So You Want to Start a Business… But You Don’t Want to Be There? Read This First

By Eddie Mugulusi

Let’s talk about a very specific type of entrepreneur today.

The kind who wants to start a business but doesn’t want to sit in it every day.
You’ve got other things to do. A 9–5. A consultancy. School fees. Maybe vibes.

You want something that runs itself — or at least runs without needing you to clock in every morning.
You’re thinking: “I’ll find someone. They’ll manage it. I’ll just pop in and check once in a while.”

Great plan. Until it’s not.

Because here’s the truth:
All small businesses struggle.
But businesses where the owner is absent?
They struggle even more.

So if you’re going to be an absentee owner, you need two things on lock.
Let’s dive into them:

1. Only Start a Business You Understand (Like, Deeply)

Let me say it louder for the folks in the back:
If you don’t understand the business, don’t start it.
Especially if you won’t be there daily.

Here’s why.

When you’re not around, who runs the show? Usually, someone you hired. And let’s be honest — small businesses in Uganda rarely hire “top talent.”
We hire people who just need a job.
They’re not seasoned experts. They’re not specialists. They’re job-seekers.

And that’s fine — as long as you are the expert.

Because then you can train them, coach them, guide them.
But if both of you are clueless?
That’s a recipe for chaos. It’s like the blind leading the blind… into bankruptcy.

Let’s break it down further.

If the work is technical — say baking, tailoring, or electronics repair — you need technical know-how.
If the work is business-focused — pricing, negotiating, branding — you need business sense.
If you’re missing both, and you’re not physically present, who’s solving the problems?

Nobody.
That’s who.

So:
Pick a business you understand.
Hire someone who’s eager to learn.
Then pass down your experience like a wise village elder with receipts.

That’s how you increase your odds of survival.

2. Pick a Business With Few Moving Parts

Let me introduce you to your new best friend:
Simplicity.

If you’re going to be an absentee owner, do yourself a favor:
Don’t start a business that has too many processes.
The more steps it takes to deliver your product or service, the more chances there are for things to go wrong when you’re not around.

Let me show you what I mean.

Have you ever been to Zai Plaza in downtown Kampala?
There are guys in there who sell pirated movies for a living (yes, still a thing — Netflix isn’t for everyone, apparently).

That business is… simple.

Get a location.
Download movies.
Copy them to someone’s flash disk.
Collect cash. Done.

Minimal steps. Minimal room for error.
If you’ve got CCTV and occasional check-ins, you can monitor sales and staff behaviorremotely.
It’s not glamorous, but it’s straightforward.

Now compare that to, say… a poultry farm.

Have you ever tried running a poultry business in absentia?
Good luck.

Dead birds.
Mysteriously disappearing eggs.
Workers running “parallel businesses” with your feed and chickens.
And you? You’re miles away, relying on “WhatsApp updates” and your gut.

That business has too many moving parts.
It needs your eyes, your hands, your shadow.

So please.
If you’re not going to be there every day, don’t pick a business that needs you every day.

Let’s wrap up

Look — I’m not here to kill your dream.

I’m here to help you keep it alive.

If you want a business that runs without you, then:

• Pick one you deeply understand.

• Keep it simple. Fewer parts, fewer problems.

• Train your people like it’s your second job.

• Set up systems to watch the business, even from a distance.

Do that, and you’ll avoid becoming another “I tried that but it failed” story on your street.

You deserve better than that.
But only if you plan for it.