How To Start A Business In Kenya With Few Resources.

Na hata when you find the cash to start, kuna risk mob.

However, some of the biggest startups in the world zimeanzishwa na a method called 'lean startup’.

Ni a smarter, less expensive, less risky way ya kuanzisha biz yako. Cheki njia you can start na example ya Jane.

Jane ako 24, na anaishi Nairobi. Amekuwa na dream ya kurun her own hair salon, but hajui how to get there.

To get started, Jane anadhani she would need 100K in capital kusource products, equipment na furniture.

Pia anadai kuweka salon yake in a good location, so atahitaji some rent na deposit to start na decor.

Hata akipata hiyo doh ya kuinvest in biz yake, itakuwa risk kubwa sana.

Instead of going for a big business, Jane alitumia the lean startup method kuanzia salon yake. Pia wewe unaweza itumia kwa biz yako.

Kabla kuinvest doh yoyote kwa biz, ni poa kufind out if watu wanataka your product ama service.

Jane amekuwa akioffer mabeshte wake na family services za hair and beauty, so anajua ni service watu wananeed na that ako poa at it.

Hii imemsaidia kubuild her skills and gain confidence kama hair stylist. Na as a plus, anamake doh.

Lakini tatizo moja major, ni ati kuna hair and beauty salons mob kwa mtaa. So how can Jane compete?

After kuongea na some of her clients, mabeshte and family, amediscover mambo kadhaa.

Amediscover challenges to most of them ni that hair styling ni expensive, na huchukuwa time mob, that her clients wanaweza tumia on other things.

Kwa hivyo goal yake main ni to find a way kulipisha less than stylists wengine na kupea clients wake high quality service.

Before kuinvest doh kwa biz you have never tried before, ni crucial to test it out kwanza.

Unatry kuidentify: What is life like kwa hii biz? Unaweza expect profits ngapi? Challenges zaa hii biz ni gani?

Goal yako, ni kufanya test ndogo that costs very little ama nothing at all.

In Jane’s case, badala ya kurent shop mzima of her own, na kununua vitu za job, anadecide kuwa inter at salon moja kwa mtaa for a few weeks.

Anasaidia mwenye biz kiasi for free, while learning on the job. Pia anapata opportunity ya kumwuliza maswali kuhusu biz ya salon.

Hii test ina allow Jane kuona how costly it is kurun salon.

Kuna licence za kanjo, rent, bill za stima na maji, na pia anaona equipment expensive wanatumia. Pia amenotice that although hii salon inakaa kama dream yake, kwa stock yao Hiya 70 colours za nail polish, clients wengi huchagua the same colours.

Hii ni learning point kwake juu wako na inventory ya doh mob ambayo haitumiki. Ana understand mbona stylists wako kwa salons hucharge doh mob.

Anaona kuweka salon kama hii, anahitaji almost 100k.

Kwa hivyo badala ya kufungua her own salon, anadecide kurent seat kwa hii salon kutoka mwenyewe. This way, hahitaji a big upfront investment.

Instead, ananunua kit specifically ya kubraid nywele, ya 7500KES na rent ya kiti.

Sasa ako kwa beauty business, anado kazi kwa salon, bila deni ya 100K.

Ukiweza kutengeneza doh more than what unaspend kwa biz yako, then uko na the simplest version of hiyo biz ambayo inaweza work.

Na salon ya kiti moja ambao amerent, Jane ametengeneza a ‘minimum viable business’

Jane sasa anatengeneza profit kiasi, but bado anafeel ziko tight.

Siku hakuna wasee kwa salon, hatengenezi pesa at all, lakini bado lazima alipe rent. At this rate, anaona hataweza kuunganisha doh anahitaji for her dream salon.

Uki run into challenges, you don’t fail: unaweza learn na unaweza adapt.

Jane anahitaji more clients. So anacreate images of the great styles ametengeneza on her clients then shares them on whatsapp with her network na kuuliza her regular clients for referrals. Soon, new clients walianza kukuja kwa salon specifically for her services.

One day, a client alimake a different request. Aliuliza Jane kama anaweza mtengeneza nywele kejani kwake, badala ya kukuja kwa salon. Hii experience ili inspire Jane kurethink business model yake. Ilimfanya arealise that instead of kurent chair ama ku-own salon, anaweza create a ‘mobile salon’ na kuoffer clients wake in-home services.

After ku-update her whatsapp flyers na offer yake mpya, Jane aliaanza kureceive more requests. Kwa suprise yake, alipata costs zake za transport zilikuwa less than kurent chair kwa salon, na alimake more money na clients walitaka services zake kwa nyumba zao.

With her new low costs, na bila overheads, Jane ana provide her services directly na at the same time ameweza kuincrease profits zake.

After kutest mobile salon yake for two weeks, na kuangalia cost na profits, Jane anaamua kuwacha kurent chair kwa salon.

By keeping costs low, and finding smart ways za kujiadvertise, pia wewe unaweza weka some cash kando kukuwezesha kuinvest in new service.

Jane amegundua that her female clients wako willing kumrefer to other women in kwa estate ama building kama atawapea discount. Anaona hii ni idea poa. Hivi, anaweza shikanishaha appointments kadhaa kwa siku moja, na kupunguza transport cost yake.

Na profit margin kubwa, anaweza grow biz yake. Kazi yake mob ni braiding, so ana invest in blow dryer. Hii ina allow Jane kucharge her clients extra kustraighten nywele.

Tip ingine poa amepata ni kununua equipment zake second-hand. Hii inamsave doh, akinunua vitu kutoka hair stylist wengine wenye wana upgrade biz zao.

Sasa Jane ako so successful kwa biz yake ya mobile salon that ametupilia dream ya kufungua salon ya kawaida. Ana value sana lessons amepick up kwa journey yake.