As a university student in Nairobi, I was always strapped for cash. My part-time job as a waiter only provided so much spending money each month.
One evening, while scrolling through the fast-growing site Jiji.co.ke, I noticed people earning tidy profits reselling products purchased from Chinese suppliers. A lightbulb went off – why not give it a try myself as a side hustle?
Now, just 8 months after starting to resell part-time on Jiji while attending classes, I easily earn an extra Ksh50,000 every month working just 10 flexible hours per week.
Here’s an inside look at my journey leveraging this platform to launch a lucrative resale business that took my income to the next level as a student.
Finding a Profitable Niche
I didn’t want to blindly sell random stuff.
To succeed, I knew identifying a profitable, unsaturated resale niche was crucial.
After researching current top sellers and trends, I decided to focus on reselling affordable trendy women’s handbags sourced in bulk from Chinese manufacturers.
Why handbags?
- Proven high buyer demand based on Jiji search data
- Women love variety – opportunity to churn inventory
- Easy to source from Alibaba and AliExpress
- Lightweight products making shipping simple
- High margins selling at 4-5x cost
With a defined niche, it was time to source my first inventory batch.
Sourcing My Initial Inventory
I signed up for Alibaba and started connecting with handbag manufacturers and wholesalers in China.
Communicating with suppliers was tricky at first given the language barrier. I had to be extremely clear about quantities, specifications, shipping terms etc.
After conversations with over 50 suppliers, I finally found a few reliable ones able to deliver what I needed for a competitive price.
For my first Jiji order, I ordered 50 trendy handbags in 5 different styles for just Ksh15,000 including shipping. My plan was to resell these bags for Ksh1,000 – Ksh1,500 each to attract buyer interest.
My shipment arrived at my doorstep via DHL in just under 2 weeks. I was so excited unboxing my first inventory!
Creating High Converting Listings
While sourcing was crucial, selling the bags efficiently would make or break my side hustle. This meant creating listing pages that immediately caught buyer’s eyes and persuaded them to purchase.
For each of my 5 handbag styles, I made sure to have:
- Big, bold photos – Making the bags look as visually appealing as possible. I added extra photos highlighting interior details, size for scale, different angles, etc.
- Benefit-focused headlines – “Glamorous Work Tote to Make You the Office Style Queen” – emphasizing the emotional value proposition of the bag.
- Precise details – Dimensions, materials, care instructions – building trust and anticipating buyer questions.
- Punchy sales copy – Incorporating power words and psychological selling techniques tailored to the target female demographic.
- Limited quantity – Showing just 2-3 of each style available with urgency wording like “Only 1 left!” or “Selling fast!” to spark action.
The goal was conveying irresistible value while making prospective buyers feel like they needed to act quickly before bags sold out.
Generating Sales Through Promotion
With my listings perfected, the next step was driving traffic to generate sales. As a new seller with no reviews, I had to get creative promoting my Jiji listings:
- I ran targeted Facebook and Instagram ads spotlighting my bag listings. These pulled in traffic from Nairobi women interested in fashion items.
- I printed flyers promoting my Jiji seller page and handed them out on campus. I offered a 10% discount code on the flyers to incentivize clicks.
- I also took a grassroots approach, telling all my personal female friends about my new handbag sales side hustle. Several made purchases which kickstarted my reviews.
- For early customers, I offered generous partial refunds in exchange for 5-star reviews and referral purchases to help build up my seller rating.
This promo push resulted in my entire first batch of 50 bags selling out in just 10 days!
Managing Logistics and Finances
My first wave of sales presented new operational challenges I had to overcome:
- I negotiated discounted DHL rates for bulk shipping orders efficiently to buyers across Kenya.
- I streamlined packaging to speed up order processing and lower costs.
- I kept organized records of all sales, inventory, and shipments.
- I transferred Jiji earnings weekly to my bank account and reinvested a portion to scale up inventory.
Establishing processes to handle logistics and cash flow effectively was pivotal so orders didn’t pile up and profits didn’t get eaten up by overhead.
Scaling Up to Bigger Monthly Profits
With proof of success, I decided to scale up my Jiji resale side hustle.
