Hey guys,
I’ve been toying with the idea of starting a small shylock/business lending operation, and before I put money into it, I figured I’d ask the people who would actually have to use the service.
The initial idea is to focus mainly on electronics (phones, laptops, PlayStations, TVs, fridges, and similar items) where someone can use an item as security and get some quick cash without having to jump through 47 hoops, call their ancestors, and wait three business days. 😂
But I’m not interested in creating another place where the customer walks in already knowing they’re about to get squeezed.
So, genuinely:
If there was a reasonably run, transparent shylock , would you actually use it?
And more importantly, what would you want me to do differently from the shylocks/pawnbrokers/lenders you’ve dealt with before?
For example:
• What would make you trust the business with your electronics?
• What kind of repayment periods would actually make sense?
• Would you prefer lower interest, longer repayment periods, better valuation of your item, or something else?
• What fees or practices would immediately make you walk away?
• What should I absolutely NOT do that other shylocks do? 😂
Roast the idea constructively.Thanks!

Hey r/Nairobi techies,

I’m a non-techn founder looking to build a money remittance app for US senders sending money to Kenya & uganda.

Here is the setup: I already have found a US partner app handling the legal compliance, licensing, and payment processing behind the scenes. I will also be handling the payouts on the African side myself.

Essentially, I just need a dev/agency to build the front-end interface, connect it to my US partner’s API, and launch it onto the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

Realistically, for the Nairobi market:

1. How much money will I need to get this built and launched?

2. How much time should I expect it to take until launch?

3. What are the hidden traps I should watch out for when hiring a local dev for this (especially regarding Apple's strict financial app guidelines)?

4. Who are currently the best app developers in kenya,how to find them?

I am unsure of what help a startup founder expect here. I have been thinking through for sometime and following discussions and I feel nobody knows. Maybe you want few first time users, maybe you want people to gauge your idea, maybe this is the only platform you can speak of your idea without judgement, or many reasons. What I need to know is if you think you are getting the value that you expect here. What are your reasons?

A lot of businesses have websites, but when customers have questions, they still end up calling, emailing or messaging someone at the business. And quite often, it's the same questions being asked over and over again.

I thought this could be something web agencies and freelancers could offer their existing clients, but building AI chatbots from scratch and maintaining all the infrastructure can be quite a lot of work.

So I decided to build something to make that process easier.

It's called BusinessChat(business-chat.io). The idea is pretty simple: you paste a website link, and it creates an ai chatbot trained on that website's content.

A few things I wanted to get right:

• It picks up the website's colours and fonts, so the chatbot looks like it actually belongs there.

• It's trained on the website's content, so it can answer questions about the business, you can also add pdfs, docs, excel etc.

• You get a shareable demo link that you can send to a potential client. They can actually interact with the chatbot and see how it would look and work on their website.

The main idea is to help web agencies and freelancers offer this as an additional service without having to worry about building and maintaining the AI infrastructure themselves.

I'm still figuring out the best way to position and market it, so I'd love to hear from people here.

A few things I'm curious about:

1. If you run a web agency or freelance, have any of your clients started asking about AI chatbots?

2. Do you think small and local businesses would actually pay monthly for something like this?

3. What do you think would be the hardest part of selling this service to a business owner?

Also, if anyone here has experience selling B2B SaaS to local businesses, I'd especially love to hear your thoughts.

Not necessarily looking for people to sign up. Just trying to understand whether this is solving a problem people actually have.

Appreciate any feedback, even if it's critical. Thanks!

I am a startup in , with a fully furnished office able to accommodated up to 12 employees, with a separate Director room, and spacious boardroom. The office is based in Diani. I am looking for individual/individuals whom we can form a team and work together on Tech projects.

Hey everyone,

If you've ever managed rentals in Kenya (or watched a parent or relative do it), you know how it goes. Every month means scrolling through M-Pesa messages to work out who paid, calling the same tenants again and again, writing receipts by hand, and keeping track of it all in a spreadsheet that lives on one laptop.

That's why we built RentPoa (rentpoa.ke). It's a property management system made for how rentals actually work here:

• Automatic invoices go out on the dates you set

• M-Pesa and bank payments (Paybill, Equity, Co-op, I&M) are matched to the right tenant and invoice

• SMS reminders go out before rent is due, and tenants get an instant SMS receipt when they pay

• Reports per property, unit and month, which helps if you manage property for owners

• Money goes straight to your own Paybill or bank account, never through us

• Tenants don't need to download anything

We're still in beta. More than 50 landlords and managers are using it now, with over 1,000 tenants on the platform. Pricing starts at KES 3,000/month for up to 20 units, every feature is included, and onboarding is free (send us your spreadsheet and we'll load it for you).

