What types of buisnesses exist in SL?

What types of buisnesses exist in SL? I want to start a biz but I need ideas...
Thanks

Everything you can imagine really.

There are stores that sell everything from created products (like clothes, skins, shapes, houses, furniture, vehicles, etc.) to building inputs and tools (like textures, builders tools, stairs, doors, etc.), landscaping, animations, other scripts, etc.

There are entertainment venues ranging from music clubs to dance venues to strip joints, hostess clubs and BDSM gathering places.

The list is endless. However, it is quite diffifcult to make a *lot* of money in SL.

we're clamouring for a bank.

Banks are always popular.

EDIT: Is that a case of great minds think alike or is it fools seldom differ?

Pie shops (might as well get in early)

yeah, but they've gotta offer niche products.

I thought about making a bank but I couldn't really lend money to people (Using the money you put in) they would just sell the lindens and delete their account. I was thinking of giving out bonds or something like that and then investing the money in RL...
What do you guys think of that idea?

let's go for BOTH.

DDD

Incidentally, I've heard Northern Rock has ordered a SIM on the new continent.

well, the only person really qualified to help you isn't awake yet.

dzonatas should be around in a couple of hours.

You mean with making sure they don't run away with the money?

Couldn't they just buy the old Ginko SIM?

Ginko's creditors are battling over it. I think they want to make it single themed but can't agree on it.

Yeah, but what if you just sold the lindens and deleted your acc... um, haven't we been here before?

So could I do this? Do I need some sort of permit for this or can I just start?

You need a green card.

You do not need a permit, you could start right now. There's big money in it, the best known "banker" in SL is rumoured to have made up to $750,000 irl from his activities. Unfortunately, most of his customers are still wondering where their money went. Search the forums for "ginko" if you want the whole sordid story.

Seriously, do not even think about starting a bank unless you want most people to consider you a crook.

LOL

* Graphic Design
* Building (modeling)
* Scripting
* Marketing
* Clothing and accessories
* Galleries and Exhibits
* Consulting
* Sex
* RPG and MMO
* 3.14159265
* Bringing real world businesses into SL, and constructing a sim for them (big business, one of the most profitable outlets in Second Life)

There are dozens more already created, and dozens which await their genesis.

3.14.... very cleva!

Try to ask yourself a different question: "What am I really good at, and what do I have fun doing?" If you can answer that, there is often a way to turn that talent into a business in SL. Businesses that start as an answer to that question are the ones that generally make SL better, and the ones that have a better chance of being successful.

-Avion

Personal shopper - I have had a number of clients come into SL for a look and ask for a skin, shape, wardrobe so they dont look like a newb.

Person would have to take a brief on the look the customer wants and then present them with a selection of samples or images to chose from. Cost of service could be x% of spend on products.

Just a thought!

I feel that if you don't have something very concrete to offer SL residents, then having a goal of making a successful business in SL (i.e. making money doing it) is a bit of a fool's errand. The amount of time that you spend trying to get it set up will overshadow any profit you can make.

Now, those with true talent (building, scripting, public relations, whatever) can do a very nice job, and there are plenty of examples of that around.

So without wishing to sound dismissive, I feel like you are asking the wrong question. Ask what you can bring into SL. Then research whether it has already been done, how successful it was, and whether you can do it better.

Thank you Wulfric. I know people love to joke, but it is clear that Russ is not familiar with SL business and is totally unaware of the recent banking scandals.

Russ, banking in SL is now widely recognized as unreliable at best and outright fraud at worst. You are exactly right that we are all dealing with strangers here. Depositors putting money in a bank are simply handing their hard-earned cash to an unknown person through a hole in the wall. And a bank loaning money to borrowers is doing the exact same thing, except they are risking other people's money.

As for what you SHOULD do, I wholeheartedly agree with Kalderi. Good businesses rarely start solely for the sake of being a business. I would suggest focusing on what YOU like to do in SL, and then exploring ways to use that to make goods or provide services to others. If people find those goods/services of value and are willing to pay for them, you are in business.

Most "bankers" that Loan lindens in SL are Loan Sharks.

They charge exorbinant amounts of Interest in exchange for being given temporary ownership of the person's land.

If the payments arent made, they sell the land, which is worth as much as the original loan - the profit being made in the payments prior to forclosure.

----------------------------------

The other type of SL bank is one where people deposit money, and the "banker" invests it and pays them some of the profite back in interest.

Of course to convince people to hand over their money they offer unrealisitc ammounts of interest and the "banks" quickly evolve into Ponzi Schemes.

The Bonds angle is the same difference. Amateur investors seldom see the pitfalls ahead and thuse offer unrealistic interest, which once the trouble starts they can only fund by selling more bonds, etc. Ponzi.

Bit short on the pi slice there Michael... or is that your profit margin?

Inc