I reinvested 60% of profits to grow my inventory to 300 trendy handbags sourced from China in lots of 50 units.
I also expanded my selection from just 5 to 15 distinct handbag designs to cast a wider net.
My goal was listing 50 new bags per week to keep selection fresh and volume high.
This faster inventory turnover combined with refined listing optimization and promotions resulted in explosive growth:
Month 1
- 50 bags sold (Ksh25k revenue)
Month 2
- 150 bags sold (Ksh75k revenue)
Month 3
- 300 bags sold (Ksh150k revenue)
Month 4 (current)
- 400 bags sold (Ksh200k revenue)
My total monthly profit now exceeds Ksh50,000 after supplier costs!
All earned through just 10-15 weekly hours of managing listings, shipping orders, and interacting with my growing base of repeat buyers.
Top Tips for New Jiji Sellers in Kenya
For students or side hustlers in Kenya hoping to replicate my success leveraging Jiji to earn extra cash, here are my top tips:
- Pick a niche – Become THE expert seller in an area with high demand and healthy margins.
- Write irresistible listings – Well-written listings with great photos are crucial for converting browsers to buyers.
- Prioritize page speed – Fast loading listings keep customers on your page and buying.
- Focus on growing reviews – Positive ratings bring social proof. Offer buyers incentives to leave 5 stars.
- Reinvest to scale – The more inventory you can churn, the faster revenue compounds.
- Automate where possible – Streamline processing to save time as your business grows.
- Directly engage buyers – Personalized communication builds loyalty with customers.
Starting my Jiji reselling side hustle is the best decision I made as a university student.
It provides me tremendous income potential with flexibility unmatched by conventional jobs.
Jiji and other digital markets have opened the door for Kenya’s aspiring young entrepreneurs to earn meaningful income online.
My story shows that ecommerce really can deliver financial freedom. The future is here – it’s time to take the leap!
Disclaimer: This is a submitted guest post. Views of the author are personal. Results aren’t typical.
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As a university student in Kenya, extra income can make a huge difference in affording fees, essential expenses, and building savings.
But taking on a traditional part-time job can be difficult with a demanding course schedule. Fortunately, the rise of remote work and online platforms opens new possibilities for students to earn money on flexible terms.
To separate viable ideas from hype, I tested 7 popular ways Kenyan university students can realistically make money online.
Here’s an inside look at what worked, what didn’t, and key lessons from my experiments trying to profit.
1. Taking Online Surveys
Popular survey sites like Survey Junkie and Swagbucks pay users a small sum for completing market research questionnaires. Could they provide a passive income stream for a Kenyan student?
My Experiment: I spent 2 hours per day over 2 weeks maxing out surveys across top platforms. I answered questions honestly, targeting surveys for my demographic.
Results: I averaged about Ksh300 per week across the sites by diligently taking surveys during all my spare time. However, the repetitive questions became mind-numbing quickly.
Verdict: While reputable survey sites pay reliably, the tiny amounts per survey require hours of dedication for insignificant income. The boredom factor also makes this unattractive for students long-term. Surveys work better as a secondary income source than primary money maker.
2. Tutoring Online
With sites like Tutor.com, CheggTutor and Varsity Tutors, students in Kenya can register as tutors to give online classes in high demand subjects.
My Experiment: I signed up as a tutor on 2 top platforms in subjects like computer science, math, and English. I set competitive hourly rates and made myself available for bookings during evenings.
Results: It took 2 weeks before I received my first booking. After investing time applying and adjusting my tutor profile, I was able to secure a handful of students wanting 1-on-1 online tutoring in my niche tech subjects. I earned around Ksh1,500 per week tutoring 5-6 hours in the evenings.
Verdict: Online tutoring is a great option if you have advanced skills in a subject with high demand like mathematics, computer programming or academics. Expect a slow ramp up while building your tutor profile. But hourly pay can be rewarding.
3. Freelance Writing
Leveraging writing skills by creating blog posts, articles and other website content for global clients is an oft-cited option for students in Kenya seeking online income.
My Experiment: I signed up for top freelance platforms like Upwork and searched for entry-level writing jobs requiring minimal experience. I applied for over 20 gigs, emphasizing my ability to craft SEO-friendly content.
