KenyaOnAShoeString: Real Advice for Real Kenyans

Everyone thinks they can run a better business than their boss—until they try. Before I ventured into business, I worked in the hospitality industry, and let me tell you, that experience was a wake-up call. If you're fresh out of school and dreaming of starting a business, do yourself a favor—get a job first. Not only will you gain industry insights, but you'll also realize that running a business is a whole different beast. Starting a business in Kenya fresh out of school is like jumping into a pool, only to realize there’s no water. Everyone tells you, “Just start something! Be your own boss!” What they don’t tell you is that being your own boss often means being your own accountant, marketer, delivery person, customer service rep, and unpaid intern—all while dealing with friends who think they’re doing you a favor by buying your products at a discount. If you’re dreaming of starting a business in Kenya straight out of school, fueled by optimism and motivational TikTok's,...

Let’s be brutally honest— Kenya’s service industry is one of the most frustrating experiences a person can go through. Whether it’s salons, barbershops, spas, tailors, online shops, food vendors, or even the transport industry, the absolute lack of professionalism, courtesy, and basic knowledge is enough to make customers give up entirely. If you’ve been on the receiving end of "poor customer service," you’ll relate to at least one of these: 1. "I Just Work Here" – The Epidemic of Business Owners and Staff Who Know Nothing Ever walked into a shop and asked a question, only for the seller to stare at you like you just asked for nuclear launch codes? Fruit Vendors: You ask if the mangoes are organic, GMO, or where they were grown, and they just shrug or tell you " lakini ni tamu " (it’s just sweet). Waiters & Restaurant Staff: You ask, "Does this have dairy or gluten?" and they call the entire staff meeting to discuss it, only to return ...

Have you ever walked through different parts of Kenya and wondered how some of these tiny, almost hidden businesses survive? You pass by a cramped shop selling second-hand clothes, plastic buckets, hangers, and random jewelry. You pause for a second and ask yourself—who is actually buying all this? How is this business making money? Is it money laundering, or are these genuine businesses barely getting by in ways we don’t understand? I ask myself these same questions all the time. Earlier this year, I got an inside look. I was part of a project that involved collecting data on small businesses across Kenya—kiosks, market stalls, tailors, salons, fruit vendors, milk sellers, repair shops, cybers… all the businesses that make up the backbone of our economy. What I found was both eye-opening and brutally honest. The Reality Behind the Business Dream We love to romanticize entrepreneurship. Motivational speakers will tell you that employment is slavery and that starting your own business i...