Businesses in Nakuru turn to sharing space in light of economic difficulties
Kennedy Pariken in a shop where he shares business space with his friend in Nakuru city centre.
With the rise in the cost of doing business, especially in payment of rent, some businesses in Nakuru city centre have decided to share the space to reduce expenses.
Kennedy Pariken together with his friend began selling their products in the same premise in 2021 where he sells shoes and his partner sells official clothes.
He notes that the reason why they have worked together without wrangles is because they trust each other and respect each other's business.
"Sharing a premise with someone requires a high level of trust between the two parties because without trust you cannot run the business in peace," he says.
Kennedy adds that it's important to have a prior agreement in place to address how the partnership will work especially in matters of rent and other related costs.
On what can be done to have success in both businesses, Kennedy says that having different products is important because it prevents competition between the partners and they can share the customers' network to increase customer base for both businesses.
Bernard Kamunyu's Shop, which he used to share with a beauty parlour in Nakuru city centre.
Bernard Kamunyu on his end shared his space with a beauty parlour for one year to share the rent cost but the sharing had to come to an end because his partner's business was not doing well.
Kamunyu however emphasizes the importance of understanding and knowing the person you are sharing space with because they can make or break your business.
"Sharing the space should complement each other's business rather than having competing businesses. It's important to remember that if there are wrangles, one partner can decide to steal from the other since they share the key to the premise," he notes.
He has since decided to use the space by having a play station to complement his income from the movie shop he's still running in the same space.
Most salons in Nakuru share space since the rent for a business premise in Nakuru is very costly.
Monicah Wanjiku is a nail technician in a shared space salon in Nakuru.
Monicah Wanjiku, a salonist reveals that it has helped them in increasing savings because it slashes the rent by almost half.
She notes that they pay Sh. 7,000 - Sh. 8,500 depending on the service offered which is half of what is paid per month by those who decide to rent a space individually.
Wanjiku notes that the sharing helps in not only saving but also in ensuring the circulation of jobs between themselves.
She adds that it also allows them to have a unified table banking between themselves since they all work together.