Results: My lack of robust writing samples and client history proved a barrier initially. However, I was able to land a few small freelance writing assignments by positioning myself as an enthusiastic student willing to learn. I earned around $250 total over 6 weeks.
Verdict: While further honing writing skills is required, cold outreach combined with taking on small paid writing gigs can help Kenyan students gain portfolio samples and reviews needed to win bigger assignments over time. This income stream has potential but the learning curve is steep.
4. Reselling Products Online
Arbitraging trendy items from platforms like Alibaba to resell locally on avenues like Facebook and Instagram is a popular online selling strategy. Could it work for a student in Kenya?
My Experiment: I ordered Ksh2,000 worth of jewelry and hair accessories in bulk from a Chinese supplier to resell in Kenya. On social media, I targeted fellow university students with ads for my accessories.
Results: Marketing the products locally proved trickier than expected as a student with no sales network or following. I sold around 25% of my inventory to friends which earned back roughly Ksh1,500. The time invested exceeded the minimal profits.
Verdict: For students, reselling physical products has potential when combined with a captive network or audience to market to. But profit margins can be slim given the logistics of sourcing, storing and distributing inventory. Likely better as a supplemental income stream only.
5. Affiliate Marketing
By promoting products on social media or blogs and earning commission on resulting sales, students can purportedly monetize their online networks through affiliate programs.
My Experiment: I created product recommendation posts on Facebook targeting student gear like laptops and apps. I applied for affiliate programs with Amazon, Best Buy and other major retailers.
Results: Even with call-to-action copy and detailed recommendations, the paltry web traffic I could drive as a student resulted in just 2 affiliate sales, totaling under Ksh500 in commission.
Verdict: Profiting from affiliate marketing without an existing audience and influence is extremely challenging. While adding affiliate links is passive, the affiliate income itself is in no way passive without a significant following to move products. Difficult hustle for students starting from scratch.
6. Selling Photos Online
Students often have access to cameras. Could they monetize photography skills by selling images online, like on Shutterstock or 500px?
My Experiment: I invested about 4 hours taking high quality photos of nature, street scenes, textures, buildings and other imagery around Nairobi with a DSLR camera. I edited images and then uploaded 30 photos across 3 leading photo marketplaces.
Results: Unfortunately, the sites are already saturated with millions of images. As a new contributor, my photos got lost in the mix. After 60 days, I had earned $0 in royalties despite keyword tagging and descriptions.
Verdict: While a passive income stream hypothetically, contributing photos to stock sites generally requires cohesive portfolios of hundreds of specialized, high-value images before seeing any meaningful sales. Not a realistic income stream for students casually uploading a few dozen amateur shots.
7. Developing Mobile Apps
A computer science student in theory could leverage coding skills to develop and sell mobile apps on the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
My Experiment: I spent over 15 hours learning Android development basics and following tutorials to build a simple weather app. I customized it with a Kenyan theme and published it to the Google Play Store.
Results: My very basic app attracted just 36 users who downloaded it organically in the first month. After investing significant time learning to code, I had earned…$0.
Verdict: While a great resume builder, launching viable consumer apps from scratch requires months of dedicated development and design work, not to mention expert marketing. App stores are highly saturated making standing out difficult for student hobbyists. Monetizing mobile apps is extremely challenging without sufficient upfront capital.
Key Takeaways From My Experiments
While not every income idea proved fruitful in my tests, important lessons emerged:
- Most income streams require deep commitment – Don’t expect passive earnings without investing serious time over months. Quick money is rare.
- Play to existing skills and assets – Ideas like tutoring thrive when leveraging advanced knowledge while assets like a camera help with photography sales.
- Understand the competition – Profitable concepts face saturation, especially in creative fields. Unique angles give advantage.
- Have a marketing strategy – Without existing network or following, sales and promotion become challenging. Leverage niche communities.
- Build foundational skills first – Time spent improving knowledge of writing, photography, ecommerce fundamentals etc always pays off before monetizing.
- Consider combinations – Blending multiple approaches like reselling plus affiliate marketing provides more options to profit.
