people will pay for.

Some of these businesses will work for you. Some won’t. The only way to know is to pick one and commit for 90 days minimum.

Stop watching YouTube videos about businesses. Stop planning. Stop waiting for the “perfect” idea.

Pick one business from this list. Today. Right now. Write down your action plan for the next 7 days. Then execute.

The difference between you and someone making KSh 100,000 monthly from a small business? They started when they didn’t feel ready. They figured it out as they went. They stayed consistent when it got hard.

Your 10K is waiting. What are you going to do with it?

About the Business Environment in Kenya:

Kenya’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is one of the strongest in East Africa. With mobile money penetration at over 90% thanks to M-Pesa, digital infrastructure improving daily, and a young population eager to build, the conditions for small businesses are better than ever. The Jua Kali sector continues to prove that innovation and hustle matter more than capital. Whether you’re targeting Kenyan SMEs, selling to everyday consumers, or building online business Kenya opportunities, the market is there. You just have to show up and serve it consistently.

The businesses listed here are proven. They work. They’ve worked for thousands of Kenyans before you. They’ll work for you too if you commit.

Now stop reading and start building.

Read also:

• 14 Profitable Business Ideas in Kenya for Students (Start With Little Money)
• Only 50k? Here Are the Best Small Businesses to Start in Kenya
• 11 Businesses You Can Start in Kenya With KSh 20,000