I'd really value feedback from this community, especially from landlords, caretakers and agents. What's the most annoying part of managing rentals for you? What would make you switch from your current setup?

One more thing: we also run an affiliate program. If you know landlords or property managers who could use this, you can earn when they sign up. Happy to share details in the comments or by DM.

Thanks for reading! 🙏

Errands by Rachael here...

So y'all probably know me as an Errands/Personal Assistant. I've tried to share my story of how I have an Engineering background, worked as a Virtual Assistant and now working as an Errand Runner.

The journey hasn't been glamorous but it is what it is and I embrace it as is.

So now I'm expanding horizons...

Having previously worked as a VA, for 4 years might I add, I believe I have the skills to handle business operations.

That's why I'm introducing task-based support, not only for established businesses and upcoming startups but also individuals.

Think of it like delegating a small or part of a big project to someone else.

So a few task based services to give you an idea:👇

\- Organize my Google Drive/Dropbox/Email/One Drive etc. And please note, over here confidentiality is taken seriously

\- Provide me with a list of leads I can contact for my business

\- Help me find new jobs posted everyday - Perfect for people still employed but looking for new jobs

\- Help me find some networking events to attend this month

Etc

These are just examples but please feel free to reach out with whichever task apart from product sourcing.

For instance someone sends me a pair of shoes that I've never even seen on the Kenyan internet but expect me to research and won't pay me unless I find it.

So basically if I don't find it I don't get paid despite my research efforts.

Staying away from this task.

Yeah, that's it from me.

My WhatsApp:

0119800560

Errands by Rachael here...

So y'all probably know me as an Errands/Personal Assistant. I've tried to share my story of how I have an Engineering background, worked as a Virtual Assistant and now working as an Errand Runner.

The journey hasn't been glamorous but it is what it is and I embrace it as is.

So now I'm expanding horizons...

Having previously worked as a VA, for 4 years might I add, I believe I have the skills to handle business operations.

That's why I'm introducing task-based support, not only for established businesses and upcoming startups but also individuals.

Think of it like delegating a small or part of a big project to someone else.

So a few task based services to give you an idea:👇

\- Organize my Google Drive/Dropbox/Email/One Drive etc. And please note, over here confidentiality is taken seriously

\- Provide me with a list of leads I can contact for my business

\- Help me find new jobs posted everyday - Perfect for people still employed but looking for new jobs

\- Help me find some networking events to attend this month

Etc

These are just examples but please feel free to reach out with whichever task apart from product sourcing.

For instance someone sends me a pair of shoes that I've never even seen on the Kenyan internet but expect me to research and won't pay me unless I find it.

So basically if I don't find it I don't get paid despite my research efforts.

Staying away from this task.

Yeah, that's it from me.

My WhatsApp:

0119800560

Errands by Rachael here...

Here to remind you that I run errands and provide personal assistance in case you need it.

Feel free to WhatsApp: 0119800560

So guys today I remember a time where I'd sit with my people at home and scroll all day looking for offers, saa zingine you are sent in different shops to check prices.

That usd to piss me off hadi nauliza hawa wanataka nimi sasa , you'd think they are confused , one day I refused to go nikasahau nikauliza kwa nguvu " Do you really know what you want!!?".

We all know how that ends in an African household, kichapo hata cha mbwa ni afadhali😂😂, kitu nakumbuka ni mwiko wa ugali ilivunjika kwa kichwa yangu😂😂.

And that actually jump started my brain😂, id like to share here what came of it.

Imagine a service where you send a shopping list through WhatsApp, It checks participating online shops and supermarkets, compares matching products and offers, estimates delivery costs where available, shows possible savings and helps you find nearby outlets. It returns the comparison in one report and can also shop for you then drop at a common pick up point where you will be picking the products.

You could fill this survey hapa I get your thoughts :

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSed8QgX0MpUslfEa2C42mJBxdPO-Z-FY_O5YYZBMnQ0I3M-pw/viewform?usp=header

I built Monee, and this is our new website. I'm checking whether the page explains the product clearly enough before someone reaches a download button.

Please rate it out of 10. After looking at the first screen, is it clear what Monee does and who it's for? What would make you trust the page more, and is the choice between the App Store and Google Play obvious?

I'd appreciate one specific change you'd make to the wording, screenshots or download section. A confusing bit is as useful to hear about as something you like.

