Rules for small businesses?, Player interested in starting a front business Options

[ReverendMo]

Hi all,

While I'm certain I had seen a post on this some time back, I've been totally at a loss to find it... In a nutshell, I'm trying to find info/rules on how players might open their own business to use as a cover/meeting place. The advanced Lifestyle rules in Companion include a workshop, but not an actual business.

In detail, the player wants to try and open up his own high class strip club. The core book and Unwired have more than enough info on how to set up the Matrix security, costs and such, and I can probably just modify the custom Lifestyle rules for the basic building, but any info or advice on how to determine costs/income and such would be awesome.

[Elfenlied]

Well, what you can do is buy the appropriate ratings in Entertainment, Comforts etc. Have them take the Perfect Roommate option if they want a majordomo to handle the business, and/or give them the Day Job negative quality.

[Karoline]

The workshop quality for lifestyle just means a bunch of extra space. It doesn't actually add any sort of tools or anything, it simply means there is more space than normal for the place (Making what should be a medium sized house a luxury sized house, or at least luxury sized square footage, possibly due to the unfinished basement or attached 2 car garage, etc)

[nezumi]

I love the idea of a strip club being a 'workshop'.

There are two ways you can run this. The first is make all businesses the same, and say 'you get X nuyen for Y hours and cash invested', and maybe modify it so less income means better reputation or new contacts.

The other way is to get into the nitty gritty - what sort of space, contacts, permits and so on does a club need? Setting up a strip club, especially a high-quality one, isn't a matter of just renting a storefront and filling it with naked people until you get money. It really requires you know a lot of important people - to get the permission to build it, to bring in the clientele, and to keep the competition from shutting it down.

[Summerstorm]

Also... you need to clear the money you invest first. It is hard to invest money from running into a "legitimate" or quasi-legal business. You need for example to have a near-perfect sin.. and launder money to it, so it doesn't seem out of place. After that you need to pay taxes (EWWWWW) and stuff.

Overall it is a cool thing to do though. And a nice retirement base, for when you are finished in the shadows... (And your business works well)

[Draco18s]

Don't forget the Day Job negative quality! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Makki]

Don't forget the Day Job negative quality! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

and Fame, 'cause you wanna have a rockin well-known business with some advertising for more income (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[CanRay]

And don't forget the (dis)organized crime aspect as well. You're going to have to pay off the local gang, the local crime syndicate, the police (Which might be the local gang if you're in the Barrens), and bribes to City Hall to get the licenses you need (And then more bribes to renew them.).

And then there's going to be all the folks that will want comped services. People with political/criminal connections that can make the business fall apart in so very many ways.

Then there's the staff.

Oh yeah, a Majordomo would be an excellent idea! Also makes for a great fall-guy when/if it comes out that it's laundering money for Terrorists... I mean Shadowrunners.

[Makki]

And don't forget the (dis)organized crime aspect as well. You're going to have to pay off the local gang, the local crime syndicate, the police (Which might be the local gang if you're in the Barrens), and bribes to City Hall to get the licenses you need (And then more bribes to renew them.).

that's all integrated into the lifestyle costs and day job quality income. aswell as staff costs. we're not playing sim city. however you choose, you'll end up with red or black numbers every month. in case of red you have a reason for running...

one could add Dependents negative quality, if you wanna take care of your girls.

[CanRay]

"OK, the Board of Directors has been collected and the Meeting has started. This month, we're in the red. Again. You all know what that means."

"BEER RUN!"

"No, MightyTusk, it means we have to pull a Shadowrun against the Warehouse that stores high-quality alcoholic beverages to resupply our stock."

"Like I said... BEER RUN!"

[Congzilla]

and Fame, 'cause you wanna have a rockin well-known business with some advertising for more income (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

I am pretty sure you would have a trusted goon be the face of the business, like the Bada Bing from the Sopranos. So neither negative quality would apply.

[CanRay]

I am pretty sure you would have a trusted goon be the face of the business, like the Bada Bing from the Sopranos. So neither negative quality would apply.

Ah, word will get around to Shadowrunners running it. Even if it's only rumours in the Shadows, the word will get out.

