Post by ashley on Jun 14, 2018 1:49:22 GMT -6
Business Management Roleplay
This guide is for those who wish to own an in-game business within roleplay
This guide is for those who wish to own an in-game business within roleplay
Managing
Operating a legal enterprise on roleplay servers always seemed like an easy task for their founders.
You literally only needed money and common sense. Though, why not spice up the exciting challenge that is managing a business properly? Most of the readers will react to this article by disagreeing, simply due to the fact that it brings much more to do and it is just a game and we're supposed to have fun, etc.
I could simply answer that you are the only one who will decide on how your company will be managed, I am simply proposing simple tricks to make it look more realistic. In this article, I will present many ways of putting the realism up ahead. Some may look too complex, some may look pointless, but again, you are the one to decide of how you're doing your thing.
Certificate Of Employment
Inviting someone to your faction or telling that person "Hey, you're hired!" doesn't confirm that, lawfully, he is employed by your enterprise.
On a previous server, I tested (and it worked!) employment certificates. In real life - well, at least, in Canada -, once employed, you must provide your social insurance number (mostly for tax authorities) and a cheque specimen (so they can deposit your paycheck directly in your bank account). Though, roleplay servers generally do not offer such features.
This is why we need to find a replacement. You will then be able to present a proof to any authority asking it that such person is employed by you. It also ensures the employee that you are responsible of him when he's at work.
Here's an example below:
Register your enterprise
There's more than one type of enterprises out there, but all companies on roleplay servers are owned by one single person. Thus, you might want to also have papers that you registered your enterprise. Once again, a similar format to what I've used for Certificate of Employment could be used, so you can prove to any authority asking it that your company is indeed legal (registered) and lawful.
Simple Accounting
Accounting, it may sound boring, complex and completely pointless on a roleplay server. Though, it is extremely useful to keep track of your transactions, expenses, incomes, etc. It does not have to be complex, you can just keep it to the simplest form. You will also be able to evaluate how much your business is worth. There's a few word definitions you must know before going on. An active is how much your company is worth, it's pretty much all properties you own, plus the balance of your business bank account. A passive is all the debts you have, the loans you got to pay back, the bills you must pay, etc.
Then the capital is the amount you have legitimately. If you decide to close your business, you're going to have to re-pay all the passives with your capital, and then, that'd be your retirement money. You must also always remember that ACTIVES = PASSIVES + CAPITAL. I thus recommend business owners to create an excel sheet.
Operating a legal enterprise on roleplay servers always seemed like an easy task for their founders.
You literally only needed money and common sense. Though, why not spice up the exciting challenge that is managing a business properly? Most of the readers will react to this article by disagreeing, simply due to the fact that it brings much more to do and it is just a game and we're supposed to have fun, etc.
I could simply answer that you are the only one who will decide on how your company will be managed, I am simply proposing simple tricks to make it look more realistic. In this article, I will present many ways of putting the realism up ahead. Some may look too complex, some may look pointless, but again, you are the one to decide of how you're doing your thing.
Certificate Of Employment
Inviting someone to your faction or telling that person "Hey, you're hired!" doesn't confirm that, lawfully, he is employed by your enterprise.
On a previous server, I tested (and it worked!) employment certificates. In real life - well, at least, in Canada -, once employed, you must provide your social insurance number (mostly for tax authorities) and a cheque specimen (so they can deposit your paycheck directly in your bank account). Though, roleplay servers generally do not offer such features.
This is why we need to find a replacement. You will then be able to present a proof to any authority asking it that such person is employed by you. It also ensures the employee that you are responsible of him when he's at work.
Here's an example below:
Note that I will happily provide the PSD file above to any person asking me over Discord PMs.
Register your enterprise
There's more than one type of enterprises out there, but all companies on roleplay servers are owned by one single person. Thus, you might want to also have papers that you registered your enterprise. Once again, a similar format to what I've used for Certificate of Employment could be used, so you can prove to any authority asking it that your company is indeed legal (registered) and lawful.
Simple Accounting
Accounting, it may sound boring, complex and completely pointless on a roleplay server. Though, it is extremely useful to keep track of your transactions, expenses, incomes, etc. It does not have to be complex, you can just keep it to the simplest form. You will also be able to evaluate how much your business is worth. There's a few word definitions you must know before going on. An active is how much your company is worth, it's pretty much all properties you own, plus the balance of your business bank account. A passive is all the debts you have, the loans you got to pay back, the bills you must pay, etc.
Then the capital is the amount you have legitimately. If you decide to close your business, you're going to have to re-pay all the passives with your capital, and then, that'd be your retirement money. You must also always remember that ACTIVES = PASSIVES + CAPITAL. I thus recommend business owners to create an excel sheet.
Please note that I will happily provide my own excel sheet if anyone asks via Discord PMs.
Both totals must equal each other. So lets say that, after that 23.01.2014 exercise, you're deciding to 1. Invest 30 000 from your own pockets in your company and 2. buy a car for 5000$. The excel sheet would then look like this. 
Advertisement
You won't get known magically. Yes, advertisement is a really big expense and it needs work. Either do it yourself or ask the local news company to do it for you. Use the 'In Character' sections of the Forum & Discord, use the in-game features to advertise it.
Your advertisement must be entertaining and professional.
Partnerships
Easy moves Partnership is probably the most easy way to get known automatically without much effort.
Go to a business that is related or semi-related to your business, sit down with their manager and discuss of a partnership. Exchange services. I personally had a partnership with a security firm and the City of Los Santos. Thus, I had advantages over other companies. Have the partnership contracts signed.
Yourself
Contracts sure are taking a lot of time to write, but by having signed contracts, you're protected by the law. Thus, if a clause of that contract is not respected by one of the parties, the other party may open a law suit or decide to cancel the contract, depending on the case.
Conclusion
I've listed a few, but not all of them. Ways of bringing realism forward with your legal enterprise. Of course, this is an article written by me personally and doesn't necessarily express everyone's opinion. It is based on my experience with legal factions.
You won't get known magically. Yes, advertisement is a really big expense and it needs work. Either do it yourself or ask the local news company to do it for you. Use the 'In Character' sections of the Forum & Discord, use the in-game features to advertise it.
Your advertisement must be entertaining and professional.
Partnerships
Easy moves Partnership is probably the most easy way to get known automatically without much effort.
Go to a business that is related or semi-related to your business, sit down with their manager and discuss of a partnership. Exchange services. I personally had a partnership with a security firm and the City of Los Santos. Thus, I had advantages over other companies. Have the partnership contracts signed.
Yourself
Contracts sure are taking a lot of time to write, but by having signed contracts, you're protected by the law. Thus, if a clause of that contract is not respected by one of the parties, the other party may open a law suit or decide to cancel the contract, depending on the case.
Conclusion
I've listed a few, but not all of them. Ways of bringing realism forward with your legal enterprise. Of course, this is an article written by me personally and doesn't necessarily express everyone's opinion. It is based on my experience with legal factions.
If you need any of the documents, any coaching, any tips, please feel free to contact me!
Written By
Ashley, Operations Control Team
Hollywood Interactive
Ashley, Operations Control Team
Hollywood Interactive