Start a Grocery Kiosk / Micro-Store with $300
inventory breakdown (fits the $150 line)
Rice (bulk): $30
Maize / cassava flour: $30
Sugar (bulk): $15
Cooking oil (small bottles): $15
Salt & basic spices (small packs): $10
Soap / detergent (household bars): $10
Tea / instant coffee (small packs): $10
Snacks / biscuits (small packets): $10
Fresh item buffer (eggs/seasonal fruit — rotate fast): $10
= $140 + $10 buffer = $150
Step-by-step setup
Day 0–2 — Research & site
Scout a high foot-traffic place: market entrance, near bus stop, busy road, school gate.
Talk to local vendors about popular items and wholesale sources.
Day 3–5 — Buy & build
3. Buy the stall/table (or borrow) and assemble shelving/display.
4. Purchase initial inventory from wholesale market. Use the digital scale to sell in small quantities (e.g., 0.25 kg sachets) if customers prefer small purchases.
Day 6 — Legal & basics
5. Register or speak to local authorities about small-vendor permits (use the $10 permit line). Set up a visible sign and display pricing clearly.
6. Set mobile-money number / phone credit and display payment options.
Day 7–14 — Launch & test
7. Open with a small promotion: free sample, “first-day discount,” or bundle offer.
8. Track sales daily in a simple notebook: item, qty sold, price, and cash/mobile received.
pricing & margin example
If average cost per unit sold (weighted) = $0.50, aim for 30–50% markup.
30% markup: selling price = 0.50 × 1.30 = $0.65
50% markup: selling price = 0.50 × 1.50 = $0.75
Quick revenue example: if you sell the $150 inventory at an average 50% markup you would get:
Revenue = 150 × 1.50 = $225
Gross profit (before fixed expenses) = 225 − 150 = $75
Daily / weekly operations checklist
Daily
Open with clean stall, covered goods, clear prices.
Serve customers, keep short log (sales & payments).
Sweep and wipe surfaces, secure cash float.
Weekly
Count inventory and reorder fastest movers.
Check for expired/spoiled items and remove.
Reconcile cash + mobile receipts vs sales log.
Sales & marketing tips (low/zero cost)
Use WhatsApp groups and your phone to take orders and offer local delivery.
Offer small sample sachets to passersby.
Bundle popular items (e.g., rice + oil) at a slight discount.
Partner with a local tea vendor / food stall to cross-promote.
Security, storage & perishability
Store dry goods off the floor in covered containers to avoid pests and moisture.
Sell perishables (eggs, milk products) only if you can rotate daily—avoid spoilage.
Lock cash and keep the stall attended; consider working a shift schedule with a trusted partner.
Insure or mark inventory to deter theft; keep batteries/phones charged for mobile payments.
How to scale from from months 1–3
Reinvest part of weekly profits into more inventory (fast movers first).
Add 1–2 higher-margin goods (spices, small packaged snacks, phone airtime top-ups).
If demand grows, move from a table to a shaded kiosk or rent a small permanent stall.
Consider offering bulk repackaging services (sell 0.25kg sachets cut from larger bulk) — good margins.
Variations (to fit your local reality)
Market stall — high footfall, daily set-up/pack-down.
Corner kiosk — slightly higher start cost but more stable.
Mobile vendor — pushcart selling bread, eggs, or packaged goods door-to-door.
Risks & solutions
Low turnover → spoilage: reduce quantity of perishables; buy daily/alternate days.
Price undercutting by competitors: emphasize convenience, credit, or bundle value.
Theft: keep small cash float, use mobile money to limit cash on hand.
Regulatory: check local vending rules; small fees are worth avoiding fines.