[Lanlaorn]

Just because a business is famous doesn't mean the owner is. McDonald's is known damn near everywhere, it's Fame level would be higher than the max stated in the book. But I cannot tell you who the CEO or owner of the company is, beyond a vague notion that Mr. McDonald founded the thing I'd have to look up everything else about their corporate structure.

Similarly the stripclub known throughout the city as the best and most exclusive doesn't necessarily have an owner who everyone recognizes.

[CanRay]

Look at Pez. Yes, the candy people. (Originally it was sold as a way to quit smoking.).

Their board of directors is unknown, last I heard.

[Abstruse]

If you want to make it easy, just have them take an extra lifestyle for the storefront. Anything that wouldn't fit with a business, say those costs are for paying employees (so you don't have to take the dayjob flaw) and/or protection money to the local gang.

[nezumi]

Look at Pez. Yes, the candy people. (Originally it was sold as a way to quit smoking.).

Their board of directors is unknown, last I heard.

But you guys are talking about product-based industries. There's a huge difference between a product you put in a box and give to someone else to sell, and a service-based industry where people are coming for the location and the social aspect. Sure, the owner doesn't have to be known, but the place does need a face, and hiring some other guy to do it is going to be awfully pricey. Also, it doesn't compare because the mafia isn't into the 'pink candy' industry, nor is said industry heavily regulated.

You need a face.

[Draco18s]

You need a face.

"Welcome to Bada Bing's Face Parlor. I'm Bada Bing, and I'm the face. You like my face? You want to wear my face? Step this way, we're having a sale!"

[Doc Chase]

"Welcome to Bada Bing's Face Parlor. I'm Bada Bing, and I'm the face. You like my face? You want to wear my face? Step this way, we're having a sale!"

Zydrate comes in a little glass vial
(A little glass vial?)
A little glass vial
And it goes in the gun like a battery
And the Zydrate gun goes somewhere against your anatomy
And when the gun goes off, it sparks, and you're ready for surgery
Surgery

[Voran]

Don't forget the Day Job negative quality! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Heh the day job negative quality takes on a whole new level when related to the 'talent' working the club. Day Shift tends to be...well...not premium.

Not to douse the strip club idea, but in some ways, a hostess/host bar might be easier to pull off. You can get away with a smaller establishment, usually don't run afoul of the no naked+full alcohol ordinances (hm...do they even have those in 2070? I imagine not so much anymore), preying on loneliness without sex can be a powerful tool, and in some ways reduces headaches. Plus, the hostess setup can be great for specific targeting and information extraction. Instead of having rotating strippers that do their sets, mingle, do private shows, whatever, you can set it up so you have singular hostesses with specific clients/guests for extended periods of time, slowly plying them with alcohol and weeding out secrets and interesting tidbits of information.

Um...not that i know anything about hostess bars, its...um just stuff I've read. Really.

[Doc Chase]

Those ordinances are no full nudity + alcohol.

Which makes a total nudie bar 18+. Go figure! XD

[Draco18s]

Zydrate comes in a little glass vial
(A little glass vial?)
A little glass vial
And it goes in the gun like a battery
And the Zydrate gun goes somewhere against your anatomy
And when the gun goes off, it sparks, and you're ready for surgery
Surgery

Cute.

Though the thing I wrote was more plastic surgery to have a face like Bada Bing's.
And perhaps not entirely willingly either.

[Doc Chase]

Don't get snitty because Repo! The Genetic Opera goes a step farther. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[Draco18s]

Don't get snitty because Repo! The Genetic Opera goes a step farther. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

Never seen it.

[Doc Chase]

Give it a try. The movie's horrible, but it's pink mohawk enough to be Shadowrun. I think of it as Thomas Roxborough owning UniOmni and going wild.

Also, Anthony Steward Head (lol Giles) sings. That's all I'll say about it.

[Doc Byte]

While I'm certain I had seen a post on this some time back, I've been totally at a loss to find it... In a nutshell, I'm trying to find info/rules on how players might open their own business to use as a cover/meeting place. The advanced Lifestyle rules in Companion include a workshop, but not an actual business.

You're sure you want "rules for small businesses" from Catalyst of all things?