Final Takeaway
While some ideas proved underwhelming in isolation, I remain very optimistic about the potential for Kenyan university students to generate meaningful income online with the right diligence and strategy.
It comes down to identifying and combining opportunities that align with your unique skills, interests and assets, then creatively enhancing them through exceptional execution and promotion.
With mobility and flexibility that surpasses traditional employment, a passion-fueled online income stream tailored to your strengths can absolutely thrive. Don’t listen to limiting beliefs.
As my experiments reinforced, the internet offers unlimited possibilities to leverage your talents into part-time income and beyond. The key is discovering specifically how it can work for you with an open mind and persistent drive.
Keep exploring new digital income concepts with calculated testing. Pay attention to where fulfillment and skillset align.
Let the income grow organically from there through consistency and reinvesting gains.
With relentless creativity, the online world offers today’s enterprising university students in Kenya endless potential to supplement their education with hands-on entrepreneurship. Our economic futures start now.
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The modern internet-powered world has created booming demand for writers who can craft captivating content.
As a result, skilled freelance writers in Kenya can earn meaningful income working from anywhere.
However, breaking into freelance writing with no experience can feel daunting. How do you go from writing for free to earning actual money?
Luckily, by following a strategic game plan and putting in diligent effort, it’s entirely possible to start making paid freelance writing income relatively quickly.
In this guide, I’ll share the precise roadmap for writers in Kenya to start earning their first $1,000 writing online – without any need for contacts or prior client experience.
Step 1 – Build Your Foundation First
Before seeking paid writing work, it’s critical to develop core skills and have samples to demonstrate ability.
That means dedicating time upfront to:
- Improve writing skills – Read top blogs/magazines in your niche, take courses, practice daily writing.
- Understand SEO basics – Learn how to optimize online content for search engines through research and free courses.
- Study clients – Understand what types of businesses have writing needs and analyze their existing content.
- Build portfolio samples – Write 5-10 high-quality samples on topics related to your niche so clients can evaluate your work. Use a blog or personal website to showcase writing samples online.
Give yourself 2-4 weeks to build this foundation. Rushing into paid gigs without skills and samples generally leads to poor results.
Step 2 – Position Yourself as an Expert
To win writing jobs in Kenya, you need to convince potential clients you’re an expert on their topics and audiences.
Make sure you:
- Define your niche – Choose writing topics based on your existing knowledge/interests where you can demonstrate expertise quickly through research. For example, write for software companies since you have engineering experience. Or write for gyms given your passion for fitness.
- Showcase knowledge – On social media, publish short posts showing off what you know related to your niche. Quote statistics, mention industry news, share tips.
- Use confident language – Promote your writing services asserting you’re a subject matter expert, not timidly saying you “hope” to write on certain topics.
Publishing free blog posts or articles demonstrating knowledge on topics makes clients seeking writers in your space more likely to hire you believing you have existing expertise.
Step 3 – Market Yourself Actively to Clients
Once your foundation is built, it’s time to proactively start letting ideal potential clients know about your writing services. Outreach directly to relevant leads versus waiting passively.
Places to look for new clients:
- Local Kenyan businesses – Contact companies in your city that have blogs but may lack dedicated writers. Pitch offering part-time writing or content improvement.
- Industry publications – Find online magazines, journals or news sites related to your niche. Pitch contributing occasional articles for free bylined exposure at first.
- Job boards and freelance sites – Sign up for sites listing writing gigs like FlexiJobs and ProBlogger. Check new job ads daily and apply to anything relevant.
- Business directories – Search Kenyan business directories for companies in your niche and identify ones lacking content or blogs. Cold email them pitching writing services.
- Web searches – Use Google to find law firms, agencies, clinics and other businesses in your niche that have websites with thin content. Offer to write informational articles on topics important to their audience.
Cast a wide net and get yourself and your writing services in front of as many potential matches as possible.
Follow up persistently to convert contacts into clients.
Step 4 – Provide Incredible Value From Day 1
Landing those critical first few writing gigs is just the beginning. You need to over-deliver value and wow clients to earn ongoing work.
