Is Being a Barber a Good Biz?

Team MESH

4 min read

22 days ago

Starting a small business is never easy, especially when you’re working with limited capital and high competition.

But for many young entrepreneurs, passion, consistency, and smart customer service can turn even the simplest hustle into a steady income stream.

This is the story of Eric Mbugua, a barber in Githurai 45, who turned opportunity into a thriving kinyozi business.

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Why Did Eric Choose Barbering as a Biz?

Kila msee ako na story yake, na kwa Eric, hii ilianza na passion. Ana-explain venye aliona hii hustle kama opportunity ya kutoka block.

“Kitambo kidogo, miaka ya zamani, mimi nilikuwaga na ile hamu ya kufanya hii job, juu ndio job inatambulikana sana kwa mavijana nayo kinyozi ilikuwanga inapata ma customers wengi. Nilikuwa naona hapa naeza pata opportunity kubwa.”

Anaongeza venye opportunity yenyewe ilijileta unexpectedly:

“Ilikuwaga job ya msee nilikuwa namfanyia job, ki bahati, akasema joh anahama anaenda place ingine so mi nikachukua ile opportunity ya hapa ndio naeza wezea.”

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How Much Capital Do You Need to Start a Kinyozi?

Kuanza biashara si rahisi bila capital, na Eric pia alipitia hiyo struggle ya ku-hustle initial cash.

“Capital ilikuwaga ya 70k, na juu mi ni youthman, alinielewa akanifanyia na 65k, so I had little amount yenye nilikuwaga nayo kwa mfuko na through friends na parents kidogo wakani support, juu nilienda kwao nikajibonga na wakanielewa. Wakasema kama hapo ndio umeamua hapo ndio focus yako iko, haina shida tutaku-allow na tutaku-support.”

How Do You Attract and Retain Customers in a Kinyozi Biz?

Kwa biz kama kinyozi, customers ndio kila kitu. Eric anaelezea vile first impression ni muhimu sana.

“So, costumer wa kwanza ni wewe u-maintain, mi nilikujaga nikapata customer wa kwanza, nikampatia service poa. The more you do the service in a good way kesho yake anarudi, na anakuja na marafiki.”

Na hapo ndio growth inaanza organically:

“So, customer akipita anaona kuna kinyozi.. nini nini... the more it grows na the more inaendela kukua.”

Why Is Saving Important in This Kind of Business?

Kwa biashara ya mtaa, kuna siku poa na kuna zile ngumu. Ndiyo maana saving ni muhimu.

“Doh yenye tunapata hapa hivi we save, juu hatujui kesho venye itakuwa, so the little that we are getting, shughuli ni mingi za kufanyia hio doh. So, we save because we only know kuna days zinakuwaga na emergency.”

What Challenges Do Barbers Face?

Competition iko kila kona kwa hii hustle, na hiyo inaleta pressure ya pricing, forcing wengi ku-adjust bei ili wabaki relevant kwa market. Eric anaelezea,

“Kwa hii biz yenye sisi hufanya, competition ni mingi… saa zingine inabidi ume lower the standards kwa wale wenye hawawezi fika ile bei yenye huwa nataka.”

At the same time, kuna operational challenges kama rent na restocking, ambazo hukula most ya earnings,

“Shida zenye tunapitia kama watu wa kinyozi, kwanza time ya arrears na restoking za vitu, kuzipata ni ngumu sana…ndio maana tuko na record, unajua by the end of that month doh imeenda wapi…”

On top of that, biashara haiko consistent kila siku, weekdays huwa slow especially mchana bila customers, lakini usiku kunaweza pick up kidogo,

“Low season zangu zinakuwaga during weekdays, achana na weekends. Weekdays tunajuanga mchana mnaeza stay hivyo, bila ma customer, lakini during the night unaeza pata mmoja-wawili-watatu-wanne hivi. At least ukisema hivo na uweke na doh yenye sisi tunalipisha at least unajipata uko pahali.”

Pia kuna riba ya equipment yenye ndio backbone ya hii hustle.

“Ile machine yenye wewe unatumia personal, you have to take care of it vibaya sana…Ukikosa kui-take care iharibike kidogo itakugharimu doh mingi, of which hii machine moja kutengeneza ni almost 3k plus.”

How Much Can You Earn from a Kinyozi Business Weekly?

Income si constant, ina depend na week ilikuaje.

“Kwa ile wiki yenye umeamka poa God-willing unaeza pata 3500 kwa wiki… wiki ikiwa mbaya waeza jipata umetoka na kapa mbili ama umetoka na 1500.”

What Advice Does Eric Give to Aspiring Barbers?

Kwa anyone anataka kuingia hii biz, Eric anasema passion ndio kila kitu

“Kwa msee mwenye anataka kuanza hii biz lazima ukuwe na passion na kitu unapenda ama ni kitu unataka kuifanya. Sio useme tu unataka kuifanya juu watu wanafanya, hapana…”

Na mwisho, customer service ndio key:

“...lazma ujue how to treat your customers juu hapa tuna deal na ma-clients una make sure the next time akirudi anarudi akijuaga nakuaga na base yangu yenye siezi kosa kwenda kunyolewa.”

Story ya Eric inaonyesha venye hustle ndogo kama kinyozi inaweza grow ukiwa na passion, discipline, na good customer relations.

Kwa ground, consistency ndio game na kila customer anaweza kuwa door ya opportunity mpya.

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