Personal and niche services
Small but real businesses that meet specific personal needs, completing the directory's first thousand methods.
What these methods share
- Low start-up: many need little capital.
- Location and reputation: word of mouth drives most of them.
- Legality: follow county permits and consumer rules.
991. Shoe shining stand
What it is: Cleaning and polishing shoes for commuters and office workers. How it works: Set up at a busy spot → shine shoes → sell polish and laces.
| Skills | Shoe care |
| Cost & equipment | Polishes, brushes, stand, county permit |
| Where to find work | Office districts, bus stations, malls |
| Payment | Per pair |
| Realistic earnings | Low |
| Time to first income | Days |
How to start: Choose a busy, legal spot near offices. Pros: Daily cash. Cons & risks: Low price per job. Scam warning: Get a county permit for your spot. Kenya notes: City centres have steady demand from office workers.
992. Photo restoration
What it is: Restoring old, damaged family photos digitally and printing them. How it works: Scan → repair digitally → print or share files.
| Skills | Photo editing |
| Cost & equipment | Scanner, editing software, printing access |
| Where to find work | Families, funerals, anniversaries, diaspora |
| Payment | Per photo |
| Realistic earnings | Low |
| Time to first income | Days |
How to start: Show before-and-after examples on social media. Pros: Emotional value. Cons & risks: Time-consuming. Scam warning: Return originals carefully. Kenya notes: Funerals and anniversaries often need restored photos.
993. Video and media digitisation
What it is: Converting VHS tapes, DVDs and old audio cassettes to digital files. How it works: Collect media → convert → deliver on flash disk or cloud.
| Skills | Technical setup |
| Cost & equipment | Players, capture devices, computer |
| Where to find work | Families, churches, schools |
| Payment | Per tape or hour |
| Realistic earnings | Low |
| Time to first income | Weeks |
How to start: Collect players secondhand; promote to churches and families. Pros: Few competitors. Cons & risks: Old equipment breaks. Scam warning: Handle originals with care. Kenya notes: Many families have wedding videos on old tapes.
994. Sharpening services
What it is: Sharpening knives, pangas, scissors, lawnmower blades and tools. How it works: Mobile or fixed stall → sharpen → collect fee.
| Skills | Sharpening technique |
| Cost & equipment | Grinder or whetstones, bicycle setup for mobile |
| Where to find work | Butcheries, salons, households, farms |
| Payment | Per item |
| Realistic earnings | Low |
| Time to first income | Days |
How to start: Go mobile around estates and markets. Pros: Very low cost. Cons & risks: Low price per item. Scam warning: Work safely with grinders. Kenya notes: Butcheries and salons need regular sharpening.
995. Mobile salon (home visits)
What it is: Providing hair, nails and grooming at clients' homes or offices. How it works: Bookings → travel with kit → serve → payment.
| Skills | Beauty skills |
| Cost & equipment | Portable kit, transport |
| Where to find work | Busy professionals, brides, older clients |
| Payment | Per service plus transport |
| Realistic earnings | Low to medium |
| Time to first income | Weeks |
How to start: Build a booking page; get reviews. Pros: Premium for convenience. Cons & risks: Travel time. Scam warning: Use hygienic, sterilised tools. Kenya notes: Different from owning a salon (method 465).
996. Perfume oils and decants
What it is: Selling perfume oils and small decanted samples of fragrances. How it works: Buy genuine oils or full bottles → decant → sell.
| Skills | Fragrance knowledge, sales |
| Cost & equipment | Oils, bottles, labels |
| Where to find work | Online buyers, markets, gift buyers |
| Payment | Per bottle |
| Realistic earnings | Low to medium |
| Time to first income | Weeks |
How to start: Start online with a few popular scents. Pros: Low start-up. Cons & risks: Counterfeits flood the market. Scam warning: Never sell fakes as branded perfumes. Kenya notes: Perfume oils are popular, especially at the coast.
997. Ethical dog breeding (registered)
What it is: Breeding healthy dogs responsibly and selling puppies to good homes. How it works: Health-tested parents → raise puppies → vaccinate → sell with records.
| Skills | Animal care |
| Cost & equipment | Kennels, vet care, registration |
| Where to find work | Families, security firms |
| Payment | Per puppy |
| Realistic earnings | Medium |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Register with the Kenya Kennel Club; work with a vet. Pros: Good prices for healthy dogs. Cons & risks: Animal welfare responsibility. Scam warning: Avoid overbreeding; never sell sick puppies. Kenya notes: Differs from dog training and kennels (method 596).
998. Film location scout and fixer
What it is: Helping film crews and journalists find locations, permits, transport and local contacts. How it works: Brief → scout → arrange permits and logistics → support on set.
| Skills | Local knowledge, organisation |
| Cost & equipment | Phone, transport |
| Where to find work | Film crews, documentary makers, journalists |
| Payment | Per day |
| Realistic earnings | Medium |
| Time to first income | Weeks |
How to start: Network with production companies and the Kenya Film Commission. Pros: Interesting work. Cons & risks: Irregular projects. Scam warning: Ensure filming licences are obtained properly. Kenya notes: Kenya is a popular location for documentaries and adverts.
999. Sports equipment shop and repair
What it is: Selling and repairing balls, rackets, nets, boots and gym gear. How it works: Stock → sell → repair and restring.
| Skills | Product knowledge, repairs |
| Cost & equipment | Stock, repair tools |
| Where to find work | Schools, clubs, gyms, players |
| Payment | Sales and repair fees |
| Realistic earnings | Low to medium |
| Time to first income | Weeks |
How to start: Partner with schools and clubs for bulk orders. Pros: School and club demand. Cons & risks: Seasonal. Scam warning: Avoid counterfeit branded gear. Kenya notes: Schools buy sports equipment every year.
1000. Florist shop
What it is: Arranging and selling flowers for gifts, events, offices and funerals. How it works: Buy from farms or markets → arrange → deliver.
| Skills | Floral design |
| Cost & equipment | Stock, buckets, delivery |
| Where to find work | Gift buyers, events, offices, funerals |
| Payment | Per bouquet or contract |
| Realistic earnings | Medium |
| Time to first income | Weeks |
How to start: Start online with delivery; add office flower contracts. Pros: Peak days (Valentine's, Mother's Day). Cons & risks: Perishable stock. Scam warning: Price clearly for delivery. Kenya notes: Kenya grows world-class flowers; local florists add value.
Summary
- Niche services include shoe shining, photo restoration, media digitisation, sharpening, mobile salons, perfume oils, ethical dog breeding, film fixing, sports equipment and floristry.
- Low start-up, location and reputation drive them.
- Avoid counterfeits and treat animals well.
Check yourself
Which club registers dog breeds in Kenya? (three words: Kenya ___ Club)
Show answer
kennel
Which body supports filming in Kenya? (three words: Kenya Film ___)
Show answer
commission
Should decants be sold as genuine if they're copies? (yes or no)
Show answer
no