Make sure you:
- Ask probing questions – Don’t just ask for the topic. Discuss goals, target audience preferences, and desired outcomes. Gather context.
- Include extras – Offer free images to accompany articles, embed relevant videos, add graphics or statistics. Go beyond just text.
- Cite sources – Back up key points by linking to reputable publications and references. Demonstrate credibility.
- Meet (or beat) deadlines – Submit pieces days before deadline to show reliability.
- Follow style guides – Strictly adhere to assigned tone, voice, formatting.
- Exceed length minimums– Submit 1,000 words when 500 was asked. The extra value builds client trust.
- Edit thoroughly – Submit polished drafts free of any grammar, spelling or consistency issues.
Delivering outrageously good work product builds your reputation fast.
Step 5 – Leverage Feedback to Get Better
Assume your early work will have holes. As you complete initial projects, politely ask for constructive criticism and use it to improve:
- Request client comments – What did they like most? Were there any unclear sections? How could you improve for their audience?
- Implement feedback – If a client felt a piece was too technical or lacked data, adjust future work to correct this.
- Study examples – Read or watch content your clients produce. What style resonates for their audience?
- Ask for referrals – Request clients share your name if they know of others needing writers.
Demonstrating that you welcome feedback shows clients your commitment to getting better. Their insights will rapidly boost your writing.
Step 6 – Rinse and Repeat
With your first few satisfied clients secured, it’s time to rinse and repeat the process until you hit $1,000 in earnings:
- Set pricing – Determine your rates based on outlet/level of work. Entry-level blogs may pay 2 to 5 cents per word, while more established companies can pay 15 to 30 cents per word. Don’t undervalue your work but keep it affordable when starting out.
- Streamline processes – Create templates, content calendars, and organized files to complete work efficiently. This lets you take on more clients.
- Set weekly income goals – Target earning at least $200 per week. At an average rate of 10 cents per word, that’s 2,000 words of content per week.
- Invoice promptly – Send professional invoices and follow up about payment. Get comfortable asking to get paid.
- Ask for referrals – Request happy clients share your name with others seeking writers. Referrals are the best way to win new business.
By methodically executing this game plan week after week, your earnings will start compounding. With focus and persistence, hitting $1,000 in paid freelance writing assignments is very achievable within 2-3 months.
Just stick to the process, constantly improve based on feedback, and continue expanding your client pipeline.
Before you know it, you’ll go from writing for free to generating your first $1,000 as a paid freelance writer in Kenya.
Helpful Resources
Here are additional resources to further help Kenyan writers master core skills and win those critical first paid gigs:
- Online Article Writers Kenya – Connect with other local writers
- ProBlogger – Job board listing freelance writing opportunities
- Copywriting Course by Kopywriting – Free online copywriting course to sharpen essential skills
- Kevin Blogger – Youtube channel by fellow Kenyan with great freelance writing tips
- Hubspot Blog – Popular marketing blog with endless articles to analyze and learn from
The opportunities are endless for talented writers in Kenya to monetize their skills in today’s digital economy.
With grit and savvy positioning, earning that initial $1,000 writing online is totally within reach.
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The rise of Chinese fast fashion brands like Shein, which offer dirt cheap clothing, has created a massive opportunity for resellers in Kenya.
The so-called “Shein reseller method” involves buying Shein items in bulk for rock bottom prices, then reselling locally at a markup.
Many regular folks are reporting huge profits, some even claiming to make Ksh100k+ per month reselling Shein hauls bought with just Ksh5,000.
Smelling opportunity, I decided to test this business model myself. I ordered Ksh3,000 of Shein inventory and spent a month trying to resell it all locally.
Here is everything I learned from my experiment trying the Shein reseller side hustle as a total beginner.
Ordering My First Shein Haul
To source inventory, I created an account on Shein.com and browsed the massive catalog of women’s clothing priced ridiculously cheap.
I loaded up my cart with around 50 fashionable items like dresses, tops, and skirts that seemed appealing to the Kenyan market. Total damage was Ksh3,000 including shipping.
One week later I received 6 huge boxes crammed with items. I was amazed at the staggering volume of clothing I got for only Ksh3k!
