Video: Wednesday, Week 41: HOW DO I BUSINESS?

[infourbooks]

[Neville looks rather frazzled as well as being... rather upset about something]

Briar is gone.

[He takes a deep breath.]

That's bad enough, but we have this plant shop and he was really the one who knew anything about how to actually run it. I'm decent at growing plants, but I've only been selling them for a few weeks now. I could... really use some help. I don't think I can run it just on my own.

Comments

[attention_wenches]

[Loki doesn't know anything practical about running a shop, but he understands economics and intrigue, and his recent experience as Pepper's ersatz assistant has given him a certain insight to the way humans conduct their affairs. Besides, when it comes to anything that seems to hinge on being clever, he just assumes he can do it. Or at least give useful advice. Or at the very least show off a bit.]

What are you having difficulty with? Handling the numbers, a lack of enough bodies to mind the shop and the stock, managing customers...?

[No, he hasn't gotten the hang of saying hello on these devices.]

[infourbooks]

Uh... everything. Definitely not enough bodies though, it's just me alone now. There's a lot I don't know.

[attention_wenches]

A plant shop, you said? Are you selling them alive, or are more of an herbalist? though honestly neither sounds easy...

[He's just thinking out loud. And will continue to do so with glee. Puzzles are fun!]

[infourbooks]

Mostly alive. We dry some of the medicinal stuff though. Growing and drying is the end of things I really actually know.

[attention_wenches]

One would think the technical end of things would be more difficult. Perhaps if you found someone to mind the counter who also had a head for sums... Though unless you've a better idea than I do what the going rate for plants is locally...

[infourbooks]

Someone local would probably know that best I guess...

[Video]

[genoshas_general]

I'm sorry to hear that. [Sorry and worried. She doesn't like it when people she knows disappear.]

Unfortunately, I don't know much about running a business either. A country, but not a business.

Re: [Video]

[infourbooks]

A country?

[He'll never get used to the sort of people the ship picks up]

That must be harder.

[Video]

[genoshas_general]

Probably. [Wanda's... not that humble.] But I don't think it's applicable.

Re: [Video]

[infourbooks]

It's probably pretty different... a lot more people to worry about. Less bills.

[Video]

[genoshas_general]

True. I could possibly look over logistics, if you needed, but that's about it.

Re: [Video]

[infourbooks]

That's about... dealing with large amounts of stuff, right?

[fromthevalley]

I am sorry for your loss, Neville. Perhaps I might offer some assistance?

[infourbooks]

[Neville is still a bit in awe of her]

That would be amazing. I need all the help I can get.

[fromthevalley]

When would you like me to visit?

[infourbooks]

I'm here now... just about any time is convenient, I live in a flat above the shop.

[fromthevalley]

Could you give me the directions, please?


((OOC: Action!spam or log? ))

[infourbooks]

It's three streets south of the Flop, and then head east until you find the shop with the big tree sign.

[unofficial_ambassador]

What do you need help with, accounting? I have a bit of experience ...running my own business if you need advice.

[A brief pause. He's very young, this must be even worse for him.]

I'm sorry about your friend.

[infourbooks]

Uh, yeah, accounting is one of the things that really confuses me. I know basic maths, but they don't teach anything like this at my school.

Uh, thanks.

[He's never sure what to say in these situations. There's a reason he usually just doesn't tell people.]

I wish we knew what it really meant.

[comment not here]

[fromthevalley]

[ One of these days, they are going to have that serious discussion on what exactly is taught at Neville's Hogwarts. ]

[unofficial_ambassador]

Do you know if you were using an accounting program or a paper ledger? That's at least a start. Did you two have a business bank account?

[She doesn't know a lot about the 'going back into the pods' situation but Kaylee's said enough]

He's still alive, so there's hope.

[infourbooks]

It was definitely paper. Briar's not much better with computers than I am. I know we have an account.

[Banks! Banks are familiar! Kinda.]

People have woken up before.

[So that's... one up on some alive but not there people...]

[unofficial_ambassador]

The basic principles should be fairly simple for you to learn, in that case. None of the math involved is particularly difficult. What you want to do, essentially, is keep track of how much you're making and how much you're spending.

Do you know how to access the account? Can you access it without your friend?

[People seemed to disappear often enough that maybe banks planned for that sort of thing when shipfolk opened accounts now]

[infourbooks]

That... doesn't sound so bad.

[It was a lot though. An awful lot. So he doesn't exactly sound confident.]

We set it up so we both could. In case... anything happened.