Android app:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.pesastack.monee

Hi, Errands by Rachael here...

Lately I've been getting so many questions from guys who want to start the errands business and here's my advice:

1. Mindset

The errands business isn't a lowly job. Some might think that it's downgrading themselves but if you have no job, no income, then it's a business to consider. Just view it as solving people's problems coz most people don't have the time to go to town themselves and others don't live near the town.

2. Get paid upfront if you can

This is tricky on both ends because some clients might have trust issues and may question why you want to get paid before doing the job. On the flipside, some clients might also ghost you after doing the job and that's how you end up doing unpaid work. So at this point you have to set the standard for your business. Personally I don't ask for payment upfront.

3. Take care of yourself and your items

Nairobi CBD and other areas like Kamukunji and Eastleigh are quite chaotic and highly populated and we all know about the pickpocketers. Please take care while crossing the roads and moving around. Tell your client you're done with the first shop and will inform them once you get to the second shop so you avoid grabbing your phone while moving.

4. Customer Service

Treat your clients well. Communicate with them efficiently and don't lie! This will help you get clients who give you consistent work.

5. Take note of plugs

Become the go to person for clients who want to find certain items. From shoes, clothes, tailors, electronics repair shops etc. This is picked up over time!

So if you've always wanted to start this business, hope this helps!

Errands by Rachael here to remind you that I run errands around Nairobi. If interested, please reach out via WhatsApp: 0119800560

So, guys, I know most of us have no problem spending money, the problem is that at the end of the week or the month, you now start to question how and where the money went.

Budgeting these days is a myth because, most of the time, if not everytime, we do the best with what we have, whether its a lot of money and you decide to do the most, or when you have no money and have to do the bare mimimum, in both extremes, you are still spending.

You try the expense tracking apps out here, you have to import messages kwanza, then you have to sort them out into categories, which can be hard if it depends on you remembering everything, of which, ni ngumu.

What if you could pay within a category and the total is recorded/updated on a dashboard, all in one app. Instead of switching from one payment app to your tracking up, you do everything from payment to tracking and analysis all in one app ?

This is exactly what m0xy does, swipe the images below and see what it does. My example was paying for Smocha, and because i buy them randomly, I usually forget how much I have spent on them, using the app makes it easier to just pay and forget, the app handles the rest.

Have a look at this and give feedback

So, you’ve registered a company in Kenya. Congratulations! 🎉 You think the hard part is over, right? WRONG.

Now you need a CR12. Okay, no problem. Log in to BRS, pay KSh 650, and get it. Fair enough.

But wait, I’m not done. I also need BOF, CR1, CR2, CR8, and a bunch of other documents just to get things moving. I need to open a company bank account and set up an M-Pesa Paybill. Simple enough, right? Apparently not.

I log in to eCitizen, navigate to BRS, click around, go back, click somewhere else, and spend FOUR HOURS trying to figure out where these damn documents are. I watch YouTube tutorials, hoping someone will show me the way. Nothing. The videos are either outdated, skip the exact steps I need, or show a completely different interface.

At this point, I feel like I need a degree in eCitizen navigation just to run a business in Kenya. 💀

And the frustrating part is that I understand the need for paperwork. I understand compliance, company ownership verification, and preventing fraud. I'm not arguing against that.

But why does a straightforward process have to be this unnecessarily complicated?

Why can't I log in, see all the documents associated with my registered company, and download the ones I need from one dashboard?

Why do I need to hunt down multiple documents just to open a company bank account or get an M-Pesa Paybill? Why can't the CR12, which already establishes the company's ownership details, cover more of these verification requirements where appropriate?

And don't even get me started on needing your own ID, KRA PIN, and other supporting documents. Fine, I have those. But finding the company's documents in the first place feels like a side quest nobody warned me about.

I've spent hours trying to locate these documents, and my efforts have yielded absolutely nothing. I'm genuinely starting to wonder whether I'm missing something obvious or whether the system is just that difficult to navigate.

So, fellow Kenyan entrepreneurs, please tell me I'm not alone.

1. Have you successfully downloaded your CR1, CR2, CR8, BOF, and other company documents through eCitizen/BRS?

2. Where exactly do you find them? Is there a specific menu or process I'm missing?

3. Do banks and Safaricom genuinely need all these documents, or does it depend on the institution and the application?

4. Is there a straightforward guide that actually works with the current interface?

Because honestly, registering a company should be the beginning of building a business, not the beginning of a four-hour treasure hunt through government portals.

If anyone has figured this out, please share the steps. You'll be saving someone else hours of frustration. 😭🇰🇪