Laying it all out, I was impressed by the decent quality given the absurdly low prices. Of course some pieces weren’t perfect, but I could work with most of it.
It was time to start selling.
Attempting to Resell Locally
My goal was to resell the 50 Shein pieces within 1 month and pocket at least Ksh10k profit.
I employed a variety of methods to offload the fast fashion haul locally:
- Posted photos of each item on Facebook and Instagram. This generated some social buzz but few actual buyers.
- Messaged old friends to see if they wanted anything. Managed to make 5 sales this way.
- Set up in-person pop-up “shops” at my apartment gate on weekends which pulled in a dozen or so neighborhood buyers.
- Listed the most promising 15 pieces on local e-commerce sites. Got a handful of sales this way.
In total after a month of hustling daily, I managed to completely sell out my inventory for Ksh13k total. After the initial Ksh3k outlay plus Ksh600 in other costs, I netted around Ksh9k profit.
Decent side money, but not nearly as lucrative as the hype suggested. Here are key things I learned:
Lessons Learned From My Test Run
1. Competition is fierce – Countless people are reselling Shein now. Standing out from the pack is essential but tricky.
2. Marketing is tough – As a beginner with no following, I struggled to drive buyer traffic. Could not rely on organic social buzz alone.
3. Time commitment is huge – Between sourcing, sorting, photographing, listing, and selling items, reselling takes serious hours.
4. Marketplaces trump social sales – The ease of e-commerce sites made them my best sales channel by far.
5. Narrower niche = better margins – Targeting a specific style/demographic could boost profits over a generic approach.
6. Startup costs add up – Between inventory, shipping, listings, etc. the overhead costs started mounting.
7. Going viral helps – Sellers who somehow capture a huge audience online have major advantage.
Verdict: Viable Side Hustle But Challenging
Overall, reselling cheap fast fashion like Shein in Kenya can be decently profitable but it requires significant effort as a side business. Going in expecting easy passive profits is unrealistic.
However, with the right audience reach, selling tactics, and niche, the Shein reseller model offers a relatively accessible way to pocket solid side money around a full-time job.
Next time, I would plan to:
- Source from multiple sites beyond just Shein to differentiate offerings
- Build engagement pre-launch on social to have a buyer audience ready
- Consider offline partnerships with vendors to sell inventory from physical stands
- Focus on a narrow style niche to better target a demographic
- Reinforce a strong brand identity through professional photography and packaging
For individuals in Kenya seeking affordable inventory sources to launch an e-commerce venture, tapping into sites like Shein remains a compelling starting point. But outsized success requires tremendous marketing, operations, and branding skill.
Overall, my test proved Shein reselling can be profitable but requires both grit and business savvy to scale. It makes for a robust side hustle but building it into a stand-alone passive income stream requires immense strategic work.
The key is bringing your own angle and audience to fend off the countless competitors selling the same cheap clothing sourced from China. This takes creativity and marketing skill.
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Like many driven professionals, I spent years climbing the corporate ladder in pursuit of higher pay and status. By age 29, I held a prestigious financial analyst job at a multinational bank in Nairobi earning a six-figure salary.
But amidst all the promotions, one feeling loomed over me – emptiness. I had everything supposed to make a young careerist happy. Yet it meant nothing without purpose and freedom.
So I took a drastic turn, quitting the corporate grind to pursue full-time trading of cryptocurrencies.
Now, 2 years into my crypto trading journey, I’ve never felt more fulfilled. Here’s my story of breaking free of the rat race to find prosperity and meaning through pursuing my passion.
Rising the Ranks but Still Feeling Trapped
After graduating university with an accounting degree, I was laser-focused on getting ahead in the corporate finance world.
I pictured the pinnacle being a cushy executive posting at a multinational company.
Sure enough, through 80 hour work weeks and constantly going above and beyond, I landed a senior analytics role at age 29 managing a team at one of Kenya’s top banks.
But soon the glittering promotions rang hollow. I dreaded the office politics and tedious work. I had no time for family, friends or hobbies. My health deteriorated.
This couldn’t be the pinnacle I sacrificed my youth for. There had to be more to life.
