Here is my friend’s kiosk business story to motivate you.

I’m a family man living here in Nairobi. In 2019, I lost my job at an Indian-owned company. Frustrated, I tried to secure another job, but every single attempt I made failed terribly.

My wife was a cashier at a startup supermarket. And one day, the idea of starting a kiosk crossed my mind. I quickly shared it with her.

Thank God. She gladly embraced it and agreed to support my venture.

Wait. Did I mention I had no capital at the moment?

Yes. I had nothing. My wife would save part of her earnings and fund my idea.

Anyway, working together, we got started.

I secured a small business room at a not-so-clean apartment within the same residential estate where I lived with my family.

It wasn’t easy. The kiosk was so small that, inside it, I looked like a hopeless adult buying time with a few items scattered on shelves.

A few customers to serve. A few items to sell. I would spend most of my time bored up inside my startup business.

Nevertheless, I had to persist. I had to work hard regardless of whatever challenges came my way.

After all, I was jobless. The shop was my everything.

Luckily, the idea proved working.

I could settle most of my bills, pay my kid’s school fees, and save a little every month.

A year later, I thought of another plan. This time, I  wanted to diversify my investment. The profit was so sweet that I wanted it bigger.

I had Ksh.12,000 in savings at the moment. And after consulting with my partner, we decided to try MPESA.

I moved fast and purchased an MPESA line at Ksh.4k, setting aside another Ksh.4k float. The final Ksh.4k was reserved in cash.

As always, the beginning months were tough. We only had a handful of daily transactions.

But I didn’t give up until my efforts turned into a big boost to my monthly income.

With an increasing client base, my MPESA shop alone started reporting 5k, 8k, 10k…..and growing every month.

Today, I make Ksh.14k in a bad month and Ksh.20k in peak months.

The profits from my MPESA division settle my rent plus other utilities and boost to my kiosk stock.

Now, I reflect and see the past five years as times of learning. I’ve gained valuable experience and feel so confident in my business.

I know this year is hard, However, my plans of opening a second kiosk shop remain intact.

To everyone who hopes to start a small business with little capital,

May God see you through as you start to succeed with a kiosk.

Regards

Anonymous