Ready to open the doors and start making simoleons? Here’s a clear, step by step guide to launching and running a thriving small business with the Businesses & Hobbies expansion, distilled from real gameplay.
Pick your location and register
- Home lot business: On your phone, go to Business → Register Small Business (750§). This creates your business without buying new real estate.
- Separate venue: On your phone, go to Business → Buy Small Business Venue, select and purchase a lot, then tick Start off with a preset small business to auto register for 750§. Note that venue lots require the full purchase price upfront.
Set your brand and activities
Open Owned Business → Small Business Settings to:
- Choose an icon, name, and description.
- Select up to five business activities. Start with a preset (e.g., Gym, Café) and then mix and match. For example, a gym can add Swim and Drink coffee to host a pool and café under one roof.
- Save your custom setup as a new preset for future use.
Multi lot “franchises”
Assign the same business to multiple purchased lots to run a chain. Staff and star rating carry across all assigned locations.
Target customers
Use Target Customers to set preferred or required criteria:
- Preferred criteria increase likelihood of visits.
- Ticking Make selected criteria required gates entry to matching Sims only.
- This is great for nightclubs that exclude teens, or gyms where you want to keep at risk elders away.
Zone your rooms
In Build Mode, click rooms to set zone types:
- Public: Anyone can enter.
- Employees only: Household plus hired staff.
- Residential: Household only, perfect for separating your living space from your business when working from home.
Tip: Unfenced outdoors is always public.
Three ways to make money
1) Entrance and hourly fees
- Place a ticket kiosk on the lot.
- In settings or on the kiosk, choose one-time or hourly fees.
- Prices scale with your star rating and a price modifier from 50% cheaper to 100% more expensive.
- Higher fees can slightly reduce foot traffic.
2) Paid services
Earn by delivering hands-on services:
- Mentor Sims in skills.
- Run classes via the Sharing Is Caring Hobby Whiteboard.
- Serve coffee or drinks at bars.
- Offer tattoos and more.
Assign yourself or staff to these roles during operating hours.
3) Retail sales (use sparingly)
- Ensure Browse and buy items is in your activities list.
- Place goods on retail displays. A red tag shows they are for sale.
- Use refrigerated or bakery displays for food to extend shelf life.
Caveats: There is no restocking. Every sold item must be remade and manually placed. Consider hiring an employee to craft goods you then sell. Retail works best as a secondary income stream, not your core focus.
Hire and manage staff
Open Manage Employees to:
- Hire up to three Sims you already know.
- Adjust pay to Low, Standard, or High. Higher pay boosts morale and retention.
- Set up to five tasks per employee with Manage Employee Tasks. Prioritize service roles first, plus Cleaning and Repairs.
- Assign uniforms under Employee Uniforms for masculine and feminine frames.
- You can also assign tasks to your owner Sim to run autonomously while open.
Build star rating and renown
Customers leave reviews that build renown, which increases your star rating. To improve quickly:
- Keep the lot clean and well maintained.
- Make sure all required objects for your selected activities are present.
- Create a nicely decorated environment.
Benefits of more stars: - More visitors and higher base fees.
- Earn 2–3 perk points per star, up to 12 at 5 stars, to unlock business perks that affect money, operations, and mischief.
Shape your business alignment
Your business alignment affects reputation and special hooks:
- Paths: Dreamer (Lawful → Scrupulous → Virtuous) and Schemer (Illicit → Underground → Nefarious).
- Influence alignment through dilemma choices and by using alignment tagged perks.
- Alignment changes the types of customers you attract, unlocks invites like inspirational seminars or secret missions, and can grant alignment traits like Utopian Advocate or Supreme Trickster.
Warnings: - Extreme alignment can strain friendships and make romance harder with mismatched Sims.
- You may gain new fears such as Fear of Being Exposed.
Note: You can buy any perk regardless of alignment, but alignment traits can be lost if your alignment flips.
Handy panel tips and closing
- Financial overview shows profit and highlights one strength and one area to improve after closing.
- Sell business returns very low simoleons even at 5 stars, so it is not a meaningful exit strategy.
- Pair with the Esteemed Entrepreneur aspiration for the Beloved Brand trait, improving reviews.
- Opening costs 75§ each time and you can run for up to 24 hours.
Source: Petey Plays It breakdown of Businesses & Hobbies small businesses: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNcG_VuECBg&ab_channel=PeteyPlaysIt
FAQ: Running a business in Sims 4: Businesses & Hobbies
How do I open a business?
You can open a business from your phone. Register a small business on your home lot for 750§, or purchase a separate community lot and register it there.
Can I run multiple stores?
Yes. You can assign the same business to multiple purchased lots to create a chain or franchise. Staff and star ratings carry across.
How do I choose what my business does?
Set up to five activities from the business settings panel. You can use presets (like Gym or Café) or mix and match to create your own, then save it as a custom preset.
What’s the difference between zoning options?
- Public: Open to all Sims.
- Employees only: For household + hired staff.
- Residential: Household only, perfect for separating living areas from business areas.
How can I make money from my business?
There are three main ways:
- Entrance or hourly fees (set by your star rating and modifiers).
- Paid services like mentoring, classes, or bartending.
- Retail sales via display objects (note: items must be remade and manually placed).
How many employees can I hire?
You can hire up to three Sims that your household already knows. You can adjust their pay and assign them up to five tasks each.
What affects my star rating?
Star ratings rise when customers have positive experiences. Keep the business clean, repaired, fully equipped, and decorated to earn renown and increase stars.
What are perks and alignment?
- Perks: Unlocked with points from star ratings; help boost income, efficiency, or chaos.
- Alignment: Businesses can become Dreamer (virtuous) or Schemer (nefarious), unlocking unique invites, traits, and customer types.
Can I sell my business?
Yes, but it’s not very profitable. Even a 5-star business sells for only around 1,250§, much less than it can earn while open.
How long can I run a business each day?
Up to 24 hours at a time, and it costs 75§ to open each session.