Discovering the Fast-Paced World of Crypto
During a rare vacation, I read an article about traders profiting from Bitcoin’s volatility. As someone obsessed with numbers and trends, it immediately fascinated me.
I dove in headfirst learning everything about crypto trading during my spare time. I devoured guides, took online courses, and paper traded for months.
Something about crypto’s 24/7 pace and complex technical analysis lit me up. I’d stay up all night consuming every byte of content I could find.
While still skeptical, I knew deep down I needed to explore this new world. My soul craved this type of high-stakes, rewarding challenge.
Taking the Leap Into the Unknown
After 6 months of preparation, I decided to take the ultimate leap of faith – leaving my finance job to pursue crypto trading full time.
Colleagues thought I had gone mad walking away from a coveted position. But my parents and close friends gave me their blessing, so I took the jump.
With some savings to support myself for a year, I was now free to fully immerse myself in the wild world of crypto. It was terrifying and thrilling all at once.
“Those first few months were the hardest and loneliest of my life,” I remember. But my obsession with succeeding as a trader fueled me.
Ups and Downs of My First Year Trading Crypto
That first year contained many twists I never could have predicted.
My initial months trading were enormously difficult. The complex factors like technical analysis, risk management, and emotional discipline were overwhelming.
I made every rookie mistake possible.
Within 3 months, half my capital was gone. I considered throwing in the towel and begging for my old job back.
But as they say, when you hit rock bottom the only way is up.
I took a step back and continued sharpening my strategies through extensive backtesting and demo trading.
Slowly, my fortunes began improving. As I learned to fine-tune my statistical arbitrage and swing trading systems, profits came consistently.
The key was ignoring emotion and sticking to tested data-driven rules.
One and a half years in, I surpassed my old finance salary through consistent disciplined trading.
I started mentoring new traders to keep honing my own skills.
Fulfillment Replacing Emptiness
Today I’ve been a full-time trader for over 2 years. I’m more at peace than ever before.
Trading provides challenges and fulfillment my finance job never could.
My evolvement has followed this progression:
At 29 as a banker:
- Earning big salary but feeling empty. No time freedom or joy.
First year trading crypto:
- Terrifying leap into unknown. Massive growing pains and fears of failure.
Second year as crypto trader:
- Hitting stride through statistics-based strategies. Thriving from high of profitable volatility.
Now in my third year:
- Sense of mastery and peace working for myself. Still passionate for continuous improvement.
I’ve turned trading into a flexible lifestyle business on my terms. The financial rewards are secondary to the emotional satisfaction.
Key Tips for Aspiring Crypto Traders
For others considering following a similar path, here are my top tips:
- Immerse yourself in the technical side for 6-12 months before risking real capital.
- Start trading tiny amounts even if you have a large bankroll. Think of early losses as your educational tuition.
- Keep a journal tracking every trade, strategy, and lesson. Review it constantly.
- Accept losses as part of the game. Keep them small through strict risk management.
- Avoid short-term gambling on “hot” assets. Find statistical edges versus trading the news.
- Money comes and goes. Focus on process refinement and the thrill of the analytical challenge.
Final Thoughts
The corporate world sells us the myth that prestige and paychecks alone can provide fulfillment.
But too often, chasing these superficial goals only leads to emptiness.
I had to discard society’s rulebook and re-examine my values to discover work I find genuinely meaningful.
My crypto trading journey has been intensely difficult but immensely rewarding. The independence and excitement I gain fuels me each day.
For fellow aspiring traders in Kenya, I hope my story can give you courage to take the leap and discover your passion. The freedom to live life on your own terms is waiting – you just have to claim it.
Disclaimer: This story is a guest post. Views made here doesn’t represent views of Freelancing.co.ke. Trading results aren’t typical. Trading is risky.
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When Joan Mwangi was let go from her office manager job in 2020, she struggled to find new employment amidst a bleak economy. Short on options, she decided to try an unconventional plan – tapping into Kenya’s emerging e-commerce boom.
Joan began reselling discounted products online part-time using her savings of Ksh20,000. Business was slow initially.
However, through smart lessons and grinding 16 hour days, Joan scaled her side hustle into a booming 6-figure online store within 11 months.
