“Everyone says start an online business in Uganda, but no one tells you how—I feel like I’m just guessing and wasting time.”
That hit hard, didn’t it?
If you’ve ever found yourself nodding along to that sentence, maybe even whispering it under your breath while staring at a blank screen or scrolling through a million “How to Start an Online Business” blog posts that never quite get it—you’re not alone.
Because it’s one thing to have the dream. The idea. The fire. But it’s something else entirely to feel like you’re fumbling around in the dark, trying to find a light switch that no one seems willing to point out. Especially when you live in a place like Uganda, where opportunity does exist—but the roadmap often feels blurry, incomplete, or just plain missing.
It’s exhausting, isn’t it? Everyone’s shouting “Just start!” like it’s some magical fix. But start what, exactly? With who? Using what tools? And when you ask around, you get these vague motivational slogans: “Take action!” “Believe in yourself!” And yeah, that stuff has its place. But belief doesn’t buy data. It doesn’t build a website. It doesn’t tell you which online hustle is actually working here on the ground.
And so, you try. You try YouTube. You try selling on Instagram. Maybe you set up a Facebook page or flirt with dropshipping. But somewhere in the middle of all that clicking, you feel it—that creeping doubt. Am I even doing this right?
Let’s pause right there. Because this is where it gets real.
The internet is supposed to be the great equalizer. But if we’re being honest, it often becomes a maze—especially when you’re starting from scratch in a country where digital infrastructure is still catching up, and real-world mentorship is hard to come by. There are platforms you can’t access. Payment gateways that don’t support your country. Business models that make sense in New York but crumble in Kampala.
So no, you’re not crazy for feeling stuck. You’re not lazy. You’re not behind. You’re under-guided. And that’s a very different thing.
I spoke to a young guy last month, 24, based in Entebbe. Brilliant mind. Tech-savvy. Determined. He told me he wanted to build a content-based business—maybe blogging, maybe YouTube, maybe affiliate marketing. But when I asked what was holding him back, he just shrugged. “I don’t know what’s real. Everything feels like a scam or a guess. I’ve tried so many things, and nothing’s clear. I’m just… tired.”
That word again. Tired.
Not from working hard. But from trying to make progress in a fog.
So let’s clear some of it, shall we?
If you’re in Uganda—or really anywhere that’s not the so-called “digital epicenter”—here are some real, grounded thoughts to hold onto:
You Don’t Need to Build the Next Big Thing
Let’s kill that pressure right now. You don’t need to launch the Ugandan version of Amazon. You don’t need to invent an app that changes how people live. Sometimes, a small, focused, consistent business wins. Selling handmade crafts on Instagram with smart storytelling can beat a half-baked e-commerce store any day. A TikTok page reviewing local food spots with affiliate links might bring in more cash than a complicated, overseas-focused website.
Small, simple, strategic. That’s the play.
Choose Based on Your Reality, Not Hype
You’ve probably heard about dropshipping, forex trading, selling digital products, or freelancing on Fiverr. Some of those can work. Some of them won’t. But the only way to know what fits you is to stop chasing what’s trending and start looking at what matches your skills, your bandwidth, and your network.
Are you good with people? Consider managing social media for local businesses—they need it. Have a passion for photography? Sell digital backdrops or presets on Etsy (yes, even from Uganda—it’s doable with the right steps). Are you a killer writer? There’s content work everywhere, but you need to position yourself for it.
And positioning… that’s where most people slip.
It’s Not Just About the Hustle, It’s About Being Findable
This part gets ignored so often.
You can be the best designer in your district, but if no one can find you online, it’s like you don’t exist. So yeah, create the page. Build the portfolio. Learn the SEO basics (start with just knowing what people are searching for on Google in Uganda). And for the love of all things digital, don’t just copy what a U.S.-based influencer is doing and expect it to work here.
Your context matters. Your audience is different. Your tools and your ecosystem are unique. And that’s not a weakness—that’s your leverage, if you learn how to use it.
Mentorship Is Rare, But Not Impossible
Okay, deep breath here. A lot of you have given up on finding someone who’ll guide you. Maybe you DMed someone you admired and got ignored. Maybe you signed up for a free “coaching call” that turned into a sales pitch.
But don’t stop asking for help. Just ask better.
Instead of saying, “Can you mentor me?” try something like, “I saw you started a YouTube channel focused on Kampala startups—can I ask you a few questions about how you found your first audience?” That’s a real question. Specific. Human. Respectful of time.
People respond to that. And slowly, you build connections. Not overnight. But brick by brick.
And Yeah, You’re Gonna Mess Up
You’ll pick the wrong niche. You’ll waste money on a domain name you never use. You’ll set up an online store and get zero sales for weeks.
That’s part of the deal. It’s not failure—it’s data. Learn from it. Adjust. Stay in motion.
Because here’s the quiet truth most don’t say out loud:
Nobody has this all figured out. Even the ones teaching others. We’re all navigating new waters, all the time. What matters is not being perfect—it’s staying curious, connected, and clear-headed enough to keep trying.
So, to the person who said they feel like they’re just guessing and wasting time—yes, I see you. Yes, it’s hard. But no, you’re not alone.
You’re standing on the edge of something, even if you can’t see it yet. Every failed idea, every unanswered DM, every night you stayed up researching instead of sleeping—it’s all adding up to something. A sharper instinct. A stronger vision. A new path.
The next step? It’s not as dramatic as you might think. It’s choosing one thing. A single skill, platform, or business model that feels aligned with your life. And then committing—not to perfection, but to progress.
That’s how it starts. That’s how it always starts.
And who knows—maybe one day, you’ll be the voice someone else finds when they’re tired of guessing. Maybe you’ll be the roadmap you never had.
Wouldn’t that be something?