Today Joan’s thriving web store generates over Ksh1.2 million in sales every month, with a profit margin of around 30% after costs. And she did it all through the power of the internet and determination.
This is the story of how a jobless 30-something in Kenya turned online reselling into a lucrative full-time business through passion and grit.
From Losing Her Job to Rethinking Income Streams
Joan recalls the painful day in April 2020 when Covid forced layoffs at the real estate firm she worked at as office manager.
Given the economic turmoil, finding a new steady job looked near-impossible. Joan’s savings could only stretch so far.
However, having browsed popular merchants like Jumia and Kilimall, Joan noticed small vendors reselling all types of discounted products from China successfully online.
“It hit me – why not try reselling affordable Chinese imports myself using the internet?” Joan recalls.
The low startup costs, ease of e-commerce platforms, and booming local demand offered a unique recession-proof opportunity.
Joan decided to take the leap into online reselling, betting her career on this unconventional path.
Learning Through Trial and Error
Joan started small out of her tiny apartment. Her concept was straightforward:
- Source cheap quality products online from Chinese export websites
- Resell at competitive prices to Kenyan consumers through an e-commerce store
- Leverage social media ads to gain local customers
However, that simple idea proved incredibly difficult to execute for Joan as a total beginner.
She struggled to find reputable suppliers. Her lack of sales skills hampered getting traction. Managing logistics and cash flow proved challenging.
For months, Joan worked 16 hour days trying to understand online selling through nonstop trial and error.
Slowly but surely, the business started growing through Joan’s sheer determination to make it work.
The Keys That Unlocked Rapid Growth
After 6 exhausting months, Joan finally gained enough skills and momentum for her ecommerce business to gain traction. Then it took off rapidly.
She attributes these core changes for enabling her exponential growth:
1) Finding Reliable Suppliers: Through continuous research, Joan found and vetted manufacturers and agents to source quality affordable products to resell locally.
2) Sales Copy Optimization: She studied direct response marketing to improve her website sales pages. More enticing copy and benefit-focused product descriptions rapidly increased conversion rates.
3) Automating Processes: Joan hired virtual assistants overseas to systemize order processing, inventory updates, returns, and other tasks so she could focus on high-value activities.
4) Customer Service Fanaticism: Joan replied to customer emails instantly 24/7, sent handwritten thank you notes, rushed replacements for any issues, and overdelivered across the board. Her exceptional service earned loyal repeat customers.
5) Marketplaces Expansion: In addition to her website, Joan aggressively listed products on marketplaces like Jumia, Gumtree, and Facebook to widen her reach.
Achieving a Dream Lifestyle Through Her Online Business
1 year and 8 months after launching her ecommerce side hustle out of desperation and grit, Joan had grown it into a booming full-time business earning Ksh1.2 million per month.
Even better, the self-made path granted Joan the lifestyle freedom she always desired:
- Joan works when and where she wants, on her own schedule. No more frantic commutes or angry bosses.
- She can put earnings back into growing the business or take lavish vacations – her choice.
- She finds tremendous fulfillment watching her business and team grow from pure grit.
- She sets an example in Kenya that unconventional entrepreneurship is possible regardless of age, education or gender.
Joan has proven through vision and relentless effort you can build the life you want on your own terms.
advice to Aspiring Ecommerce Entrepreneurs
For others in Kenya inspired to start their own successful online reselling businesses, Joan highlights these key pieces of advice:
- Start hyper-small and reinvest all early profits back into growth. Think long-term.
- Study competitors intensely – identify gaps in product offerings.
- Become obsessed with world-class customer service. This builds loyalty and reputation.
- Keep testing new marketing strategies – find cost-efficient channels to acquire happy customers.
- Automate everything possible. This frees up energy and mental bandwidth.
- Persevere through the tough early days. Consistent effort compounds over time.
Joan sees a new generation of young entrepreneurs emerging across Kenya, building location-independent incomes through the internet.
Her journey proves that ecommerce offers a viable path to financial freedom and prosperity for those willing to put in relentless effort and learn each day.
The time to start is now.
With the right vision and grit, the possibilities in online business are endless.
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